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Car Tax !

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GILL635
GILL635 Posts: 382 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
in Motoring
Hi Guys,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place !

I have just had to stump up a massive £185 for my car tax, and I was wondering if anyone knew of any ways to discount this ?

I know that you can buy stamps from the post office (which I am probably going to start doing each week), but are there any other ways such as monthly direct debits, that may incur some kind of small discount.

I have looked on the website, but cannot find anything anywhere.

Im probably asking the impossible, but would love to know what techniques you other moneysavers out there use.

Love,
Gill x
«13

Comments

  • lilac_lady
    lilac_lady Posts: 4,469 Forumite
    My solution was to change my car for one with a £120 road tax. (It was 12 years old so it was time to retire it as it was costing a lot to maintain.) I had a small savings account where I put £50 per month. That money paid for car tax, insurance and MOT bills. £185 is a lot of money to find at once.
    " The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

         Plato


  • Rikki
    Rikki Posts: 21,625 Forumite
    I budget monthly and save money an account especially for bills and car tax etc.

    Knowing my luck I'd loose savings stamps. :o
    £2 Coins Savings Club 2012 is £4 :).............................NCFC member No: 00005.........

    ......................................................................TCNC member No: 00008
    NPFM 21
  • newlywed
    newlywed Posts: 8,255 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    We did similar to lilac_lady. When our ancient car (1.6l) died we chose a second hand one of the same make and model but with a smaller engine size (1.4l) just because it meant a lower tax bracket (on the old system not the newer A,B,C rating for car tax ;))
    working on clearing the clutterDo I want the stuff or the space?
  • chiholam
    chiholam Posts: 13 Forumite
    Hi Gill

    Not sure if it would make any difference to you, but the road tax rules changes in April 2009. If you just bought a new license, then you were in the same situation as me. What is your car - does the tax jump a lot in April 2009?

    I posted about it in http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1144239 - have a look to see if that helps?

    And, nope - I don't believe there is a 'discount', short of 12 months being cheaper than 6 months, and buying off the website is "easier", but not cheaper. Also, buying on credit card (on the website) will cost £2.50 more, so use a debit card.

    Chi
  • Lakeuk
    Lakeuk Posts: 1,084 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    My tax would of been £185 this year but I replaced my car for one where my tax this year is £35 and next year it'll be £20 :T


    But when I buy a car, from that point onward I budget money away each month towards my next car in x number of years time (usually 6-8years)
  • hewhoisnotintheknow
    hewhoisnotintheknow Posts: 3,162 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    selliing a car just to get in a cheaper bracket is a bit silly

    i just put £14 a week aside in a savings account, this covers tax, mot insurance and servicing, you dont even notice it going out!
  • Sooler
    Sooler Posts: 3,113 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Not much options for saving directly on road tax.

    Just offset the cost with other money saving.

    Buying car and house insurance through cashback sites could get you £100+

    Open a Natwest Account and pay in £100 a month for 12 months gets you £50. You can recycle the same £100 between accounts.
  • harveybobbles
    harveybobbles Posts: 8,973 Forumite
    I buy £5 Post Office stamps when i'm in the PO once a week posting ebay parcels...
  • epninety
    epninety Posts: 563 Forumite
    chiholam mentioned that using a credit card on the dvla website costs £2.50 extra versus a debit card.
    Seems to me that buying Post Office saving stamps every month costs £4.60, compared to sticking £15/month into a savings account paying 5.5% calculated monthly (to pay £185 road tax). Of course, if you are a taxpayer, you get taxed on that interest, but still worth £3 or so.

    Or did I get my sums wrong?
  • goldspanners
    goldspanners Posts: 5,910 Forumite
    GILL635 wrote: »
    Hi Guys,

    Sorry if this is in the wrong place !

    I have just had to stump up a massive £185 for my car tax, and I was wondering if anyone knew of any ways to discount this ?

    you expect the government to allow discounts on taxes,:rotfl: this is the U.K. we don't do discounts,just increases.
    ...work permit granted!
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