When you pass your driving test, it can feel as though it's the last step of a very long and expensive journey. However in reality, it's just the beginning- the next part is getting out onto the roads by yourself, and that can be much more difficult than you might have thought. Here's how you can make the entire process a bit more manageable financially.

Driving lessons can be expensive, and in a lot of cases they will suck up a lot of your expendable income for the week or month. But if you can, it's worth saving a little too as you go along. Even if you save £10 a week, over the ten months or so that you're learning to drive you'll manage to save £400 which can help massively when it comes to paying towards the car, insurance or other costs. You could always consider utilising finance to purchase the vehicle itself, but a chunk of money to put down a deposit will increase your chances of getting accepted. On top of this, it will reduce the monthly payments which is no bad thing.

When it comes to vehicles, in the majority of cases they simply don't hold their value. As soon as you drive a brand new car home, it's instantly worth significantly less. From a financial point of view, it often makes much more sense to go with something pre-loved. Cars are sturdy machines that are built to last, so something that's a year or two old will still pretty much work like new, but could save you thousands. You can get pre-loved cars from KAP Motors Brighton Branch where there's plenty of choice, so you're bound to find something that suits your style and budget.

The second biggest cost to consider when you're buying a car (other than the vehicle itself) is insurance. New and younger drivers can really struggle here, lots of companies can quote many thousands of pounds and completely rule out some vehicles altogether. Before deciding on the car you want, run lots of quotes through a price comparison site. That way you can create a shortlist of models that you know you can afford to insure, and won't buy a car and have an unpleasant surprise by having to pay far more than you thought to get on the roads. Some companies don't advertise with price comparison sites, so consider doing a few direct quotes with specialist insurers too.
Unless you have a very old or large vehicle then tax won't be one of the biggest costs you'll need to consider when you're buying a car. However, it is still something to look into. Newer, cleaner cars can be very cheap to tax (and sometimes even free). On top of this, cars that are only a few years old will be cheaper to insure than older models, so sometimes it can be worth spending more on a newer vehicle to reduce monthly running costs.

Driving carefully will reduce wear on your tyres meaning you need to replace them less often. Having your vehicle regularly serviced will also keep it running efficiently, and the garage are likely to spot potential problems before they turn into large and expensive ones. Any lights on the dash or strange noises should be looked at by a professional right away, it prevents you from ending up with serious car issues that can cost a fortune.