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Drivers reveal their tips to keep car costs down – plus find out how to get £50 to spend in Co-op stores
ready
for the road ahead?
Fuel, insurance and maintenance costs are unavoidable if you need to use a car. Up and down the country, all sorts of people rely on their motors for work, family and their much-loved hobbies. So, in the midst of a cost of living crisis, how can we all keep costs down while on the road?
Below, three regular motorists tell us their tales from behind the wheel, while further on you’ll find a handy round-up of tips to cut fuel costs.
Premier thinking
Lifelong Brighton & Hove Albion fan Nigel Butler car shares with friends to get to football games. It’s good to have the journey time to catch up and debate team performances.
He describes his most memorable trip: “It was a cup tie at Anfield when Liverpool were in the First Division and we were in the Second. They went 2-0 up but then we drew 2-2. What a result – and when not many teams could get a draw at Anfield. That was an enjoyable drive back!”
For him, it’s been a bit of a treat swapping the lower league destinations for Newcastle and Manchester, though he does miss the smaller hometown clubs.
But all that driving doesn’t come cheap and, like all of us, Nigel, 61, is keen to keep costs down.
He’s reducing his speed to save on fuel: “You might as well stick to an even, more fuel-efficient pace. You’re going to be in a traffic jam three miles up the motorway with everyone else anyway.”
Helen Williams’s red VW Touran is a familiar sight around Borth in mid-Wales. As a mum of four and manager of the busy Borth Community Hub and Family Centre, she’s often out and about in the pretty coastal village and surrounding countryside.
“People wave when they see me,” says Helen, 55. “It’s a rural area so everyone’s very friendly.”
Helen’s car has been vital for her work at the hub and as the cost of living crisis bites, she is noticing more need for support.
“We’ll keep the hub nice and warm during winter. We run a clothes bank for children so we’re out delivering bundles. We issue food bank vouchers, and collect and drop off food parcels for families who find it hard to get to Aberystwyth. We have issues with fuel poverty as the area isn’t on mains gas and we rely on cars, so it’s a double whammy.”
Helen is aiming to minimise trips to the petrol station. “Like everyone, I’m thinking more about the journeys I make, waiting until I’ve got a few things to do all in one trip. Parents are also arranging more lift shares on the school run.”
country connections
For Clayton Jean-Charles, a set of wheels is essential for work and play, and he has a different set for each…
The father of four is a plumber by trade and a granddad, but his silver convertible Saab keeps him young.
“The Saab 9-3 was actually my sister’s car but as I had a boring people carrier for my job as a plumber, I often borrowed it when I wasn’t working,” says Clayton.
“Then, four years ago a mechanic told her to scrap the car. Instead she sold it me for £60. I worked on it so it flew through its MOT and now it’s brand new. I take my 90-year-old mum for day trips to the coast with the top down.”
That bit of motor DIY saved Clayton, 57, a fortune, but in his spare time he’s got another wheely good way to relax.
“Three years ago, my daughter Saskia and I bought a pair of roller skates each, watched some videos on YouTube and went for a spin in Greenwich Park.”
Skating even helped him in his recovery from a severe bout of Covid in the first weeks of lockdown. “It’s a blur – I was in intensive care. I didn’t even have breath to speak to my family on the phone. But, two weeks later, I was skating again,” he says. “I sent Doctor Tom a video of me in the park to share with the nurses. I wanted to show them what a miracle their care had achieved.”
on a roll
for keeping your fuel bills down
5 top tips
Driving at 70mph uses up to 9 per cent more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15 per cent more than at 50mph.* So go slower to reduce fuel consumption and spend less.
Judge road activity ahead and use your gears to slow down gradually. When it’s safe, avoid coming to a halt and losing all the energy you’ve put into the vehicle. This reduces any tyre and brake wear, too.
Underinflated tyres can have a negative effect on your car’s rolling speed and how efficiently it uses fuel, so keep ’em pumped.
If you’re carrying heavy, unnecessary items in your boot, take them out. Weight is the enemy of economy – lose that mower!
Using the air conditioning in hot weather is recommended if it helps you drive more safely, but air con and heating use extra fuel, so think: is it always needed?
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feel more sure about your insurance costs
5 ways to
1
If you know you can afford to, increasing your voluntary excess
(the money you pay in the event of
a claim before the insurer pays out) can reduce your insurance policy cost.
2
Some insurers offer discounts if driving is restricted to the main driver and/or spouse. For a young driver, adding parents can reduce a quote but they must not be listed as the main driver if they’re not.
3
Insurers often offer a discount on an insurance policy dependent on annual mileage. Give them the most accurate maximum figure you can for how much you’re going to drive in the coming year, but do bear in mind that exceeding it may affect any claim you need to make.
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Cars with lower engine sizes generally drive the more competitive premiums (though it also depends on the model). Do your research on a car and get a quotation before you buy.
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Think Co-op. Existing and new Co-op members who buy or renew an eligible Co-op Car Insurance policy will get £50 added to their membership wallet to spend in Co-op stores, plus Co-op will donate £5 to local community food projects.
PARK £50 IN
YOUR POCKET
Co-op Insurance is offering £50 to spend in store, plus a £5 donation to local community food projects, for every new and renewing Co-op Insurance customer who takes out an eligible policy direct via the contact centre or online at coop.co.uk/insurance.
To qualify you must be a Co-op member or become one within 28 days of the start date of the policy. The £50 is credited to your membership wallet. Offer available until December 31, 2022 in the UK (inclusive of NI). Car insurance is offered through Co-op Insurance Services and provided by a select panel of insurers.
For full terms and conditions, go to coop.co.uk/insuranceoffer
*Source: the AA