10 Simple Ways You Can Save Money On Car Parking
Parking is expensive business. We collectively spend over 23 billion a year just looking for spaces, let alone paying for them when we find them. Here’s ten simple ways you can save money…
Book In Advance
A number of parking providers will offer discounts for pre-arranged booking. This is especially the case with larger companies, like the NCP. If you know you’ll be going away, assess your options and book ahead. As well as hopefully bringing costs down, it’ll also ensure you have a spot when you turn up.
Check Out Parkopedia
As the name suggests, Parkopedia is an online encyclopedia for parking sites all across the world. It claims to detail car parks in 89 countries and 15,000 cities; representing approximately 70 million spaces. This figure continues to grow constantly. You can find information about opening hours, pricing, facilities and reviews.
Price Comparison Websites
Nowadays, there’s essentially a price comparison website for every product and service you can think of. Car parks are no exception. Holiday Extras, for instance, offers a range of discounts for airport parking. It claims to offer saving opportunities of up to 60% as opposed to what you’d otherwise pay on the day. However, make sure the site you use is reputable; not all of them are legitimate.
Parking On The Edge
Heading into the city? Chances are parking is going to be more expensive the closer to the city centre you get. In which case, it may simply be cheaper to park on the outskirts of wherever it is you’re going. Park and ride services, for instance, are sometimes cheaper than paying for a space. Weigh up your options.
Hire Someone’s Driveway
Yes, you really can do this and in some of the places with the worst car park infrastructure to boot. Websites like ‘yourparkingspace.co.uk’ allow people to rent out their driveway as a place for people to park their cars. On the flip side, it’ll also reveal available driveways for people looking for a space. This is an easy way for people to make a bit of money out of their free space; especially if they’re in a busy area. For drivers, it offers accessible, affordable and safe places to leave their motors.
Use The Right Change
Ok, this may sound inconsequential. But car parks literally rake in millions every year because of their ‘no change back’ policies. Making sure you have a good amount of change on you can help you avoid paying more than you need to; it all adds up in the long-term. Alternatively, look for car parks which allow you to pay in advance or via card.
Get An Electric Car
No, we’re not suggesting you should buy an electric car to save money on parking. Instead, we’re suggesting you can save money on parking by going zero-emission when it’s time for a new car. Lots of car parks offer free parking if you’re charging up. Some will even allow you to park for free whether you pay to use a charger or not. You could save hundreds of pounds a year.
Consider A Season Ticket
Nobody likes paying for parking, even more so when doing so speculatively. But companies like the NCP claim that you can save up to 70% on your expenses by purchasing a season ticket. This is sensible if you often need to use car parks. Weigh up how much you’re spending and how often you need to find a space.
Buy A Parking Space
We thought we’d include this for the novelty rather than any potential cost-saving. Did you know that there’s a thriving car park property industry, especially in the likes of London? There you can buy car spaces for up to £125,000. You can even arrange a viewing, as you would a house or property. If that’s a bit too pricey, we did find some bargain options in Canary Wharf for just £30,000. Bargain.
Make Sure To Plan Ahead
If you’re in a rush, the chances are you’ll opt for any parking space as soon as it presents itself. That’s no way to make a saving and exposes you to absurdly overpriced rates. By planning your routes, giving yourself plenty of time and doing a bit of research, you can save significant sums. Otherwise, you’re literally throwing money away that you could otherwise have, well, spent on something more exciting than a space for your car.
Is Parking On The Pavement Legal? What You Need To Know – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-tips-advice/is-parking-on-the-pavement-legal-what-you-need-to-know/
Has Expensive Parking Killed Off The High Street? – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/has-expensive-parking-killed-off-the-high-street/
[…] you’re trying to save money on parking, the first thing you need to do is find a cheaper lot to park in. Luckily, there are plenty of […]