Travelling is often an unavoidable expense of life and doing business. We all need to get about whether it’s getting to work, doing the shopping or running your kids’ social lives.
However, there are a number of ways that you can reduce this– and save yourself a bit of cash too.
Always try and optimise your route – plan out your journey so you can take the quickest route and minimise the risk of getting lost and therefore using more fuel than necessary!
Consider the kind of vehicle you drive. Older models are less efficient in terms of fuel consumption so optimise fuel consumption by driving at a sensible speed, checking your tyre pressure, removing any unnecessary weight, changing gear at the correct time, and so on.
If you’re planning to change cars you could consider purchasing a hybrid model, which combine a petrol engine with a battery so are relatively fuel efficient. Electric cars will save you money on fuel, are tax free, and are immune to congestion charges. Charge your Car is available to all owners and drivers of electric vehicles, and members can access any charging points across the UK.
The Plug-in Car Grant offers a grant of 25 per cent towards the cost of an electric or hybrid vehicle, up to a maximum of £5,000 eligible for a range of cars.
Consider if it’s really necessary to drive; could you walk, cycle, take public transport or use the telephone?
If you need to use your car to commute see how the National Car Sharing Scheme to find people who make the same journey as you and are willing to share the costs.
Although this is business-focused, you may also wish to listen in on this radio interview I took part in a little while ago on green business travel.
Jennifer Clair Robson 