Car owners in this country have had to come to terms with the fact that the days of reasonably priced fuel are well and truly behind us. And whilst it may only cost less than a penny for a litre of fuel in Venezuela and Iran; British people are being forced to watch prices sky-rocket to over the 150p per litre mark in some places. This is likely to be a global trend though and as the increase in demand is met by a decrease in supply; things are only going to get harder on our wallets.
However, whilst there may not be much we can do about the rising fuel prices; we can save money other ways. One of the best ways to do this is by adapting the way you drive so as to decrease the amount of times you need to visit the pump. You may think this will only make a small amount of difference when you look at the big picture but when it all adds up it will definitely be worth it. And besides, every penny counts when it comes to paying over the odds for fuel.
Here are some great ways to change your driving habits to reduce the amount you’re shelling out at the petrol stations.
Avoid Heavy And Sudden Braking –
We all have busy and stressful lives to lead and often this causes us to rush around more than we should be. And when we attempt to rush around in the car this can often leads to erratic use of the brake pedal, which in turn means your car will be guzzling gas more frequently. Braking sharply and often means that you are turning all of the kinetic energy, which has been created through the burning of fuel, into heat and light energy; meaning that it is effectively wasted.
If you plan ahead and try to slow down naturally when you know an obstacle is approaching then you will eliminate the need for late, heavy breaking and thus save more of that kinetic energy that’s been stored up. You’ll also find your brakes and tyres last longer, too.
Keep Your Car Regularly Serviced –
Having your vehicle serviced regularly is without doubt the best way to ensure it stays on the road for longer, but it will also help you conserve fuel. By having the systems checked over every 6 months or so it will mean that you can spot anything that is stopping your car working efficiently and address it sooner rather than later. Keeping the tyres in good condition and fully pumped up as well as monitoring the condition of the engine will ultimately mean your fuel goes further.
It may cost a pretty penny for a full service these days but you will make that money back and more in the fuel that you save and the slower rate at which your vehicle will deteriorate in value.
Cut Out Those Short Journeys –
I’m sure you’ve heard before that it’s the short journeys that really consume the most fuel and that’s because the engine hardly has the time to warm up, and so you will be using more fuel during this time. In a bid to decrease this fuel wastage you should think carefully about when and where you decide to take the car. It may be cold outside but do you really need to drive to the local supermarket? The bus could be a much better option or you could help your bank balance and the environment by using foot or pedal power.
Hire As And When You Need To –
It may seem like a drastic lifestyle change, but there is no better way to save money on fuel (and tax, insurance, maintenance etc.) than by ditching your vehicle all together. Think about how often you actually use your car and what you use it for and then ask yourself if you could do it all without your four-wheeled friend.
An effective replacement to owning a vehicle 24/7 could come in the form of car or van hire such as this. This way you could have the use of a car when you needed it but you wouldn’t have to worry about the cost of having one sat on your driveway all year round. You may be wondering if indeed this is viable for your busy life but it’s not that difficult to make it work; especially if you have more than one car in your household at the moment.
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Chris Mayhew is dismayed at the way fuel prices are going up and up and so tries to do all he can to conserve as much fuel as possible. He would recommend Collison Vehicle Rental to anyone thinking of getting rid of their permanent car and just renting when they need to.