Anyone who has filled up with petrol or diesel in recent days will know to their cost just how high pump prices have risen.<\/p>\n
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia means further price increases are on the way, as war in the area drives up oil and gas prices<\/p>\n
Petrol at an average of \u20ac1.78 a litre and diesel topping \u20ac1.68 mean a tankful can easily lighten the wallet by \u20ac100 or even more. Many people will even think twice about simply filling up at these prices and will only put in what they can afford.<\/p>\n
Frightening forecourt costs aren\u2019t going away anytime soon. Global demand for crude oil is set to remain high, and that will continue to filter through to the pumps.<\/p>\n
In this situation, it makes sense to see if you can use less fuel so you at least visit the forecourt less often. Here are five tips from Kevin Pratt, consumer finance expert at Forbes Advisor, to help you on your way\u2026<\/p>\n
Lighten your load<\/strong> Lose the roof-rack<\/strong> Reduce your revs<\/strong> Top up your tyres<\/strong> Don\u2019t stand idle<\/strong> And remember – if you leave your car running to defrost the windscreen, you probably won\u2019t be able to claim on your car insurance if it is stolen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anyone who has filled up with petrol or diesel in recent days will know to their cost just how high pump prices have risen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":10550,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[654,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-irish-news","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nRemove any items in the boot or footwells that you don\u2019t need with you. Additional weight in the car will make the engine work harder and use up fuel.<\/p>\n
\nAs well as unnecessary weight, a roof-rack that\u2019s not in use creates drag and puts additional strain on the engine.<\/p>\n
\nRapid acceleration increases your rev count and drains your tank. Aim for smooth and measured transitions to higher gears, which use less fuel.<\/p>\n
\nTyres are at their most efficient when inflated to the recommended level. If the pressure is too low, you\u2019ll make the engine work harder, in much the same way as cycling with under-inflated tyres on your bike.<\/p>\n
\nAvoid sitting with the engine running if you can. The power needed to restart will be less than you\u2019ll use in a couple of minutes idling at the side of the road, in a car park or even on your drive.<\/p>\n