10 Tips to Cut Your Petrol Costs
The escalating petrol prices can burn a hole in our pockets if we fail to take measures to cut down on petrol expenditure. If we rely heavily on the car to travel to and from work as well as run those unavoidable weekly errands, we may have to end up spending a huge chunk of our budget on petrol.
Although the rising petrol costs in the midst of the current turbulent economy is way beyond our control, we can still take comfort in knowing that we can curb our petrol expenses in the best possible ways. Here’s how:
Image by JaulaDeArdilla
1. Shop around
Just as when you compare car insurance, it’s well worth shopping around for your fuel. Different petrol stations offer differing petrol prices. Yet interestingly, the same petrol station brand can offer different prices for the same petrol type in different suburbs. It is wise to investigate the prices offered by different petrol stations in your area and in suburbs around yours. Motor Mouth is one site that you can use to do your petrol price search. Decide on which station offers the best price before you choose to fill up your tank.
2. Use your credit card for cashback
If you have a credit card that offers cash back for petrol refills, you can benefit from an attractive cashback offer of up to 5% off petrol and purchases made at selected stations. That simply means savings in your pocket!
3. Take advantage of Coles’ and Woolworths’ petrol deals
Coles or Woolworths offer a four-cents-a-litre discount, at Shell or Caltex service stations respectively, when you spend $30 or more at the supermarkets. If you habitually shop at either one of the supermarkets it makes sense to take advantage of this deal for more savings on petrol.
4. Slow down
By reducing your speed and avoiding harsh braking while driving whenever you can, your fuel consumption can be reduced by 15%. Also, you can conserve petrol in the long run by being more conscious of the speed you choose to drive at and keeping a safe distance behind the car in front.
5. Keep the weight off
Ensure that you clear unnecessary items from your car boot. Doing so will reduce the fuel consumption based on the total weight of the car. In addition, filling the petrol tank to the top also adds to the overall weight of the vehicle so it makes sense to avoid a full tank.
6. Turn off your engine
Switching off your car engine when waiting at traffic lights saves petrol consumption. Just ensure that this method is appropriate to the situation, as it can be tricky when waiting at the lights on inclined terrains.
7. Get the tyre pressure right
Always check your tyres to ensure that they are consistently pumped at the right pressure. The wrong pressure creates rolling resistance which, in automotive terms, simply means consuming more fuel when driving.
8. Maintain your vehicle regularly
Keep your vehicle maintained once every few months. Inflate your tyres, clean the air filters and tune your car engines to reduce fuel consumption by 10%. You save on petrol expenses this way.
9. Combine trips for errands
Combine your trips to the dry cleaners, post office, grocery store and hair salon all in one sitting to save on petrol and time. Prior planning is needed to ensure that you don’t end up consuming more petrol than you should when you travel from one errand venue to another.
10. Be aware of low petrol price days
According to the Australian Automobile Association, petrol is cheapest on particular days of the week in various states in Australia. The days on which petrol is cheapest are listed below according to states:
- Sydney: Monday and Tuesday
- Melbourne: Monday and Tuesday
- Brisbane: Sunday
- Adelaide: Friday
- Perth: Monday
The AAA advises that you can save more than $200 a year by buying petrol early in the week.
11. Let in the breeze
Cutting down the use of air conditioner and opening the window to let in the breeze will help cut petrol costs. Frequently letting the air conditioner run will cause the engine to heat up and hence more petrol will be consumed. Enjoy the breeze as you cruise along the highway and let it cool you down on a hot summer day.
We can’t do without a car, especially if we need to cut down on travelling time to and from work every day. Cutting down on petrol costs will help reduce a huge portion of your monthly expenses and the money saved can be siphoned to other areas of need. Be mindful of the above-mentioned cost saving strategies the next time you drive as small cumulative efforts can end in huge savings.
This article contains general advice about car insurance. The author has not taken into account your financial situation or needs and you should consider whether the advice provided is appropriate for your own circumstances before relying on it.
Filed Under: Car Insurance
