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Young people can’t wait to start driving – it’s a sure sign they are well on the road towards adulthood, and it gives them more independence than they have ever had before. The trouble is, the vast majority of youngsters are in for a nasty shock. The cost of driving lessons, insurance and even just buying a car can mean many can’t afford to get behind the wheel unless they are lucky enough to have wealthy parents. There are, however, a few ways of lowering these costs, and hopefully, I’m going to be able to give you a few pointers today. Let’s take a closer look at some of your options.
Choose the right instructor
The first cost you will encounter will be that of your lessons. They are expensive – prohibitively so, in many cases – and it can be tough to cough up the £24 per lesson average when you are a struggling student or on a low wage. The Driving Standards Agency recommend 47 hours of lessons – costing well over £1,000 – before you take your test, but the reality is that many people need more. To ensure you pass the first time, and get as close to that figure or below it, preferably, make sure you choose the right instructor. A good driving teacher that you get on with and has an excellent reputation will save you big bucks in the long-term.
Buy a small car
Small cars are more efficient, cheaper to insure, and cost you less to buy than high-performance vehicles. So, perhaps you might want to consider holding off on those dreams of driving a Ferrari for a few years? Bear in mind that as a young person, you are more of a risk on the road and more likely to have an accident. A cheap, secondhand, small car will be easy to replace in comparison to a £30,000 brand new sports model.
Shop around
Insurance companies charge a huge range of prices for car cover, so never go with the first option you find. Specifically, you should search for cheap car insurance for young drivers, and find the best possible price. Ultimately, you will find that any insurance will be more expensive when you have little experience, but there are a few ways of lowering that cost to save you hundreds a year.
Take an advanced driving course
If you are prepared to front up for an advanced driving course, your insurers will see you as less of a risk. In fact, it could save you a four-figure sum in insurance over the process of a year – which is not to be sniffed at.
Install a black box
Finally, if you get a black box installed to track your driving, it can – eventually, at least – prove your skills behind the wheel and lower your insurance costs. However, bear in mind that if you take risks, speed, or drive inappropriately, it can have the opposite effect.
As you can see, there is a multitude of ways you can save money as a young driver. It’s still going to be expensive, of course, but you could save thousands every year by using these ideas.
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