Right now, we’re all looking for ways to save some money. Times are hard. Times are so hard that many news articles are starting to refer to our current situation as a cost of living crisis.
Many of us are struggling. Many of us are beginning to feel the pinch. It’s not all too surprising, then, that many of us are also trying to find solutions that will allow us to maintain a good quality of life without having to sink into debt that we may not be able to get ourselves out of.
With workplaces reluctant to grant pay rises, inflation increasing and other issues at hand, you may be wondering where to start on your journey to cut your general outgoings.
The good news is that there are countless areas that you can focus on. One is your car. Here are some tips and tricks that should help you with this!
Consider Your Car
First, consider the car that you actually have. Not all cars are created equal and cars can have very different price tags attached to them in a number of ways.
You need to make sure that you can still afford the car that you have on your driveway or in your garage. As we have to reduce spending in different areas, you may find that now is the time that you need to wave goodbye to your current car and consider something more affordable.
Sure, this can be disheartening, but lower-cost cars are out there and will still get you from A to B. If this is a process you want to go down, consider your individual situation.
If you are in a finance contract or lease, you may need to wait it out until this ends, then cut the contract and look for something else.
If you own your car outright or are buying it on an independent loan or finance plan, you may be able to sell the vehicle and pay the remaining balance off, or be left with some money to choose something else.
Fuel Costs
Right now, the cost of fuel has skyrocketed. It’s the area of many economies that have inflated the most due to a number of crises, including Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Of course, you can’t do much to cut the cost of fuel yourself, as this isn’t within your control – and when almost every provider has hiked prices to the point of record profits for the oil companies, you may not find that shopping around helps either.
Instead, you’re going to have to focus on fuel consumption and fuel preservation. Consider a vehicle that uses fuel efficiently. It’s not ideal but reduces your journeys. Only travel by car when you need to and consider alternative, free options such as walking or cycling for shorter trips.
Repair Costs
Get to know your vehicle. Understanding your vehicle can let you understand when issues arise and what might be required to resolve them. Look into your Ford Owners Manual.
See what certain lights on your dashboard mean. This can all help you to prepare yourself for a trip to the garage where you may be quoted a certain amount to carry out certain work.
Make sure you’re not getting ripped off – look up average repair costs and recommended repair costs for the issues at hand. You can also reduce repair costs by looking after your car well in the first place.
Sure, your vehicle will experience wear and tear over time, or may simply experience damage as a result of someone else’s actions. But by being careful yourself, you can reduce problems as best possible.
Drive carefully – this goes without saying. Park carefully to avoid bumps and scratches. Maintain your vehicle well.
Insurance Costs
Every car that drives on public roads needs to be insured. This is the law – and for good reason. Insurance protects you and those around you.
It ensures that if damage to your car occurs or you are in an accident, you can get your vehicle repaired and that if the accident is your fault, others can get their vehicles repaired too.
Of course, insurance tends to be a significant outgoing when it comes to owning a car. You need to make sure that you’ve shopped around for the best deal. Use price comparison sites to help with this.
Hopefully, some of the information above should help you to cut your car costs as best possible during these hard times. Give the steps a go and see how you get on!
