With fuel prices hitting a record high almost every week, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Green Flag to give some tips to enable you to be more frugal with your fuel.

The obvious way to save money at the petrol pump is to make the switch to an electric car. We’ve crunched the numbers, and going electric could save you anything from £50 up to £140 each month, depending on the car you drive and how far you travel.¹

Even PHEV owners will be looking to minimise their use of pricey petrol

But we know that an electric car might not be right for you just yet, or you may own a plug-in hybrid. While you won’t be able to make such dramatic savings, a few simple changes to your driving habits can help reduce your fuel bill noticeably.So here are our tips to help you save some pounds at the pump.

Dive into the Carpool

Irrespective of what fuels your car, using it less brings benefits for everyone. So why not consider sharing the effort and expense of driving with a carpool? You basically share your journey to work, the supermarket or a school run with a colleague or friend. You could set up a local scheme with your neighbours or organise something through your children’s school or employer. It’s more common in countries such as the US where there are even special lanes on roads and premium parking spots dedicated to car sharers. 

Declutter your car 

Whether you drive an electric car or one powered partly by diesel or petrol, weight is the constant enemy of fuel efficiency. If you treat your car as an extension of your house like some members of the Electrifying.com team, it will be full of soggy sports kit, dog towels, books that have been on the way to the charity shop for months, along with a whole host of bits and bobs that don’t need to be there. The weight of all this adds up and makes your car work harder. Give your car a spring clean and declutter because getting rid of the junk means you’ll use less fuel.

Decluttering means your car won't have to work as hard, so will use less fuel

Fill up with less fuel 

Fuel also adds weight and there’s a school of thought that says not to fill your tank up completely to save some cash, as the weight of carrying a full tank means you use more energy. But it also means you may need to make more visits to the filling station and that could mean unnecessary miles travelled. If there’s a filling station on the route you take to work, for example, it could make sense to fill up less often. 

Become a hypermiler 

Hypermiling helps you get the most from every last drop of fuel to maximise your economy - and it can actually be a lot of fun too. There are sites, clubs and forums devoted to it, and in the case of cars, this is an extreme form of energy-efficient driving and it works for both electric and petrol or diesel cars. Learn some of the techniques and experiment so you can challenge yourself to set record economy figures - it’s a competitive motorsport which could actually save you money!

Leaving your engine running is a actually an offence and could land you with a fine

Don’t idle 

Leaving your car ‘idling’ with the engine running while you wait for a light to change or the kids to come out of school isn’t great for the air we breathe. It also adds to your fuel bill and is actually an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The act enforces Rule 123 of the Highway Code, which states: "You must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road." Most modern cars will cut out and restart automatically if you are in neutral, so you won’t even need to reach for the key. Restarting your car doesn’t burn more fuel than leaving it idling either. 

Check your tyres 

Tyres have an impact on your fuel consumption and Green Flag’s advice is to make sure your tyre pressures are correct and your wheels are properly aligned. The alignment can be knocked out by potholes and kerb damage, so look for uneven wear on the edge of the tyres. It will mean the car uses more fuel as well as wearing through expensive tyres. 

Shop around 

Fuel prices can vary, so do your homework and look out for cheap fuel. Supermarkets can often offer the best deals which can save 10p per litre or more. On a bigger car that could be a difference of £8 per fill up or more. And you can also get loyalty points with most stores which can soon add up. 

Green Flag Breakdown Cover is underwritten by U K Insurance Limited.

¹Fuel Check Calculator

Green Flag’s experts advise to check tyre pressures and wheel alignment to save wear and energy