PETROL prices have soared to record levels amid the cost of living crisis.
As panic at the pumps continues, many motorists are looking for ways to cut down on their fuel costs – including how to find the cheapest petrol and diesel station nearby.
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Here are four easy steps you can take to save hundreds of pounds a year while filling your tanks.
The first thing you can do is to look out for fuel discounts and deals at supermarkets near you.
For example, Morrisons is currently offering shoppers 7p off a litre if you spend more than £40 in one of its stores.
The discount, which runs until February 27, is the same as around 5% off the cost of the average litre of fuel.
The deal has been welcomed by motorists who have seen petrol prices hit a new record high of 148p a litre.
But drivers are being urged not to panic buy fuel. Stockpiling and panic purchases saw forecourts run empty last year, amid fears of shortages.
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Get petrol station loyalty cards
Various stations offer fuel loyalty cards, which can help you save fuel cost.
For example, Texaco operates the Star Rewards scheme, where you get one point for every litre of petrol or diesel you buy.
Each point is worth 1p and once you hit 500 points, you can turn that into a £5 voucher to use to pay for fuel next time.
You can also convert those points into vouchers for retailers including Argos and M&S.
Meanwhile, Shell recently launched ShellGo+, which rewards you with money off your fuel for every 10 visits.
The company didn’t specify the amount but several costomers said the reward was only £1.
BP also has its own loyalty scheme BPMe.
Similar to Texaco’s Star Rewards, it collects one point for one litre of fuel, and one point for every £1 spent in store or on a car wash.
When you hit 200 points, you can get £1 off your fuel or you can choose from other rewards.
Supermarkets also offer reward schemes including through Nectar card and Tesco Clubcard.
Find the cheapest petrol station near you – £226 a year
The price you pay for petrol or diesel can vary hugely depending on where you live and which fuel station you go to.
While you don’t want to drive for miles to get fuel, it can save you lots of money if you manage to find the cheapest station in your area.
The website petrolprices.com allows you to do 20 free searches on petrol stations near you to see who has the best rates.
This could save an average of £226 on petrol or £158 on diesel every year, according to the RAC.
We found differences of around 2p per litre in our search.
Pay with the right credit card
Using the right credit card to pay for your fuel is also an easy way to save cash.
For example, Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card lets you earn up to 5% cashback for the first three months then it drops to 1%.
It can be used at Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, BP, and more stores.
These cards do usually charge interest, so only get one if you can pay the balance off in full each month.
You’ll have to have a good credit score to be accepted on the credit card, so any history of bad debt is likely to mean you’ll be rejected.
You can find out what credit cards you will be eligible to apply using MoneySavingExpert’s tool without impacting your credit score.
Also, simple tips such as carpooling and combining short journeys can also help your fuel go further, cutting down fuel costs.
Meanwhile, drivers could be hit by petrol shortage next month as workers at the country’s largest refinery vote to strike.
We round up six ways to make a tank of fuel last longer by making sure your tyres are at the right pressure, and not being heavy handed with the accelerator.
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