Let’s face it, in this day and age a vehicle is a necessary investment for most modern gentleman. It represents more than just our means of getting from A to B, it also represents a much-needed freedom. There’s no feeling quite like taking to the open road in your car and feeling as though you are the master of your own destiny. Your vehicle is also your happy place, it’s a place where you can enjoy some quiet meditation behind the wheel and enjoy your favourite music, podcasts and audiobooks to put the enjoyment back into driving and mitigate the stress of the open road. But while we may have plenty of reasons to love our cars, none of us love the expense that they can represent.

With the holidays right around the corner, even those of us who command a thoroughly respectable wage may be keen to limit their outgoings as much as possible to prepare for a holiday season that’s richly enjoyable but doesn’t leave us with the spectre of debt over New Years. With this in mind, here are just some of the ways in which a gentleman can control his car costs…

Don’t be confined to a bad deal on your insurance

Obviously insurance is a necessary cost that must be borne if you are to be a responsible driver. No matter how careful and confident you may be in your driving abilities, one thing you can never count on is the behavior of others on the road. But just because you want to drive with the right protection on the road doesn’t mean that you should have to pay over the odds for a great insurance policy. Remember that in many cases you do not have to see your policy through to the end. If you see a provider who can give you a better deal like in these Metromile insurance reviews you can usually leave your policy mid-term. You might pay a small fee to do so but this will usually be more than worth it in savings.

Drive like a gentleman

While choosing a fuel efficient vehicle is an important consideration in getting good value for money on the road, it’s also worth remembering that our driving style plays a huge part in fuel consumption. Aggressive driving and tailgating can cause you to lean heavily on the gas pedal resulting in greater fuel consumption. Instead drive like a gentleman with a more laid back approach. Use cruise control wherever possible and remember that the speed limit is a limit and not a target. You’ll not only enjoy better fuel economy, you’ll enjoy a much better reputation on the road.

Stop buying premium

Don’t buy premium fuel. Ever. It’s needlessly expensive and makes absolutely no difference to your vehicle.

Box clever with your financing

Finally, you can save yourself a considerable amount on your monthly car repayments by being smart with your financing. Sometimes our credit rating can prevent us from getting the best deals, but when your credit rating improves you can always refinance your car loan to get better interest rates and reduce your monthly payments.