Help with saving money

• Try to find cheaper alternatives.

Rather than paying for maintenance and fuel for a car, you may be better off using the bus, tram, or train to get about. Why not try getting about for a week using public transport, walking and by bicycle to see if this is possible and cheaper?

• Try walking, cycling, even scooting where possible to reduce your spend on fuel or transport.
• Carpool where you can.

With colleagues that live nearby for you to share journeys to work

With your neighbour to go shopping together

With families with children for the school run

• Swap your cars. If your current car is larger or has a bigger engine than you need, you could be paying more on fuel and road tax than you need to.
• Ending costly hire purchase or lease contracts and buy a cheaper second-hand car instead.

If you have a car:

• Don't speed. Speeding decreases the fuel economy of your car, meaning you'll get fewer miles to the gallon than if you slowed down 10 miles per hour. Keep money in your pocket and drive within the speed limit.
• Remove any excess weight from your vehicle.
• Look for the best cost of fuel in your local area.
• Skip the carwash. Wash your car by hand rather than spending money on a carwash and you'll have saved more than enough to buy a full tank of gas!
• Take care of your car. Keeping your tires full of air, getting regular oil checks, and other basic car maintenance helps your car run more efficiently and, therefore, more affordably. Plus, a well-maintained vehicle has a better resale value.
• Use loyalty cards where you can, saving up points can often lead to discounts or offers at certain retailers
• Open your windows rather than using air conditioning too much.
• Always check comparison sites when looking for car insurance rather than auto-renewing.
• Try adding a more responsible driver to your insurance, they are often older.
• Look to buy insurance around 23 days before you need the policy to start, this is usually the cheapest time.
• For the cheapest policies pay your insurance annually where possible.

Public Transport:

• Consider getting a season ticket. If you regularly use the bus or train, you can save a lot of money over a year with an annual season ticket. For this bonus you have to pay for the month, quarter or year’s pass upfront. If you lose the pass, there’s also a replacement fee to get a new ticket.
• Use free bus services. Many big cities have free bus or shuttle services from the main train or bus station.
• Look out for special deals. During school breaks and bank holidays, some national coach companies offer fares as cheap as £1. This may be a good starting point for planning a cheap day out for the family. You can also find deals on group tickets for a number of adults and children.
• Travel outside of peak times where possible. Bus fares usually reduce after 9am, once rush hour is over.
• Book train tickets in advance. If you know ahead of time that you’ll need to use the train, you can reduce costs by booking your tickets early. Be aware that some companies will charge you a booking fee.
• Get a Railcard if you qualify. Railcards can help you save up to a third on your train travel costs. As with buses, you may be entitled to a discount pass if you’re over 60, have a disability, or you’re in full-time education. They’re also available to people in the armed forces, aged under 25, or who travel often as a couple or a family.
• Check online for discount codes. Train operators sometimes release discount codes on tickets.
• Share cabs where possible. Some phone apps allow you to ‘carpool’ with other riders where you split the fare between you. If you live close to a friend and you both need a cab, try getting the cab from their house so you can split the fare.
• Take advantage of ‘refer-a-friend’ codes. Some taxi firms offer reward codes that you can give to a friend as an incentive to use the service. When that friend uses the code, you can sometimes get money off a future journey.
• Ask for a cheaper deal on regular cab travel. If you’re planning on getting a cab several times a week or month, a local cab firm may be able to give you a discount. Call them and see what they can do for you.