With the price of petrol & diesel on the rise once again, running your car is likely to be one of your largest regular expenditures. So to help you cut this cost we take you through some tips that can help to make your fuel go further.
Lighten the load
A lighter car makes for a more fuel-efficient car. So, make your car as light as you can by getting rid of any clutter you may have stored on the back-seat or in the boot. If you only load your car with what is necessary for the trip, you will use up less fuel.
You might also want to make your car lighter by removing your roof rack, if you have one. As well as adding unnecessary weight to your car when not in use, it increases the aerodynamic drag on your car. This means your car meets more resistance when speeding down the motorway and so uses up more fuel.
Other things you can do to reduce aerodynamic drag include closing windows and sun-roofs when you are travelling at speed.
Drive carefully
The way that you drive your car can in fact have a considerable impact on how much fuel you use.
- Slow down. Driving at full throttle will burn through a lot more fuel than if you lowered your speed by 10 or 20mph, so drive at a more moderate speed to conserve fuel.
- Cars are more fuel-efficient if they are driven at a steady speed, so try to avoid braking hard. Instead, if you are coming to stop, gently take your foot off the accelerator and let the car come to a smooth roll-stop.
- Don’t over-rev the engine; instead accelerate gently.
- Generally, if you drive your car smoothly and avoid sudden acceleration and hard braking, you’ll use less fuel.
Take care of your motor
By keeping your car well-maintained you will drive down fuel costs. Problems such as under-inflated tyres and badly-tuned engines can mean your car is using more fuel and costing you more.
It’s a good idea to check your tyre pressure regularly, as low air pressure can significantly increase the amount of fuel you are getting through.
Don’t pay more than you have to
Make sure you are kept in the loop about the lowest petrol prices in your area. Sites such as PetrolPrices and KeepMoving will show you where to get the cheapest petrol, and can suggest cost-efficient routes for your planned journey. You’ll have to register with the sites to use these features, but this is free to do.
Try to avoid letting your engine idle. It actually uses up more fuel to leave your engine idling than it does to stop and restart the engine, so if you are stuck in traffic for long periods, switch your engine off.
Don’t use air-conditioning unless you really need it. Air-conditioning can eat into your fuel stores quite significantly, so it’s a good idea to reduce your use of it.
Try not to leave it to the last minute to fill up on fuel. It’s likely that if you do, you’ll end up zipping into the first petrol station you see – instead of taking the time to find one with cheaper petrol prices.
Is driving the only option?
Of course, one of the easiest ways to cut down on fuel costs is to cut down on the use of your car. If you don’t drive very often you might consider renting a car instead, or using public transport. Cycling and walking are also good options (both for your health and for the environment) when your destination isn’t very far away.
If you must drive, plan what you need to do and where you need to go. It might be possible that you can consolidate several trips into one instead of venturing out on several separate occasions.
Equally, if you are going somewhere you are unfamiliar with, make sure to write down directions, so that you don’t waste time and money getting lost in country lanes. You might also want to plan your journey around the times you know roads will be busiest, so that you aren’t sitting in traffic burning through fuel.
Cash in on promotions
Many supermarkets run petrol promotions to encourage you to use their station, so if you shop at a particular supermarket regularly, you might be able to benefit from buying your fuel there. Often vouchers or coupons are given away at the checkout when you spend over a certain threshold, so it could be a good idea to take advantage of this.
Similarly, if you use one particular petrol station regularly, find out if they run any kind of loyalty scheme. That way you may be able to benefit from discounts and rewards when you fill up.
Finally, it may be beneficial to look into getting a cashback credit card for your fuel. By using one of these you can get a percentage back when you fill up, which will add up quickly if you buy fuel regularly.
