Ashley Park Financial Solutions: Ways to Save on Travel

In the modern age of commuter travel and migration from home towns, transport is an important part of our lives. It can however be an extremely expensive commodity. Ashley Park Financial Solutions have compiled a few top tips to help you get a great deal on your chosen mode of transport.

Train travel

You can save literally hundreds of pounds on train travel by booking in advance. If you know you have a trip coming up, aim to book exactly 12 weeks in advance. This is when the tickets go on sale for your date of travel. You should also split your journey and pay the cost of 2 singles, rather than one full return.

There are tons of companies online offering cheap rail travel when you book in advance. In particular, thetrainline.com offers great online discounts. Be aware though that there are many other canny travellers who will be looking for these discounts, so speed and planning are key!

You may also want to try split-ticketing. If, for example, you’re travelling from London to Newcastle, you could break your journey at Grantham and Leeds and get separate tickets for each part of the journey. You can potentially save hundreds of pounds with this method and it’s perfectly legal – just make sure the train actually stops at the stations you’re breaking the ticket at!

Car Travel

If you’re in the market for a new motor, you should strongly consider purchasing a nearly-new car, rather than a brand new one. Look at car’s that are around a year old, then head to the showroom and tell them you’re looking for a nearly-new car with most of the original warranty still intact. Be prepared to haggle on the price they give you. You can save thousands of pounds buying this way.

You can also save money by reviewing your driving habits. A few easy changes can make your fuel consumption much more efficient. Driving smoothly and changing gear when you reach 2500 revs per minute in a petrol car and 2000 in diesel. If you cut your motorway speed from 85mph to 70mph you can save almost a litre of petrol every 20 miles. Add that up over a year and it’s a saving of almost £100!

Bike Travel

Thanks to the Government’s Cycle to Work Scheme, you can now purchase a bicycle sans tax. Speak to the HR department at work to find out if your company has opted in. You can easily save around £100 on the price of a £250 bike. A more expensive bike can offer considerable savings. You also need to make sure that you purchase your bike from a store that is participating in the scheme. Click here for more information on that.

Hopefully you’ve got some great ideas for ways to save now and can start cutting your bills right away! You can follow us on Twitter for regular tips and updates.

If you’re struggling to cope with money worries, visit the Ashley Park Financial Solutions website for the full range of our services. 

Money Saving Tips when Buying a Car

Here at Ashley Park Financial Solutions we know how difficult it can be to get around without your own car. But we also realise how expensive it can be to purchase and run a car, especially when money is tight. That’s why we’ve decided to bring you some money saving tips to help you save when you spend on a run-around.

Research

Before you head out to make a purchase, be sure to do a bit of digging so you know what you’re dealing with. Look for cars that hold their value. For example, the Fiat 500 is one of the best new petrol cars for retaining value. A 69bhp 1.2l model in Sport trim is worth £6,275 after 3 years, which is an incredible 66.7% of its original £9,410 price tag. Lasting value is important in case you ever need to sell the car on yourself.

Most for your Money

You should also be aware of cars with good safety records and mileage per gallon. There’s not a lot of point in buying a car that will fall to bits or cost you twice as much in petrol. It’s a good idea to shop with a model in mind and a price that you’re willing to pay.

Stand Your Ground

When you’re actually at the garage, don’t feel badgered by the salesperson. If you know what you want you can stick to your guns without being dissuaded. And don’t be made to feel like a cheapskate! Some dealers will try to intimidate you into spending more, but don’t fall for it.

Deals and Trade-ins

Try to time your purchase to coincide with a showroom deal. Dealers often offer discounts on a quarterly basis to meet their targets. Aim towards late March or late December and you might just bag a bargain! If you’re hoping to trade in your current car, talk to several dealers then compare their offers. The best thing to do is consider the amount of money you’ll pay after the trade. This is the true cost of the deal.

Internet Brokers

For those of you that are clear about the make and model you want, internet purchasing can be an option. Internet car brokers bulk-buy popular models then pass part of the savings on to their customers. There are a number of online brokers including Honest John and Drive the Deal.

The main thing to bear in mind is that this is a big purchase and you should take a lot of time about making the right decision. If you have any other tips or advice, we’d love to hear from you! Comment below, or follow Ashley Park Financial Solutions on Twitter.