With the state of the economic climate as it currently is in the UK, saving money and cutting back on expenses is essential for everybody to maximise their disposable income. Jobs are proving ever more difficult to obtain while minimum wage is not rising in line with inflation.

One of the most costly aspects of modern life is driving. The vast majority of us need to drive, but the question is how much do we really need to, and how can we cut the costs of driving?

Here are our top five ways to cut the costs of driving down to a minimum.

Walk

If the weather is permitting and you need to go to the shop around the corner, then why not walk instead of drive your gas guzzling second hand car? Starting up the engine of your vehicle uses a lot of fuel, so it is very uneconomical to drive short distances. Plus the exercise is good for you!

Train

Have you considered getting the train or bus to work? If you work in a city centre this may well be the cheaper option and it could be a whole lot quicker too. You’ll save a lot of money on fuel, particularly during rush hour, and might even make it home faster.

MOT & Servicing

Where do you take your vehicle for its annual MOT or service? If you are unsure about what a good price is for one then you should search online. Leading UK automotive site BuyYourCar.co.uk offers a free comparison service which allows you to find the best deal in your area.

Smaller, Slower, Cheaper

To state the obvious, driving a large, luxurious car will be a lot more expensive than a small family or city vehicle. This isn’t just in terms of the initial outlay however; smaller cars are less thirsty for fuel, which means they emit less CO2 and road tax is cheaper. If you don’t cover too many miles then a smaller car might be right for you. Trade that BMW in for a Hyundai i20.

Don’t Speed

Driving faster has a negative effect on fuel economy, which means you have to fill up more often. You also run the risk of being flashed by a speed camera or pulled over by police, which at the very least will result in a fine and points on your license.

Fuel

What fuel do you use? Depending on how much you drive, and the type of driving you do (do you spend a lot of time in slow traffic for example) diesel may suit you better than petrol and vice versa, it is something worth considering and you can find out more at buyyourdiesel.co.uk, whilst it can be more expensive to buy by the litre, it can be more efficient, so a litre will last you longer, meaning in the long run it can be cheaper.