Save money as you go

You can save money on fuel and wear and tear on your car by driving more efficiently - just follow our tips to get the best out of your car.

Anticipation
By keeping an eye on the road ahead, you can drive greener as well as safer.

Firstly, always try and keep the car moving.

If you see cars stopped ahead, come off the throttle sooner and allow the engine to slow the car rather than driving right up behind them and using the brakes.

This gives more time for the cars in front to move off, so you can just ease back on the power to flow with the traffic.

Try to judge your speed and position so that you avoid having to brake suddenly, too.

Likewise, don't race between sets of lights or junctions, and use gravity rather than more throttle - to start the car rolling if you're facing downhill.

Watch your speed
Just sticking to the speed limit will save fuel, so leave yourself more time and slow down - you'll be less stressed and see more of the countryside.

Cruise control can help you maintain a steady speed, which will use less fuel than constantly speeding up and slowing down.

Use the highest gear possible without straining the engine and try changing straight from second to fourth or third to fifth.

This saves time, fuel, and wear and tear on the clutch.

Switch it off
Modern engines don't need warming up, so get in and drive off straight away. If you don't, you're just wasting fuel.

Likewise, if you get stuck in traffic or have to wait, switch the engine off.

Air-conditioning, heated seats and other electrical components also consume fuel so switch off whatever you don't need.

Change your driving style
Use the accelerator smoothly with smaller inputs, and avoid sudden, jerky movements.

Don't over-rev the engine, especially when pulling away or changing gear.

Modern engines develop their power lower in the rev range, so keep the revs under 3000rpm and cruise along.

Finally, give yourself more time for journeys, so that you don't have to rush and can stay relaxed for a smoother trip.