10 wallet savvy ways to beat the fuel price hike

With the Automobile Association forecasting a fuel price hike of up to 55 cents per litre, already cash-strapped drivers will now have to use their fuel even more sparingly. 

According to the US Department of Energy, smart driving could increase your fuel economy by as much as 40%, meaning that on a tank that normally gets you 650 km, you could get more than 900 km. This translates to almost a tankful of savings for every two times you fill up!

Read more: Basic budgeting to finally get a handle on your debit trail

Budget Insurance provides the following tips for better fuel economy:

• Make sure that your vehicle is serviced regularly. Things like worn spark plugs, sticky brakes, low coolant levels, dirty oil, and dirty fuel- and air filters all add up to engine inefficiency, which leads to increased fuel consumption.

• Check your vehicle’s wheel alignment. Bad wheel alignment causes more friction, which takes more power to overcome and results in higher fuel consumption.

• Check for underinflated tyres. They're not only a safety hazard, but they also increase resistance.

• Close the vehicle’s windows when driving (use your discretion if it’s a bit of a scorcher outside, of course), as open windows cause drag.

• If you mostly do urban driving, save yourself some cash and consider driving with only half a tank of fuel.

• Don’t “floor it”. Rather accelerate gradually.

• You know the drill when it comes to speed…don’t.

• Drive at the lowest speed in the highest gear that the road and traffic conditions allow, without labouring the engine.

• Plan your trips more carefully and do several tasks on one round trip, as opposed to many shorter ones. This not only limits mileage and the amount of time it takes to get your chores done, but also keeps your car’s engine running at optimal temperature.

• Make like an Uber driver and GPS faster routes because no one likes to be stuck in traffic anyway. Besides, battling through traffic not only increases fuel consumption, but also causes wear and tear on your car’s transmission and brakes.