Search

Placeholder Content Image

5 tips to make your fuel tank last longer while prices are high

<p>The federal government’s announcement of a halved fuel excise is no doubt music to many people’s ears. Following Tuesday night’s budget release, the excise (a government tax included in the purchase price of fuel) was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/fuel-excise-slashed-to-ease-petrol-prices-for-six-months-20220324-p5a7mp.html">halved</a> from 44.2 cents per litre to 22.1 cents.</p> <p>It should provide some respite from high petrol and diesel prices <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-disrupted-russian-gas-supplies-will-hit-global-and-australian-prices-178023">driven by</a>Russia’s war on Ukraine.</p> <p>However, the cut is only expected to last six months. And Treasurer Josh Frydenberg <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-29/lowdown-on-when-fuel-excise-cut-will-be-seen-at-bowsers/100949562">has said</a> it will take up to two weeks before fuel prices get cheaper (and potentially longer in regional areas). </p> <h2>The costs</h2> <p>Assuming it costs A$2 per litre for petrol and diesel fuel, and an average fuel consumption of about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/survey-motor-vehicle-use-australia/latest-release">11 litres per 100 kilometres</a> driven – driving a typical fossil-fueled passenger vehicle right now would cost about 20 to 25 cents per kilometre.</p> <p>You’re probably quite happy if you own an electric vehicle. With a <a href="https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/sustainability/sustainability-14-03444/article_deploy/sustainability-14-03444-v2.pdf">real-world electricity consumption</a> of 0.15 to 0.21 kWh per kilometre and <a href="https://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/electricity-costs-kwh/">electricity costs</a> of about 20 to 30 cents per kWh, your cost of driving per kilometre is about 3 to 6 cents. And if you can charge your vehicle’s battery for free with home solar panels, your cost per kilometre is $0.</p> <p>But for those of us who don’t own an electric vehicle, making the best use of our fuel tanks will be a priority. Here are some ways you can make your vehicle go the extra mile.</p> <h2>1. Use a smaller, lighter car</h2> <p>There are a number of things you can do to reduce your fuel use. The obvious one is to not use your car, but walk or grab your bicycle, if possible.</p> <p>If you do have to drive, try to minimise your total travel distance. One way would be to combine a number of errands into your journey and optimise your route.</p> <p>The specific vehicle you use also matters. As a general rule of thumb, <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_9527cdcb01a84440a53308b3b5624320.pdf?index=true">the larger and heavier your car</a>, the more energy and fuel it will require per kilometre. Choosing a smaller car, rather than a large SUV, will definitely reduce your fuel bill. A large SUV will use almost twice as much fuel per kilometre as a small car.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128516300442">Research</a> also suggests that for every 100kg increase in vehicle weight, fuel consumption increases by about 5% to 7% for a medium-sized car. So in addition to driving a smaller car, it’s best to reduce your load and avoid driving around with extra weight. </p> <h2>2. Use eco-driving techniques</h2> <p>The way you drive is important too. Eco-driving involves being conscious of your fuel consumption and taking actions to reduce it. There are various ways to do this.</p> <p>Every time you brake and stop, you have to accelerate again to reach your desired speed. Acceleration uses a lot of energy and fuel, so driving smoothly, anticipating traffic and preventing stops will lead to savings on your fuel bill. </p> <p>What you want to do is flow with the traffic and keep your distance from other vehicles. It also helps to keep an eye further up the road, so you can avoid obstacles and therefore unnecessary braking and acceleration. </p> <p>If you’re in the minority of people who own a manual vehicle, drive in the highest gear possible to reduce engine load and fuel use. And if you’re in an automatic vehicle, use the “eco” setting if you have one.</p> <h2>3. Give your engine and climate a break</h2> <p>Another simple tip is stop unnecessary idling with the engine still engaged. A small car typically uses one litre of fuel per hour while idling, whereas this is close to <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_2485b61095ed48f29bea980a73e74240.pdf?index=true">two litres per hour</a> for a large SUV. </p> <p>Of course, we idle regularly while waiting in traffic and generally can’t do much about that, other than trying to drive outside peak hours when roads are less congested. In other cases, we can change things. For instance, idling when a vehicle is parked will use up fuel unnecessarily.</p> <h2>4. Turn off the AC</h2> <p>Most people may not realise this, but using your air conditioner can use up quite a bit of extra fuel: somewhere between 4% and 8% of total fuel use. Using the fan instead will require less energy than air conditioning. Or even better, wind down the windows for a bit for fresh air when you are driving in the city. </p> <h2>5. Tend to your tires and consider aerodynamics</h2> <p>It also pays to keep your <a href="https://www.racq.com.au/car/greener-motoring/racq-ecodrive-research-study">tires inflated</a>, which can save you between 2% and 4% in fuel use. </p> <p>Also, your car is designed to be aerodynamically efficient. Anything that changes that, including roof racks, bull bars and bike racks, will come with an additional fuel penalty – particularly at higher speeds, such as on the freeway.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-tips-to-make-your-fuel-tank-last-longer-while-prices-are-high-180134" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

What is petrol excise, and why does New Zealand have it anyway?

<p>One government, in <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-cuts-25c-litre-fuel-excise-cost-living-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealand</a>, has already cut its fuel excise, by 25 cents per litre for the three months it hopes will be the worst of the oil price crisis, and in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/democrats-gas-tax-holiday-cut-prices-biden-agenda-stalled-2022-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a> and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-flags-tax-relief-as-petrol-hits-record-highs-20220314-p5a4cr.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> there’s talk of the same sort of thing.</p> <p>Before considering whether it should be cut, temporally waived, or removed in this month’s budget, it’s worth reacquainting ourselves with what it is.</p> <p>As is the case with the goods and services tax, it isn’t explicitly quoted when we buy petrol or other fuels; it is rolled into the advertised price.</p> <p>At the moment the excise on standard unleaded petrol is <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Excise-on-fuel-and-petroleum-products/Lodging,-paying-and-rates---excisable-fuel/Excise-duty-rates-for-fuel-and-petroleum-products/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">43.3 cents per litre</a>, an impost which itself is subject to the goods and services tax. This brings the total to 47.6 cents per litre, something that would have been significant a year ago when the price of petrol was lower, accounting for one third of the price.</p> <p>It is now less important, accounting for 22% of the price of petrol.</p> <p>The fuel excise is imposed by the Commonwealth government. As a matter of law and as required by the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/Constitution/chapter4#chapter-04_81" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitution</a>, all revenue raised by the Commonwealth goes into “one consolidated revenue fund”. But from 1926 to 1959 all or part of the fuel excise was <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp0001/01RP06" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earmarked</a> for spending on roads.</p> <p>Since then, it has generally been available for any sort of spending – although the impression remains that it is a crude form of user fee for roads and associated government-funded infrastructure, and for maintenance of that infrastructure.</p> <h2>Effectively a road user charge</h2> <p>The excise is collected at the points of distribution from local refineries and importers rather than at the petrol pump, making it easy to administer.</p> <p>Making it much more difficult to administer are the substantial <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/business/fuel-schemes/fuel-tax-credits---business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebates</a> offered to off-road users of petrol and diesel, which have the effect of making it a charge for using roads. They cut the total takings from about <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2021-22/content/bp1/download/bp1_bs5.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A$20 billion</a> to <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2021-22/content/bp1/download/bp1_bs6.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A$11 billion</a>.</p> <p>State and territory governments impose another set of taxes on the use of motor vehicles. These include stamp duty on the registration, annual registration fees, the charge for drivers licences, and taxes on vehicle insurance. State taxes on the use of motor vehicles amounted to <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/government/taxation-revenue-australia/latest-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A$11.3 billion</a> in 2019-20.</p> <p>These taxes also go into general revenue, and with no specific link to state government decisions on road infrastructure and maintenance or the provision of services such as traffic police and hospitals.</p> <p>Taken together, the Commonwealth’s takings from fuel excise and the states’ takings from special motor vehicle taxes appear to <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/productivity-review/report/productivity-review-supporting9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">roughly equal</a> their spending on roads and associated infrastructure and fall short of the total costs imposed by road users on others including the costs of noise, pollution and policing.</p> <h2>There are better ways to do it</h2> <p>In an ideal world we would charge explicitly for road use, pollution and congestion in the cities during peak hours.</p> <p>Fuel excise is an increasingly inappropriate way of charging for road use because more and more cars (including hybrids) are using less fuel per kilometre, and some (including all-electric vehicles) are using none.</p> <p>Some states, including Victoria, charge electric vehicles per kilometre travelled. Owners are required to provide a photo of their odometer and the fee is added to the <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/registration-fees/zlev-road-user-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost of their registration</a>.</p> <p>While in the spirit of user charging, what Victoria and other states are doing is a limited first step.</p> <p>Ideally, and subject to considerations of simplicity and operating costs, the user charge would vary by weight per axle, aggregate weight and distance travelled, and perhaps by road type.</p> <p>Given the fixed cost of much road investment and maintenance, a modified version of current annual registration fees should continue.</p> <p>The combustion of petrol and diesel generates external pollution costs not considered by businesses and individuals in their use of motor vehicles.</p> <p>External pollution costs include particulates with adverse effects on health and smog, and emissions of carbon dioxide that contribute to climate change.</p> <p>A pollution fee that is much smaller than the current 43.3 cents per litre excise should be imposed on fuel used for both off-road and on-road purposes as part of a comprehensive price on greenhouse gas emissions associated with the combustion of fossil fuels.</p> <p>Congestion causes costs estimated to be in the tens of billions in terms of lost time, uncertainty, and extra fuel use, with only a small portion borne by the road user concerned. An important part of the reform package should be a congestion charge for peak hours along the lines suggested by the <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/why-its-time-for-congestion-charging/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grattan Institute</a>.</p> <p>This ideal set of changes would be imposed independent of the price of oil.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9008afbb-7fff-2ede-941a-eb199ed3898b">This article originally appeared on The Conversation.</span></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Are you ready for a bit of extra pocket money?

<p dir="ltr">Millions of Aussies will receive a bit of extra pocket money to help combat the rising cost of living. </p> <p dir="ltr">With the cost of petrol now sitting at $2.40 a litre, and fruit and vegetables having soared in price - Aussies are really struggling. </p> <p dir="ltr">As of March 21, singles under the age, disability support and carer payments scheme will receive an extra $20.10 a fortnight, adding up to $987.60.</p> <p dir="ltr">Couples under the same payments will receive an extra $30.20 a fortnight, adding up to $1,488.00.</p> <p dir="ltr">Senior Australians will also be able to access part of their pension earlier on as the asset test limit increases.</p> <p dir="ltr">For a single homeowner, it has increased by $6,750 to $599,750 and for a couple it has gone up by $10,000 to $901,500.</p> <p dir="ltr">Single Jobseeker recipients will receive a $13.20 jump in their pay up to $629.50, while those under Parenting Payment Singles scheme will get an extra $18.20 to $874.10.</p> <p dir="ltr">Help for renters will also be increased to $145.80 for singles a fortnight and $193.62 for families. </p> <p dir="ltr">Social Services Minister Anne Ruston described the 2.1 per cent increase to pension payments as the largest since 2013.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It gives us a higher weighting to fuel and transport costs in recognition of their significance to pensioners, which helps ensure the rate of the age pension maintains senior Australians’ purchasing power in the economy,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Labor Leader Anthony Albanese however slammed the Federal Government for being out of touch and claiming the increase would help. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This government is so out of touch that they’re prepared to spin out there saying how well pensioners are going to be off,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When they get to the supermarket to buy products they find that everything‘s gone up.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The rise in the pension will not keep up with the costs of living. Pensioners are doing it really tough at the moment.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Harrowing near miss for bystander at petrol pump

<p>Shocking CCTV footage posted online shows a near-miss by a Tasmanian driver at a petrol station.</p> <p>A woman narrowly avoided serious injury as the driver in front drove off from the petrol pump with the fuel nozzle still attached to their vehicle.</p> <p>A black car is seen driving away from the pump, which causes the hose connecting the petrol bowser and the vehicle to stretch.</p> <p>The pressure quickly becomes too much and the hose snaps back from the vehicle, almost hitting a woman in the head.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTaspetroleum1%2Fvideos%2F1151317785225218%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=734&amp;height=757&amp;appId" width="734" height="757" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>The woman and another driver can be seen watching on in confusion, with Tasmania Petroleum hoping to track down who caused the incident.</p> <p>"Can anyone put us in touch with the driver of a Black Mitsubishi Challenger, Rego FH 0659?" the company wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>"And also the innocent bystander, driving a green Toyota hatch Rego FR1852, who was very lucky to walk away! We are sorry for your unfortunate bad experience on our site, and would like to give you some free fuel."</p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

“Unthinkable happened” when mum left kids in car to pay for petrol

<p>A horrific accident is serving as a reminder for parents to never leave young children alone in the car, even when quickly paying for petrol.</p> <p>A Missouri mum left her one-year-old and three-year-old alone in her SUV while she dashed in to pay for petrol. But in the moments she was gone, the toddlers managed to unbuckle their seatbelts and shift the car into reverse, causing the car to smash into a petrol pump and start a fire.</p> <p>Thankfully, a stranger stepped in and rescued the children from the flames, who were unharmed.</p> <p><img width="448" height="269" src="http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/2857dcd85d9c8db899b8121a59f4e128" alt="hjk" class="show center-block img-responsive" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Officials are now sharing photos of the accident that occurred on Wednesday to warn parents of the danger of leaving children unattended in cars.</p> <p>Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for Springfield Police, said it is a crime to leave children unattended in a car. She did rule out the possibility of charges being filed against the mother.</p> <p><img width="437" height="187" src="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2018/03/28/20/screenshot-2018-03-28-at-3.10.52-pm.png" alt="screenshot-2018-03-28-at-3.10.52-pm.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Speaking to KY3, Daphne Greenlee, manager of Mercy Injury Prevention, said: “We hear about this all the time. Unfortunately, parents just get busy and are running into the pay for gas or the bank, or whatever, and it happens more often than we like,” before reminding parents: “The inconvenience that can happen does not outweigh the child's safety."</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Insurance

Placeholder Content Image

10 simple tips for fuel efficient driving

<p>When you consider how much a trip to the bowser generally costs, it only makes sense that you’d want to be doing everything possible to ensure you don’t have to return more frequently than you have to. The good news is there’s actually quite a lot you can do.</p> <p>We’ve put together 10 simple tips for fuel efficient driving. These measures will get more mileage out of your vehicle, so you get the most out of each tank.</p> <p><strong>1. Drive smoothly as possible</strong></p> <p>Try to drive smoothly, rather than rushing to the speed limit and braking forcefully (except in an emergency). Erratic braking and acceleration guzzles petrol.</p> <p><strong>2. Switch off the engine</strong></p> <p>An idling car uses up more petrol than you think, so if you’re stuck in a gridlock and not moving anywhere don’t be afraid to switch your engine off for a moment.</p> <p><strong>3. Be mindful of your speed</strong></p> <p>The rate you’re moving makes a big difference in terms of fuel consumption, and a car travelling at 110kph uses much more fuel than one driving at 90kph.</p> <p><strong>4. Make sure tyres are inflated</strong></p> <p>The inflation of your tyres is essential for optimum performance, so keep your tyres inflated and make sure you check the pressure of them regularly. </p> <p><strong>5. Turn your air conditioner off</strong></p> <p>If you don’t need your air conditioner don’t use it. In some vehicles, operating your air conditioner at speeds greater than 80kph can use 10 per cent extra fuel. </p> <p><strong>6. Remove unnecessary accessories</strong></p> <p>Items like roof racks and spoilers add significantly to air resistance, which you’ll pay for over time at the bowser. So if you don’t need these items, lose them!</p> <p><strong>7. Undertake regular maintenance</strong></p> <p>The key to good engine performance is regular maintenance and if your car is well-tuned you can be confident your vehicle is using fuel as efficiently as possible.</p> <p><strong>8. Lighten the load</strong></p> <p>Are lighter car is a more efficient car, so if you’ve got personal items like golf clubs, fitness equipment in the boot remove them before setting out. </p> <p><strong>9. Lazy gear selection</strong></p> <p>If you’re driving a manual, avoid sitting in a low gear once revs are sufficient to change up and avoid sitting in a high gear when engine is straining to maintain revs as this practice can have you burning through quite a lot of fuel over time.</p> <p><strong>10. Stay alert in an automatic</strong></p> <p>If you’re driving an automatic vehicle, be conscious of your use of the accelerator. Ease off slightly when the engine is ready to change up and you can save fuel.</p> <p>How do you handle petrol prices? Can you see yourself using any of these tips? Or are there any that you use yourself that we should include.</p> <p>Share your thoughts in the comments.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/queens-sneaky-solution-to-couple-blocking-her-car/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>The Queen’s sneaky solution to a couple blocking her car</em></strong></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/homemade-windscreen-washing-fluid/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 ways to make your own windscreen washing fluid</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/05/futuristic-hoverbus-china-traffic-problem/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Futuristic hoverbus to tackle China’s traffic problem</em></span></strong></a></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Sweet moment a petrol station worker dances with a senior

<p>When an older woman stopped by a Nova Scotia, Canada petrol station, she didn’t need help with her car. The sweet woman just wanted to dance.</p> <p>She asked a female employee if one of the male employees, Sean, might care to join her for a twirl. Sean happily obliged and the sweet, spontaneous moment was captured by the petrol station's cameras. It's good to know that kindness and joy can still be found in the world.</p> <p>When was the last time you had a dance? Let us know in the comments below. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/05/105-year-old-volunteer-teacher/"><em>105-year-old proves volunteering has no age limit</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/05/76-year-old-volunteer-shares-wisdom-with-schoolkids/"><em>76-year-old volunteer shares wisdom with schoolkids</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/i-found-retirement-overrated/"><em>Retirement is overrated. Here’s what I did instead.</em></a></strong></span></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Petrol falls to lowest in almost 10 months, ahead of Christmas driving season

<p>Motorists are getting an early Christmas present, with the national price of petrol falling below $1.90 a litre for the first time since February.</p> <p>On Tuesday morning Z Energy led a price cut at its company-owned sites, taking 2c off the price of 91 octane petrol, to $1.899 a litre.</p> <p>According to figures compiled by the Automobile Association, it is the first time that the national price has fallen below $1.90 a litre since February 16.</p> <p><span>"While the exchange rate has firmed a bit this is simply passing on the decreasing international fuel prices, which have been trending down," a spokesman for Z Energy said, adding that the drop came ahead of the busiest driving period of the year.</span></p> <p>The most common type of premium petrol, 95 octane, is now below $2 a litre, with Z stations charging $1.989.</p> <p>The national price generally refers to company-owned sites of the major retailers, with discounting in some parts of the country meaning many motorists pay less, while in remote parts of the country, the pump price can be higher.</p> <p>Tuesday's fall is the second drop in less than a week, with BP believed to have led a 2c a litre drop on December 4.</p> <p>The latest falls come as the international price of oil fell to a seven year low, after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) failed to reach an agreement on how much oil its members should produce.</p> <p>West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark crude, fell 5.8 per cent to US$37.65 a barrel, the lowest level since early 2009. Brent crude, the international benchmark, also fell, down 2.5 per cent to around US$42 a barrel.</p> <p>Throughout 2015 members of OPEC have been continuing to keep production of crude oil high in a bid to squeeze out new producers, mainly in the United States, resulting in a global oversupply and plunging prices.</p> <p>Since reaching the highest level of the year in June, at $2.119 a litre, the pump price in most locations has fallen by more than 10 per cent since.</p> <p>Written by Hamish Rutherford. First appeared on <strong><a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a></strong>.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/money-banking/2015/12/managing-debt-in-retirement/"><strong>7 tips for managing debt in retirement</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/money-banking/2015/12/saving-money-before-christmas/"><strong>12 quick ways to save money before Christmas</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/money-banking/2015/12/10-ways-to-stop-throwing-your-money-away/"><strong>10 ways to stop throwing your money away</strong></a></em></span></p>

Money & Banking

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.