You’ve made the effort to find the best possible bad credit car finance deal. You’ve established your budget using a car finance calculator, you’ve found a deal you can afford with the help of a broker and you’re ready to hit the road.

From start to finish, you’ve done everything you can to keep costs to absolute minimums. Hence, it simply makes sense to ensure you avoid unnecessary costs when running your new car.

So with this in mind, here’s a brief rundown of a few simple tips and tricks from the experts, on how to save money running a car:

Drive Like You’re a Learner

First up, nobody ever drives as carefully as they did during their driving lessons.  However, driving like a learner is one of the best ways of keeping your car in the best possible condition, while at the same time staying safe on the roads. If it’s a habit you can get back into, you probably should!

Compare Car Insurance Deals

Under no circumstances should you instinctively and automatically stay with the same insurer, year after year. Each time your policy is nearing its conclusion, have an independent broker compare the car finance market on your behalf. There’s a good chance you could save a small fortune and it costs absolutely nothing to find out.

Stop Wasting Fuel

According to the AA, just a few simple tweaks to the way you drive could reduce your annual fuel costs buy anything from 10% to more than 40%.  Examples of which include reducing your speed from 70mph to 60mph where possible, ensuring your tires are inflated correctly and having your car serviced on a regular basis. Aggressive acceleration also burns through fuel at an alarming rate.

Do-It-Yourself

When it comes to routine repairs and component replacements, you can probably handle a lot more than you think you can. Batteries, bulbs, spark plugs, filters, windscreen wipers and so on - you don’t necessarily need to pay a mechanic to handle every issue on your behalf. Not with so many YouTube tutorials showing how to get the job done for free!

Keep Your Car as Light as Possible

Everything you transport around in your car that doesn’t need to be there is costing you money. This includes everything from roof racks to all that garbage in the boot you’ve been meaning to clear out for months. If it doesn’t mean to be there, get rid of it - your car’s fuel economy will thank you.

Buy Better Quality Tyres

It isn’t just some random marketing gimmick - certain high-quality tires are designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption. They may cost a little more at the time of purchase, but they nonetheless stand to save you money long-term.

Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs

Last but not least, most motorists are guilty of occasionally ignoring the warning signs their cars give off. It’s the classic case of ignorance being bliss - pretending nothing is happening until you have to visit a mechanic.  Nevertheless, addressing the vast majority of minor issues at the earliest possible stage can be so much cheaper, easier and safer than allowing them to develop into more serious problems. – Poor Credit Car Finance