Whether you’re driving into work every day, weekly or just a few times a month, car ownership costs can really add up. Petrol is one of the main culprits, but even if you’re mostly working from home, maintenance and insurance costs are always a factor.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to lessen the financial burden. From short-term parking solutions to carpooling, embracing fuel efficiency and more, these ideas will save you money every time.
The pandemic has increased financial anxiety across the board. If you’re busy paying back a car loan at the moment, the last thing you need is expensive day-to-day driving costs. These seven tips will help to make things as affordable as possible.
1. Rent a parking space
When was the last time you added up your parking costs? If you’re used to paying day rates for a space in a garage — and dealing with the stress of hoping there will still be bays available when you arrive — it could already be a costly exercise in more ways than one.
A flat-fee parking space rental (like one through a platform such as Stashbee) might cut your costs in half. With a reserved parking space closer to work, you also won’t need to scramble to find one minutes before an important meeting. Car parks should have safety markings from companies like with carparkmarkings.co.uk, as well as proper lighting and security systems.
2. Explore lowering your car insurance premium
According to jacksonville car insurance, if you’re working from home more often these days and you’re commuting far less than you used to, you may be eligible for a lower monthly car insurance premium.
Some providers offer low-mileage discounts and it never hurts to ask if you qualify. If your current provider doesn’t, shop around for comparative quotes. You could end up paying significantly less a month!
3. Carpool with a colleague who lives nearby
Offering a colleague living nearby a ride into the office is an easy way to reduce your commuting costs overnight. Find out if anybody in the team lives in the same neighbourhood as you, and chat to them about joining your commute and splitting the monthly petrol costs.
You could even split the parking space rental costs. It’s also always more fun to be singing along to the radio with a fellow crooner in the seat right next to you.
4. Avoid morning and afternoon rush hour traffic
As the widespread adoption of flexible work from home policies have shown, company directors are far more open to new ideas that will make life easier for their employees now than they were before the pandemic.
Now might be a good time to request an adjustment to your working hours in order for you to avoid rush hour traffic. Doing so could save you a lot of money every year. If it’s not possible, try leaving just five minutes earlier than usual, and watch how it impacts your total travel time.
5. Lighten your car load every week
Start every new week by taking two minutes to remove anything in your car that might have been used or transported over the weekend.
A tent might not seem like the heaviest thing in the world, but it will add to the total weight of the car, which means the car uses more petrol. If your car has a roof rack, always remove it until the next time you need it.
6. Drive with fuel efficiency in mind
No matter how often you’re going into the office, the way you drive impacts petrol consumption. Here are some quick tips to increase your fuel efficiency:
- Lower your overall speed
- When possible, change gears earlier
- Avoid sharp acceleration or braking
- Switch off the air conditioning on colder days, as it will gobble up petrol unnecessarily
- Get into the habit of checking tyre pressure regularly, as under inflated tyres can increase total fuel consumption significantly
7. Keep an eye on once-off transit discounts
It’s a good idea to look out for seasonal public transportation discounts that may save you a bit of money. We’re talking week-long rail pass specials, two-for-one bus ticket deals or something similar.
On top of reducing your commuting costs slightly, breaking from your routine every couple of months will refresh your perspective on life. Sign up to online mailing lists that promote these deals, and indulge yourself from time to time.
Armed with these seven ways to reduce the cost of your commute, you’re now ready to start saving money every month. You may even end up saving so much that you could eventually buy an electric car, further reducing your travel costs (and your carbon footprint, too). This will not only be a win for you, but for the environment as well.
