How Sat Navs can save you money

The cost of motoring is always on the increase. It's no surprise that many motorists are looking to save money and more so with the price of fuel. Many overlook the choice of getting a Sat Nav system and are missing out on the financial benefits of owning one...

WITH the rising cost of motoring, buying a new sat nav can feel like an unnecessary expense. However, many people don’t seem to realise the potential savings that can come from using a portable GPS tracking system such as a sat nav. These days you can pick up a decent sat nav for under £100. Most modern sat navs boast a wide range of useful features and some of these can aid in saving you money.

Avoid speeding fines

Speeding fines can happen to anyone, especially when driving in unfamiliar locations and you aren’t aware of the local speed limits. A few miles an hour over and suddenly you can be faced with not only a painful fine of a minimum of £60, but points on your license. Losing your licence can have serious consequences. Not only would it cost you extra money on top of the fine to retake your driving test, but for many people it could cost them their jobs. As many employers require you to have a valid driving licence.

The dangers of accidently been caught speeding are apparent but how can a sat nav help? Sat navs help to prevent speeding in two major ways. Firstly most modern satnavs have speed camera information built in. This gives you plenty of warning about local speed restrictions and popular roads police use for mobile cameras. Secondly, a lot of satnavs have a system where they can monitor your speed and a record of the speed limit on most roads. Many sat navs will then warn you if your speed has gone over the speed limit.

Money saved from avoiding speeding fines may seem hidden, however the potential savings are clear. Your sat nav being able to stop you from speeding just once can potentially pay for itself and avoid you getting points on your licence and the risks involved in that.

Route planning

Everyday people drive ineffective routes to destinations they think they know well. It may seem a trivial amount, but a saving of just a mile a day could save you over 350 miles worth of fuel a year. In the average UK car, this could save you around £90 a year and for people who drive a lot this saving could be considerably more.

The route planning features can also be used to save a lot of money while traveling. Getting lost is a common part of many people’s holidays and although it might seem small, sometimes travel time can be doubled. Going on a couple of holidays a year can quickly add up to a lot of time and petrol wasted. Using a sat nav can stops you getting lost and also finds you the best and most effective routes to your destination saving you time and money.

Other benefits of using a sat nav

Aside from the money saving features, there are many others that improve your driving experience. Many sat navs have suggested locations built in, so if you are in an unfamiliar place you can find places to say, eat, etc. Sat navs also allow for a safer driving experience as not only do they monitor your speed but allow you to concentrate more on driving then trying to figure out from road signs where you actually are. Sat navs can also be used to plan alternative routes such as avoiding motorways. This along with live traffic updates can reduce the time of your drive and helps you avoid unnecessary queuing.

In conclusion a sat nav can quickly pay for itself and if you do a lot of driving the little savings quickly add up. Not only do sat navs make your driving safer and more enjoyable, but it can also help you avoid speeding fines which when compared to the cost of a satnav makes them an ideal purchase.

This was a guest post by Sam Fisher on behalf of Teletrac. Specialists in vehicle tracking and feet management solutions. Visit www.teletrac.net for more information.