No matter how cheap the upfront cost of your car may have been, it’s very likely that you’re wasting thousands on your vehicle every year for unnecessary things. What you also may not realise is that you don’t need to be wasting so much money every year on your car; there are cheaper alternatives out there of which so many drivers don’t take advantage. If you’re wondering what on earth some of these ways in which you’re wasting money on your car may be, then here are just a few of them.

Repairs.

Obviously, if your car breaks, it needs to be repaired. The way in which you might be wasting money, however, is through the lack of car you’re giving your car and the amount of money you then need to waste in order to have its issues fixed. You don’t have to wait for your annual MOT to get your car checked out and verify that everything is in working order. More importantly, however, you shouldn’t wait for that annual check.

As a car owner, it’s your responsibility to perform a little self-maintenance in terms of checking oil levels, tyre pressure and other aspects of your car to ensure everything is in tip top shape. This isn’t just a responsibility to your wallet in order to ensure you can get things fixed because you’re left with a big, costly problem, but it’s your responsibility to other drivers on the road; you need to be driving a vehicle which is in a safe condition.

Tickets.

We’ve all received a parking ticket unfairly at some point or another. Perhaps you cursed the earth when it happened or perhaps you sighed deeply, pushed the anger deep inside you and got on with your day. Believe it or not, contesting tickets with just reason works more than you might think. If it’s a hefty fine that you didn’t deserve, you could claim that lost money back. There are polite ways to handle the situation with the parking-enforcement officer responsible.

Though, if that doesn’t work, you could try to hire the best criminal defense lawyer in your area to help, and you might find that you avoid any potential charges that way. The key to avoiding parking tickets is not to roll over and accept them if you think they might have been unjustly issued, but the answer also isn’t to try the other extreme and lose your temper with the council or the officer involved. Neither of those tactics will get you a good result.

Fuel.

The biggest area in which car owners waste money is petrol. The majority of drivers may drive safely, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily driving economically. You could be wasting huge amounts of money on regular trips to your local petrol station simply because you accelerate or brake too forcefully. Perhaps you don’t endanger other drivers, but you may always opt for the fast lane on the motorway when you’re in a rush. You should also be switching your engine off at traffic lights. You’ll save small amounts of money every day but a huge amount of money every year.