UK Ferry Tickets

With the credit crunch in full swing but the pace of life as hectic and as stressful as ever, everyone deserves a holiday but can’t always afford one. Household budgets are extremely constricting and can put paid to any notion you have of going away for a week or so. This is especially true of a self drive holiday because of the price of fuel. At the moment, petrol can’t be described as affordable in any way, shape or form, but that isn’t to say that it has to cost you a fortune if you’re off to the Continent for a spot of exploring. You can still drive and save money.

In fact, the EU Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, has offered hints and tips in recent weeks that have been proven to reduce petrol consumption and thus are much better for the environment as well as your wallet. Although they were designed to help make Europe a greener place to live, they can also save you money at the same time.

Take a look at the tips below for ways to make your self drive holiday more affordable and better for the environment:

1. Make sure your tyre pressure is at the correct level before you go and then again during your trip. If your tyres are under-inflated then your fuel consumption can increase by up to 40%.
2. Only carry the weight you have to. If you have extra bags and other items that pile on unnecessary weight then your engine will be working harder and using more fuel to do so.
3. Stay in as high a gear as possible when driving. The higher the gear, the more energy efficient your car is and the less fuel you will use.
4. Plan your route in advance and use a satellite navigation system to avoid traffic whenever possible. If you don’t get stuck in traffic then you won’t use as much fuel.
5. Close your windows. This isn’t always possible because of the heat that builds up in the car, but if your windows are closed then the wind resistance on your car is dramatically reduced so there is no drag. This in turn will reduce emissions and your fuel consumption by around 10%
6. Have your car serviced and top the oil level up before you head off. Well maintained cars will keep emissions at their lowest possible value and reduce fuel consumption.
7. Never leave your car running. Switching the ignition off whenever you stop, even if it is only for a minute or two, will save you a lot of fuel because it all adds up.
8. Avoid using air conditioning whenever possible. Air conditioning may make the experience of driving more comfortable but it increases emissions by 5% and will use a lot of petrol.
9. Avoid accelerating and braking suddenly. Any sudden movements makes your car work harder so driving a little smoother will reduce the amount of petrol you use on a drive.
10. Walk whenever possible and if you do have to drive then make sure you plan all of your stops along the way. Turning back on yourself or stopping too often will increase your fuel consumption so plan everything out rigorously in advance.

Guest Article by Louise Crowley

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008