Our ultimate guide to cutting fuel costs for YOUR car – including 5p off per litre and cheapest time to fill up

The Sun

11-07-2025

PETROL prices are on the rise after several months of price drops.
Petrol prices have jumped by 2p a litre since the beginning of June, according to data from RAC's Fuel Watch.
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The increase comes as millions of motorists gear up to hit the road over the summer holidays.
Sun Savers editor LANA CLEMENTS shares her ultimate guide to keeping down your fuel costs.
WHAT'S DRIVING UP COSTS?
After months of falling costs at the pump, conflict in the Middle East has put pressure on oil prices which impacts how much drivers pay for petrol.
The cost of unleaded now stands at 134p a litre, RAC data showed, while diesel prices are at 141p a litre.
RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams said: 'The arrival of summer has brought some wholly unwelcome increases to pump prices, with retailers wasting no time in putting them up following increased tensions in the Middle East.
'Unleaded and diesel are now both at their highest levels since late April, although we see no reason for further increases as wholesale prices have come back down again and have so far been static in July.
'But given fuel represents a substantial chunk of most households' monthly outgoings, families need to make sure they are making savings where they can.'
Last week, the Competition and Markets Authority warned that fuel prices are still too high.
It comes ahead of fears that fuel duty could be increased for the first time since 2011 in October's budget.
The Sun's 'Keep It Down' Campaign has so far saved motorists £100bn amid long-running battle to keep the duty frozen.
FIND THE CHEAPEST PUMP
Finding the cheapest forecourt could save you £240 a year.
Use petrolprices.com or its app to find the lowest fuel costs in your area.
Drivers just need to enter their postcode, and the maximum distance willing to travel to find the best prices.
You can also check petrol costs at Confused.com to find the cheapest fuel prices within a five, ten, or 25-mile radius or use the free app MyRAC.
Where possible, avoid motorway service stations which usually have the most expensive prices, often up to 20p more a litre.
IS A COSTCO MEMBERSHIP WORTH IT?
Fuel prices at Costco are often 10p per litre cheaper compared to the national average.
The retailer has 29 stores across the UK, with 19 of these featuring petrol and diesel forecourts.
To fill up, you need to be a member which costs from £42 a year.
Membership is generally restricted to business owners or those in certain jobs such as NHS, as well as local government and education.
Some companies also have arrangements that allow you to become a member.
But is it worth it? You could've paid for the subscription after seven visits, based on fuel being 10p a litre cheaper.
You would need to work out how often you fill up and how the price compares to your local garage.
Money expert Sarah Coles from Hargreaves Lansdown said: 'It only works if Costco is nearby or you go regularly for shopping because as soon as you start to make a detour for petrol, you'll quickly start to burn up any saving.
'For the right drivers this is a brilliant saving, for the wrong ones this is a one-way ticket to driving miles for petrol and accidentally buying 12 cream cakes while you're there.'
DON'T MISS FUEL DISCOUNTS
Drivers can also get 5p off a litre of fuel using Nectar points at Sainsbury's and selected Esso petrol stations.
You can earn one point for every litre bought but 300 points can be swapped for 5p off every litre of fuel.
You can also earn Tesco Clubcard points and spend vouchers at Tesco petrol stations and Esso sites with a Tesco Express.
You get one Clubcard for every two litre of fuel and then vouchers are face value, then 300 points is worth £3 to spend.
Motorists can earn one point worth 0.5p per litre spent at BP stations through it's MPme scheme.
You can get £2.50 off fuel with 500 points or use it on sites like Amazon.
Keep a look out on cashback sites like TopCashback for free fuel offers.
They often do £5 free when filling up at supermarkets and petrol stations for new customers.
Although, there is usually a £10 minimum spend.
IS IT CHEAPER TO FILL UP AT NIGHT?
A COMMON myth is that it's cheaper to fill up at night.
Garages will adjust prices when it's quiet and may put them up when it's busy, so avoid peak times such as rush hour.
Drivers could get a tiny bit extra if they fill up late at night instead of the middle of the day.
That's because fuel prices are calculated by volume and you get more when it's cooler at night.
Consumer expert Martyn James said: 'The difference is tiny. You'd only save a couple of pennies on a whole tank of fuel.
"So it's not worth a midnight trip to save cash.'
SIMPLE TWEAKS TO SAVE ON FUEL
Subtle adjustments to your car can cut the amount of fuel you use when driving.
Clear out your boot and take out unnecessary items that could be weighing down your motor.
The heavier your car, the harder the engine has to work to get moving and the more fuel you'll burn.
Check tire pressure once a month, as underinflated tyres means you'll use more fuel.
Using your air conditioning also increases fuel consumption - but opening windows and sunroofs can also slow your car down and drive up petrol costs.
How you drive affects also how much fuel you use.
If your car has cruise control, try using it on motorways to keep a steady pace.
Newer car models will tell you how much fuel you're using so you can adjust your driving.
Google Maps allows you to find the most fuel efficient route when heading out in the car.
And if you're at a standstill in traffic for more than a minute, consider turning off the engine to avoid wasting fuel.
'I've saved £100 by filling up at Costco'
MUM-OF-ONE Larissa Hazell, 33, has been buying her petrol from Costco for over four years and estimates that it has saved her at least £100.
The founder of parent support site The Childcare Guide (thechildcareguide.co.uk), who lives in Baisldon, Essex, save around 10p per litre when filling up, saving them £72 a year or £3 for every full tank of fuel.
She believes she saves around 6p per litre.
Larissa, who drives a Skoda Rapid, said: "I think the membership is really worth it for the savings you can make on fuel and groceries.
'We fill up the car every time we do our shopping and it's fantastic.' "When petrol prices go up, the potential to save money is even bigger, making it even more worthwhile."