Plan your route
Planning your route before setting off on a journey in your car has many benefits. Should you get lost, the journey will obviously take longer than it would have done had you found your intended destination right away. What many people don’t consider however is the extra petrol you use driving around aimlessly. Satellite navigation systems have helped eradicate this issue but for those that don’t have a sat-nav, it is important that you try to familiarise yourself with your route before you set off. It seems fairly obvious that reducing the amount of petrol you use can save you money but many people overlook this and fail to plan their route before embarking on their journey.
Reduce your speed
The speed you travel at can have a major impact on the amount of fuel you use. According to the Department of Transport, driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Those breaking the speed limit and driving at 80mph can use up to 25% more than those travelling at 70mph. The biggest issue with speeding is clearly the danger it can pose to not only you but those around you. If that reason isn’t enough to put you off speeding, the thought of not only spending more on petrol but also the risk of been caught speeding and either been fined or banned from driving should hopefully encourage those that do speed to think again before breaking the law.
Change gears earlier
One of the easiest ways most drivers could reduce the amount of petrol they use is to change gears earlier. Motorists typically let their vehicles rev counter run to 3,000 revs per minute (rpm) on a petrol car and 2,500 on a diesel before moving up a gear. According to experts, drivers should be changing up when they hit 2,500 rpm in a petrol vehicle and 2,000 rpm in a diesel powered car. This in itself can reduce the amount of fuel you use which in turn saves you money. One thing it is important to be aware of is getting in the highest gear possible as early as possible won’t necessarily reduce the amount of fuel you use. Labouring the engine in too high a gear can actually increase fuel consumption so it is important to use the rev counter as an indicator as to which gear you should be using.
Avoid heavy acceleration and breaking
Sudden acceleration or breaking is one of the most common ways in which motorists waste petrol. Wasted petrol means wasted money so it is better to accelerate gradually and break early and gently. It is also worth trying to maintain a cruising speed when on motorways as even fluctuating between 60mph and 70 mph requires a driver to accelerate back up to 70mph time and time again. It is better to maintain a constant speed as this reduces the amount of petrol that your vehicle will use.
Don’t carry unnecessary weight
Most vehicles carry unnecessary weight when travelling. Car owners often carry any number of items within their car, some of which are heavy and many of which are not needed. These items such as golf clubs and roof racks are heavy and the extra weight in your car will affect your cars fuel consumption, especially if you carry them around with you month after month. Removing excess weight from your vehicle is one of the easiest ways to reduce how much petrol you waste which in-turn reduces the amount of money you spend.
Inflate tyres to recommended pressure
It’s important that you regularly check your tyre pressure because tyres naturally leak a bit of air over time. According to the RAC, having your tyres inflated to the recommended pressure can improve fuel consumption by up to 2%. This might not sound like much but over the period of a year this can save you a fair amount of money. Correctly inflating your tyres doesn’t just increase your fuel consumption. It is also safer for motorists to drive cars that have tyres at the correct pressure.
Reduce the number of miles you drive
Reducing the number of miles you drive is another way of reducing the amount of money you spend on driving. For short journeys it is worth walking or cycling if possible as engines are least efficient during short journeys which means that more petrol is used. Not only will this save you petrol, it will also benefit your health. On top of this, insurance companies always ask how many miles you are likely to drive each year. If you reduce the number of miles that you drive, it is likely that your insurance premiums will come down.
Compare Insurance Providers
Car insurance quotes can vary greatly from one insurance provider to the next which is why it is so important to compare as many car insurance providers as possible. Sites such as moneysupermarket.com allow users to get quotes from more than 100 car insurance companies, taking away the stress and effort of finding the best deal available. With prices ranging so drastically, it is possible to save a great deal of money simply by switching insurance providers.
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