Learning to Drive: The Necessary Costs

Learning to drive is an expensive process. Not only are there lessons, in various quantities, to be paid for, there are also tests to book and theory exams to pass. Books and self-help guides may come in handy and driving theory practice tests are likely to be an investment if you want to pass first time. And we still haven’t mentioned the costliest component of the learner driver experience: your first set of car insurance premiums. There are, however, a few ways in which you can ensure that your hard earned cash goes to effective use as you learn to drive. Here are a few handy hints to get you started:

1. Shop around for your first time car insurance. It is always expensive to insure young drivers and learner drivers but different companies will have different rates to offer. Search from a wide variety of sources, from banks and building societies such as Santander through to mainstream insurance companies advertised on primetime TV. Use online search engines to help you or take recommendations from others. Money saving sources such as Which magazine may also provide invaluable insight into the ever more complicated insurance market. As with finding a great driving instructor, the longer you spend on your research, the more likely you are to find a great deal.

2. Be sure to choose an instructor with a good reputation. Where possible, seek the advice of friends or family who have experience in this matter. The competency of your driving instructor could make the difference between requiring 15 lessons and 35 lessons before you book in for your first test. Obviously, it is necessary to find the right balance as getting tested too early may result in hefty retake fees should you fail the first time round.

3. Whilst you will pay for every lesson spent with your driving instructor, practising is free. Making sure that you get plenty of practise between lessons is likely to shorten your instruction period and help you to pass your test with fewer lessons, cutting the cost of your preparation time.