4 Ways To Lower Your Car Costs

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[The following is a guest post on behalf of Jake Ashaye, giving tips on how to produce lower car costs]

Car costs can often work out to be a significant portion of your income, especially if you are someone who drives quite a lot. At a time when many of us are looking for ways to tighten our belts and save money wherever possible, it’s definitely worth taking any steps you can to reduce your costs. Read to find out about four ways you could create lower car costs.

4 Ways To Lower Car Costs

 

Drive less

This might not be possible for everyone, but most of us probably could drive less than we do. The majority of journeys currently involve a car – including short journeys that would be easy enough to walk.

One option for reducing your car costs is to walk or cycle wherever you can. This way, you’ll use less gas, which is naturally one of the biggest costs associated with cars. You might also be able to save on your car insurance costs, as the fewer miles you drive, the less you are likely to have to pay for your insurance.

 

Lower Car Costs By Driving More Efficiently

If you have to drive, it’s a good idea to drive as efficiently as you can. Ideally, this means driving in a way that conserves fuel as much as possible so you can minimise the amount you have to spend on gas.

It’s thought that driving at speeds of between 58-65mph offer the best efficiency when it comes to fuel consumption, so if you’re driving somewhere the speed restrictions allow it, keeping your car between these zones could help you to save cash.

Other tricks, such as slowing down for the lights in good time so you don’t have to slam the brakes on at the last moment can also help you to save small amounts of fuel that will add up over the longer term and help to lower car costs.

 

Compare Car Insurance

Another major cost related with your car is the car insurance. Getting good value, cheap car insurance depends on a range of factors, including the security of your car, how big your engine is, where you live, your driving record and more.

[Khaleef here: I wrote about how we were able to save a ton of money on car insurance, just by changing our address.]

The fact that so many things are taken into consideration when generating car insurance quotes means that different insurers might well offer you significantly different prices. Doing a regular comparison online can help you to find out where the best deals are while still making sure you have cover for everything you need it for.

 

Get Regular Services

Finally, you can also reduce your long term caring costs by getting your car serviced regularly. Of course, it’s going to cost you money to get the car checked once a year, but it’s definitely worth it as it can save you money in the long run.

After all, paying for a small repair now will cost much less than paying for major work to be done to your car in the future if you do nothing while you have the chance.

Getting a regular check-up can also make your car safer to drive, which is something else that can have an impact when it comes to reducing your car insurance costs so it’s definitely something worth doing at least once a year.

photo by krossbow

Trying To Save Money On Car Insurance? Here Are 5 Things You Are Doing Wrong!

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[The following is a guest post on behalf of Cheap Car Insurance]

One of the most frequent mistakes car owners make is overpaying for insurance coverage. There are several reasons that people don’t save money on car insurance. Here are some of the most common:

5 Reasons You Do Not Save Money On Car Insurance

Buying Too Quickly

Often, people don’t even think about looking for car insurance until the last moment. Then, they are in a rush to get coverage, and fail to shop around. Taking the time to research can help save money on car insurance.

Buying Only Name Brands

Sometimes, people think that only the big name insurance companies are reliable. This is not true. Most states regulate insurance companies closely. If a company is licensed to do business in your state, it has passed the state’s requirements (this is similar to finding a gas safe engineer).

Sometimes the lesser-known companies offer great coverage and still allow you to save money on car insurance.

Not Asking For Discounts

Most insurance companies offer discounts for various reasons. In many cases, you can get discounts for being a homeowner, or a safe driver. Some companies offer discounts for safety features on your vehicle or for driving a hybrid. Others give discounts to minors with good grades. There are even discounts for belonging to certain groups such as AARP or AAA.

Be sure to ask what discounts may be available for you, and you can save money on car insurance without much effort!

Keeping The Same Company For Years

If you automatically renew your insurance with the same company year after year, you may be overpaying. Failure to check out the competition can cost you money. Typically, your insurance rates will increase every year.

It is always a good idea to check to see if you could get cheaper coverage with another company.

Buying More Or Less Insurance Than You Need

It is important to determine how much coverage you actually need. Most states have a minimum amount of insurance that you are required to carry. For some, this is all that they need. For others, more coverage is better.

If your car is new, you will want to make sure that it is covered for collision and comprehensive damages (although you still may not be able to file a claim for damaged money if you’re in an accident ;-)). If you have an older car, you may only need to be covered for liability.

Another consideration is the amount of deductible you choose. If you can afford to absorb the costs of minor damage, you do not need to pay extra for a low deductible. Choosing a higher deductible can save money in the long run.

In Conclusion

Once you have determined your needs, the next thing to do is to get a list of all of the licensed insurance providers in your state from the department of transportation. Next, go online and check out these companies. Look for comments from past clients and general reputation. Also, look for customer service and ease of contacting a representative.

Next, request free rate quotes from several cheap auto insurance companies. Be sure to do an equal comparison. Do not request one level of coverage from one provider and a different level from another one. By doing this, you will be able to make an informed decision and be satisfied that you have chosen the best, most cost effective insurance that meets your needs.

photo by Bill Longshaw