As the effects of the global financial crisis continue to impact our daily lives, many households are seeking ways to save money each month. While energy and water bills must be paid and food and fuel must be bought, it is services that do not have an immediate return that are being cut back on first. This means that many people are neglecting to renew things like their breakdown cover in order to have a little more money available.

compare breakdown cover policies before you do anything. Some companies offer cover for as little as £13 per month. Without any form of cover, if you do suffer a mechanical failure, an electrical issue or a flat tyre that you cannot fix yourself, the cost of having your vehicle recovered and repaired come easily run into multiple hundreds of pounds, negating any saving you were making by not being covered in the first place.

Having some form of breakdown cover in place means that if you do breakdown when you are on a journey, all you need to do is make a phone call to the company that covers you and you have the peace of mind that an operative is on the way to help, meaning you should be on your way again in no time. If your vehicle cannot be fixed, most policies will enable you to have it transported to a local garage, your intended destination or back home for no additional cost. Without cover, you will have to arrange all that by yourself, from the side of the road.

Breakdown insurance comparison sites feature useful guides and customer reviews, as well as enabling you to compare cover prices. If you are on a tight budget, you may be surprised at how cheap some packages are. If you use your car or motorcycle to make your living, a comprehensive cover policy should be a high priority, as the longer your transport is out of action, the less money you can earn. If you have young children, a policy should also be top of your list. If you breakdown with a baby or toddler in your car, breakdown recovery teams will make getting to your vehicle their number one job and endeavour to be with you as soon as feasibly possible.

If you are lucky, you will not need to call out a recovery vehicle or any roadside assistance at all but do you really want to risk embarking on a long journey without knowing that should the worst happen, help is only a phone call away? With even the most basic cover, you will be able to drive any distance with the peace of mind that if you car's engine does cut out or your electrics fail, you won't be left calling around local firms looking for recovery yourself. Is that saving really worth it?