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Lessons, on the Cheap

Cheap and cheerful: Budget driving lessons

  • cheap driving lessons
  • are budget lessons viable
  • finding cheap lessons

Cheap driving lessons are what every learner driver dreams of. Ideally, we all want high quality, high quantity, low-cost lessons – and we want them now!

Sadly, those four attributes rarely go together. Cheap lessons are generally low-budget for a reason – either the quality of the teaching isn’t all that high, or the instructor is relatively new to the driving instruction game.

It’s not an ideal situation for new learners. However, there’s a very bright light at the end of the tunnel – or rather, numerous lights.

The main, and most popular, way to find cheap driving lessons is to look for special offers. Several major driving franchises such as the AA, Bill Plant and BSM now offer the first 5 or 6 driving lessons for knockdown prices – usually the equivalent of 50% off the standard price. That means your initial stint of lessons is pretty cheap, around £60 for 5 or 6 lessons. Some companies will sweeten the deal by offering the first hour free – which is quite logical, given that in the first hour you’ll barely hit 10mph on a small housing estate.

After those first few lessons, the price will go back up to the standard £22/23 per hour – so in the long run you won’t save yourself an arm and a leg, but in the short term, franchise driving lesson deals are a good way to help you get started on a budget.

Simple ideas for cheaper lessons

Another, less well-known, route to cheap driving lessons is to look in your local supermarkets and newspapers. Often, newly qualified ADI instructors will advertise their services in shop windows or in the classified adverts section of local papers. Because they’re new, and have yet to build up a base of loyal tutees, their prices reflect their experience and popularity, and are generally cheaper than those of their more experienced or more established counterparts. That doesn’t mean they’ll be sub-standard quality, though – newly qualified instructors have only just finished their training, so all the rules, regulations and tips will be fresh in their minds. They’re likely to be younger as well, if that’s one of your preferences.

A third way to find cheaper lessons is to shop around. Driving lessons, like so many other services, can be more expensive in different regions and counties – so if your local companies aren’t all that budget-friendly, try looking a few miles further down the road, or across the border. Many instructors and franchises also offer a ‘to/from work’ service, so pricing up lessons near your place of work can be pretty useful too.

Why not head over to our Driving Instructor search page to start looking? Just enter your town or postcode and we’ll bring up all the details of instructors in your area.

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