Tips For Saving Petrol
August 16th, 2005 | POSTED BY ROB
Bruce Wayne (no, really?!) posted an article about the increasing price of petrol over at Finance Choices, suggesting that since the start of this year, the average U.K. family has seen the cost of motoring rise by £23.23 a month fuelled (geddit?) by these price increases.
So, if we’re having to pay these high fuel prices, how can we make sure that we get the most out of the petrol we buy? Here are a few ideas, from a variety of sources, including the A.A.:
- Walk or take public transport - O.K., so this isn’t a viable option for the majority of journeys, but it’s always worth considering for those short trips. Plus the increased exercise might help your general health!
- Use air conditioning wisely - although we don’t often have much cause to use air conditioning in the U.K. climate, it’s worth knowing about the statistics about how much petrol air conditioning uses up. The A.A. suggests that air conditioning adds 10% to fuel consumption - however, is it so clear cut that winding the windows down is the more economical option? A recent article on BankRate.com (found via FreeMoneyFinance) suggests that there are times that using air conditioning is more economical than having your windows down. For example, above 45 mph, the drag caused by having your windows open will make it less economical than having your air conditioning on instead.
- Get your car tuned properly - I’m not 100% sure about this, but I’m pretty sure a decent mechanic should ensure that your car is getting the most out of your petrol by tuning the engine properly.
- Ensure you have the correct tyre pressure - don’t make your car do more work than it has to to get you around. Check that your tyres are inflated to their proper pressure.
- Buy a modern / smaller car - again, this might not be the most practical solution (and might cost you more money in the short term, but think of the positives for the environment), but new cars are more fuel efficient than ever, and smaller ones will give you a more mpg.
Just a few ideas to think about. If you’re interested in motoring costs in general, take a look at this motoring costs table at the A.A.
1 Comment on “Tips For Saving Petrol”
Rising Petrol Prices / Personal finance and money information, tips and links / Money Watch, April 23rd, 2006 at 1:22 am
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