As the credit crunch closes in and the price of petrol continues to hit people in the pockets, the advisers at award winning Worldwide Financial Planning share their Top Ten tips on how to save some fuel money.
1) Slow down
One of the best ways to save fuel is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. Try driving at or below the speed limit as well.
2) Check your tyre pressure
Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of crummy Miles Per Gallon (MPG). Under-inflated tyres have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more fuel to keep your car moving.
Buy a reliable tyre gauge and check your tyres at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading.
3) Accelerate with care
Jackrabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster, but that doesn’t mean you should crawl away from every light. Change gear early to keep the revs down, but don’t lug the engine – change down if you need to accelerate.
Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that’s wasted fuel.
4) Stay with the lorries
Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace?
A constant speed aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving.
5) Get back to nature
Consider switching off the air conditioning, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a bit warmer, (when we have some sun!) but at lower speeds you’ll save fuel.
6) Back off from the bling
New wheels and tires may look good and they can certainly improve handling, but if they are wider than the standard tires, chances are they’ll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy.
7) Clean out your car
It doesn’t take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 lbs of stuff, and the more weight your car has to lug around, the more fuel it burns.
8) Downsize
If you’re shopping for a new car, it’s time to re-evaluate how much car you really need. Smaller cars are inherently more fuel-efficient.
9) Don’t drive
Not a popular thing to say, but the fact is that if you can avoid driving, you’ll save fuel.
Take the train, car share, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: “Is this trip really necessary?” Naturally where possible, share a car.
10) Don’t fill it up
Fuel is heavy, so by filling the car up you’re adding quite a weight. The less fuel your car has in it, the more efficiently it drives. Therefore filling up slightly more often and putting less in will make the car run more efficiently.
Our advisers are here to help you so please do get in touch. To contact our Northern Ireland office, call 028 6863 2692; our Cornwall office – 01872 222422 and you can reach our Southampton office on 023 8064 9674. If you prefer to email, please contact us on info@wwfp.net.
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