Car fuel prices are no joke these days. Prices are dropping a bit, but they’re still much higher than usual. Luckily, there are ways to reduce your fuel costs! In this blog, we provide some tips to help you find cheaper prices and use less fuel in The Netherlands.
Finding cheaper fuel
The most obvious way to save money is by finding the cheapest fuel near you.
Tip 1: Compare prices online. There are several websites and even an app that show you the cheapest gas stations near you. Visit https://www.brandstof-zoeker.nl or download the ANWB Onderweg app!
Tip 2: Avoid highway gas stations. Most of the time, fuel is most expensive at gas stations that are on – or close to – the highway. If you can’t use tip 1, look for fuel in villages or towns instead. Most gas stations show their prices on big billboards, so look out for the cheapest price.
Tip 3: Buy fuel abroad. If you live near the German or Belgian border, you may find cheaper fuel in those countries. Avoid the gas stations along the highway, though!
Drive more fuel-efficiently
Once you find cheaper fuel, try to make it last longer!
Tip 1: Drive as fluently as possible. Avoid speeding up too quickly or breaking too suddenly. Try to anticipate, gain speed slowly, and take your foot off the gas early so that you need to break less. You can save 10-20% on your fuel this way!
Tip 2: Check your tire pressure. Low tire pressure increases drag on your tires. With your tires at optimal pressure, you’ll use less fuel per km. You can read more about maintaining good tire pressure in our blog about car maintenance in the Netherlands.
Tip 3: Lower your speed. In general, cars are most fuel-efficient at speeds of 60-80 km/h in their highest gear. When your speed increases, your fuel usage per km goes up as well.
Tip 4: Reduce weight. Remove heavy items from your car and see your fuel usage drop! Remove unnecessary items from your trunk and leave bike carriers and other accessories at home when not in use.
Tip 5: Reduce your kms. Try using your car less often. Combine your trips and choose to ride a bike sometimes!
We hope these tips can help you reduce your fuel costs. What’s your favorite way to save on fuel? Let us know in the comments below!