Running a car has never been more expensive than it is today, especially for those who are new to the road. With the price of cars, insurance, and fuel all skyrocketing, it can be hard to know where you can save some money in this area, and a lot of people end up wasting a fortune as they battle their way through it. Of course, like most of life, there are always ways to save on your car. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the easiest ways to make your time as a new driver cheaper, while also ensuring that you retain the correct level of cover and protection as someone paying full price.
The Car: The very first area you need to consider when you’re trying to save money on driving is the car itself. This will make up for a large portion of the bills you have to pay, often being the deciding factor in the price of insurance, tax, and the purchase of the vehicle. Below, you can find some examples of the common attributes which shape the value of your motor.
- Make/Model: Some makes are simple more expensive than others. Of course, as a new driver, you’re not going to be too worried about getting the most fashionable car on the road. Instead, you need something reliable and value-oriented. This shouldn’t be too hard to find with the help of websites like WhatCar to tell you which cars are best in your price range.
- Specifications: Along with the make and model of the car, the exact specifications will also impact the price when you are purchasing it. Options like engine size, though, will not only change the price of the car, but will also alter the running costs, too. This makes it hard to find a big car which can be operated nice and affordably.
- Age/Condition: The age of the vehicle will also contribute to the price you have to pay when you’re at the dealership, with older cars often being much cheaper. You have to be careful with this, though. Cars which are old are much more likely to be in bad condition, making them cost a lot more into the future as you have to pay for constant repairs.
- Purchase Location: Buying a car in a dealership gives you the protection of warranties and other benefits. As a new driver in a beaten up car, though, you won’t be too worried about making a claim if the vehicle starts to have faults. Instead, it can be better to go with a private seller who has plenty of good reviews, as this will be much cheaper while also providing confidence in the transaction.
The Insurance: With a set of keys in hand, you will be ready to start making the vehicle ready for the road. One of the most crucial parts of this will be your insurance. Failing to have this product assigned to your vehicle will make it illegal for you to drive on the road. Companies like Belairdirect car insurance can help you to find the very best option for your car, offering products specifically for new drivers to make their life on the road a little easier to afford. While this will main getting in contact with a couple of businesses, it can be a great help and is a lot better than buying your insurance without any guidance.
The Fuel: This next area is one which a lot of people won’t have a chance to change, at the moment. Over the next few years, though, the type of fuel your car uses promises to drastically impact the price it costs to run. There are loads of places in modern cities and towns to charge an electric car. Often, you will be given free access to these resources simply for shopping somewhere. This could make running your car much cheaper, especially if you live somewhere where they are popular.
The Maintenance: Finally, as the last area to think about, maintenance can be a big challenge when you’re first starting with a cheap car. It’s often a lot cheaper to spend some time learning basic repair and routine tasks to keep your car healthy than it is to pay someone to repair it when it breaks. There are loads of sites around the web which can support this work, and it shouldn’t be too hard to get started.
Hopefully, with all of this in mind, you should be able to start working towards making the start of your driving career a whole lot cheaper. Working towards a goal like this can be very difficult, and a lot of people struggle to make their car affordable. Of course, though, there are a lot of tools out there to help you, and it isn’t too hard to get started when you know where to look.