Here’s our ultimate guide to saving cash on motoring as a student or a young driver.

Stumping up the cash for a car is just the first step to getting the road with insurance, tax, petrol, parking and more seeing costs spiral – here’s how to cut back and save money.

Cheap petrol

Use the awesome PetrolPrices website to find the cheapest petrol and diesel prices near to you, whether at home or on the road already.

Drive more economically

Cruise control

If your car has it, use it, especially on motorways and dual carriageways. Stick it at around 60MPH on your speedo for best results in most cars.

Don’t speed

There’s two reasons for this: It’ll cost more in fuel (and significantly more the faster you go) and you risk getting fined or even banned from the roads.

Drive smooth

Avoid harsh acceleration and breaking when on the road otherwise you’ll be wasting more good cash on petrol or diesel.

Keep your car maintained

Keep your car regularly serviced and in check. You can do a lot of this stuff – like water levels, oil levels, tyre pressures, etc. yourself at home. Consult your vehicle’s hand book on what checks to carry out, how to do them and problems to look out for before they get worse.

Plan ahead

Plot your routes and plan ahead stops for petrol and other supplies to avoid getting ripped off by extortionate service station prices. Stick to main roads where possible rather than going through towns and cities as even if the route is longer it’ll be cheaper and quicker.

Drive early late

Where possible, drive outside of peak hours early in the morning or late at night.

Get a more economical car

We wouldn’t suggest switching cars just for for this reason but if you’re about to buy a car for yourself, seriously consider the fuel economy as it could save you thousands of pounds over the lifetime of the vehicle.

Avoid fines

Make sure your documents are in order and you’re up to scratch on relevant road laws and know your highway code to avoid getting fined by the Police or local councils (parking). There’s obviously speeding but more recently the Police have been given powers to issue on the spot £100 fines for things like lane hogging, tailgating and failing to give way.

Save cash on car bills

Learn how to get cheap car insurance

The biggest motoring expense for a student isn’t actually the the car but the insurance. While it’s never going to be cheap for a young and new driver, there’s a lot you can do to cut it down to at least a slightly reasonable price with our guide below!

> Cheap car insurance: 13 ways to a cheaper premium

Always compare

Whether it is the insurance or your break down cover, even garage repairs or MOTs, spend time doing some research for the best prices and quotes available before committing.

Fix things yourself

You don’t need to be a mechanic to make basic fixes to your car such as replacing blown light bulbs or changing number plates. Don’t pay for it! Your car’s manual should provide easy guides but if they don’t, the web will almost certainly have one or even a step by step video.

Save cash on parking

Learn how to park for free – while avoiding fines – to to save money. Assuming your University doesn’t have a free car park, top tips include making use of free supermarket and retail park spaces, while taking advantage of on street restrictions – see our full University parking guide here!

Don’t crash

It’s easier said then done, and sometimes you will be completely blameless, but insurance claims for damage are costly, especially for young drivers. Drive sensibly and build up your no claims bonus to reduce your premiums.

Ditch your own car and join a car club

Most big cities nowadays have so called ‘car clubs’. You pay a small membership fee (e.g. £60 a year) and get access to a fleet of vehicles which you can pick up and drive around. You only pay for as long how you use the car, with prices as low as £4 an hour. Car clubs not only reduce your motoring costs but also make driving so much easier: You don’t need to worry about MOTs, Insurance, tax or even petrol. The only downside is that there may be age restrictions so if you’re under 21 you’ll possibly be out of luck.