With the cost of fuel rising and not looking like it’s going to slow down any day soon, families are one of the groups in society that are being most hit.
Research has found that the UK has the twelfth highest unleaded fuel prices and the second highest diesel prices in Europe* meaning UK drivers need all the help they can get when it comes to saving money on the go!
So, you can’t control the cost of fuel, but you can control how you use it, therefore saving money.
Here are some tips on how to save on fuel from the experts:
- Check the pressure of your tyres regularly (every two weeks is recommended). The right tyre pressure means less rolling resistance – and therefore reduced fuel consumption and more environmentally friendly driving. If a tyre is just 20 per cent underinflated you use 3 per cent more fuel. Low tyre pressures can also increase tyre wear. (Continental Tyres, www.3minmax.co.uk).
- Avoid short journeys, a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic convertors can take five miles to become effective. (Kia Cars, www.kia.co.uk).
- Shopping around for a bargain also includes shopping for petrol and diesel! Recent studies have shown that fuel prices can fluctuate as much as 5p per litre in any given area. To find the cheapest petrol station in your area visit: www.petrolprices.com.
- Drive in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine, as it is the most fuel efficient. Driving in a low gear often over revs the engine,
- Declutter your car – the lighter your car the less effort you will need to accelerate. So, of you are not using the pushchair during the week, take it out of the boot and save on fuel. If you have a roof rack that’s not in use, take it down – they will increase your drag significantly. (Perrys car dealership, www.perrys.co.uk).
- It’s more efficient to open the window below 30 mph but use air conditioning over 30 mph (Kia cars, www.kia.co.uk).
- Don’t fill your car up to the top with fuel – this will add weight to the car, which in turn means you will mean you are burning more fuel. (Perrys car dealership, www.perrys.co.uk).
- Check your revs – change up before 2,500rpm for petrol engines and 2,000rpm diesel engines. (Kia cars, www.kia.co.uk)
- When buying a new car bear in mind fuel economy (Perrys, the car dealership, www.perrys.co.uk)
- After starting your engine, set off immediately. Modern motors no longer need a warm-up phase. In winter, scrape the ice rather than leave the car running for a long period to clear the windscreen. (Continental Tyres, www.3minmax.co.uk).
- Decelerate smoothly – When you have to slow down or stop, decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear. (The AA, www.theaa.com).
- Stick to speed limits and your fuel will go further – driving at 85mph rather than 70mph uses 25% more fuel (Kia cars, www.kia.co.uk)
- Rolling – If you can keep the car moving all the time, so much the better. Stopping then starting again uses more fuel. (The AA, www.theaa.com).
- Increasing fuel consumption by up to 25%. (Kia Cars, www.kia.co.uk).
- Plan your journeys – to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost. If you are stuck in a traffic jam, switch off – cutting the engine will save fuel and stop emissions. (Kia cars, www.kia.co.uk).
- Change gear as soon as possible without laboring the engine – try changing up at an engine speed of around 2000 rpm in a diesel car or around 2500 rpm in a petrol car. (The AA, www.theaa.com).
- Share the school run with other mums to cut the cost of fuel – and to free up some time for doing other things. (Mothers Who Work, www.motherswhowork.co.uk).
