5 simple ways drivers saved money in 2025

Everyday habits that can help keep costs down in 2026.

It’s no secret that 2025 pushed many of us to rethink how we spend; on the road, at the shops, at home. But even the pinch of daily life didn’t stop us from uncovering some simple ways to save money.

Saving fuel and cutting costs is easier than most drivers expect. A few small changes to your everyday habits can make a noticeable difference.

Here are five great money-saving tips that served us well in 2025.

1. Slow down

Keeping to a steady, legal speed is one of the easiest ways to save fuel. Your car burns more fuel the faster you go

, especially in higher speed zones. The simplest habit? Drive smoothly, avoid unnecessary acceleration and always stick to the posted speed limit.

2. Be smooth

One of the simplest ways to save money is to drive smoothly. This means avoiding unnecessary acceleration and braking.

How do you do that? (PDF)

Follow these 3 tips:

• The 3-second rule: Keep a gap of at least three seconds
  between you and the car in front. This means you’ll need to brake less often and less abruptly.
• Keep it balanced: Keep a steady speed, with low revs per minute.
• Shift up gears early: If you’re in a manual car, shift gears early, and drive in the highest gear possible.

3. Check your tyre pressure

Every time you fill up, check your tyre pressure. Underinflated tyres

increase rolling resistance, which makes your engine work harder and reduces your fuel economy.

Overinflated tyres are also bad news. They don’t improve fuel economy, and can lead to a bumpier ride, poor handling and uneven tread wear (meaning you’ll need to buy new tyres sooner).

For safety, comfort and your wallet, inflate your tyres to the pressure recommended in your car’s manual, or on the placard sticker on the inside of your driver’s-side door or fuel cap.

4. Cool down your car quickly

Learn how to use your air conditioning efficiently without driving up fuel use. Firstly, always park in the shade if you can, so your aircon doesn’t have to work as hard when you get in.

When you turn on the car on a hot summer’s day, choose the coldest aircon setting at maximum fan – and with your windows open – to quickly blast any hot air out of the car.

As soon as your cabin has cooled down a bit, close your windows. Your air con will be most efficient if you run it at a moderate to low temperature with a maximum fan speed using the recirculation setting. This way you won’t constantly bring in hot air from the outside that you have to cool down.

Depending on your car, your air con and seasonal weather conditions, at 60km/h or slower

it may be more fuel-efficient to open the windows than run the air con. However, on the highway, the drag created by open windows is likely to cost you more.

More top tips: Read our article on how to be smarter with your air conditioning this summer

5. Pack your own food

Going on a road trip? Cafe and fast-food stops can quickly put a big dent in your holiday funds. While visiting eateries can be a fun part of a trip, your wallet will thank you if you mix it up with some DIY meals, too.

You can save by putting together healthy options you can snack on in the car or over a road trip picnic lunch stop. It also gives you a good opportunity to stop, stretch and reset on long drives. Find somewhere beautiful, throw down a blanket and enjoy!

These small habits help you save money, make every trip smoother and safer, and set you up for even better savings in 2026.

_Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}