Seven Ways To Save Money On Fuel

Fuel prices have hit record highs in the last few weeks thanks to the soaring inflation we are experiencing. At the end of February fuel reached 151.3p a litre which is mad. This means a standard 55-litre car would cost £83.19 to fill with petrol, or £85.10 with diesel.  I remember when I first passed my test in 2008 it was less than a pound a litre. Times have changed a lot. Thankfully I don’t use my car all that much but I’m still thinking of how to save money on fuel as I hate having to drop so much money every time I fill up.

It’s likely that the high fuel prices will be here for some time, especially as Russia are the world’s third biggest oil producer. Plus the world is still going through a pandemic and production is out of kilter. Here are some ways to save money on fuel.

Don’t overpack

A lighter car can have a significant effect on your fuel consumption. So if an item doesn’t need to be in your boot or back seats leave it at home. This is something Luke really needs to do with his work van as there’s a lot of gear he carries around that he doesn’t need on every job. You should also take down any roof racks or storage boxes when they’re not in use.

Save money on fuel by keeping your car well maintained

Regular services can make a big difference to ensure your engine is working to it’s best. Something you can do at home regularly is check the tyre pressure. Lower tyre pressure increases drag on a car meaning you’ll need more fuel so make sure pressures are right. Don’t overinflate the tyres as they can also use more fuel.

Only use the air con if you need it

conditioning uses engine power and therefore fuel, so only use it if you really need it. If you’re going at a much lower speed it can be more efficient to drive with the windows down and air-con off. But if you’re at a higher speed and need cooling it’s better to use air-con. This is because opening the windows can cause extra drag.

Save money on fuel by driving slower

Lowering your speed is one of the best ways to save money on fuel. According to the AA, reducing your cruising speed on the motorway from 80mph to 70mph could save you up to 25% in fuel. So don’t be too sad when the motorway or dual carriageway has a variable speed limit and you have to drop to 40/50/60mph even though the road appears clear. Think about how much fuel you could be saving!

Drive smoothly

The smoother you drive the less taxing it is for your engine, and the less fuel you use.

“Drive at a consistent speed, accelerating and braking steadily. Fuel consumption tends to increase when your car exceeds 2,000 to 2,500 revs” says GoCompare.com‘s Matt Oliver.

Save money on fuel by doing your research

You can use petrolprices.com to check the prices of fuel in your area by entering your postcode. Pricing information comes from over 10,000 UK petrol stations and you’ll be able to see the latest average prices to check you’re getting the best deal.

This is really helpful when you’re doing a longer journey and know you’ll need to fill up. So you can see where’s cheapest to stop and fuel up (always avoid service stations if you can).

Fill up less more often

Fuel itself is heavy so if you fill your vehicle up to the max you’re adding quite a lot of weight. And the less fuel your car has in it (and therefore the lighter it is), the more efficiently it drives. If you can fill up slightly more often and put say half a tank in each time, as opposed to a full tank.

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