Tag: driving efficiently

5 easy ways to save on your annual motoring costs

Here’s something we can all do today.Here and now.Cut down on our motor fuel costs by driving more efficiently. The Energy Saving Trust has calculated that the average driver in the UK today can be better-off by adopting some easy changes in driving technique and care of the car.

We all have some aspect of our driving that we can improve, even after many years of holding a driving licence. The following are five easy ways we can save a significant amount of money, possibly as much as 270 pounds sterling per annum.There is no expense involved, just a little attention to what we do. Here goes, in no articular order of importance:

  1. Drive more smoothly – Avoid sudden acceleration and heavy braking ( unless in an emergency). Given the conditions on the road and the density of the traffic, the keeping of the proper distance between you and the car in front can be maintained by easing-off the accelerator in good time, rather than frequent braking abruptly keep your distance.
  2. Slow down – getting to your destination sooner does not always save you money.
  3. Switch-it off –  When it is appropriate and safe to do so switch-off your engine instead of allowing your engine to idle while stationary.With the weather becoming colder, it is unnecessary to warm-up your car before you set off on your journey. Modern cars don’t need to be warmed-up from cold.
  4. Switch to a higher gear as soon as you can – when it is safe and appropriate moved into a higher gear as soon as possible
  5. Close your car windows – the aerodynamics of a car are greatly changed if the windows (s) are open causing in inefficient ‘drag’ particularly at speeds of 60 mph or more.Also if using air conditioning, itself a high user of energy,it will be inefficient for the heat or coolth is allowed to merely ‘fly’ out of the windows.

Other things to watch are : keep weight down as much as possible by not carrying unnecessary items; make sure your tyres are regularly checked and pressures kept at the right level; and only use a car rack when one is needed.

For further information, you can go to The Energy Saving Trust website ,giving you more details of the above,and also other ways of saving energy,including in the home.