Christmas Tips for Saving Money on Car Costs

Christmas is, as they say, the most wonderful time of the year! However, the arrival of the festive season can cause a lot of expenses to add up.

With presents to buy and food to stock up on, the last thing you want is to be spending more than you desire on your car. This is where we come in to help.

We’ve put together some useful tips to help you save money on car-related costs this festive season. Keep on reading to find out more.

Take advantage of 5% cashback on fuel

Fuel is easily one of the most expensive parts about owning a car, but did you know that you can claim cashback as you spend on this necessity? There are several cashback card options that offer a small return percentage on your fuel.

Don’t pay extra for premium fuel

Unless you’re driving a high-performance vehicle, your car will be just fine running on standard petrol. Instead of spending up to 10p more a litre, fill up using standard petrol. The only exception to this rule is if you notice that when running your car on premium fuel you can squeeze more miles out of the tank, this may be more beneficial in the long-run.

Drive gently when your car is cold

As you may know, cars are at their least efficient when it’s cold. This means the winter months can cause your car to perform less than it normally would. Instead of driving quickly straight away, allow your car more time to warm up. This way, you won’t be wearing out the engine as quickly or rebounding wasted fuel.

Check your tyre pressures

Did you know that if your tyres are underinflated by around 15psi, you may end up using 6% more fuel than normal? Whilst you need to spend an initial 50p-£1 at a filling station at a garage, you’ll be saving yourself money on fuel costs in the long run.

Claim for pothole damage

Statistics show that as many as one in 10 mechanical failures in the UK are caused by potholes. This means UK motorists are spending an estimated £730 million every year to repair this damage. If your car has experienced some damage from a pothole, you may be able to claim compensation by contacting your local council.

Get a new car

Whilst this may sound counter-intuitive, getting a new car on a lease deal can actually help towards saving you some cash this Christmas. For example, with a lease deal from Pink Car Leasing, you can get your vehicle maintenance included in the monthly cost. If you’re interested, we recommend our no-deposit Mercedes A-Class offer.

Add family members to your insurance policy

Simply adding your partner as a named driver on your family car can work towards reducing your premium by at least a few pounds. Remember, adding a young or inexperienced driver to your policy could increase your premium, so only choose this option if it is suitable for your personal circumstances.

Appeal against unjust parking tickets

The last thing you want when coming back from your Christmas shopping is a parking ticket! If you think you’ve been unfairly handed a parking ticket, make sure you appeal it. According to a study from Moneysaving Expert, 56% of motorists have been successful in appealing their tickets. Just make sure you provide sufficient evidence and provide a mature case.

Use apps to find the cheapest parking spaces

Need to spend a day doing some Christmas shopping? Parking costs for a whole day can really eat into your Christmas budget. Luckily, apps such as Parkopedia can help to save you a fortune by directing you to some of the cheaper parking spots in your local area.

Park away from other cars

As people struggle to open their car doors with hands full of shopping bags, there may be the odd accidental nick on your car. To avoid this, try parking further away from other parked cars if you can. This is especially important if you have a car on finance.

Don’t use your windscreen wipers on ice

Christmas usually means frosty windscreens. Lots of us are guilty of getting impatient when defrosting our windscreens and turn on the wipers to help speed up the process. However, with windscreen wipers starting at £20 and wearing down much faster when used on ice, and in some cases tearing completely, we recommend avoiding using them until all the ice is melted.

Make room in the boot

With every 50kg of extra weight on your car, you’ll be increasing your fuel consumption by 2%. Unless you need them, remove roof racks as they can increase drag, increasing your fuel consumption by a further 10%. Also, make sure to remove excess junk from your boot. Not only will this lighten the load in your car, but it’ll also leave you some more leeway for, you guessed it, Christmas shopping.

Wash your car yourself

If you’re hoping to keep your car looking fresh and flash over the Christmas period, have a go at washing it yourself. With most car washes charging anywhere from £5 onwards for a car wash, you could be saving those all-important pennies and instead, use them for more important purchases this Christmas.

If you follow all these tips, you should be well on your way to saving money on car costs this Christmas. If you feel as though your current vehicle is no longer performing as economically as you’d like, feel free to explore our car leasing options. For more information, get in touch with a member of our team today.