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How to save money on petrol

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how to save money on petrol

With the cost of everything increasing, you have probably noticed that your budget isn't stretching quite as far these days. The amount we're bringing in and paying out isn't quite tallying up so finding ways to cut the costs is important. If you are a car owner, the £20 a week you put in the fuel tank isn't getting you as far as it once did. Similarly, if you are one of these people who run the tank down and then fill it up completely, you will have noticed the price of a full tank is incredibly high. Let's have a look at how to save money on petrol.

Shop Around For The Best Prices

When we are looking at how to save money on petrol, we need to find the very best price for the fuel we are putting into our vehicles. This means shopping around. You might have a forecourt that you usually visit, but is it the cheapest fuel in your area? You can find the cheapest by comparing costs on the Petrol Prices app. This will give you the prices within 5 miles of your location. You can also search for postcodes or cities to find the cheapest prices if you are going to be driving to a different place. It's not worth driving out of your way for miles to save a couple of pence, as you'll spend more in time and fuel. However, if you are going on a journey, you can look at the best place to top up on that route. Find the more affordable places to top up and you could save as much as 10p+ per litre. That could be £6 or £7 on a full tank!

woman fuel

Use Rewards

Do you collect rewards when you top up with fuel? How about taking advantage of supermarket vouchers? One of the best ways to save money on petrol and diesel is by making use of rewards. Some supermarkets have been offering a voucher of 5p off each litre of fuel when you buy a certain amount of groceries in the store. Other forecourt retailers will I've you points to turn into money off vouchers once you have collected enough. This can be a great way to keep money in your pocket whilst still putting fuel in your car. 

Lighten The Load

What are you actually driving around? Is your boot full? What about the footwell and the door pockets? So many of us are driving around with weight in our cars that we don't need to be shifting around. It takes more fuel to move heavier objects, so if your vehicle has more stuff in it, you're using more fuel! that you need to be. This is your cue to head out to the car on your driveway and empty all the clutter out of it. It could be pushchairs in the boot that you don't need during the week, wellies, or bags of stuff for the charity shop you haven't yet taken. Sure, we all have stuff we need on our cars but if you can get rid of some of the weight you're driving around, you'll save fuel.

woman car

Limit Your Car Use

When looking at how to save money on petrol, you also need to look at when you are using your car. Lots of our car journeys are actually walkabout if you set off that little bit earlier and are more organised. Your body will get some exercise and you won't have to pay for the fuel in the tank. It might not be ideal if you are wanting to do a big shop at the supermarket but if you are meeting a friend for coffee or dropping a letter at the post box, use the power of your legs rather than the car. 

Looking at how to save money on petrol is really important right now. Make more of the fuel in your tank and find ways to save money on topping it up when you are running low. 

how to save money on petrol

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Emma Drew

Emma has spent over 15 years sharing her expertise in making and saving money, inspiring thousands to take control of their finances. After paying off £15,000 in credit card debt, she turned her side hustles into a full-time career in 2015. Her award-winning blog, recognized as the UK's best money-making blog for three years, has made her a trusted voice, with features on BBC TV, BBC radio, and more.

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