Where and when you fill up
1. Compare prices before you go. Prices at forecourts a mile or two apart can differ by several pence a litre. Search your postcode on Motor Snappy to see the cheapest nearby – the UK average on 25 Oct is 173.6p for unleaded and 199.6p for diesel.
2. Avoid motorway services. They're almost always the most expensive places to fill up. Top up before a long trip instead.
3. Consider supermarkets. Supermarket forecourts are often among the cheapest, and their fuel meets the same standards as branded fuel. See is supermarket fuel as good as branded fuel?
4. Don't pay for a grade you don't need. If your car's handbook says 95-octane unleaded, standard E10 is right; super unleaded costs around 20.4p a litre more. See E10 vs E5.
5. Use loyalty schemes and fuel vouchers from supermarkets and fuel companies if you shop there anyway – but don't drive out of your way to use them.
How you drive
6. Drive smoothly. Accelerate gently, look ahead and ease off early rather than braking hard. Smooth driving can cut fuel use noticeably compared with aggressive driving.
7. Watch your speed. Fuel use rises quickly at higher speeds because of air resistance. Sticking to 70mph rather than going faster on the motorway saves fuel, and it's the legal limit.
8. Change up early in a manual car, and use the highest sensible gear for your speed.
9. Don't leave the engine idling while you wait – idling burns fuel for no distance.
Looking after your car
10. Check your tyre pressures monthly. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and wear. The correct pressures are in the handbook, on the door pillar or inside the fuel flap.
11. Remove extra weight and roof boxes. Roof boxes, bike racks and empty roof bars add drag; take them off when you're not using them, and clear out heavy items from the boot.
12. Keep up with servicing. A well-maintained engine with clean filters and the right oil runs more efficiently.
Plan your journeys
Combining short trips, avoiding rush hour where you can, and using air conditioning sparingly at low speeds all add up. For very short local journeys, walking or cycling saves both fuel and wear on your car.