Fuel is one of the biggest expenses of owning a car. If you’ve been spending too much money on it, here are a few tricks on how to spend less money on fuel.
Choose the right vehicle
Some vehicles are more fuel-efficient than others. By choosing a car with a good fuel economy, you can save money in the long run.
Sports cars and SUVs tend to guzzle the most fuel. In fact, some of these cars barely do 30mpg. This is particularly the case with older cars, which tend to be even less fuel-efficient.
Modern family cars tend to be a better option. Some cars such as the Seat Ibiza Eco and VW Polo Bluemotion are capable of over 60mpg. This is twice as many miles per gallon compared to some older cars.
Diesel cars can do even more miles per gallon with some cars on the market doing upwards of 80mpg. However, diesel tends to be more expensive than petrol, so you may not always save money.
There are also hybrid and electric cars to consider. These cars are more expensive to purchase, but you could still save money in the long run compared to a petrol or diesel car. Electric cars still aren’t able to do the distance, so are better for those that only tend to drive locally.
Give up bad driving habits
A few bad driving habits could be causing you to consume more fuel.
Harsh acceleration is one bad habit that can use up a lot of fuel. By accelerating up to speed more slowly, you can reduce the revs and consume less fuel.
Using lower gears than necessary can also cause you to consume more fuel. Try to use the highest gears possible to reduce the revs and use less fuel.
Keep your tyres well-inflated
Driving on underinflated tyres can cause you to use more fuel. This is because it takes more gas to get low pressure tyres spinning.
Make sure to regularly check that your tyres are pumped up.
Don’t carry unnecessary weight
Carrying unnecessary weight in your vehicle can also cause you to use up more fuel. This could include an empty roof box or unnecessary items in the boot such as work equipment or a pram when you don’t need it.
Make sure that you’re only carrying items in your vehicle that are necessary.
Shop around for the cheapest local fuel prices
Different petrol stations will charge different rates for fuel. By finding the cheapest local pump, you can save some money when filling up.
There are apps that can help show you all the local petrol stations in your area and the prices that each of them charges. These can be useful tools for helping you to shop around for fuel prices.
Find alternative forms of transport
Of course, an obvious way to save money on fuel is to simply drive less.
Many of us waste money on fuel by taking unnecessary car journeys locally when we could have just walked. Walking takes longer, but it’s free and it’s healthier (and better for the planet).
Cycling could be another option that could be a quicker alternative to walking. You can even fit a basket to your bicycle and go shopping.
There are then other forms of transport such as these Razor scooters – some of which can reach 18mph and can be used on roads. These could be fun mode of transport for when you want to save money on fuel, but don’t fancy walking.
Public transport could also save you money in some cases. While train fares tend to be very expensive nowadays, travelling by bus is often very cheap and could be a great alternative to driving (especially around cities). If you’re over 65, you may even be entitled to a free bus pass.
All in all, it’s worth considering other transport options and not always taking the car.
See some of my other money-related posts here
