It’s no secret that we are all facing a cost-of-living crisis. Whether it’s energy prices, groceries, rent or mortgage payments, it seems as if everything is going up. One of the more volatile costs is fuel, with petrol prices continually fluctuating, day by day. For those who drive, rising fuel prices can be a constant worry. Whether you drive to work, for work or you’re just dropping the kids off at school, filling up is becoming ever more expensive. Whilst we can’t change fuel prices, we can change how we use our vehicles. There are many different ways to improve your fuel efficiency and therefore make your money go further.
Maintenance
In order to ensure that your vehicle remains at peak efficiency, you must complete regular maintenance and servicing. It’s easy to ignore issues when they’re small but these can lead to bigger, more expensive problems in the long-term. One aspect of servicing that is particularly important for fuel efficiency is tire pressure. Both underinflated and overinflated tires can decrease efficiency, leading to less value for money. When in doubt, talk to an expert.
Streamline
Streamlining your driving experience is a relatively small change that you can make but it can lead to decent savings. An aspect of fuel efficiency that many drivers forget about is how hard your vehicle works. The easier you make it, the less fuel that your vehicle will need. Fortunately, there are ways to ensure this, for example removing roof racks or other external equipment, when not in use. This will not only make the vehicle lighter but it will also make it more streamlined and therefore more efficient. In fact, any way in which you can decrease the weight of your vehicle, is going to make it more fuel efficient.
Plan Ahead
As with everything, planning ahead is key to ensuring success. In the case of saving fuel when driving, making a plan allows you to avoid costly mistakes and therefore conserve petrol. When planning a journey, try to use a sat nav when possible, allowing you to take the fastest route available. You could also try to avoid driving during busy hours, therefore avoiding potential traffic jams.
Fewer Trips
When it comes to getting the most out of fuel, taking longer journeys, less often, is better than lots of short trips. This is because driving which involves continual stopping and accelerating burns through fuel much faster. Of course, we can’t always fit everything in to one journey but it’s something to keep in mind when planning your day.
Avoid Air Conditioning
The majority of vehicles come with extra devices to make the driving experience more comfortable, including air conditioning, heaters, heated windscreens and demisters. Unfortunately, these components burn fuel and increase expense. If you’re trying to conserve fuel, it’s therefore best to avoid turning on the air conditioner or heater, unless absolutely necessary. This is particularly true at lower speeds, when simply opening your windows makes much more sense, instead of resorting to air con.
Smart Driving
The simple way in which you drive can have an effect on how quickly you burn through fuel. As we have established, acceleration has a major effect on fuel consumption, so excessive use of the accelerator can be an issue. Drivers can get around this by accelerating and breaking gently, as well as changing gears earlier. Again, this is a relatively small and simple step but the savings can add up.
Petrol prices is just one anxiety affecting many drivers but there are other issues to consider. For those who drive for a living, accountancy and taxes can be a major worry. Fortunately, the experts at U-Deliver have countless years of experience in providing financial services to drivers.
