1. Keep your tyres fully inflated and lower air-conditioning usage

An estimated 50% of all UK drivers have under-inflated tyres on their vehicles. This causes unnecessary resistance, therefore raising the amount of fuel required resulting in higher fuel bills. The RAC has advised people driving without the recommended tyre pressure levels adds up to 2% onto fuel consumption.

To avoid losing money, always make sure your tyres are fully inflated to the manufacturers recommended pressure levels, checking them on a weekly basis. You can find out the correct pressure readings by consulting your car manual.

According to the National Energy Foundation, the use of air conditioning increases fuel consumption by up to 25%, so make sure you only use it when absolutely necessary. An alternative method to stay cool while driving is to open the air vents, or even simply open your windows. However, when travelling at speeds of 60mph or more, opening the window can cause enough drag to increase fuel consumption higher than if the air-con was running.

2. Keep you vehicle serviced

If you don't service your vehicle regularly enough, you could be reducing engine economy by 10% or more. Some of the main areas that must be addressed are changing air filters, as according to the RAC, clogged up filters can significantly increase fuel usage; and frequently changing your oil, as clean oil reduces the wear and tear inside the engine caused by friction from all of the moving components, thus improving fuel economy and lowering costs.

Both of the actions above are inexpensive and can help you to drive fuel costs down.

3. Change your driving habits

Changing the way in which you drive can drastically effect your fuel consumption, and this doesn't simply mean refraining yourself from putting your foot down!

Try to keep your gears high. This reduces the amount of work the engine has to do which in turn lowers the amount of fuel required. When using this technique always make sure you are in a safe environment to do so, as using higher gears can five you less control over the car.

The RAC suggests that by braking sharply then accelerating frequently on your journey, you could be adding up to 30% onto your fuel costs. The National Energy Foundation recommends that people driving petrol cars should change up a gear at 2,500 revs per minute and at 2,000rpm for diesel cars to achieve the best engine-efficiency. When starting from a dead stop, accelerate slowly as this will keep your revs down.

One interesting fact worth noting is that if you drive at 85mph you use approximately 25% more fuel than if you drive at 70mph, so stick to the speed limit, especially on long motorway journeys.

4. Remove all unnecessary weight and reduce the drag

Remove the things that just sit in your car for the rare occasion they are required, such as roof racks, removable seats, and boot luggage such as golf clubs and any other sports equipment. Think before installing accessories that will increase weight to your car and avoid wide tyres as these will add rolling resistance. According to save-petrol.co.uk, every extra 50kg in weight you carry in your car  increases fuel consumption by 2%.

Fancy sun roofs and novelty flags effect the aerodynamic drag of your car, so you may f ind that supporting your favourite football team is costing you more than you thought.  Something else to remember is that the fuel itself isn't light, so the more you carry the more you engine has to work, so never fill your tank up to the top.

Always keep your eyes out for the best fuel prices, you will be surprised at how different they can be, especially between cities and suburbs. But don’t go too far out of your way, as this would defeat the object as the savings you make would be cancelled out. Try to incorporate your trip to the petrol station with another regular trip, such as your weekly food shop.

5. Help the environment and help your purse

Try to get out of the habit of using your car to make short journeys, finding other means of transport, as these can be the least fuel efficient of all, especially in towns and and built up areas due to constantly having to stop and start. Cars also consume more fuel when cold. For example, a you may be able to do 40 miles to the gallon when motorway driving, but this can fall as low as 15 miles per gallon on a short journey. Consider walking or cycling these short journeys you will notice the difference and be getting some exercise!

If you cannot avoid driving to work, consider car sharing with colleagues, as this way you can split the fuel costs between you, allowing you to cut your fuel bills significantly. Alternatively, look into park-and-ride schemes. If you are unable to do either of the above, at the very least plan your journey to make sure you are using the most cost effective route, and monitor on traffic reports daily to avoid hold-ups.

Another useful tip - Small cars consume a litre of fuel every hour when sat in a traffic jam, but bigger cars can use double this amount.

When you decide to purchase a new car, consider going for the greenest in your price range, as this will not only help the environment, but also provide you with major savings in fuel costs. Another plus to this is that greener cars give off lower CO2 emissions, so this will also save you money on car tax.

6. Earn Clubcard points when filling up

Supermarkets generally offer very competitive fuel prices, and to add to this they are conveniently placed allowing us to kill two birds with one stone and fill after doing the food shop, thus achieving two tasks in one journey.

As well as good rates, some supermarkets also offer clubcard points for every pound spend, so by sticking to one chain you can accumulate points for both your shopping and your fuel, and use these points to purchase goods that you wouldn’t have otherwise had.

For example, the Tesco Clubcard can be used at any Tesco store, Tesco fuel station, and even online at Tesco Direct. What's more, you can increase your reward points using Tesco Clubcard credit card. At the end of each month you are send clubcard vouchers to reflect the amount of points you’ve earned. You can even turn Points into Airmiles!