People love nothing more than getting a good deal. That’s why in early January, the shops will be a nightmare, full of bargain hunters looking to buy at knock-down prices.
However, there are some areas where this mentality isn’t consistently applied and while many of us are careful to get the best value on things like clothes, electronics, music and cars, other areas are less prudently managed.
What I’m talking about is fuel. Filling up the tank is a significant monthly investment, multiply it over a year and it costs some serious money.
The UK has the eighth highest petrol price in Europe and the highest diesel price but many British motorists still don’t think enough about their purchasing behaviour.
There can be a significant price differential between the cheapest and most expensive retailers, while the cheapest at any given point will also vary.
Following a fall in the wholesale cost of fuel, the supermarkets have announced that they are lowering their petrol prices; an opportunity that savy drivers should capitalise on.
While the supermarkets compete closely, don’t expect to see a reduction in pump prices replicated across the board.
This is the latest move in prices, but over the course of a year, the oil company forecourts will also run price promotions.
This means that if you’re one of those people that blindly pulls into the forecourt without even checking the price, you could be wasting a lot of money.
There’s absolutely nothing that you can do to influence the pump price of petrol or diesel but that doesn’t mean you cant manage how much you spend.
A basic understanding of current pump prices and how the different retailers stack up in terms of value is essential.
Once you have this, you can build refuelling stops into your routine on a price basis.
So whether you fill up as part of your commute to work, integrate it into a supermarket shop, or take the opportunity when you happen to be passing the right fuel site, you can start saving now, giving you that bit more disposable income for the Jaunaury sales!
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