Reducing your expenditure

Running a car can prove a financial headache. In addition to paying for fuel, insurance, MOTs, repairs and road tax, motorists have to cover the costs of expensive 'extras' such as car parking fees, road tolls, congestion charges and even penalty fines.

In theory, using public transport often proves a much cheaper alternative to running a car. However, in practice, it is not always easy, convenient or possible for everyone to take public transport, meaning that many people's cars are their lifelines. With this in mind, Goodbye2debt has consulted a whole host of motoring experts to help you keep your car costs low.

As well as saving money during vehicle purchase by shopping around for the best prices, you can save even more and minimise car running costs by doing your homework. The automotive industry is one of the most competitive in the UK, resulting in good deals being available for those who look.

Insurance

Plenty of patience and persistence are key to keeping insurance premiums down. Experts estimate that you can save around 35% on your insurance policy by comparing different companies against each other. Review your policy every year, using the phone and internet to research quotes and be brave when it comes to talking prices. Be friendly, but don't be afraid to:

Negotiate with insurance providers and tell them what other deals you've been offered

Ask for lower credit terms on policies paid for over 12 months - premiums paid for in monthly instalments can cost around 10-15% more than those paid for in one-off payments

Ask for better terms and conditions - lower excesses, no claims bonuses, breakdown cover, hire car provision etc

Maintenance

It may seem a bit of a chore, but carrying-out basic vehicle checks every couple of weeks can improve vehicle performance and safety, helping to reduce repair bills, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Consult your car's ownership manual as this will provide you with all the correct information on your vehicle's maintenance and use the following as a basic checklist:

  Tyres - incorrect tyre pressures and poor treads are not only dangerous, but can increase fuel consumption by as much as 3%

  Fluids - correct oil, brake fluid and engine coolant levels can help to reduce high levels of engine wear and damage

  Brakes - incorrectly aligned and worn breaks can cause accidents, and increase tyre and engine wear, and fuel consumption

A well maintained car can mean lower MOT and service charges, and fuel bills. Regular maintenance can improve a vehicle's lifespan and its financial value.

Fuel

Although petrol prices are likely to remain high for the foreseeable future, the following hints and tips will help you get more miles for your money.

  Control your speed - high speeds lead to increased fuel consumption.

  Don't carry needless weight - ensure that your boot and backseat spaces are not full of clutter which will weigh the car down.

  Change your driving habits - downhill acceleration, quick acceleration and sudden breaking all use up more fuel.

  Control your air flow - close windows when using air conditioning and keep your air conditioning on a low setting to improve fuel efficiency.

  Take advantage of reward schemes - many supermarkets now offer money-off coupons for their petrol or reward points on petrol purchases. These schemes could save you a couple of hundred pounds every year.

  Don't take the car on short journeys - make a list of regular journeys, which you use your car for and set yourself the challenge of leaving the car at home for local journeys of less than one mile.

  Try to car share - this will help save the planet and your petrol pounds.

Essentially, the one factor that underpins all the hints and tips for keeping your motoring costs down is; time. Investing a bit of time in caring for your car and shopping around for the best deals could help save you thousands of pounds during the lifetime of your car.

Driving Down Costs

Insurance

Maintenance

Fuel