January is a tight month for finances for millions of people across the UK, with many looking for ways to save at the start of the new year.
One of Britain’s biggest wallet burners is the car. According to Nerd Wallet, the average Brit spends £3,406.80 on their car every single year.
However, seven quick changes to cut the costs on your car and save you money have been compiled by Peter Vardy. By implementing these changes, you could reduce your car costs by a third in 2022.
Read more: The full list of discounts available if you're an emergency services worker.
1. Add someone else onto your insurance – saving £426 every year:
If you’re new to driving, naming a parent on your policy can reduce your yearly insurance by hundreds.
Research conducted by Uswitch found that you can save an average of £426 by simply naming a parent on your policy.
2. Avoid paying premium fuels for standard cars – Saving yourself £179.14 per year:
Retailers often claim that premium fuel offers performance and economy advantages and can even protect your engine.
In reality, unless you’re driving a performance vehicle, you’re unlikely to see many improvements – but you will pay an average of 10p more per litre. By sticking to standard unleaded, drivers can save themselves £138.32 per year.
3. Haggling can save you money on car insurance, breakdown cover and when you’re buying a car:
Haggling is an underrated art form. One forum on Money Saving Expert revealed a £100 saving from RAC by haggling your renewal cover.
According to Money Saving Expert, motorists that have haggled their cover with AA, Admiral and RAC have all had an 80% success rate at reducing their premium.
4. Filling up at a supermarket garage can save you £74.10:
Typically, supermarket forecourts are cheaper for fuel compared to branded garages. By switching to fill up your car at a supermarket garage, you can save yourself £74.10 a year.
5. Save £574 per year by performing your own car maintenance checks:
By performing your own regular car maintenance checks, spotting standard wear and tear and fixing it before it becomes a problem, you can avoid paying the average annual repair cost of £574.
6. Cashback credit cards on fuel can save you £53 per year:
Purchasing your petrol or diesel with a cashback credit card (like Santander’s 123 account) offers you 3% cashback for each fill-up. If you filled up your car every two weeks, you’d get £52.68 over the full year!
7. Paying your road tax annually instead of monthly saves you up to £29:
While it may be easier to spread the cost of road tax, it ends up costing more in the long run. Saving up to pay it in one lump sum can save you £29 per year.
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