Running a car doesn’t seem to get any cheaper each year, so we shouldn’t expect that 2016 will be any different. It is doubtful that anyone is going to give up their car due to the cost of running it, so how can we all save money on motoring expenses in the coming year?
Here are a few ways to save money running your car:
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Add air to the tires to the highest recommended pressure level
Tyre air pressure makes a real difference on fuel efficiency. For every pressure per square inch (PSI) that the tyre loses, fuel efficiency drops by 0.125%. That doesn’t sound like much but just think about it for a second. If all four tyres are 16 psi low, the fuel-efficient drops by 8% just because the air in the tyres is too low. That ultra fuel-efficient car suddenly becomes much less efficient every month unless the tyres get pumped up regularly. Use a petrol station locally on a free weekend each month to pump up the tyres. Add this action to your calendar and set an alarm to alert you.
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Park and Ride
Depending on where you work in the city, it is a real chore to drive into town during a weekday. Hitting rush hour traffic isn’t fun at the best of times and there’s London’s expensive Congestion Charge to pay if you’re travelling into central London. You may not live near to the right train station or bus stop with a good connection to your destination. Why not look for garages to rent in London that are near the train or tube station, park in the garage, and continue on your journey? Avoiding the traffic and the Congestion Charge often makes it worthwhile.
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Telecommute One Day A Week
More companies are willing to consider the idea of remote working and telecommuting than ever before. With faster broadband internet connections in homes and flexible working hours, both businesses and workers are willing to consider working from home at least one day a week. This will cut down the wear and tear on the car, reduce petrol usage, and offer a different work environment to look forward to once a week. Have a look at these tools for more productive telecommuting.
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Stop accelerating and braking often
With each sudden acceleration forward, the car’s engine revs up which burns more fuel. With the greater acceleration rate, petrol gets consumed at a faster rate. Similarly, braking is often a result of being too heavy on the accelerator pedal in the first place. Braking too often can wear down the brake pads and wear out the tyres faster. Ease forward and brake less often to save money in these areas.
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Shop around for the lowest petrol prices
Do you know which petrol station has the best prices for the type of petrol (or diesel) needed for your car? If you take a number of routes on regular journeys, be sure to make a note of which petrol stations offer the lowest prices and don’t forget the supermarkets who often offer discounts if you spend a certain minimum amount of money in store. Alternatively, you can look online to see the cheapest petrol prices in your local area.
There are many creative ways to cut down on car-related expenses. It doesn’t really mean that you have to give up your car. You just need to think of methods to cut expenses when using and owning a car.
