In these times of financial uncertainty many of us are doing every little bit to try and save on the cost of living. Driving a car is a big part of many people’s lives whether it’s going to the shops or commuting to work many of us cannot live without our four wheels.

As a result of the petrol prices going up many motorists began acting on all manner of crazy myths such as having a spoiler decreases wind resistance and gets you a few extra miles. In reality by adding an extra weight such as a massive spoiler will in fact increase your fuel usage as it has the same affect as having an old tool box in the boot.

Other odd beliefs include going to fill your car full of petrol early in the morning as petrol is likely to be cooler and it is believed that the fuels are denser at lower temperatures. Hence many people believe you get more fuel for your money in the morning, this is a bit silly but even if there was a grain of truth all fuel is kept in storage under the forecourt at a constant temperature.

The truth is that if you are looking to save money on the running costs of your car then there are better savings to be had in a different area, car insurance. There is a lot more scope for savings to be made with insurance and a whole lot more sensible than some of the tales of petrol savings.

The cost of fuel has actually come down quite a lot over the past few months and so if you are still struggling with the running costs of a car then car insurance is always a possibility for savings. By taking the pass plus scheme you prove that you have been taught to drive in a variety of extra situations such as motorway driving and this has helped younger drivers or recently qualified drivers to get cheaper quotes from insurance.

Cutting back on your car usage will help bring insurance costs down too, as well as cutting down on the trips to the petrol pumps. Another tip that has helped in the past is adding another driver to your policy; many insurers state that adding drivers with a clean record over the age of 42 can get you a significant discount.

It’s worth having more than one driver on your policy any way just in case you are unable to drive your vehicle such as if you are injured or away on holiday. There are plenty of other tactics people employ to try and get cheap car insurance but remember that if you get carried away and lie because lying on your car insurance application is fraud and at the very least it would render your coverage void and could lead to a conviction.


About the author

Andy Adams is an experienced UK based motoring writer