Rising petrol prices push inflation up to 3.1% - how to ease the pain of higher fuel costs

Anyone who has filled up their car recently will have noticed that it's suddenly costing a lot.

Petrol prices have been sharply rising pushed higher by a surge in global oil prices.

Higher costs at the pump have helped drive inflation up to 3.1% in August.

Motor fuel was one of the biggest contributors to the increase, with petrol prices rising by 9.1p per litre between July and August to an average of 161.3p.

In a chain reaction, it's now looking increasingly likely the Bank of England will raise interest rates before the end of the year as part of efforts to tackle the cost of living.

As petrol and diesel prices rise, the cost of using a car steeply increases - bad news for anyone who relies on their motor for commuting or regular long journeys.

However, there are some simple moves you can make to help ease the pain.

How much does it cost to fill a car with petrol?

Petrol prices are at an average 161.3p per litre in August, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It means filling a 50-litre tank costs around £80.65.

But the RAC more up-to-date reading puts the average now at 171.27p

That make the cost of filling a 50-litre tank now £85.63 - a jump of around £5 in just a month.

When petrol is this expensive, any move you make to keep costs down are worthwhile.

Find the cheapest petrol price near you

One of the simplest ways to save on filling up is to check the price of fuel at different nearby forecourts before you fill your tank.

Prices can vary significantly between stations, even when they are only a few miles apart.

The Government's Fuel Finder service provides information on fuel prices and forecourt locations, or apps and sites such as PetrolPrices.com also allow drivers to compare prices.

Obviously, don't drive a long way out of your way to save a few pence per litre.

If the cheaper station requires an extra journey, you could use more fuel getting there and wipe out the saving.

Save on petrol with the right tyre pressure

Your tyres can have a surprisingly big impact on how efficiently your car uses fuel.

RAC advice says drivers should make sure their tyres are inflated to the correct pressure, as both under- and over-inflation can affect fuel economy. The correct pressure can vary depending on the load you're carrying, so check your vehicle handbook or the manufacturer's recommended figures.

It's also worth checking your pressures before a long journey.

Correct tyre pressures aren't just about saving fuel either, they are important for safety.

Sign up to loyalty schemes for petrol savings

Collecting loyalty points when you fill up your car is one way to help get something back.

Major supermarkets forecourts including Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons offer customers the chance to collect points or link loyalty to savings.

For example, you can get 5p off a litre when swapping 300 Nectar points at Sainsbury's and selected Esso petrol stations.

Consider using when you are doing a bigger fill-up of the tank - the saving may not cover the cost of points on smaller fuel purchases.

It's also worth checking the Nectar app before filling up, as occasionally there are extra offers available for fuel.

You can also collect one Nectar point per litre and at Tesco, you'll earn one Clubcard point for every two litres of fuel.

It's not just supermarkets, at BP stations you can collect points through the BPme rewards scheme which can then be swapped for money off and other rewards.

Take weight out of your car to save

It's so easy to use your boot as storage for things like scooters and prams but carrying unnecessary heavy items means your engine has more weight to move around, potentially increasing fuel consumption.

The same applies to roof boxes and roof racks and anything else you're carrying in your car.

If it doesn't need to be in your car, clear it out.

Save by driving more efficiently

Your driving style makes a difference to how much fuel your car uses.

Speeding up and slowing down rather than driving at the same steady speed uses a lot more fuel.

Instead, try to anticipate what's happening further ahead.

For example, if you can see traffic slowing down ahead, easing off the accelerator earlier may be more efficient than continuing to accelerate and then braking sharply.

Avoid unnecessary journeys

It sounds obvious, but consider how you can combine journey or cut out trips to save.

If you commute to the office, could you take it in turns with colleagues to drive?

It may also be worth looking at your public transport options, or working out if you could walk or cycle more places.