20 Smart Ways to Save Money on Fuel in 2026

Summary

• Shop Around: Fuel prices vary massively—supermarket petrol is often 8-10p cheaper per litre than motorway services.
• Drive Smarter: Gentle acceleration and steady speeds can cut your fuel bill by 15-20% with zero cost.
• Use the Right Tools: Apps and loyalty cards can save you hundreds of pounds a year. Try our free fuel finder to find cheap fuel near you.

Let's be honest. Filling up your car hurts. Watching the numbers climb past £50, £60, £70 and beyond is enough to make anyone wince.

But here's the good news: there's a lot you can do about it. Some tips take seconds. Others need a small change in habits. All of them save real money.

We've put together 20 proven ways to cut your fuel costs. No gimmicks. No expensive gadgets. Just practical advice that works.

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Part 1: Find Cheaper Fuel

The price you pay for petrol or diesel varies more than you might think. Smart shopping can save you serious cash.

1. Use Supermarket Petrol Stations

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Morrisons are usually the cheapest places to fill up. They use fuel as a way to get you in the door, so they keep prices low.

• Supermarket fuel is typically 5-10p cheaper per litre than branded stations
• On a 50-litre tank, that's £2.50-£5 saved per fill-up
• Over a year, you could save £100-£200

2. Avoid Motorway Service Stations

This is the number one rule. Motorway fuel is almost always the most expensive in the country.

The difference between motorway and supermarket fuel can be 15-20p per litre. That's £7.50-£10 extra on every tank!

Plan ahead. Fill up before you get on the motorway or come off to find a cheaper station.

3. Use Fuel Price Comparison Tools

Don't guess—check. Use apps and websites to find the cheapest fuel near you:

• CarOwl Fuel Finder – Our free tool shows live prices at stations near you
• PetrolPrices.com – Crowdsourced fuel price database
• Waze – Navigation app that shows fuel prices along your route
• Google Maps – Now shows fuel prices at some stations

4. Collect Loyalty Points

If you're going to fill up anyway, you might as well earn something back:

• Tesco Clubcard: 1 point per £2 spent on fuel (worth 1p each)
• Nectar (Sainsbury's): 1 point per litre (worth 0.5p each)
• Shell Go+: 10% off fuel, up to 100 litres per month, for £10/month
• BP BPme Rewards: Earn points towards fuel discounts

It won't make you rich, but every little helps.

5. Look for Supermarket Voucher Deals

Keep an eye out for "spend £X, get Xp off fuel" promotions. Tesco and Sainsbury's run these regularly. Stock up on groceries you need anyway and bag a fuel discount.

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Part 2: Drive More Efficiently

The way you drive has a huge impact on how much fuel you use. These changes cost nothing but can save you 15-20% on fuel.

6. Accelerate Gently

Imagine there's a raw egg under the accelerator pedal. Press it gently.

Harsh acceleration guzzles fuel. Smooth, gradual acceleration is far more efficient. In fact, the Energy Saving Trust found that a light right foot can improve fuel economy by 10% or more.

7. Keep a Steady Speed

Constant speeding up and slowing down wastes fuel. Try to maintain a steady pace, especially on motorways.

• Use cruise control on long journeys
• Leave plenty of space to the car ahead so you don't need to brake suddenly
• Anticipate traffic and coast rather than braking at the last moment

8. Slow Down on Motorways

Speed kills your fuel economy. The faster you go, the more fuel you use:

Dropping from 80 mph to 70 mph saves real money. And it's legal!

9. Change Gear Earlier

Higher gears = lower revs = less fuel. Simple.

• In a petrol car: change up before 2,500 RPM
• In a diesel car: change up before 2,000 RPM
• Many cars have a gear shift indicator—follow it

10. Don't Idle Unnecessarily

Sitting with the engine running? You're burning fuel and going nowhere.

• If you'll be stopped for more than 60 seconds, switch off the engine
• Modern engines don't need "warming up"—just drive gently for the first few minutes
• Idling for 10 minutes uses about a third of a litre of fuel

Many new cars have stop-start technology that does this automatically.

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Part 3: Keep Your Car in Shape

A well-maintained car is a fuel-efficient car. Neglect these basics and you'll pay the price at the pump.

11. Check Tyre Pressures Monthly

This is the easiest win. Under-inflated tyres create more resistance, making the engine work harder.

• Check pressures when tyres are cold (before driving)
• The correct pressure is in your owner's manual or on a sticker inside the driver's door
• Even slightly low tyres reduce efficiency by 2-3%

It takes two minutes at the petrol station. Do it every time you fill up.

12. Get Regular Services

A well-tuned engine runs more efficiently. Skipping services costs you more in the long run.

• Fresh oil reduces friction inside the engine
• New spark plugs ensure proper combustion
• Clean air filters let the engine breathe properly

Not sure when your car was last serviced? Learn more in our car servicing guide.

13. Use the Right Engine Oil

Your car's manual tells you which oil to use. Using the wrong grade increases friction and reduces efficiency.

Look for the viscosity rating (e.g., 5W-30) and stick to what's recommended.

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Part 4: Lighten the Load

Extra weight means extra fuel. Anything you don't need is costing you money.

14. Empty Your Boot

Be honest—what's in your boot right now that doesn't need to be there?

• Golf clubs from last month?
• A pushchair the kids have outgrown?
• Random tools "just in case"?

Every 50kg of extra weight reduces fuel efficiency by about 2%. Get it out.

15. Remove Roof Racks and Boxes

Roof racks are brilliant when you need them. When you don't, they're just dragging you back.

• An empty roof rack increases fuel use by about 10%
• A roof box can increase it by 25% or more at motorway speeds

If you're not using it, take it off. Same goes for bike racks and roof bars.

16. Close Windows at Speed

Open windows create drag. At low speeds it's fine. At motorway speeds, it's better to use the air vents.

The crossover point is about 50-60 mph. Below that, windows open is fine. Above that, close them.

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Part 5: Plan Smarter Journeys

Sometimes the best fuel savings come before you even start the engine.

17. Combine Trips

Cold engines use more fuel. Several short trips from cold use more fuel than one longer trip.

• Plan your errands together
• Do the school run, shopping, and post office in one trip
• Your engine stays warm and runs more efficiently

18. Avoid Rush Hour

Stop-start traffic is terrible for fuel economy. If you can leave earlier or later to avoid the worst congestion, you'll use less fuel.

Plus, you'll save time and stress. Win-win-win.

19. Consider Alternatives

Sometimes the cheapest fuel is no fuel at all:

• Could you walk or cycle short trips?
• Would public transport work for your commute?
• Could you work from home one day a week?
• Is there someone you could carpool with?

Even one day a week adds up to 20% less driving per year.

20. Use Navigation Apps

Apps like Waze and Google Maps know where traffic is. They can route you around jams, saving time and fuel.

Some can even show you the most fuel-efficient route, not just the fastest one.

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Does Premium Fuel Save Money?

Here's a question we get a lot: "If I use premium fuel, will I get better MPG and save money overall?"

The short answer: probably not.

• If your car requires 97+ RON fuel, you must use premium
• If your car is designed for 95 RON (most are), premium won't improve efficiency enough to offset the higher price

You might see slightly better MPG with premium, but typically not enough to make up the 15-20p extra per litre.

For more details, read our guide on choosing the right fuel.

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How Much Can You Really Save?

Let's put some numbers on this. If you drive 10,000 miles a year and get 40 MPG:

• You use about 1,136 litres of fuel per year
• At £1.50 per litre, that's £1,704 per year on fuel

Now apply some savings:

Total potential savings: £400-£600+ per year

That's a nice holiday. Or a healthy chunk off your car insurance.

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The Bottom Line

Saving money on fuel isn't about one big trick. It's about lots of small things done consistently:

1. Shop smart – Use supermarkets, avoid motorways, check prices with apps
2. Drive smooth – Gentle acceleration, steady speeds, early gear changes
3. Maintain your car – Check tyres, get services, use the right oil
4. Travel light – Empty the boot, remove roof racks
5. Plan ahead – Combine trips, avoid rush hour, consider alternatives

Start with one or two changes today. Add more over time. Before you know it, you'll be spending a lot less at the pump.

Ready to find cheap fuel near you? Try our free fuel finder to see live prices at stations in your area.

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