Petrol prices have hit record highs in recent months as the cost of living crisis bites particularly hard for those needing a car to get around.
Household budgets are being stretched further by the week, with the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts reaching a new high of 185.4p on Monday - up 6.9p in just seven days.
The average price of diesel was a record 191.2p per litre on the same day, according to data firm Experian.
With drivers warned that prices look set to cross the £2 per litre mark this summer, making petrol go as far as possible is sure to be on every motorist’s mind.
Here are some tips from the experts for saving your hard-earned cash at the pumps.
How can I save money on petrol?
Keep your carload light by removing unnecessary items and even consider not filling up the entire petrol tank with fuel.
Any golf clubs, tennis rackets or gallon bottles of screen wash languishing in the vehicle could be weighing it down, making it consume more petrol or diesel.
Having a clear-out of the boot and removing that redundant roof rack could save vital pennies.
Another thing possibly adding to the work your engine has to put in? A full petrol tank. One money-conscious expert says you should consider whether you need to fill up right to the top.
Consumer journalist Andy Webb said on his Cash Chats podcast: “Don’t necessarily fill up. You don’t have to wait until it clicks every time.
"It may well be that you know you only need half a tank to get home, so only put half a tank in.
“In fact, one of the things that can help you with fuel consumption as well is weight. Sometimes it is also not a bad idea to put half the petrol into the fuel tank rather than fill it all the way up because that means it will last that little bit longer because there is less weight in the car from that fuel.”
Mr Webb, who also runs the Be Clever With Your Cash website, said it could be worth ignoring that advice if drivers find a particularly good deal on fuel, meaning it is better to fill up right to the top.
Drive slower
The harder drivers press on the accelerator, the more fuel they will be burning. It might not be popular advice with the boy racers, but driving more steadily will help to stop your wallet from emptying as fast.
You could try ' hypermiling ' - the art of driving more economically by maximising the number of miles to the gallon, driving more smoothly to avoid harsh braking and excessive speeding.
The RAC says that excessive speed is the "biggest fuel-guzzling factor" and recommends driving in the highest possible gear while keeping within the speed limit in order to prevent the vehicle from overworking.
Check local petrol prices online
Prices are high everywhere, particularly on motorways, but local competition means it can be worth searching out alternatives to your regular go-to fill-up spot.
Mr Webb recommended his podcast listeners use Petrolprices.com or Confused.com to keep an eye on local prices.
But he also warns those getting behind the wheel should avoid lengthy detours if the saving is only small, otherwise the “petrol you are using to go there for these round trips probably isn’t worth it”.
Target cashback and reward points
Supermarkets can often have some of the most competitive prices at the forecourts, so it could be worth ensuring a trip for the weekly shop coincides with a pit stop at the pumps to rack up those loyalty points.
There are also cashback debit and credit cards that mean you can at least be earning some money back while grimacing at those numbers ticking up as you fill the vehicle.
