How to Save Money for South African Drivers

How to Save Money with Practical Driving Tips

There’s nothing like saving up your hard-earned cash, only to have it go towards unprepared costs that were straightforward to manage. While prices for groceries and fuel are unpredictable to plan for, there are ways you can keep costs down in areas that you can control.

Rest assured, you don’t have to wonder where to start with the money saving; we’ve broken down some helpful driving tips that could make a big difference to your everyday life. 

Best Way to Save Money in South Africa

From the day-to-day driving habits to regular vehicle maintenance, here are simple yet effective tips on how you can save money while on the road. 

Top Driving Tips

1. Avoid fast acceleration
   • With this, you’re getting your engine to work overtime. This is one way to chug your fuel and waste money. To avoid this, the trick is to apply smooth, gradual acceleration and deceleration to help efficiency, reduce strain, and improve fuel consumption. Keep traffic flow in mind and drive at a responsible speed to conserve fuel.
2. Maintain tyre pressure
   • If you’re driving around with under-inflated tyres, expect more fuel to be gone. Why? Under-inflated tyres create more resistance, increase drag, and put your engine under more strain. Always check your tyre pressure at least once a month.
3. Maintain Speed
   • Maintaining the speed limit isn’t just following the law, but, believe it or not, saves on fuel (most cars are fuel-efficient if you stick to consistent speeds). 
4. Avoid idling for long periods of time
   • Most of us have heard from the grapevine that idling and playing with the clutch in manual cars can really take it out on your fuel. Consider using the automatic stop/start function (if available). 
5. Don’t overdo it on air-conditioning
   • The car’s air-conditioner can use up to 10% of fuel when placed at its maximum, especially in a car that’s not exactly high-powered or turbocharged. Use it sparingly, and keep in mind that leaving windows open while using the air-conditioner is a waste.
6. Plan your routes
   • Instead of taking multiple trips during the day, combine all your errands into a single trip. Colder engines aren’t as efficient, so minimise how often you start your car. Tip: You can add and personalise all of your routes via GPS.  
7. Avoid exceeding the weight limit
   • Like a lot of things that we do day to day, adding extra weight to any activity would take a lot of effort, and the same goes for your car. Items that you won’t need for certain trips shouldn’t come for the ride. Keep your must-have equipment, gear, travel kits, and anything else in the garage.

If you’re into clutter-free space, there are ways to keep your garage organised.

Top 5 Fuel-Saving Myths Busted

It’s important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to money-saving tips, especially when you’re following your uncle’s brother’s nephew’s advice. It’s not always false, but sometimes it’s too good to be true. 

With the help of Car Track, we’ve broken down some of the myths that surround fuel-saving tips:

Myth 1: Driving behind trucks to reduce wind resistance
Myth 2: Coasting in neutral
Myth 3: Getting fuel in the morning 
Myth 4: Warming up your vehicle
Myth 5: Keep windows closed to reduce drag

How to Save Money Monthly

There are enough areas in our lives that we can budget for, while others require a full spreadsheet, and your vehicle should be the easiest expense to manage. There’s one fool-proof way to ensure longevity and cost-saving with your vehicle, and it comes down to one very easy trick: regular car maintenance and car service.

Preventative Car Maintenance at Home

You don’t have to be a car expert to cover some of the basic car care at home. There are a few things you can do to help keep your vehicle running smoothly without a mechanic’s intervention.

1. Check your tyre pressure regularly.
2. Monitor your fluids.
3. Rotate your tyres every 8,000 to 10,000km.
4. Drive responsibly by avoiding harsh braking and acceleration, etc.
5. Test your car battery every 3 to 5 years.

For a detailed view, check out our blog: DIY vs Professional Car Maintenance. 

Regular Service Plan

Every vehicle needs a checkup just like we need a medical checkup, even before symptoms appear. Even when wear and tear isn’t covered by a Service Plan, taking care of the everyday essentials makes a big difference, especially to your vehicle’s resale value. 

From your oil filter and coolant to spark plugs and lubricants, a Service Plan lets you budget monthly for all the right things without having to make any lifestyle changes.

See for yourself here: The Truth About How Service Plans Work in South Africa and Beginner’s Guide to Extended Service Plans.

The Bottom Line 

From understanding the myths surrounding fuel-saving tips that don’t actually work to ensuring regular car maintenance and proper driving habits, everything you need to know about saving money really comes down to your daily habits and motivation to adopt smarter driving habits.