Slash Your Transport Costs

If your fuel costs for your vehicles have gotten out of control, you are not alone. Many Australians are dealing with the increase in transport costs over the last several years. This has even made it difficult for many people to fit these increasing costs into their household budget.
 
The good news is that there are several simple things that you can do to save money on your fuel costs during the year. Below is a list of numerous tips that will help you save on money on your overall transport costs.

• Only drive when absolutely necessary. Walking or utilising public transportation will be less expensive in the long-run.

• Consider starting a car poll at your workplace. Ask several of your co-workers to join together and take turns driving to work each day. This way you do not have to fill up your gas tank quite as often.

• Plan to run all of your errands on the same day. Plan out the shortest course that will take you to all of your stops with the least amount of driving.

• Keep your eye on the fuel costs and always try to fill up your tank when the rates are low. Consider getting fuel on Monday or Tuesday because these are the days when gas is typically cheaper.

• Do not let your car sit idle for more than just a few minutes at a time. If you are stopping to pick someone up or waiting for someone to run into the store quick, always turn your car off and then back on when you are ready to go. Likewise, do your best to avoid heavy traffic, even if these means leaving a little earlier or later than planned. The idle time waste gas unnecessarily.

• Do not go over the speed limit. In fact, if possible it is best to always drive slightly under the speed limit. Going just a little slower could save you a lot in fuel costs. For example, driving at just 90 km/h instead of 100 km/h could save you as much as 12 percent on your fuel costs.

 
• If your car has a cruise control option, use it whenever possible, this will keep your speed at a normal level and only allow you to speed up and slow down as necessary.

• Avoid speeding up and slowing down consistently when driving. This actually uses a lot more fuel to operate your vehicle. Instead, try to always drive with the flow of the traffic.

• Remember that your using your car’s air conditioner will use more fuel to operate, so be sure to only use it when absolutely necessary.

• Remove any unnecessary weight from the trunk of your car. This additional weight will make your car heavier and cause it to need more petrol to run.

• Always be sure to use any special offers or discount vouchers that you have for fuel. When using these special deals, fill your car’s tank up to receive the greatest savings.

• Be sure to check the air pressure in your tyres on a monthly basis. Deflated tyres will use more fuel to operate.

• Keep your car well-maintained at all time. Any problems with the oil, air filters, ignition, radiator, fuel injection, or other parts of the engine could cause your car to operate inefficiently and use more fuel.

• If you use your car for business purposes, be sure to keep accurate track of your mileage. This will help you get the greatest tax benefit and save you more money each year.

While each of these tips will help you save money, the combination of several of these tips can help you save 30 per cent of more on your current fuel costs. Many of these tips are very easy to follow and will not cost you anything. You may have to change some of your driving habits, but it will be well worth it in the end.

Image courtesy of Poulsen Photo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net