How to Save Money on Car Costs

Running a car is expensive. It’s one of the biggest expenses you have each month. Gas and diesel are expensive, car repairs and maintenance, upkeep, insurance - the list feels never ending. If you’re a bit strapped for cash you might be thinking about how to get some of these costs down on a permanent or a shorter term basis. Either way, we have some ideas for getting those costs down a bit. 

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Go Electric 

Buying an electric car probably will cost you more upfront, but you can definitely save money on the running costs. If you have the money to spend and want to bring down costs overall in the longer term then it’s a good thing to consider. Electricity providers have tariffs for electric car owners that give you cheap rates when you charge your car at certain times, and if you only do shorter journeys then you might find it costs almost nothing to run. 

Consider Different Vehicles and Types of Transport

If you live alone or mostly travel alone (for example, just a work commute), could you consider switching to another type of vehicle? A moped or motorbike is an obvious choice. You don’t need to find the newest, shiniest Harley-Davidson for sale, it could be something simple and inexpensive. In most cases, motorbike is less expensive to buy than a car. And it’s cheaper to maintain and run as well. So it could definitely be an option for transportation if you don’t usually travel with kids or multiple passengers. Something like an electric scooter or an e-bike could alsp be a good middle ground, if you do longer journeys or don’t have the fitness needed to use a regular bike. 

Get Rid of Your Car Completely

If it’s an option to get rid of your car completely, then this could definitely be a way to save you money. Even if it’s just a short term solution while you work towards a pay raise or get a business up and running. Or until you pay off some debt. Ask yourself if this could work for you. Could you walk or bike to the places you usually go to? You could use online shopping and home deliveries for your groceries instead of going to the actual store and shopping yourself. This will also prevent you from impulse buying, which will be extra savings for you! You could get into walking or biking, which would give you the added bonus of improving your fitness. Or you could use public transportation if that is an option in your area. Check the cost of things like bus, tram and train tickets to see if it’s much cheaper than giving up your car.

Owning and maintaining a car is expensive. But there are ways to decrease those expenses if you take the time to research and weigh your options.

This is a contributed post.