15 Ways to Save Money on Petrol & Diesel in the UK

Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, forcing your engine to work harder. Driving on tyres that are 20% below the recommended pressure can reduce fuel economy by up to 3%. Check the recommended pressure in your car's handbook or on the sticker inside the driver's door. Most petrol stations have free air pumps, or you can buy a digital gauge for under £10.

The single biggest saving most drivers can make is simply choosing a cheaper forecourt. Prices can vary by up to 15–20p per litre between the most expensive and cheapest stations in the same town. Fuelr uses live official government data to show you the cheapest petrol and diesel within any radius of your postcode — you can save £5–£10 per fill-up without changing your driving habits at all.

Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's typically sell fuel 3–8p per litre cheaper than branded forecourts like BP or Shell. On a 50-litre fill, that's £1.50–£4 saved every time. The fuel quality meets the same UK standards (EN 228 for petrol, EN 590 for diesel), so you're not sacrificing anything — just paying less. Use Fuelr to confirm which supermarket near you is cheapest on any given day.

Aggressive driving is one of the biggest fuel wasters. Hard acceleration burns significantly more fuel than gentle acceleration up to the same speed. Equally, braking hard wastes the kinetic energy your engine worked to create. Try to read the road ahead, anticipate traffic flow, and build up and slow down gradually. Smooth driving can improve fuel economy by 10–30% depending on your driving style.

Engines are most efficient at lower RPM. In manual cars, change up gears early — around 2,000 rpm for petrol, 1,500 rpm for diesel. On motorways, ensure you're in 6th gear (if available). In automatic cars, use eco or efficiency modes if available. Driving at 70 mph uses up to 9% more fuel than 60 mph, and up to 25% more than 50 mph.

An empty roof rack increases aerodynamic drag by around 10% at motorway speeds, and a roof box by up to 25%. This directly increases fuel consumption. If you only use your roof rack or box for holidays, take it off between trips. The few minutes it takes to attach and remove it is well worth the fuel saving on longer journeys.

Every extra 50 kg in your vehicle increases fuel consumption by roughly 1–2%. That gym bag that's been sitting in your boot for three months, the golf clubs, the bag of clothes for the charity shop — take them out. Don't carry more than you need. Fuel is expensive; your car shouldn't be doing extra work to carry things you're not using.

Air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by 5–25% depending on conditions. At town speeds, opening windows is more efficient. On motorways above 50 mph, windows create more drag than AC, so use the air conditioning instead. Modern cars with climate control are more efficient than older manual AC systems. Pre-cooling a parked car by opening windows before you start is also more fuel-efficient than blasting the AC.

Idling burns roughly 0.5–1.5 litres of fuel per hour with zero progress. Modern cars have stop-start systems for exactly this reason — if yours doesn't, turn the engine off for any stop longer than one minute. Note: excessive idling is also illegal in some circumstances in the UK (you can be fined for idling outside schools). Modern engines don't need to "warm up" — drive away gently as soon as the engine starts.

Cold engines use significantly more fuel in the first few miles. Combining multiple short trips into one journey means fewer cold starts and less total fuel used. Plan your route to avoid traffic where possible — sat navs with live traffic data (Google Maps, Waze) can save significant time and fuel. Driving outside peak hours also reduces time idling in queues.

UK fuel prices follow a weekly cycle. Prices typically peak on Thursdays and Fridays as demand rises ahead of the weekend. Monday and Tuesday are statistically the cheapest days to fill up. Supermarkets tend to update prices weekly, often on Mondays. Tracking prices with Fuelr lets you spot when local prices are lower than average.

Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar often run promotions giving extra points per litre of fuel bought, which can then be redeemed for discounts. Tesco sometimes offers Clubcard prices at the pump, giving an immediate per-litre discount. Sign up for the loyalty scheme of the cheapest supermarket near you — these savings add up over a year.

If you drive regularly for business, a fuel card like Allstar, Keyfuels or Fleetone can save you 3–5p per litre on diesel at thousands of UK sites, often including motorway services. The savings are substantial for high-mileage business drivers and self-employed workers. Cards also simplify expense tracking and VAT reclaiming.

A well-maintained engine runs more efficiently. A dirty air filter can reduce fuel economy by up to 10%. Sticking to the manufacturer's service schedule — particularly changing the air filter, oil, and spark plugs — keeps the engine running at peak efficiency. Fresh engine oil with the correct viscosity also reduces internal friction. It's a cost now, but it saves fuel costs year-round.

The UK speed limit is 70 mph, but that doesn't mean it's the most economical motorway speed. Aerodynamic drag increases exponentially with speed. Most cars have peak fuel efficiency between 50–60 mph. Dropping from 70 mph to 60 mph on a long motorway journey can improve fuel economy by 10–15%. Even cruise control at 70 mph is more efficient than surging between 65 and 80.