The price of petrol is on the rise once again in Ireland as a number of counties deal with stark increases over the past week.
According to a report by the Irish Independent, the price of diesel could reach €2 per litre at garages nationwide very soon.
By their estimates, over the coming days the cost of filling your car will rise further with Dublin and Westmeath currently reporting the highest prices.
READ MORE: Nine ways to cut household bills by €500 as EU leaders issue 'fuel rationing' warning
Over the next seven days, fuel prices are expected to hit record highs, which will ultimately diminish the savings made under the Government’s recent cuts.
Officials had opted to take 20c off the price of a litre of petrol and 15c off diesel, but with prices rising amid supply issues, any effect these cuts had will be gone.
The fuel survey carried out by the Irish Independent over the last five days also found that while the national price of petrol had stabilised, it's now rising significantly - by around 6c per litre.
This news will not be welcomed by those who are already struggling with the rise in the cost of living in Ireland.
But according to the experts at carsdirect.com, there are actually a number of things you can do to cut down on your petrol usage without having to cut down on your driving.
Avoid idling
When your car is running, but not moving, you're effectively getting 0 miles per gallon.
So if your car will remain stationary for more than a minute or so, you should switch the engine off if it is safe to do so.
Some cars have an option to switch the engine off while waiting in traffic and will automatically switch on at the touch of the clutch.
Accelerating and braking
You should always apply steady and consistent pressure to your car's accelerator pedal when driving.
A heavy foot will always result in the car guzzling up petrol at a much faster rate.
So, try developing a better feel to avoid having the turbo activate unnecessarily.
Coast when possible
Constantly accelerating and braking only wastes fuel and reduces your car's fuel consumption.
So, whenever possible, coast and avoid burning excess fuel.
However, this takes some practice to not cut out but is a great way to increase the fuel economy of your car.
Keep the windows closed
This is one many people are not aware of, but keeping your windows down while driving creates more drag and wind resistance for your car.
If you're driving at speeds of less than 50km/h, it is usually okay to keep the windows down.
However, at higher speeds, you should roll them up in order to reduce drag and improve fuel consumption.
Reduce weight in the vehicle
Get rid of any unnecessary items in your car's boot or other areas of the vehicle.
For every 45kg of weight in the vehicle, your car's fuel economy decreases by about one or two percent.
By making sure your car remains as light as possible, you can improve the fuel consumption of and save money on your fuel bill.
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