I save £5k a year on insurance, MOT & road tax using little-known hack

A DRIVER has told how he saved £5,000 a year on insurance, MOT and road taxes by using little-known hack.

Daniel, 27, from Hertfordshire, decided to ditch his car and instead borrows other people’s to make big savings.

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He can temporarily insure himself as a driver by using an app on his phone – dodging a raft of hefty charges that come with owning a vehicle.

Daniel told MyLondon: “Through the Cuvva app, I can drive my girlfriend’s car for two hours and it costs £7.32 – and £34.83 for two day’s cover if I need to run a bunch of errands.

“It works out a lot cheaper than hiring a car or getting a taxi.”

He realised his car was costing him more than it was worth while commuting into London for work during the week and then using his girlfriend’s car on the weekends.

He said: “My car became an added expense that we didn’t need and it was taking up valuable parking space.

“Plus bills and living expenses were forever increasing and we could have made better use with the extra money.”

Research shows UK drivers are coughing up more than £3,500 a year to run and maintain their car, according to NimbleFins1.

Factoring in insurance, road tax and MOT, Daniel is making a saving of about £5,000 a year.

While he was initially worried about not having a car of his own, he’s found it to have some benefits.

Daniel said: “Surprisingly, not having a car actually gives me more freedom because I can now drive anyone’s car whenever I need to get somewhere, and I get to save loads of the expenses that come with owning a car like leasing fees.”

HOW TO KEEP CAR COSTS DOWN

The cost of keeping your car on the road can put a lot of pressure on your bank balance.

With these simple checks, you might be able to keep costs down.

WATCH THE EXPERTS: For basic car maintenance tips, tune into the experts online. The main breakdown companies all have tips on their websites, and you can check out their online videos to get step-by-step instructions.

COMPARE COVER: We all know the big breakdown companies but it was AXA and Start Rescue that topped Which?’s latest table for best breakdown cover, with the AA coming third.

AT YOUR SERVICE: Specialist comparison sites can help you see how much car upkeep may cost. A site such as bookmygarage.com lets you compare the price of MoTs and servicing at nearby garages before you make a booking online.

STAY THE COURSE: While you can find car maintenance courses online — Wowcher is offering one for just £9 — there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty at a face-to-face class. Check out your local further ­education college’s list of courses, including some open to women only.

PRESSURE’S OFF: One in six Green Flag callouts is for tyre or wheel-related issues. Simply being able to check your tyre pressure could help you steer clear of a costly garage visit and make tyres last longer. Check your car’s handbook for the correct pressure for your tyre, then use the air pump at a petrol ­station to get it to the right pressure.