Fuel prices are still sky high, and the cost of living crisis is only getting worse. And even though fuel duty has been cut, the prices of diesel and petrol aren't coming down anywhere near as much as they've gone up in recent weeks.
According to the RAC, the average price of petrol in the UK is now 162.16p per litre. Diesel, meanwhile, is at 176.11p per litre.
Even if that's slightly lower than the peaks we've seen recently, it's still very expensive, and will be causing people headaches when they go to fill up. With that in mind, we consulted Ben Newman, resident car expert at Find and Fund My Car, for his tips on saving fuel - and hence money - while driving.
Read more: Why the price of fuel will take longer to fall than it did to spike
How to save fuel and money while driving
Close the cap tightly
“Ensuring your petrol cap is closed really tight can help your car gain some extra mileage and go that little bit further," Newman says. "Petrol is a liquid, and when a liquid gets too hot, it’ll evaporate into the air.
"Think about it: if your cap is extremely tight, then the petrol will have nowhere to go. This ensures that your fuel stays in the car rather than seeping through the cap and into the air.
"So when you next head out to your car, double-check that the cap is as tight as it can be!”
Lighten your load
Newman says: “The heavier the vehicle, the more fuel it uses. I’m not suggesting that everyone swaps their bigger cars for something smaller, but what I’m suggesting is taking out any junk in your car that isn’t needed for that specific trip.
"If you’ve got a boot full of stuff that you’re not using, and your car is fitted with bike racks and a towing vehicle, then empty the boot and leave the extra kit at home to make your car lighter."
Check your tyres
“Tyre rolling resistance, which is the effort required to keep a tyre rolling as you’re driving, counts for around 15 per cent of all fuel consumption," Newman explains. "This consumption is why it’s important to keep your tyre pressure high.
"Not only does it mean you’ll be driving safely, but you’ll also be saving fuel.”
Turn the engine off when you can
Newman says: “If you’re stuck in traffic, or you’ve been stationary for longer than a minute or so, then turn your engine off. Leaving your car running even while not moving will burn through fuel quite quickly.
"Not only that, but it’s also bad for the environment. If you can see that the traffic in front of you is at a standstill, then don’t wishfully think that it’ll start speeding up soon - turn the engine off and wait until you see some movement.”
Go easy on the braking and accelerating
Newman says: “Bad driving habits can seriously affect how much fuel you use and it’s the biggest contributor to wasted petrol and diesel. Speeding, braking and rapid acceleration waste both petrol and diesel, so it’s important that you drive sensibly: no sudden brakes and no sudden acceleration.
"Drive less like a racecar driver, and more like a road driver."
Open the windows rather than using the air conditioning
This tip comes from Alex Kindred, the car insurance expert at Confused. Kindred says: "open the windows when it’s warm rather than turning up the air conditioning, which uses fuel".
At higher speeds, however, the increased drag from an open window can actually make it less efficient than turning on the air con. In general, experts tend to agree that an open window is better for city driving and air con is more efficient on the motorway. Of course, if you're not warm, keeping windows shut and air con off is the most efficient way to travel.
