HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON FUEL

The price of petrol and diesel is going up, and household budgets are stretched tighter than ever before, but there are things you can do to get the most out of every tankful

- Darren Moss

WELL OILED

Norway is the biggest supplier of the crude oil from which the UK gets its petrol and diesel, with the US a distant second. Russia was third, but probably not for much longer following its invasion of Ukraine.

The price of filling up the average 55-litre family car with petrol is now almost £90more than £20 higher than what it was a year ago. Across the country, fuel prices have been hitting record highs, with a litre of petrol averaging more than £1.60 at the time of writing and the same amount of diesel more than £1.70.

Part of the reason for this is the effect on oil supplies caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and in part it's because millions of drivers have been returning to regular office work following the coronavirus pandemic. Oil suppliers are still ramping up production to meet this increased demand.

However, you can limit the impact of these price rises on your pocket, and it starts with changing the way you drive. If you're planning to replace your car soon, you might also want to consider something more economical (see separate story).

First, let's look at some simple ways to get the most from each tank of fuel...

REMOVE WEIGHT

Take unnecessary bulky items out of the car, such as that shovel you put in the boot to clear snow in winter. And if the kids are staying at home, so can their buggy.

REDUCE DRAG

Remove external carrying kit such as roof boxes or bike racks whenever they aren't being used. Such items create extra wind resistance, which means the car has to work much harder to cut through the air.

PERFORM BASIC MAINTENANCE