How to save money on petrol this Easter

Every year the Easter long weekend - and the coinciding school holidays - proves a prime opportunity for Australians to pack their bags to visit friends and family or get in a quick vacation.

And given the proximity of Easter to Anzac Day this year, it's fair to assume that even more people will be taking annual leave and heading off on an extended trip away.

For those planning to fill up their tanks before hitting the road for the Easter break, there's good and bad news. Some cities are in the midst of a hiking cycle for petrol prices, while others are in a more advantageous stage of the price cycle.

"Each Australian city has its own unique pricing cycle, where prices dip for a period and then increase sharply," says Phillip Portman, spokesperson at financial comparison website Compare the Market.

"This explains why we currently see highs of $2.09 a litre for Unleaded 91 in some cities, but a much lower high of just $1.79 in others for the same fuel type. It's looking like a mixed bag ahead of Easter, depending on where you live."

Sydney petrol prices

With an average price of $1.68 per litre for Unleaded 91, Sydney is currently home to some of the cheapest petrol in the country.

"Greater Sydney is at the tail end of their discounting phase, where the city-wide average has dropped around 14.9% or 30 cents a litre over the past month," Portman says.

"There are a few locations in the eastern suburbs that have bumped their prices above $2 a litre, but it's unlikely that these prices will spread quickly. It's a green light for at least the first half of the Sydney school holidays."

Brisbane petrol prices

"It's a similar story in Greater Brisbane, where prices are down 9.82% month on month or around 19 cents a litre," Portman explains.

"Just a handful of stations are currently priced around the $2 mark and it's unlikely that we'll see a major price hike before the Easter long weekend."

Melbourne petrol prices

It's a different story in Melbourne though. As Portman notes, fuel prices have been on the rise and are likely to get even higher by the Easter long weekend, meaning that motorists could benefit from filling up sooner rather than later.

"Melbourne's current high price point is $2.06 litre for Unleaded 91 and the city-wide average has climbed around 15% since the start of April.

"More than 300 stations across Greater Melbourne have already set their price to this new high point and we will see more locations increase their cost over the next couple of weeks.

"Now's the time to fill up in Melbourne if you can, with a 45-cent difference between the cheapest and most expensive location, equating to $22.50 if filling up a 50-litre tank."

Petrol prices in other capitals

Like Sydney and Brisbane, Portman says that the outlook for petrol prices in Adelaide is relatively promising ahead of the long weekend.

"It's also good news for South Australians, where last week's price cycle in Adelaide was short lived and prices have decreased rapidly across the city. It's easy to find low prices across the city at the moment."

Because petrol prices in Perth fluctuate on a weekly cycle - with the lowest being on Tuesday and the highest on Wednesday - Portman notes that the best days to fill up during the Easter holidays are likely to be either Monday or Tuesday.

As for the remaining capital cities, average prices in Darwin, Canberra and Hobart are hovering around the $1.80 per litre mark. Portman points out that none of the three experience petrol pricing cycles in the same way as the other capitals though.

Motorists urged to shop around to save

While fuel prices may be rising and falling in different parts of the country, the real opportunity for motorists to save at the bowser is by seeking out cheaper petrol stations.

"In Sydney, there's currently a 63-cent difference between the cheapest and most expensive location, which is around $31.50 when filling up a tank. The current difference is around $20 in Brisbane, $22.50 in Melbourne and around $15 in Adelaide," Portman says.

This is where petrol price comparison apps can come in handy. Among those are Fuel Map, MotorMouth, PetrolSpy, Simples, Vroom Fuel Price Compare and a host of more region-specific options.

Generally speaking though, Portman says that drivers who are looking to avoid paying over the odds will want to give certain types of petrol stations a miss.

"It's typically the stations along busy roads, freeways or in locations with high volumes of traffic that are the first to increase their prices when a fuel pricing cycle begins and the last to decrease during the discount phase of the cycle."

Six tips to reduce your fuel consumption

Aside from using fuel comparison apps to compare prices, motorists can also employ a few other techniques to save money on fuel:

1. Drive smoothly

Rapid acceleration uses more fuel, so it's worth being aware of your surroundings in more congested areas and taking it easy on the pedals.

2. Lighten the load

It may be difficult when heading off on holiday, but consider keeping your luggage to a minimum and removing roof racks if they're not being used.

3. Keep tyres well-inflated

Under-inflated tyres can increase resistance and, as a result, reduce fuel efficiency.

4. Service the vehicle

Ensuring that the engine is well-maintained may help it run more efficiently and use less fuel.

5. Slow down

Drag increases with speed, so keeping to the limit on the motorway or even backing off slightly can reduce that.

6. Turn off the aircon

Running air-conditioning puts extra strain on the engine, though it's worth saying that keeping windows down will up the drag.

Get stories like this in our newsletters.