Tips on saving pennies at the pump

We all know that price of petrol has soared over recent years, but did you know that to some extent you can control how much you can get for your money out of each litre when filling up your tank? I have come across some really helpful suggestions that will help you save some pennies on your next visit to the petrol station.

Get more fuel in your tank: be easy on the trigger
Often in a rush, I tend to squeeze the petrol trigger as tight as possible hoping that it will fill my car up quicker, but have soon learnt this is not the most economical way to fill up. Next time you’re at the pump if you have a look you will notice that there are three speed methods of managing the petrol trigger – a low one, medium one and high one all of which come in to play depending on how hard you grip the trigger. Experts recommend using the low mode which decreases the level of vapours that enter your tank. By pumping on a higher rate a quantity of fuel entering your vehicle will turn into vapour resulting in you getting less fuel for your money.



Get more fuel in your tank: plan what time of day you make your visit to the pump
You may not have considered this but did you know that being an early bird at the pump can help you get more petrol for your money? At the beginning of the day ground temperature is at its lowest and as petrol is stored underground this is when petrol is at its coldest. So what, you might ask. Well petrol expands and contracts under different ranges of temperatures and when it is as its coolest it is also at its densest. As temperatures rise throughout the day, petrol naturally expands meaning less fuel will enter your tank than it would have done when topping up early in the morning.

Make your fuel go further: don’t fill up your tank when it is empty
Many drivers think the obvious thing to do is to fill up their car when the tank is empty. I have to say I often find myself making the mistake of letting the car prompt me with its red empty tank warning symbol that it’s time to hit the pumps. However an empty tank is of course full of air air that allows petrol to evaporate quicker than you may think. By reducing the volume of air in your tank you can reduce the evaporation and make your fuel go further. Next time you fill up, consider filling up when your tank is half full instead.



Get the best quality for your money: avoid filling up when petrol tankers are about!
If you spot a fuel delivery at your local petrol station, think about picking another time to top up. When petrol tankers pump fuel into storage tanks, frequently the petrol is mixed up and the dirt residue that subsides on the bottom of the storage tank is disturbed. You don’t want this dirt entering your tank so pass by and choose another station/time to fill up.

Following these simple steps should have you save some pennies at the pump and with fuel prices as they are every little counts!

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