How To Save Money On Fuel

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Rising fuel costs have dominated the news headlines in the UK and beyond in recent months, government data shows average pump prices have risen consistently, with petrol prices reaching an average of 190.93 pence per litre on the 27th of June 2022, and diesel hitting 198.93 per litre. But you still need to get from A to B, there are ways to bring down your running costs. 

It still makes sense to buy used cars over new models, for example. Car sharing and driving less are effective choices too. But what about that pesky fuel that cars rely on so much? 

Fill your tank at the supermarket

Firstly, it makes sense to avoid expensive fuel stations like those at motorway services and to stop at supermarket forecourts instead. These locations are often cheaper, in part as an incentive to buy your food there at the same time. 

You'll usually find that fuel stations are cheaper in towns and cities than rural areas too. In summary, plan where you'll pick up fuel, rather than choosing the nearest stop when your running low. 

Avoid premium fuel

Next it won't do any harm to avoid premium or 'super' fuel options at the pump. in fact, there's little benefit of choosing them anyway - unless you drive an especially high-performance or specialist imported car. 

You'll generally shave off 10p or more a litre by choosing the standard fuel option. Now isn't the time for the finer things in life. 

Drive smoothly

With your fuel safely in your car, next you'll want to drive as smoothly as possible to help it go further. This means aiming to accelerate smoothly - not foot down - and keeping a close eye on the road so you can slow down gently, instead of slamming on the breaks. 

Aim to coast up to traffic lights, for example, to avoid wasting energy used to get up to speed. Gentle acceleration and braking has benefits for electric cars too. 

Change gears early

On a similar note, anticipating what's ahead also allows you to change gears at the optimal time. Many new cars have handy gear-shift indicators to let you know when's most economical to shift up or down. 

Stick to the speed limit

Adhering to the speed limits is not only safer, it's more economical too. Driving above 70mph on the motorway will use significantly more fuel, as will doing 70 in a 60 zone and so on. 

Other fuel saving tips include making sure your tyres are inflated correctly, removing unnecessary weight from your boot and using air con sparingly. Will you adapt your driving habits to save a little extra on fuel?