'Sign up for every possible discount card' advice as petrol prices soar

Friday, 11 March 2022

Fuel prices on Friday morning show no sign of abating but a fuel spokesperson says there are ways to ease the hit on your pocket.

Rocketing petrol prices have prompted a call for motorists to “sign up for every possible discount card you can get”.

Filling up at the bowser has hit an all-time high since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began two weeks ago.

AA fuel spokesperson Terry Collins said while prices would continue to be “highly volatile”, there were steps drivers could take to alleviate the costs.

The biggest saver was to “sign up for every possible discount card you can get from Waitomo to Gull to BP to Z, everybody”.

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Nelson resident Paul Kelly fills up at the NPD site in St Vincent St as prices keep rising.

He said not only did the cards give some cents off, it kept members informed with notifications of impending discounts.

Another source of information is the mobile app, Gaspy, which allows users to select their region and fuel type to find the cheapest. At a glance on Friday morning, it showed 95 premium had a price difference in Nelson of 34 cents – the cheapest being $3.04 at St Vincent St and Parkers Rd NPD.

Collins said other ways to conserve fuel included driving smoothly without too much braking or accelerating, limiting air conditioner use and ensuring tyres were inflated.

Fuel prices are “highly volatile' but the long term trend is up, says an industry expert.

Fuel prices were “highly volatile”, he said.

“Short term prices are going up. They may come down a bit, but on the long term, they’re steadily going to increase.”

Helping Families Nelson founder Kristy Rowe said for those on the breadline, a fuel increase couldn’t have come at a worse time as the cost of rent and food was also climbing.

Fuel prices at the start February have been outdone by the current increasing costs.

“They’re already struggling and now they’re having to find extra money to pay for fuel.”

Rowe said a $3 per litre petrol price was not affordable for many families. It made getting children to school and reaching essential services difficult.

“I would imagine things are being sacrificed, like food and basic needs, or they’re going without and walking.”

However, walking wasn’t always practical for those living on the outskirts of town or getting groceries, she said.

She said more families, including working class, had needed a leg up in the last two years due to the global pandemic effects.

“It’s been getting worse. We’ve seen people that wouldn’t normally need to reach out for help. If we can help them by giving them clothes, more money for petrol or food, we’ve done our job.”

Meanwhile, some drivers are looking to electric vehicles to lower their fuel bills.

The Car Company managing director Shane Drummond said there was “definitely more talk on the street” about EVs and hybrids and a rising number of inquiries.

Drummond said others were looking to buy more fuel efficient cars instead of running gas guzzlers.

Mike Turner, retail operations manager for Australasian fuel distributor Gull, said the price of refuelling could be having a detrimental effect on driver’s vehicles.

He said people would be taking longer to refuel, sometimes running a car on empty.

Condensation, caused by an empty fuel tank, created water in the fuel leading to a number of issues, including a car that won’t start.

Turner suggested looking around for the best deal and keeping an eye on price boards.

“The price of oil … it’s going up and up and up.”