Fuel price increase, fuel price hike, petrol price increase, tips to save fuel, tips to not overuse petrol

The South African takes a look at six tips that can be use to reduce your fuel costs. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay

Fuel price increase: Six ways to save a buck and not overuse petrol

There are a number of ways to reduce your consumption of fuel – from curbing harsh acceleration to idling, here’s six tips to help you…

Fuel price increase, fuel price hike, petrol price increase, tips to save fuel, tips to not overuse petrol

The South African takes a look at six tips that can be use to reduce your fuel costs. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay

The record-high fuel prices that have reached South Africa are a cause for concern for many motorists. 93 octane petrol increased by 28c a litre and 95 octane petrol by 36c a litre. Diesel also increases between R1.52 a litre and R1.69 a litre.

Fuel price increases are just another financial pressure that will be felt in many local households. A few weeks back, Government encouraged remote working, for those who can, to lessen the impact of the rising fuel costs.

Six ways you can save on fuel costs

The Automobile Association shared a number of ways that South African motorists can cut down on their fuel costs. The South African looks at six tips local motorists can consider to lower their petrol bills.

Harsh acceleration should be curbed

Harshly accelerating your vehicle contributes to higher fuel consumption. Motorists are advised to pull away from stop streets and robots in a slow, gradual manner. Driving at too high revs for manual cars and accelerating on high throttles for automatic cars are not advised.

Do not speed

Not only is speeding dangerous but it is an easy way of using a lot of fuel. Cars burn more fuel when they are moving fast. Sticking to speed limits is advisable in order to save on costs in the long run.

Save on fuel, don’t overuse your aircon

While South African summers are quite harsh, using your aircon tends to take a lot of petrol/diesel. Studies have revealed that avoiding using your vehicle’s aircon can save you around 4% of fuel. The Automobile Association advises that using your aircon “more judiciously”, can save fuel.

Use your car’s momentum

Building up speed before an uphill and taking your foot off the accelerator when you reach the crest will really benefit you. Saving even the smallest amount of fuel will make a huge difference in the long run.

Reduce time idling to save on fuel

Wherever possible, try not to let your car idle for over 30 seconds. If you think you’ll be idling for longer than 30 seconds, it is advised to switch your car off. The AA further advises that motorists try their best to avoid peak hour traffic.

Avoid short trips

Trips that are two kilometres or less tend to use more petrol/diesel than longer trips do. The usage is increased tenfold if the engine is cold. Avoiding unnecessary short trips will reduce your bills.