If you have a family there is a danger for the car to become yet another dumping ground for everyone’s stuff. It’s not just the discarded snacks, empty bottles and cans on the back seat. Kids’ sport bags and football boots get left in the boot, along with re-useable shopping bags, umbrellas and extra coats.

Although it may be hard to make sure all the family does its part, it’s best to take all unnecessary items out each time you leave the car. Not only will it make a nicer place to be, but it’ll save you money too. Every extra item you carry adds to your fuel consumption, and that includes not only all the obvious stuff inside the car, but things like roof racks and bicycle carriers. It may seem like an effort to remove the roof rack and put it back on each time you need it, but with petrol prices steadily rising you’ll be better off storing it in the garage.

By travelling light, you’ll also be helping protect the environment, as the less fuel you burn, the fewer emissions your car will produce. Most modern cars have much lower emissions than their equivalent model did a few years ago, as they have to conform to tighter air quality standards. With many brands offering low emission cars, like Honda UK, buyers even have the advantage of currently being exempt from UK road tax and London’s congestion charge zone if their cars produce carbon dioxide emissions of less than 100g/km.

Another way to make sure you don’t use more fuel than you need to is to make sure your tyres are properly inflated. Check them on a monthly basis to ensure that they’re at the correct level – you can usually do this when you’re getting petrol as most petrol stations have air pressure pumps available for use. Properly inflated tyres offer less rolling resistance – or weight for the car to move against.

These simple actions can save you money on your fuel bills, and in the case of the tyres, can also help keep you safe on the road. If you want to reduce your fuel costs even further, consider switching to one of the many hybrid cars now available next time you’re ready to change your car. Hybrid pioneers Honda and Toyota now offer hybrid versions of a range of their classic models, and make it easy to find the right size for your family.