Petrol prices hit another record high yesterday, March 8, as oil and gas costs soar due to Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine.
Drivers are now facing a whopping £1.55 a litre on average for petrol, and £1.61 a litre for diesel, with fears it could get worse in the coming months.
Only a year ago the price of unleaded and diesel were £1.24 and £1.27 respectively.
The AA said it would now cost the average 55-litre family car £17 more to fill up than a year ago.
The huge increases are now causing families to try to save money on fuel where they can, for example by using the PetrolPrices app.
However, experts at car leasing firm Vanarama have also shared top tips for making your fuel go further, WalesOnline reports. One clever trick involves just one extra thing - a bowl of water.
How to save money on petrol
According to Vanarama, driving carefully is key to saving money on fuel.
Every time you brake, energy is lost in the heat generated by the brake pads and discs.
Similarly, revving the engine more than you need to will also cause more energy to be lost - meaning you would have to refill the tank quicker.
Put simply, you need to be driving as carefully as possible in order to save money.
The best way to do this is by anticipating when you’ll need to brake and move gently through the gears, keeping the engine speed to a reasonable level.
The bowl of water comes in because it will help you drive more carefully.
Vanarama’s top tip is to put a bowl of water on your passenger seat. If you’re going to spill it you need to drive more carefully.
This means you’ll have to turn carefully, break carefully, and not speed up too fast.
Other ways to save money on fuel
Keep your car clutter free - Carrying unnecessary extra load can mean your car will need to work harder. Putting your foot down, or changing down gear in order to help get the speed up will use additional fuel.
- Take all non-regularly used bike racks off the vehicle - with the same logic as the previous point, taking racks you don’t need off the vehicle will help it run more efficiently.
- Keep fuel tank level low - Filling up your car will make it heaver, meaning your car has extra weight to carry, leading to it using more fuel.
- Keep your tyres pumped up - Make sure your tyre pressure is on point. Low tyre pressures can create heat and friction. Research has shown you use an additional 3% fuel for every 10% your tyres are under-inflated.
- Use aircon sparingly - Many people leave the aircon on all the time, but try turning it off when you don’t need it as it can drain fuel.
- Keep windows closed – Fuel is burnt to generate the air throb you get when you have the windows down. If you don’t need it open, close it.
- Always pre-plan your journeys - The most effective way of lowering fuel bill is to reduce the mileage you drive and avoid costly congestion. Plan your route by using real-time data so you can avoid queues.
