Save money on petrol

NRMA can show you various ways to save on petrol  You can reduce your car's fuel consumption and save money, by making sure you choose the right type of fuel, keeping your car in shape and adopting smooth driving techniques.

Ten ways to save on petrol

1. Shop around: check out Petrol Watch for the cheapest daily petrol in Sydney and the country.

2. Refuel when prices are low: not when your tank is empty.

3. Fill up early: petrol is currently cheapest to buy on Saturday. Save more than $200 a year by buying petrol when it's cheapest.

4. Avoid hard acceleration and braking: flow with the traffic - smooth driving can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent. Don't rest your left foot on the brake of an automatic vehicle - the extra drag increases fuel consumption by five per cent.

5. Watch your speed: by travelling at 90 km/h rather than 110 km/h on multi-lane roads you can reduce fuel consumption by 10 per cent or more.

6. Lighten the load: take off roof-racks and bullbars if they're not needed. Remove golf clubs or tools if you're not using them - and reduce fuel consumption by up to 5 per cent. Keep your tyre pressure towards the top of the manufacturer's recommended range.

7. Switch to 'park': when stuck in traffic for any length of time turn the key to the "accessory" position (not to "off") and if an automatic transmission, shift to "park". Vehicles fitted with engine-off as standard typically reduce fuel consumption in urban areas by up to 15 per cent.

8. Open the windows: when the weather is fine, switch off the airconditioning. This reduces fuel consumption by up to 10 per cent in urban driving.

9. Shop smart: take advantage of a range of shopper docket schemes where available.

10. Service your car regularly: blocked air filters can increase fuel consumption significantly.