Fuel prices in Uganda are currently rising with a litre of petrol now settling at Shs 6,300.
This is because oil demand is incredibly high while supply is tight, as well as the Ukraine conflict that has affected the global fuel supply and market.
You can expect that the fuel price will continue to rise before it falls, and what you need to do right now is to ride through the current costs.
The question is, how can you survive (and save money during) the continued fuel price hike?
Change Your Driving Habits
It only makes sense that the first step towards saving on gas involves rethinking how you use your car. The idea is to change the driving habits that cause you to keep going to the gas pump. Avoid sudden acceleration or using air conditioning in the morning hours.
When cruising down a highway, your engine works hard to overcome wind resistance. You’ll burn up to 15% more fuel at 100 km/h and 25% more at 110 km/h.
That might tempt you to drive slow, but if you drive slower than 50 km/h, your engine would drop to a lower gear, thus using up more fuel. In conclusion, a steady 50 – 90 km/h on the highway is best to achieve optimal fuel economy.
Opt for fuel-efficient cars
You can decide to go for an energy-efficient car. Some fuel-efficient car brands include Raum, Spacio and IST. This will reduce your daily expenditure on fuel.
So, you’ve decided to change cars, and you’re looking into fuel-saving vehicles. If that’s the case, remember to be smart about it. When gas prices increase, the sales of fuel-efficient cars often increase as well.
Because everyone is looking to save on gas, the competition for fuel-saving cars drives up their prices. You don’t want to be cornered and swept away while the sales environment is hot, so be sure to prepare yourself before shopping around.
Maps
You can use Google Maps to study traffic in your area. Consistent analysis of traffic patterns especially in Kampala allows you dodge traffic prone routes. For example, if your work station is at Rwenzori House, you can park around Hotel Africana to help you avoid Kampala CBD evening jam. A daily 2km walk to your car keeps you healthy.
Walk or cycle to work
If your workplace is near your workplace (3-8 kms), you can opt to walk/cycle.
You can as well ask your employer to set up bathrooms for staff to shower after an early morning walk. This requires preparation and vigilance to avoid accidents along the way. Cycling and walking improves your physical fitness and mental health.
Carpool
Most cars on our roads carry one or two people. The high fuel prices are a reminder that we need to work with our neighbors. Look around your neighborhood for someone whom you can work with to pool fuel resources and drive a single car to town.
Know the Mileage of Your Car
It would help if you got an idea about the mileage of the cars you currently drive. Knowing their mileage will help you see how exactly the price increase impacts your gas costs. You can figure this out better if you change your driving patterns, track them, and see if there are any improvements. The insights you get from this can help you decide what to do next.
Change Driving Style and Properly Maintain Car
Many factors can affect your car costs, such as your driving style and whether you conduct the necessary maintenance your car needs. Changing to a relaxed driving style could be your greatest fuel saver compared to braking sharply and constantly changing lanes. On the other hand, keeping up with maintenance ensures your car is in its best condition.
Utilize Fuel Rewards Programs
Is there a gas station where you like to go? They might have a rewards program, and it would be a waste not to take advantage of that. If you enroll in their fuel rewards program, you can collect points that may equal discounts whenever you fill up. It may seem small, but you can add as much as $50 to your savings when those points accumulate.
Use Apps To Shop Around
Avoid unnecessary movements when you can order goods online. Use e-commerce platforms to shop for essential goods such as foodstuffs near you.
Plan When You Get Fill Ups
It would be great if you could fill up your tank at a cheap price whenever it’s almost empty. This way, you can avoid the rising gas prices whenever possible.
Ensure Tires Are Inflated Correctly
Before you drive, be sure to kick the tires to make sure they’re not under-inflated. If they are, you will likely burn more fuel per mile than when your tires are correctly inflated. You could be wasting at least a dollar for every mile you drive around between fill-ups. If you want to maximize the efficiency of your fuel, ensure that your tires are properly inflated.
Get a Smaller Vehicle
Won’t you consider getting a smaller car instead? If your lifestyle doesn’t require you to drive around a large vehicle, switching to a smaller one can help you save not only on fuel costs but also on the purchase of the car and maintenance. Owning a small car and then renting a bigger one when needed is a lot less expensive. This way, you won’t be taking the full brunt of the costs of operating and maintaining a big car that isn’t fully utilized most of the time.
Don’t Overload Your Vehicle
This tip is part of changing your driving attitude. You can improve its fuel efficiency by not overloading your car since you aren’t putting pressure on the aerodynamics. When you place cargo on the car’s roof, it likely puts a strain on your engine and affects your fuel mileage. You can still put items on the top, but avoid excess weight as much as possible.
Don’t Idle for More Than a Minute
If you want to save on fuel, avoid idling if you can. Just a minute of idling is enough to consume about half a gallon of your gas per hour. At the same time, it emits carbon dioxide that returns to the atmosphere, increasing your carbon footprint. Some of today’s engines consume less gas if you turn them off and then restart instead of letting them idle for a while.
If you want to save on gas costs, start by changing how you drive. Avoid accelerating rapidly or braking hard, don’t idle for too long, and shut down all devices when you turn off the engine. Additionally, plan your trips and use apps to see where the lowest prices are. Take advantage of those reward programs, too, and if you can, try to bike or walk instead.
