Tips to Cut Fuel Costs and Save Money at the Petrol Station

The cost of petrol is rising to new heights, and this means that motorists are paying quite a bit more at the pump than they would have in previous years. Following are some tips to help you cut back on your fuel consumption and reduce the amount that you have to pay on petrol each week.

Hybrid cars can save more than fuel

1. Buy a Hybrid Car

While this can seem counterintuitive, you will actually be able to save quite a bit on fuel costs simply by switching to a more efficiently powered vehicle. If you are in the market for a new car, now is a good time to switch to a hybrid instead of a purely petrol powered car. The hybrid car is ingeniously engineered to split the energy consumption between electric and petrol, so you can save quite tremendously on fuel if you choose to drive this type of vehicle as opposed to a standard petrol fuelled automobile.

2. Drive Only when Necessary

If you live close to your job, you could consider walking or cycling to work. While it is not practical for some people to limit the use of their car, it can help save you more on petrol costs. If you live in a metropolitan area, you should consider utilising the public transit systems rather than routinely driving your car into the big city. Not only will your car spend quite a bit of time idling, but you may also have to pay additional charges like the ‘consumption charge’ just for driving in the downtown area of London.

3. Improve the Efficiency of Your Current Vehicle by Having Regular Maintenance Performed

It may amaze you how much more efficiently your car will run if you have necessary maintenance tasks performed periodically throughout the year. Your car will need regular tune-ups and simply keeping your car in the best shape can help you cut down on your fuel costs.

One way to make sure that your car is running at peak performance is to keep the air in your tyres properly inflated. You can check to see how much air should be put in your tyres by reading the information listed on the sidewall. You will find the size of your tyre and the recommended amount of air the tyre should be inflated with to perform optimally.

Another way to improve the efficiency of your vehicle is to make it as light as possible. This means de-cluttering your vehicle and removing any racks or tows that you have put on your car.

Anything that you can do to lessen the load will help you save on fuel costs.

4. Cut the Air Conditioner

You can also run the air conditioner less frequently to improve the efficiency of your vehicle. If you must drive with the air conditioner on, keep it low and do not run it on high unless absolutely necessary. Also, it is best if you do not run your air conditioner or drive with the windows down. Having your windows rolled down can actually increase the amount of fuel that it takes to keep the car running because of the wind pressure that is pulling against the force of the vehicle.

Accelerating slowly can save on fuel

5. Accelerate Steadily

Revving your engine can actually take quite a bit of fuel, so you should make sure to accelerate at a gradual pace when possible. In the same way, try not to slam on the brakes frequently because this will also take more fuel than slowly braking.

6. Look for the Lowest Petrol Prices

Finding a low price on your petrol will automatically save you some money, but it may take a little bit of research to locate the least expensive place in your area. Remember, if you travel too far away from where you would normally buy your petrol, you are going to expend the extra money that you would have saved driving to another location. Therefore, it is best to compare prices on petrol in nearby locations.

7. Buy Petrol at the Supermarket

Buying at the supermarket saves cash on petrol

The supermarket often offers motorists the chance to save quite a bit of money on their petrol. If you choose to buy your groceries at the same place you fill up, you may be able to take advantage of discount pricing.

You might even be able to take advantage of a loyalty scheme where a particular vendor is offering discounts to those that buy their petrol at a certain location regularly. Since you will need to fill up your car often, taking advantage of a loyalty incentive is the best way to continuously save on your fuel costs.

8. Find a Fuel Credit Card that Offers Cash Back

Buying your fuel on a card is a great way to keep track of how much you spend and take advantage of certain promotions offered to card carriers. Some of these companies will offer to give you as much as 5% back on every euro that you spend. This can add up quickly so do make sure to look into a fuel card to save on your petrol costs.