RUNNING a car burns through a lot of cash.
On average, drivers spend around £192 a month to keep their motors on the road.
Want to drive those costs down? Follow these tips from Helen Robinson, marketing director of CarParts4Less . . .
FUEL: When it comes to changing up a gear, it is most efficient to do it at 2,500 revs per minute (RPM) for a petrol car and 2,000 for diesel. Try to check your rev counter to avoid over-revving, which wastes precious fuel.
Driving at 55-65mph instead of 70-80mph can also save you money, as your engine runs at a lower RPM, reducing fuel consumption by a quarter.
INSURANCE: Third-party is the most basic form of cover, but it is not always the cheapest. Shop around and check the price of fully comprehensive cover too, as this can often be where the best deals are found.
REPAIRS: Basic maintenance can help your vehicle run more efficiently, which reduces the likelihood of needing to pay for repairs. Ensure engine fluids are topped up. Minor defects like broken mirrors or bulbs can easily be replaced at home instead of paying a garage.
TAXES AND EXTRAS: If you can pay road tax upfront for the whole year, it works out cheaper than paying in smaller monthly increments.
My tip: It’s extremely important to have a valid MOT — you could be fined up to £1,000 for not having one. If you head to gov.uk/mot-reminder you can sign up to get a free MOT reminder a month before yours is due.
Plus, at Formula One Autocentres you can currently get 50 per cent off MOTs, bringing the cost down to £27.42 from £54.85. Book now at f1autocentres.co.uk/mot/book-mot.
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
SIT back and relax in the Scandinavian Style Teal Armchair from manomano.com, now £79.99, down from £179.99 until Monday.
SAVE: £100
Cheap treat
BUY Linda McCartney’s Mozzarella Burgers at Tesco for £1.25, reduced from £2.20 – only when you scan your Clubcard.
SAVE: 95p
Raffle news
THE Sun Raffle has changed.
We want to give more of you prizes – so instead of just one reader getting a cash prize, now 250 of you will win £100 every month.
Make sure you collect your Sun Savers codes to be in with a chance.
Store swap
NEWLY launched Go Ahead fruity cake bites are only 97 calories per pack.
But rather than paying £2 for a box of five at Morrisons, pick them up at Asda for £1.25 instead.
SAVE: 75p
Hols from £9.50
HOLS from £9.50 are back!
With more than 150 holiday parks across the UK and Europe to choose from, there is sure to be just the break you are looking for.
All you need to do is collect TEN Sun Savers codes or TEN tokens or codewords printed in The Sun.
Shop and save
BANISH those stains with Vanish Pink Gold (1.5kg). Now £8, down from £16, at Wilko.
SAVE: £8
Hot right now
PRICES are reduced by up to 50 per cent in the Art Event at hobbycraft.co.uk, which runs until February 3.
Play now to win £15,000 on The Sun Raffle
JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.
Every Sun Savers code you enter will earn you a ticket for our £15k monthly Raffle.
There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect.
So the more you enter, the better your chances.
To take part go to sunsavers.co.uk or open the Sun Savers app.
Then opt in to each month’s Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily in the paper.
Every time you scan or enter a code into Sun Savers, you get a Raffle ticket in the £15k Raffle.
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