Deciding to take driving lessons is an exciting time in anyone’s life, but it is not a decision to take lightly. This could be a very important step in your life, in having access to new jobs, or could even have a really positive affect in your relationship. But no matter if you have are a 16 year old still at school, a home mom who want to learn how to drive, or if you just want a bit more independence and freedom in their life, this is not a decision to take lightly. You have to have the funds to pay for lessons, and think about learning before you even get behind the wheel. There are so many things to consider, and some decisions you need to make before you even start having lessons at all. Here is some helpful advice to make sure that you have considered everything before you start spending all your money on lessons, or you decide when you need to take your test. Read this and consider some of the smart and money saving decisions you could make, when learning how to drive for the first time.
Start Learning Before You’re Behind the Wheel
You would be surprised at the amount of things you can learn about driving before you even get behind the wheel. Do you know what pedal does which? Do you know about what the clutch does? Or even what some basic signs mean? Knowing how a car works and what you can do to make it move is something you can learn from your computer. You can start learning about which parts of the car do what, and learning about your theory as well, which won’t cost you anything. Before you get behind the wheel, whether that’s with an instructor or a family member, have some knowledge already about how to drive.
This means when you get behind the wheel, you already know what to do in case of an emergency, or how to make the car go forward. This can save some time and energy when you get behind the wheel, as when you do get to drive, that time is usually precious. This way you can learn in your spare time, and make the most of driving lessons, or when your family member has taken the time out of their day to teach you how to drive.
Get Someone You Know to Teach You
Driving lessons can be pretty expensive, and so ideally, you want to have as few as possible before you take and pass you test. Getting behind the wheel, and driving before you even have lessons, is a great way to save money, and will help you to learn faster too. Getting a partner, family member, or friend to teach you, is the best way. Remember to get insured on the car, and get your provisional before you start driving though! Anyone who has driven for a certain amount of years can teach you how to drive when they are in the car, so take advantage of this!
If you have never driven before, and you have a lesson, you will be doing very little driving your first time round. If you do have a lesson without much experience, chances are you will just be sitting in the car with the instructor, and they will tell you which pedal does what, and when you should check your mirrors. Although this is very useful to know, you can learn much of this yourself before you take the lesson. This means saving time and money, and means you are making the most of the time with the instructor too.
Save Before You Start
Learning to drive can be expensive, so it always a good idea to have some money saved up before you start. How much you have saved can depend on a lot of things, like if you are earning at the minute so you can carry on taking lessons. It might also depend on how much you know about driving too. If you are confident in your ability to drive, and you have been driving a fair bit with a friend, then maybe you will need less money saved. This is different for everyone, but saving more cannot hurt at all. You never know what you might need it for. If you have any leftover, you can always use it to get insured after your get your license, or you can put it towards getting your own car. Whatever you decide to do, having a bit of money saved will only help you get get your license quicker.
Do You Have Something to Drive When You Have Passed?
Some people get their car before they even learn how to drive, but prioritising getting your license is usually the best option. You don’t know how long it will take you to learn how to drive, and their might be some unexpected costs along the way, like getting insured on the family car, or having to get extra lessons.
It is worth thinking about what kind of car you want though, and many people like to consider what they can have when they have their license! Maybe you want a Subaru Xv for your first car, or maybe you have your eye on something vintage. Whatever car you decide you want, it is worth considering things like cost, and any deals you can get before you make any decisions. Be wary of second hand cars, as they are likely to be far more costly in repairs, even though they are cheaper in price. It is worth thinking about what you need form the car, how much space you have to park it, and what your budget is when looking for a car. Not everyone has something to drive when they pass their test, but passing their test is definitely the harder part, so concentrate on that!
Don’t Stop and Start Your Lessons
Stopping and starting can be a very costly thing to do, and it’s what puts a lot of people back when they are trying to get their license. If you start your lessons, and then stop for a few weeks for whatever reason, this can mean that you start form the beginning when you start up your lessons again. If you have only just started learning, you have not quite refined and learnt the skills you need to quit for a while. This can be very costly for a lot of people, because they have to start from the beginning when they start learning how to drive again.
The best way to avoid this is making sure that you don’t need to stop for any reason. This could involve making sure you have enough saved so you can continue with your lessons, or it could mean going with an instructor who you like learning from, and who you will want to continue learning from.
Take Your Time
Although everyone wants to believe they are a superstar when they learn how to drive, this usually isn’t the case thought. Be prepared to be learning for a while, and don’t pressure yourself into a date in which you have to pass. This might create unnecessary stress when trying to pass, or it might motivate you depending on what kind of person you are. Don’t presume you are going to learn quickly, or pass your test within a month, as learning to drive takes time and patience. It is a really useful skill, and should be learnt properly, because loads of things could happen if you don’t. So take your time, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself when trying to get your license. If you do learn quickly, then that’s great, but don’t go into learning thinking you will.
There are so many reasons for learning to drive, and the process of learning how to, is a huge learning curve for anyone. Knowing how to drive can make you more independant, can mean you can get houses that don’t have to be near public transport, or can enable you to apply for jobs further afield. Whatever your motivation there are some things you need to keep in mind before you take on that task. Things like saving some money to pay for lessons, or getting insurance on the family car, all things you can spend your money on, that will get you closer to getting your license.
Doing lots of research beforehand, is definitely advisable too. This can mean that you are making the most of your time when you are getting lessons. Revising for your theory test can be done wherever and whenever you want to learn. Learning these things as soon as possible can make learning to drive just that bit easier. Learning everything you can before you step in the car, means you are making the most of the time spent with the instructor. Smart little things like saving, or learning as much as you can before you get behind the wheel, can be really useful.l