Running a car in the UK isn’t cheap. According to NimbleFins, the average annual cost in 2025 is over £3,350. But with a few smart strategies, you could reduce your motoring expenses—without compromising safety or performance.

Whether you’re stationed in the UK or preparing for deployment, here are some practical tips to help you save money on your vehicle.

1. Save on Servicing

Regular servicing keeps your car running smoothly and helps avoid costly repairs down the line. But you don’t have to pay over the odds:

• Shop around for competitive servicing quotes.
• Stick to the manufacturer’s service schedule to maintain performance and resale value.
• Keep a full service history—this can boost your car’s value when it’s time to sell.

2. Look After Your Tyres

Tyres are vital for safety and fuel efficiency. Here’s how to extend their life:

• Check tyre pressure regularly—incorrect pressure increases wear and fuel use.
• Inspect tread depth and remove debris like stones.
• Get your wheels aligned—misalignment can double tyre wear.

Remember: UK law requires a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. Many experts recommend replacing tyres at 3mm for better grip and safety.

3. Lighten the Load

Carrying unnecessary weight—like kit bags, tools, or sports gear—can increase fuel consumption. Clear out your boot and remove roof racks or boxes when not in use to improve fuel economy.

4. Drive Smarter, Save Fuel

Your driving habits have a big impact on fuel efficiency. Try these techniques:

• Accelerate and brake gently.
• Maintain a steady speed—most cars are most efficient between 30–50 mph.
• Avoid idling—use start-stop tech if your car has it.
• Use air con and electrics sparingly—they increase fuel use.
• Change gear early but avoid straining the engine.

You can estimate your fuel usage using free online calculators like those at Fuel-Economy.co.uk.

5. Choose a Car with Lower Emissions

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, consider one with low CO₂ emissions:

• Lower emissions = lower Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax).
• From 1 April 2025, even zero-emission vehicles are subject to tax, but they may still be cheaper to run overall.
• Use the VCA tax calculator to estimate your costs.

Cars over £40,000 attract an additional annual charge of £425, unless they’re zero-emission and registered before April 2025.

6. Prepare for Winter Driving

Cold weather can be tough on vehicles. Get ahead of the season with these checks:

• Lights – Clean and check all bulbs.
• Screenwash – Use a winter-grade mix to prevent freezing.
• Battery – Cold weather drains batteries faster—test or replace if needed.
• De-icer and scraper – Keep them handy for frosty mornings.
• Winter tyres – Optional in the UK, but useful if you’re driving in snow or abroad.

7. Review Your Car Insurance

If you’re not already insured with Forces Mutual, it might be time to switch:

• Spread the cost monthly at no extra charge.
• Switch anytime—we’ll cover cancellation fees up to £125 from your current insurer.
• Tailored cover for armed forces personnel.

Learn more about Forces Mutual Car Insurance here.

Forces Mutual Car Insurance is provided by ERS.

Price increases and rising inflation are putting a lot of pressure on household finances. Many people are actively reviewing their finances and cutting back or eradicating expenditure where possible to make savings.

Payments and prices will come under the spotlight. But it’s not always a case of searching out the lowest cost, you need to consider your personal needs and the value you want your policy to provide.

Take insurance premiums for example. Car insurance is a legal requirement in the UK, but home insurance isn’t. So, at the extreme, someone could risk not insuring their home to save outgoings. But what a risk! Damage to the house structure or loss of home contents could be incredibly expensive to redress.

So, how could you manage the amount you pay for your insurance whilst making sure it is still adequate for your needs? Options to look at could include opting to pay a higher excess in the event of a claim, or not covering your home contents for accidental damage. When considering options like this you would need to consider how you would cover any additional costs that might arise in the event of a claim. For example, consider if you could afford to pay the higher excess in the event of a claim, or how you would replace items subject to accidental damage if you decided not to take that level of cover out with your policy. 

Some insurance policies may promote a lower headline cost, but either not include certain elements that you personally would find useful or need, or make you pay extra for elements that you want to make use of.

Examples include:

• You might want to consider a car insurance policy that provides a courtesy car. If as a result of a claim your car needs to go in for repairs you would need to make arrangements to remain mobile for the period that your car is being repaired.
• You might want to consider a home or car insurance policy that doesn’t charge to make changes during the time you hold the policy with the insurer. Changes you may need to make during the year could include mileage changes, address changes, insured driver changes and provision of duplicate documents. If your job or occupation changes, you might need to change your home or car insurance cover, for instance, if you become self-employed and work from home. If your policy charges for amendments these can add costs to your original premium paid.
• You may want to review what policy extras you actually need, being mindful that you would need to consider how you would cover any additional costs arising if you decided to exclude policy add-ons.
• Specialist Military car insurance policies may or may not include cover on or off base, or laid up cover, just in case you get called up for duty and need to lay up your car. If you are serving military personnel, you may want to make sure your policy covers you for this.

So, it pays to look beyond the headline cost and get a policy that works for you and your specific needs.

Reviewing your policy could make sure you have a policy that meets your individual needs and help reduce the chances of you being hit with any unexpected costs.

If you are reviewing your insurance premium costs as part of your household finances review, you may be interested to know that you don’t need to wait until your renewal date to review and switch your insurance policy.

Even if you took out an annual policy paid upfront as a lump sum, you may be able get a refund on some of your premiums and switch to a new insurer of your choice. However, some insurance companies may apply a cancellation charge for moving away from them during the term of the policy. You can help protect yourself from these charges by moving to an insurer that will pay some or all of the cancellation fees charged by your old insurer.

We don’t currently offer home insurance, but if you moved your car insurance to Forces Mutual, any cancellation fees charged by your old insurer up to a maximum of £125 will be paid. So, you can move straight away without waiting till renewal time. To give you an idea of cancellation charges, the average cancellation charge levied in 2024 (after the 14-day cooling off period) for car insurance was £55.[1] Your existing policy documents should tell you what your exact cancellation charge would be.

You can check out Forces Mutual Car Insurance here.

Forces Mutual Car Insurance is provided by ERS.

PMGI Limited, trading as Forces Mutual is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 114942. Registered in England & Wales No.1073408. Registered office: Brookfield Court, Selby Road, Leeds, LS25 1NB. For your security, all telephone calls are recorded and may be monitored.

[1] Average Cost to Cancel UK Car Insurance (2024) | NimbleFins