Drivers warned about 4 ways winter weather is hitting car bills – how to avoid paying £1,800 extra

IF you're a fan of ramping up the heating in the car, you might want to think again - having it on through the winter could add hundreds to your car bills.

Millions of people are already having to think twice before turning the heating on at home as energy bills soar, but you might not realise you need to be careful in your car too.

Luckily, some simple changes could really help drive down your costs this winter.

Here we take a look at the ways winter weather is adding to your car bills - and how to avoid them.

Make sure you have breakdown cover

It's easy to forget to renew your breakdown cover when there are a million other things on the to-do list.

But double-check you are still covered or need to renew as the cold winter weather can cause more car breakdowns. 

Freezing temperatures can make it more difficult for the engine to start and put more of a strain on parts of the motor. 

Breakdown cover isn't a legal requirement, but if you run into trouble miles from home, it could save you a small fortune.

How much does breakdown cover cost?

Depending on the policy and what you want it to include, prices start from £13 per month for coverage. 

This is from Nationwide Building Society and is part of its FlexPlus account (you will need to have an account before you can get the coverage).