Seven swaps to drive down your petrol costs

Fight back against rising cost of driving with these top tips.

The AA’s latest British Insurance Premium Index will make gloomy reading for motorists: According to the study, car insurance premiums jumped by 6.4% in the last three months of 2010.

This added £51 to the average cost of an annual, comprehensive policy. Over 2010 as a whole, premiums were found to have risen by a third - to a whopping typical £843.

This trend compounds the financial strain placed on many drivers, coming on top of this month’s fuel duty, VAT and Insurance Premium Tax increases. Not to mention rocketing fuel prices.

Here, I’m going to examine how you could make your situation that little bit easier, by shrinking your petrol costs.

1. Take your business elsewhere

Swap where you buy your fuel: Petrol Prices is a specialist comparison site that helps you pinpoint the cheapest petrol prices in your area. You just register with the site, enter your postcode or town in the search box, and it does the rest.

It currently compares prices at 11,043 petrol stations around the UK - and issues 8,000 daily updates.

On a related note - it’s a good idea to fill up your tank well in advance, rather than when you’re about to grind to a halt. That way you’ve got plenty of time to find the cheapest petrol station, rather than dashing into the first one you see!

2. Technique is everything

Switch your style of driving: Altering certain key elements of your motoring technique could make a big difference to the amount of petrol you use. For example:

• Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking.

• When you have to slow down or to stop, decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear.

• Drive at or within the speed limit. According to the Department for Transport, driving at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.

For a complete guide to fuel-friendly driving styles, read this Eco-Driving advice from the AA.

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3. Lighten up

Have a car clear-out: In a nutshell, the lighter the car, the less fuel you’ll use per mile.

So, get the stuff that you hardly ever use out of the boot. Many of us carry sports and outdoor equipment around the whole time, but only use it once or twice a year!

Roof racks adds both weight and wind resistance, so take yours off and just re-attach it for specific journeys.

Finally, petrol itself is fairly heavy, so try not to drive around with a constantly full tank.

4. Plan ahead!

Swap guesswork for knowledge: It’s amazing how much fuel you can waste by getting lost, or not taking the most efficient route.

Always plan your route before you set out. If you don’t have a Sat Nav, pack a decent map or check out this useful route planner tool from the AA.

5. Get something back

One of the easiest ways to save money on petrol is to swap the way you pay for it. Using a cashback or reward credit card will mean you get money - or reward points - back every time you fill up your tank.

For example, the AA’s Visa credit card lets you earn points on all sorts of everyday purchases, and double points on fuel, motoring and AA products.

If you’d prefer a card that offers equal cashback in all areas of your spending, the American Express Platinum credit card could be a good option. It currently offers 5% cashback for the first three months (up to £100) and up to 1.25% after that.

6. Share and share alike

Swap privacy for economy: If you really do need to travel by road, getting involved in a car-share scheme could save you a packet.

For example, Lift Share helps you find other people going your way, and is the biggest car-share network in the UK.

Check out this useful cost calculator, which works out exactly how the savings add up if you share with one or more people.

7. On yer bike

Swap driving for riding! It may not be practical to give up your car completely, but see if you can make some of the shorter journeys by bicycle, instead.

The government-backed Cycle Scheme lets you get a tax-free bike to cycle to work on. Alternatively, take advantage of the post-Christmas lull in sales, and get a discounted model from somewhere like Halfords.

If you’re really lucky, you might even be able to bag one for nothing on a community freebie site like Freegle or SnaffleUp.

More: Get a great car insurance deal | Fix the cost of your petrol! | The north-south divide in petrol prices