Did you know that the way you drive and run your car can save you money? Find out how.

Make just a few small changes to the way you drive and run your car and significant savings can be made.

It’s January and if you’re like most people, you’re looking for ways to boost your bank balance. One way you may not have considered is your car. After all, a car seems to be a one-way system when it comes to money: there’s the cost of the vehicle, the tax, the insurance, the petrol, not to mention repairs and general maintenance. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Make just a few small changes to the way you drive and run your car and significant savings can be made. Interested? Read on.

Maintenance

Cars break down. It’s a fact of life. But keeping your car in tip-top condition will save you money in the long run. After all, repairs aren’t cheap, especially if you haven’t budgeted for them. So give your car a regular service to keep it running smoothly and efficiently.

Pack Smart

Unnecessary weight reduces fuel efficiency by up to 2%.

Think about what you should carry in your car if your car does break down. This includes jump leads, a shovel (in case of you get stuck) and emergency triangles. For lots more tips on what to carry in your car all year round, check out our Pack Smarter Drive Safer blog.

Pack Light

Overloading your car is unsafe and can have a detrimental effect on its handling, breaking and can ultimately lead to expensive repairs later on. Unnecessary weight reduces fuel efficiency by up to 2%. So to save on your fuel and repair bills, remove anything you don’t need to carry around.

Fuel Saving Tips

Fuel is one of the main driving expenses but you can reduce your bill considerably:

Stay within the speed limit. Driving at 100km/h uses around 2% more fuel than driving at 75km/h.

• Check your tyre pressure whenever you fill up. Under-inflated tyres increase resistance and add an estimated 2% to your fuel costs. That 2% can easily be saved by keeping tyres inflated to the correct pressure
• Air conditioning requires fuel from the tank. So if you’re driving under 45MPH, open your windows instead of switching on the air-con. This will increase mileage by a huge 5-10%
• Stay within the speed limit. Driving at 100km/h uses around 2% more fuel than driving at 75km/h. Reduce excessive idling, hard braking and sudden starts and your car’s fuel economy will also increase