Buying your first car is a big step. You’ve taken numerous driving lessons, passed your driving test and now you’re ready to hit the road. Buying a car can be a big hit financially, so it’s important to know everything you need, so you can plan and budget properly. Many people consider the costs of things like buying petrol to keep the car running, but what about the bigger costs that come with buying a car.

The first thing you’ll need to consider is buying the actual car itself. You may have an idea of what car you would like as your first car, but your budget may not stretch to actually paying for it. It’s important to buy a car in good condition, that is safe to drive in and that meets your needs. For example, if you spend most of your time driving around in the city, you may want to go for a small car like a Ford Ka. With numerous places you can buy new and used cars from, including online, car dealers and car magazines, it’s important to shop around and find the car that’s right for you.

Once you have purchased the car itself, it’s important to look after it. You can do this by booking it in for regular services and MOTs. You car will always need to have a valid MOT, which will be renewed yearly, once your car is over three years old. This ensures that your car is roadworthy, so you can feel confident when you are driving it that it is fit for purpose.

You will also need to purchase road tax for your car, which ensures that your car is allowed to drive on public roads. This will also need to be purchased every year, will prices differing depending on what type of car you have. Some newer cars which have very low carbon emissions can qualify for free road tax, which could save you money and help save the planet too.

The final and most important thing you need to purchase is car insurance. This ensures that if your car is involved in an accident, the costs can be covered by your insurance, after you’ve paid the excess. It is important to shop around for the best car insurance deal, as you don’t want to be paying a lot more than you have to.

After you’ve sorted all of these details out, you will now be able to proudly drive your new car, knowing that both you and your vehicle are properly looked after.