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How to Run Your Car More Economically

November 6th, 2022 Posted in Money Tips, motoring
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Times are uncertain at the moment. Everything seems to be rising in cost, from your local supermarket shop to the petrol in your car. Some people are having to choose between eating and heating, and many people are considering getting rid of their second car. Unfortunately, there is no way to know how long the current financial situation will last, and that means we all better start making some changes to get through. The good news is that there are many ways you can make your car run more economically. If you are thinking of getting rid of a second car that your family relies on at the moment, you can try and implement some measures instead to see if you can make it more affordable. 

there are many ways you can make your car run more economically - old gas station pumps image
Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay

Your Driving Style

Your driving style has a massive impact on how much fuel your car uses. An aggressive driving style which means you accelerate too quickly, brake too hard, and fight the gear stick, among other things, will cause your fuel to deplete a lot quicker. Not to mention all the other wear and tear issue on the car itself. If you want your car to run more cheaply, look at yourself. Maybe read up about driving style for fuel economy, or look to attend a class. Even if you think you are an economic driver, it may be ab idea to refresh your driving style. No one is perfect, after all. Chaing your driving style just a little bit may save you a lot of money in the long run.

Your Tyres

If you don’t regularly check your tyres, then it is time you start. Underinflated tyres can cost you a fortune in wasted fuel. Under-inflated tyres increase road resistance which increases fuel consumption. Additionally, if all four of your tyres are inflated to different PSIs, then you are causing issues with your car’s suspension and axels, etc. this is because you are running an unaligned car. If you need new tyres, buy decent tyres like Kumho Tyres, for example, which are high quality and will last a long time but are not as expensive as other high-quality brands. 

Weight

Is your boot always full? Is there a lot of rubbish in your passenger seat or back seats? Every unnecessary thing in your car can cost you fuel. So, if your car is full of a lot of junk, now is the time to remove it. If you can, maybe even think about removing the spare wheel and jack if you have them. Also, you may be able to remove the backseats in some cars, although this definitely is not for everyone. Another thing to consider is how much you refuel. It may be more economical to refuel more often with less fuel due to the weight of a full tank. Living close to a petrol station may make this more feasible. 

Your Oil

Cars need oil to run. However, if you are using low-quality oil, then you are not given the engine and moving parts the best things to make it run. High-quality or synthetic oil is far thinner than the standard stuff. High-quality oil can perform much better in evert circumstance; it does clog up as easily and can make your car cheaper to run because the car is being looked after better. Parts will last longer, everything will run more smoothly, and this can even save you on fuel costs too.   

Solar Panels

If you have an electric car, you may already be seeing how expensive this can make your electricity bill. With the cost of electricity rising, you need to find ways to make it cheaper to charge up your car. Perhaps your energy supplier offers a specialist tariff for electric cars, where you can fill up at night at a cheap electric rate. This means that you would get a two-rate meter where electricity at peak times during the day is more expensive. Perhaps you should discuss this with your energy supplier if you haven’t already. Another thing you could consider is getting solar panels on the roof of your house if you own your own home. If you work full time, then it still can make it cheaper to run an electric car as you can charge your car at the weekends for free and in the summer evenings. Additionally, solar panels, even in the winter, will make it cheaper to run the rest of the house, which can have a knock-on effect on the cost of your electricity bill. 

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5 Tips for Saving Money When Going to University

March 24th, 2022 Posted in Parent Advice, student finances
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Attending college or university can be a very costly experience. Tuition, room and board, textbooks – the list goes on and on. However, there are ways to reduce the amount of money you spend while still getting your education. This blog post will discuss five tips for saving money when going to school!

5 Tips for Saving Money When Going to University - aerial photo of university style building
Photo by David McBee from Pexels

1) One way to save money while in university is to live at home. 

This may not be possible for everyone, but it can be a great way to save money on things like rent and utilities if you have the option. If living at home isn’t an option for you, there are still ways to save on your housing costs. One way is to live in a smaller apartment or in university accomodation with roommates. This can help split the cost of rent and other bills. Another way to save on housing costs is to look for apartments or houses that are further away from campus. While this may mean a longer commute, it can also mean lower rental rates.

2) Another way to save money while in university is to cook your own meals. 

Eating out can be expensive, and it’s not always the healthiest option. By cooking your own meals, you can save money and eat healthier. If cooking meals from scratch is not your thing, there are still ways to save money on food. One way is to look for deals at the grocery store or take advantage of sales. Another way to save on food costs is to plan your meals. This can help you avoid wasting food and spending too much money on eating out.

3) Another way to save money is to avoid buying new textbooks. 

Textbooks can be costly, and you may not need all of the material in them. One way to avoid buying new textbooks is to see if your school has a textbook rental program. Another way to save on textbook costs is to buy used books or find digital versions of the textbook online. You can also try to sell your textbooks back at the end of the semester for some of the cost.

4) You can also save money by using your student ID. 

Many colleges and universities offer discounts to students with valid IDs. This can include discounts on things like food, clothing, and entertainment. You can also get discounts on travel costs if you plan to take a trip during your break from school. Be sure to check with your school’s student services office for more information on available discounts.

5) Finally, you can save money by working part-time. 

Many students work while attending college or university. While this can be a great way to earn some extra money, it can also help you offset the cost of your education. You can use the money you earn from working to help pay for things like tuition, books, and housing. You can also use your earnings to help cover the cost of living expenses while in school.

In conclusion,  there are many ways to save money while attending university. By following the tips in this blog post, you can help reduce the cost of your education and still get the most out of your experience! 

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5 Sneaky Ideas For Cutting Car Insurance Costs

September 4th, 2021 Posted in Money Tips, motoring
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Car insurance is one of those things you hate to pay but can’t avoid. You need to have car insurance to drive your car on the road, but it can be painfully expensive. Certain factors influence the costs that can’t be changed by you at all. For instance, your age and gender will play a huge role in how costly your premiums are. Younger drivers tend to have higher premiums because they present larger risks, as do men. 

Having said that, there are plenty of other factors that can be influenced by you. Here are some sneaky ideas for cutting car insurance costs:

5 Sneaky Ideas For Cutting Car Insurance Costs - couple driving an old car
Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels

Become a more cautious driver

Does this mean you have to drive everywhere at a snail’s pace? No, it means you start driving with a bit more caution and sense. Avoid speeding all the time, don’t get distracted while you drive, and certainly, never drive while under the influence. Cautious drivers have cheaper insurance premiums because, guess what, they get into fewer car accidents. Car insurance providers see this squeaky clean record, recognize the driver is not a risk, and provide a cheaper premium. 

Avoid making insurance claims

Speaking of insurance providers and car accidents, the number of claims you make will impact your premium. Claiming compensation will mean your premium increases. This is simply because car insurance providers don’t actually want to provide you with compensation. It’s money out of their pocket, so they’d rather not give it to you. To compensate for this, they will charge a higher premium for people that keep on making claims. In their mind, if they have to keep forking out cash, so should you!

Furthermore, insurance providers often give people a no claims bonus. Effectively, for every year you’re with the provider and don’t make a claim, you get a bonus, lowering the cost of your premium. So, what should you do if you get into an accident? Instead of claiming through your insurance, it is better to find compassionate car accident attorneys that can handle things for you. By making a legal case, they can help you get compensation while protecting your no claims bonus!

Drive less

The more you drive, the more expensive your car insurance will be. Yes, this sounds ridiculous, and it’s another insight into the crazy psyche of the insurance provider. In their heads, people who spend more time driving will have more opportunities to be involved in accidents. It kind of makes sense, but it’s yet another reminder that car insurance providers really aren’t your friends. 

So, if you drive less, you present yourself as a lower-risk driver. Therefore, insurance providers will give you a lower premium. The more miles you have on your clock every year, the more your premium will increase. If you work on decreasing these miles, the opposite will happen. 

5 Sneaky Ideas For Cutting Car Insurance Costs - blue Smart car image
Photo by Mike from Pexels

Change your car

Some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. This is down to a series of factors, such as how expensive the cars are to repair or replace. Sports cars are also very expensive to insure because they’re really fast and therefore more dangerous. The larger the engine, the more costly the vehicle tends to be to insure. 

On the other hand, smaller cars with less powerful engines are the cheapest cars to insure. This is because it doesn’t cost too much to repair or replace the parts, and they are generally lower-risk vehicles. 

Add another driver to your policy

This one is for the younger people out there who have just passed their test and started driving. You’re probably comparing insurance quotes and wondering how on earth you can afford anything. As a young and new driver, your premium will be expensive. 

To counter this, you can add another named driver to your policy if they are going to use the car as well. A more experienced driver will be able to lower your policy as the insurer goes oh, okay, there’s someone responsible driving this car as well. You can only do this if the other person is going to drive the car as well as you. It is a form of fraud to name someone else on your insurance policy if they aren’t driving your car. 

To sum it all up; drive sensibly, avoid making insurance claims, spend less time driving, choose a more suitable car to insure, and add another driver to your policy. Do all of these things, plus the obvious tip of comparing quotes from different providers, and you will cut car insurance costs. 

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Driving Up Savings

April 12th, 2019 Posted in Money Tips
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How will you afford a new car when your old one is clearly on its last legs and unlikely to make it through another MOT? There’s no magic answer of course, just plain, hard saving but saving doesn’t have to take as long as you might think, particularly if you are covering all the bases.

We take a look at some of the most efficient ways to make savings in your life and reach your goals all the quicker.

Driving up savings - how to save money on your next car - speedometer image
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Contrast and Compare

Maybe you’ve gone on price comparison sites because you’ve needed to find the cheapest pet insurance or because you wanted to find an energy tariff that suited your home and family. While this almost certainly helped you find great deals at the time, you’ve never gone back to them. But many of these sites have useful tools that you can use to find the cheapest supermarket in your area for the kind of weekly shop that you do.

Go on them each week to find out where the deals are and to make sure you’re not missing out on great savings.

Don’t neglect your energy tariffs and mobile phone bills though. You might well find a better monthly deal here too by regularly checking in.

Of course, you’ll need to make sure that you set yourself a realistic monthly budget and that you are also setting yourself a budget for savings on top of that.

Loans

It might be that saving up is going to take far too long and your vehicle isn’t going to make it, in which case you might consider a bank loan or something like a https://www.smilecarfinance.co.uk/locations.php.

Whoever you choose to borrow money from, try and opt for a lender with the lowest interest rate and in any case always try and pay back more than the minimum repayment each month to make a real dent in the amount of capital you’re paying off.

Deals

You’ll also need to think about the type of car you’re looking for. Will it be a brand new model, which has the advantage of coming with various warranties or a second-hand version which, though cheaper, will almost certainly have done a few more miles on the clock?

The key is to do some research into the kind of car you want, keeping an open mind if you can, and how much you plan on spending. Find out the going price for year and model you hit on and take this model with you to your nearest dealership.

With any luck you’ll be able to negotiate down to a price that suits everybody but don’t be afraid to walk away if it looks like it’s going too far out of your budget.

When you are planning on buying a new car and you need some help in getting there in terms of cash, then work out a plan that’s going to work out best for you, whether that’s low interest loan or a commitment to save. Stay within budget and you’ll grab yourself a bargain.

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Teaching Your Kids About DIY

July 30th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips, teaching children about money
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We all know that the things that you learn from a young age stay with you for the rest of your life. Not only does teaching your kids about DIY give them some invaluable practical skills, it will also help them to save money in the future as they won’t have to hire expensive contractors every time there is a problem around the home.

Teaching Your Kids About DIY - workbench image

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You may just be doing a couple of simple jobs around the house or you may be involved in a major project that requires a steel building from Armstrong Steel. Either way, it is a good idea to teach your kids the basics while ensuring that any tasks that they do take part in are completely safe. Here are a few ideas about what they can do.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

You will probably be well aware of the old adage measure twice, cut once, but accuracy is one of the most important lessons that you can teach your kids so that they don’t have to go back and do a job all over again, which is not financially sound. Teach your kids how to read a measuring tape and make sure that they know to always double check their results. Once they become more experienced, allow them to do the measuring all by themselves.

Drive Screws

Before letting your kids loose with power tools, you will want to make sure that they are mature enough to handle them and the whole process is completely safe. A good starting point is a powered screwdriver which doesn’t spin at the same rate as a drill and the bits aren’t as sharp so it is less dangerous. Make sure that you supervise them well and you can teach them the valuable skills of patience and coordination.

A Lick of Paint

Teaching Your Kids About DIY - paint pots image

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Painting is a great DIY task to teach your kids as it is one of the safest that you can allow them to get on with. To start off with, you can get them enthusiastic about it by heading down to your local paint store and allowing them to pick out the colours themselves. Afterwards, you can teach them all the basics involved in the process including preparing the paint, using different methods (brush, roller etc) and the cleaning up afterwards.

Organising the Toolbox

Though it may not seem as exciting as some of the other jobs that you can tackle, organising the toolbox with your kids gives you the opportunity to show them each individual tool and explain in detail about what they all do. In the future, this will make it much easier when you decide that it is time to teach them how to use them.

Remove Nails

You may think that hammering in nails is a little too dangerous right now, but you could teach your kids to remove nails instead using the other side of the claw hammer. Make sure that they aren’t buried in too deep as this is when things can become a little tricky. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/dozarplati-srochnye-zaimi-online.html

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