How to save money when buying and owning a car

Buying a car should be a really exciting time, however, it can also be very daunting financially. Here are some ways that should save you money and leave more room for excitement.

Buying Used

Arguably the biggest saving you can make is during the initial purchase of your car. Buying a used car will give you significant savings when compared with a new version of the same model. When buying any car, make sure to go for a reliable brand and model. For example, look into used Citroen cars for sale to see if there is anything that would meet your needs.

Insurance

Car insurance has a reputation for being very expensive, especially for young drivers. However, there are lots of ways you can make considerable savings. Firstly, be sure to shop around and don’t accept the first quote you are given – price comparison sites will come in very handy here. For young drivers, many providers will lower their rate if you agree to install a black box to track your driving. This is worth doing if you are looking to save some money. When you are filling out your details for your insurance quote, be sure to predict your annual mileage as accurately as possible as this can massively impact the price. Adding a family member to your policy will also help bring costs down. The savings don’t stop there, every year you will need to renew your car insurance policy. This is the perfect opportunity to shop around again, look for new deals and haggle a new price with your current provider – don’t fall into the trap of auto-renewing for convenience! Chances are you will always be able to find a cheaper price elsewhere.

Petrol

Unless you’ve been living on another planet, you’re likely to be aware of the ginormous increase in petrol prices over recent months. This has impacted everyone and is sadly unavoidable, however, if you are willing to spend some time researching where you can find the cheapest fuel near you then you will be able to make at least a small saving. If you don’t fancy researching where to go, consider filling up when you next do a food shop, that way you can earn points on your fuel and use these towards money off your next shop.

Regular maintenance

Like most things, cars will perform better and last longer if they are taken care of. Don’t panic, this doesn’t mean you need to be found with your head under the bonnet every weekend. The best way to take care of your car is to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure everything is as it should be. Whatever you do, don’t ignore any warning lights on your dashboard. Although this can be very tempting, it is likely to cost you in the long run.

Learn how to drive economically

If you want to take things one step further, you could always enrol in an advanced driving course. These will teach you tips on how to drive in the most economical way possible, which will ultimately lead to more savings.

*This is a collaborative post.