We all want to save money when looking after our cars – and buying cheap online tyres from Grippy is a good start! But there are other ways to cut your automotive spending, for example: reducing your fuel consumption.

How do we do this, when fuel prices are rocketing? Well, believe it or not, it’s all about how you drive. Following these tips should help you cut the cost of your fuel, cut your emissions and some of them might even make you a better driver…

• Streamline – Get rid of any roof racks or bike racks as these can increase wind drag. Check your boot/backseat and take out any unnecessary cargo that is adding weight to your load.
• Use Your Pedals Gently – Hard braking, extreme cornering and quick acceleration can greatly reduce your mileage. This kind of driving also takes its toll on your tyres, meaning they’ll need replacing much sooner.
• Avoid Short Trips – Using your car for short trips causes your engine to work much harder, warming the emission system for an unnecessary journey. Try to combine errands and trips so if you must use your car for short distances, you’re at least cutting the amount of trips you take.
• Keep Your Vehicle Well Maintained – Make sure you have properly inflated, up-to-scratch tyres, a well-tuned engine and that your engine oil is topped up. Service your car regularly and you will get more miles to the gallon. A clogged air filter can decrease your fuel economy by up to 10%!
• Slow Down – Fuel economy is most efficient when travelling under 60mph (and can save you up to 4 miles per gallon!). Similarly, keeping your speed as constant  as possible (rather than stop-start driving and alternating extremes of speed) can help with your mileage efficiency, too.
• Coast In Gear – Coasting in a low gear is actually more fuel-efficient than coasting in neutral.
• Go Minimalist – Turn off as many in-car appliances as possible, for example: the radio, air-conditioning, de-misters etc. All of these drain on your vehicle’s resources. Even having your window open can decrease your fuel economy.
• Turn Off Your Engine – If you’re stuck in a traffic jam, waiting for a train to cross or know the lights you’re at will take a good few minutes to change, turn off your engine. Even a few minutes make a difference to your fuel economy.
• Reduce Your Warm-Up – Try not to spend more than 30 seconds warming up your engine in cold weather. Difficult when we’re hit with winter conditions but most fuel-injected cars don’t need more than half a minute. And there are other ways to combat the ice and snow. Cover your windscreen and windows with protective coverings overnight so you don’t have to clear off snow or melt ice.
• Check Your Tyre Pressure – Keeping your tyres well-inflated can increase your fuel economy and give you a much smoother ride.
• Be a Fuel Early Bird – Fill up with fuel on cold mornings – fuel is denser when it’s cool, so you will get more volume for your money.

Driving to improve your fuel economy can save you up to 15%, help the environment and, especially if you choose to walk or cycle rather than take your car for short trips, can make you fitter and healthier too.