Every driver wants to cut down on their running costs. From shopping around for the best car insurance deals, to attempting car maintenance ourselves, we’ll look for anything we can do to ensure our car doesn’t hurt our wallets too much.

One of the most regular and costly parts of driving is petrol. How many of us wait until the warning light is on before we consider filling up? And who hasn’t had their car running on fumes just to get the most mileage as possible. The good news is that you don’t have to go to such lengths to save money on your petrol. Here’s our quick guide on how to make the most of your petrol.

Don't put your foot down

Having a heavy foot on the accelerator is a good way to burn through petrol. You might want to feel like an F1 driver when you race off from a stop, but the reality is you will just be burning more petrol as you go from 0 mph to speed limit.
Speeding is another way of burning petrol. If you stick to the speed limit, then you’ll find that your trips to the petrol pump will be less frequent.

Make sure your tyres are correctly pressured

If your tyres are underinflated, then your car will have to work harder to compensate. Whether its getting moving, braking or just turning a corner, if your tyres are underinflated, then your car will have to compensate. This compensation is most often taken from your petrol tank. So make sure your tyres are checked regularly to ensure they are a) safe but also b) not wasting petrol.

Change gear efficiently

Getting your car in the right gear for the speed you’re travelling at is another way to ensure you’re not burning petrol unnecessarily. You can probably tell when you need to go up a gear, as you’ll hear the engine running louder than normal. But you should also learn when to drop down a gear, so that you aren’t wasting energy on a gear that’s too high.

Remove excess weight

We can all get into a habit of using our car as a storage area too. Be it sports goods, buggies or other items that we use infrequently, having it in the car and out the way can be useful. But the extra weight will mean you are going to burn more petrol. So you should only keep the essentials in your car.

You should also look at the roof rack or bike rack. If you are using it regularly, then it’s worth keeping it attached. But if not, then take it off as not only will it be extra weight, but it also affects the aerodynamics of the car, meaning even more petrol is used.

Avoid unnecessary trips

Driving round the corner to the shops when you could walk? Desperate not to use the bus or train? If you can stop using your car for everything, then you will save yourself some petrol money. It’s also good for the environment, as unnecessary trips all add to your carbon footprint. Remember, shorter trips in your car can burn a lot more fuel than you think.

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