PETROL prices have shot up and reached record highs.
It means drivers are pinching their pockets as the cost of living crisis bites and they look to cut fuel costs anyway they can.
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The RAC said the average cost of a litre of petrol has now reached 149.30p.
Diesel is even more, costing 152.68p a litre.
But rising wholesale costs mean petrol could quickly go up to 150p per litre in the coming days.
The world price of crude oil, international exchange rates and supply and demand around the world all affect what we have to pay at the pump.
But fuel prices can also vary based on where you buy your petrol.
We explore why petrol prices are so high and how you can cut your fuel costs.
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Why are petrol prices going up?
Petrol prices are going up because of the ongoing chaos in Eastern Europe.
The price of Brent crude oil hit a seven-year high of 99 US dollars on Tuesday due to concerns over the reliability of supplies after Russian troops entered eastern Ukraine.
This has fallen slightly to 96 US dollars, but experts said the price is likely to rise again with the possibility of a full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine now being very high.
The wholesale price is how much the oil costs when it leaves the refinery – and that’s the price retailers pay for it.
When supply is disrupted though, wholesale prices go up.
However, some retailers may not pass these rises on to drivers but the rising cost of living means many will.
The RAC even estimates petrol prices could increase to £1.70 a litre if a full-out war breaks out between the nations.
Save on your petrol bill before you drive
There are several ways you can save on your fuel before you even get in your car.
Keep your tires inflated: low air pressure in your tires means that your tires will drag, slowing the car and using more fuel.
Keeping your tires topped up with air will make sure that everything is functioning properly and you will use less fuel
Remove any excess weight: If your car is full of clutter or you don’t need your roof rack, get rid of it.
The less weight your car is carrying the less acceleration it will need to get going. Even an empty roof rack can affect your cars wind resistance and put up your fuel consumption by 10% according to the RAC.
Don’t completely fill your tank: Having a full tank of petrol can weigh your car down, so by only keeping your car half to three quarters full you can make your car run more efficiently.
But, don’t try and run your car purposefully low on fuel and be particularly careful in the winter when driving uses up more fuel.
Plan your route: If you make one round trip rather than several small trips you will use less fuel.
Once your engine is warm it will work efficiently but if you stop and start, changing the temperature of your engine, you will use more fuel.
Shop around: You can use sites like PetrolPrices.com to search petrol stations near you before you set off to see who has the best rates and cheapest options – you can do 20 free searches.
How to drive your fuel bills down
The way you drive can have a real impact on how much petrol your car consumes.
The harder you press down on the accelerator, the more fuel you have to pay for, so it pays to slow down.
Accelerating gently and breaking softly will use less fuel.
The best way to get the most out of your tank of petrol is to drive at the lowest speed you can at the highest gear possible.
The balance between highest gear and lowest speed will be different for every car, but in general cars want to be going around 55mph for optimum fuel use.
So change up gears earlier than you normally would, as long as you don’t labour the engine.
It’s also worth taking advantage of garage promotions or loyalty cards – Morrisons is currently offering shoppers 7p off a litre if you spend more than £40 in one of its stores, for example.
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