5 Ways to Cut Back on Commuting Costs

No matter how savvy you are, there’s no magic discount code to slice the cost of fuel.  Follow these top tips to save on the cost of commuting…

1. Fill Up

The cost of a full tank of petrol or diesel is enough to make you feel light headed, but putting the odd £10 of fuel into your car isn’t the answer.  Unless you live next to a petrol station, you’re likely to be going out of your way several times a month to refuel, which uses more fuel.   Just bite the bullet and fill the tank – it’ll save you doing the horrible job multiple times and help you to budget more effectively, knowing how much you need for fuel each month.

2. Be Green

There are a few ways you can actually reduce your fuel consumption.  First of all, look at what is in your car and take out any heavy items you don’t need.  Do you store everything but the kitchen sink in your boot?  Empty it out!  The lighter your car is, the less fuel you will be using.  Also, make sure your tyre pressures are always correct and that your car has a regular service.  This will maintain your fuel efficiency levels and ensure you aren’t wasting fuel with each journey you make.

3. Get Walking

Walking to work or to the supermarket may not be a feasible option, but how many times have you popped the kids around the block to school in the car, or dashed out for a loaf of bread at the corner shop?  Walking may make the journey take a little longer, but it could be benefiting your health and your wallet leaving the car at home when you can.  Setting out earlier for the school run gets the whole family active and gives you time to chat about their day on the way home.

4. Lift Share

As the cost of petrol rises, so does the amount of people lift sharing to get to work each day.  Lift sharing, otherwise known as car pooling sees you taking it in turns with somebody to drive to work, saving you a whopping 50% on the cost of commuting!  If you don’t know anybody that works near to you, check out https://www.liftshare.com/uk/.  This website will connect you to others who could be perfect lift share buddies.  Also, if you have to do a school run by car, why not take it in turns with someone?  It saves you both a job a few days a week and prevents running 2 cars on the same journey every day.

5. Annual Savers

Driving isn’t the only form of commuting that benefits from a bulk buy – consider an annual train or bus pass to make big savings.  Although the initial cost may make your eyes water, once it’s paid you can forget about it for another year and you’ll be slashing the cost of paying daily.  You could sign up for a 0% interest credit card and spread the cost by paying for an annual pass over 12 months, just make sure you make the monthly repayment or you could end up paying more in the long run.

It doesn’t look like fuel prices are going to drop dramatically anytime soon, so follow these steps to save money on the cost of commuting.  Let the war on the petrol pumps commence!