Child, 12, banned after Newcastle vs Sunderland violence

Child, 12, banned after Newcastle vs Sunderland violence: Figures show scores of children barred from teams' games

A child aged just 12 was slapped with a football banning order after a Tyne-Wear derby.

The incident was revealed as figures show scores of child Newcastle fans and a handful of young Sunderland fans were given Football Banning Orders after trouble at games.

The 12-year-old was banned following widespread disorder in Newcastle city centre after the Magpies were beaten 3-0 at home by arch rivals Sunderland in April 2013.

Northumbria Police said the boy threw missiles at opposition fans and was abusive.

The same force had banned a total of 43 under 18s in the three years up to April this year. They were 38 Newcastle United fans and five Sunderland fans.

The figures, obtained by the Press Association, show more than 100 under 18s have been banned from football matches across the country in the past three years.

The official statistics are revealed after dozens of England fans were arrested in the first week of the Euro 2016 in France, including a 16-year-old held in Marseille.

The figures indicate a lack of consistency, with one major force having no teenagers on a Football Banning Order (FBO), while another smaller force has barred 43 youngsters from matches.

They also suggest that football hooliganism, which has never been totally removed from the game since the bad old days of the 1970s and 1980s, retains an allure for teenagers.

There were also concerns that FBOs, introduced following trouble by England fans at major international tournaments, should be handed out as a last resort to children.

During the research, stories emerged of kids getting "casual" clothing labels sewn into their school uniforms, while others, branded "schooligans", pose up on social media and attempt to look hard.

Concerned police are visiting schools to warn pupils they could end up with a serious criminal record, or badly hurt, in organised violence.

The statistics were revealed in Freedom of Information requests to police forces showed more than 100 under 18s received an FBO in the three years up to March this year.

It was not possible to get an exact figure as some forces would not or could not provide them and the Home Office does not collate FBOs by age.

The force said since then it has visited schools to warn pupils that even being verbally abusive at matches could get them banned from following their teams.

It was a similar approach in Bury, where a small number of young fans of the League One club have been causing trouble at games. Pupils will be told they are endangering the future of their club by causing policing costs to soar.

Cleveland Police said a 14-year-old fan had received a banning order in the past three years but would not give details of the club he supported. It said another 11 under 18s were banned.

In Scotland, 13 under 18s who support Rangers, Hamilton, Motherwell, Hearts, Dunfermline, Dundee United, Hibernian and Celtic were banned.

And in London, the figure was 10, with teenage followers of Wimbledon, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Fulham, QPR and Millwall prevented from watching games.

But Greater Manchester Police, which looks after Manchester United and City as well as fierce rivals in lower leagues such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale and Wigan, has no under 18s on a ban.

Dr Geoff Pearson, a senior law lecturer at Manchester University, said there were "huge discrepancies" between forces about how they used the Football Banning Order legislation.

He said in Europe, fans groups and clubs ran education programmes for youngsters encouraging them to keep out of trouble.

Amanda Jacks, a case worker with the Football Supporters' Federation, said young people should be steered away from trouble before banning orders and the criminal justice system were considered.

She said young fans behaving in a generally anti-social manner were targetted by the police, in a way that other gangs of youngsters were not.

Speaking about the "schooligan" phenomenon, she said: "There's no doubt that there is a glamorisation of football disorder and kids are attracted to it for the wrong reason.

"There does need to be some consistency - if 14, 15, 16-year-olds are getting banning orders, that should be the last resort, not the first."

The figures also showed a there were more than 120 of over 50s, including a 60-year-old Arsenal fan and a man of 64 in the Lancashire Police area, who have been banned from attending games in the last three years.

The Home Office said in September there were 2,181 people with a football banning order.

Force areas were asked the following questions:

a) How old is the youngest person to receive a Football Banning Order in the last three years? With what team are they associated?

b) How many under 18s in your force area have received a Football Banning Order in the last three years? With what team are they associated?

c) How old is the oldest person to receive a Football Banning Order in the last three years? With what football team are they associated?

d) How many over 50s in your force area have received a Football Banning Order in the last three years? With what football team are they associated?

Northumbria Police

a) 12

b) 43 (Newcastle United 38, Sunderland 5)

c) 57 (Newcastle United)

d) 5 (Sunderland 3, Newcastle United 2)

Cleveland Police

a) 14

b) 12

c) 55

d) 3 (The force declined to identify team supported)

Durham Police

No banning orders.

Extracted from Sunderland Echo 

Cheap to run cars

Top Gear episode 3 review: Still difficult to watch for Clarkson fans but great for everyone else

It just needs less... Evans. (Sorry, Chris.)

Chris Evans and his Top Gear team have released their much-hyped debut album, got through their difficult second LP, and now they're onto their third. But have they got comfortable now that they've found their sound? Or are they still getting mixed reviews?

Yes, yes they are. Watching this new Top Gear is still such a strange experience, if you were a huge fan of Clarkson, Hammond and May's way of doing things. As we said in our first review, if you were watching this show as aTop Gear noob, you'll probably enjoy it. If not, you probably wouldn't have got past the first five minutes.

If you're in the latter section, you really should give it a chance, because it's getting there. Ever so slowly.

Firstly, let's get through the bad. And we also need to let it be known: we actually really like Chris Evans. We have nothing against him at all. Many of us wake up to him every morning, we loved his updated version of TFI Friday. Which is why it's so frustrating that for some weird reason, he's the main thing that isn't working on Top Gear so far.

Maybe it's because it's not technically his baby and thus he's not in full control like his other projects. But there's something about the way he talks (or shouts) his way through the show - either in voiceover, studio links or while driving crazily fast, that just makes it feel too forced or... we hate to say it... unfunny.

He's at his best in the 'Star in a Rally Car' segment in which he chats to his guests, this is his bread and butter, but even this went on far too long this week. It felt like 20 minutes before we even got to Kevin Hart and Anthony Joshua's laps.

But let's focus on the good: everyone else. This week, we finally saw Chris Harris and Rory Reid test drive some cars and show us why they were hired. They were both an injection of youth and passion, and in a way that didn't feel forced. Rory in particular seemed right at home and actually made us giggle for once.

Plus, Sabine Schmitz actually got to appear in the studio - and we've got to say - the bit when it was just her and Matt LeBlanc chatting in the studio was one of the best.

We're sorry to say this Chris, but the bits of the show that we liked the most were when Harris, Reid, Schmitz and LeBlanc were front and centre. LeBlanc's segment with Ken Block was the funniest thing we've seen in this era so far.

Plus, we've said it before and we'll say it again - this show is BLOODY GORGEOUS to look at. If nothing else, Chris must be proud of the show he's helped produce aesthetically. 

All in all, we're pleased with what we're seeing. Top Gear definitely is getting better each week. And there's still hope that Chris Evans will find his feet and realise the best way of presenting this show. It just needs more of his team having a go (which, to be fair to him, he very much did drop back a bit this week).

The more we see of this version, the more we'll forget about what it used to be and the more we'll think of this as its own entity. You just need to stick with it.

5 Must have Apps for Driving

Between forgetting where you’ve parked to filling up your tank to finding a cheaper station a few miles away, driving can sometimes be quite annoying.

To help make your driving experience a little better we’ve rounded up a list of driving apps that will help you save money, avoid traffic and even reduce road rage.

#1 My Cars

My cars is the perfect app to help manage driving costs, the app is designed to help users keep track of outgoings using various logging tools for your expenses. The app includes features such as a fuel logger, efficiency program and maintenance recorder.

The app allows you to keep a record and manage costs of insurance, parking and petrol which is great if you have a monthly budget you must stick to. The app is easy to use and allows you to add multiple vehicles and has a setting to add reminders for servicing, MOT and tax to ensure you never forget anything car related.

#2 Find my car

We’ve all done it, losing your car is easier than it sounds. Parking in that packed shopping center car park in a rush only to return to the spot you know you parked in, to be greeted by another car.

Find my car has granted your wish to never lose your car, helping you never forget where you’ve parked again. The App simply uses the GPS in your smartphone to pinpoint the position of the car, and then on your return direct you back to your car.

Pretty simple, you just have to remember to log your position on the app before you leave your car.

#3 AA Parking

Finding cheap parking that isn’t a half hour walk from your meeting can be challenging. With this app you’ll never worry about finding the perfect parking space again. The database cover both paid and free car parks in the UK and Ireland, and, an added bonus in some areas it includes a real-time option for parking space availability, opening hours, and ticket prices.

The app even integrates with Google Maps Navigation to help you find your way to your chosen car park, fuss free.

#4 What Gas Petrol Prices

Filling up your tank at your local petrol station is always a risk, you never know what fuel prices are round the corner. Unless you have What Gas Petrol Prices of course. The app pinpoints your closest and cheapest petrol station, helping you save money every time you fill up.

The app locates the cheapest prices for LPG petrol, unleaded and diesel in your area and also covers countries including UK, Ireland, Germany and Hungary. It currently includes over 50,000 petrol stations including big supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda, as well as smaller local petrol stations.

#5 RAC Traffic

Sitting in traffic on a sunny afternoon is probably the worst way to spend your weekend, but with the RAC traffic app you won’t have this problem. It updates you with live trouble hotspots for the entire UK.

The app updates regularly to show you up to the minute information on both major and minor routes. With the help of Google Maps it can warn drivers whom are driving towards a traffic zone. It also has a great feature letting you call the RAC direct from app just in case you ever break down and need a hand.

MONSOON BRITAIN: Met Office warning as heatwave to trigger MONTH'S rain in just TWO hours

BRITAIN has put on weather alert as torrential downpours and thunderhail triggered by extreme heat threaten to dump a month’s rain in the next 24 hours.

As swathes of the country bask in summer blue skies and sunshine forecasters warn a freak deluge will hit tonight.

The Met Office updated its yellow severe weather warning this morning to include much of the country and severe alerts are in place across much of central and southern England, Scotland and the north.

Met Office warnings are in place for Central, Tayside & Fife, Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian & Borders, East Midlands, East of England, Highlands & Eilean Siar, London & South East England, North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, South West England, Strathclyde, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber and are in place from 1pm today until 9pm

Around 50mm [2 inches] is expected to descend in a matter of hours triggering flash floods and travel mayhem.

Experts blame rising temperatures for rapid warming of the ground leading to volatile atmospheric conditions.

As thermometers rocket around the country forecasters warn heavy, thundery showers will set in across the west.

This morning much of the UK will be affected with up to two inches of rain forecast in a few hours in some parts.

The warnings come as warm air floods in from the Continent pushing thermometers to 28C (82F) over the next few days.

Britain saw the hottest day of the year so far at the weekend when thermometers topped 27.8C (82F) at Porthmadog, Wales, on Sunday.

However sun-lovers are braced for a shock to the system with the heavens poised to open tonight.

The Met Office warned much of the country will be affected with only the far southwest and parts of the east coast escaping the onslaught.

Spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: “Although some places may escape the rain even within the warnings areas there are some very heavy showers expected.

“We could see 20mm [0.8ins] within an hour and 50mm by the evening in parts and there is also the chance of hail.

“As the rain will be coming quite fast there may be an issue with drains filling up leading to localised flooding.

“This could make driving conditions hazardous.”

The worst of the rain is expected to have passed by this evening with thermometers continuing to rocket through the week.

The Met Office said tomorrow and Wednesday are both shaping up to bring the highest temperatures so far this year.

Why buy new when you can buy NEARLY new

Nearly New Cars

We look at the best deals on the Market

Today's car buying market is a mind field. Many buyers are asking for the best advice on what car they should buy, Should they look for low miles or Which car is going to hold its value the best, but most importantly the biggest question asked, is the car going to be reliable.

The problem with buying a BRAND new car is you will loose so much money within the first 6 months of ownership, in fact, as much as £3000 as soon as you sign the log book and put the "first keeper" on it. 

Wearside Autoparc stock nearly new cars. Cars which are typically 27,000 miles and about one and half year old. The savings in the nearly new market can be massive. You will find that these car's are still under the manufacturers warranty. 

Take the hugely popular Nissan Juke ( Pictured Below ) 

This car is a 2014 (14) car with only 24,387 Miles on it. Its in the most desirable colour of white also. You can look to buy, Yes buy this car from £187 Per month. 

HP

Cash Price                               £8999

Interest:                                    £2249.75

APR:                                        10.4 % 

Flat Rate:                                 5%

Total amount repayable:          £11248.75

Term:                                       60 months

Monthly Payment:                    £187

Doc Fees:                                £350 ( Option to spread these over term of loan )

At the end of the 60 Months, The finance is paid, and you are the legal owner of the car. 

Here’s how a PCP works

A PCP plan can last anything from 18 to 48 months, but the typical term is 36 months. At the end of the term, you have three options. You can:

• pay an additional amount to secure ownership of the car
• return the vehicle and walk away (or get a lift home!)
• terminate the arrangement and take out another PCP for a new car.

Most PCPs insist on a deposit, typically about 10% of the purchase price of the vehicle. Some finance companies offer no-deposit deals, but they are not widely available.

The Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV), sometimes known as the ‘balloon payment’, is the key to understanding a PCP. 

When you apply for a PCP, the finance company calculates a predicted minimum value for your car at the end of the agreement.

Let’s say you sign up for a PCP over 36 months to buy a car with a windscreen price of £24,000.

The PCP provider calculates that the car will be worth at least £14,000 after three years – that’s the GMFV. This means you’ll need to borrow the difference between the purchase price and the predicted value: £24,000 – £14,000 = £10,000.

We feel the easier option to car ownership is the HP route for these reasons.

• Flexible repayment terms
• Zero Deposit 
• Fixed Interest rates, so you know exactly what your're paying every month
• Once you have paid half the cost of the agreement you can we return it with nothing more to pay

Poor Credit 

There are now specialists lenders within the car finance sector who deal with people with bad credit. So If you have slipped up in the past its always worth firing an application over if your truly interested in buying a car. You will learn that the vast amount of applicants are approved. 

You can apply online here at  www.wearsideautoparc.co.uk/finance-application 

Martin Lewis Explains: - Cheaper Fuel How To.....

Martin and Nick | Edited by Steve N

Updated 17 May 2016

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Fuel prices have been on the rise once again, now averaging £1.09/litre unleaded – but the RAC expects this to level out soon. It's still possible to drive down costs if you buy in the right place, in the right way.

Of course, the trite answer to cutting petrol bills is to use your car less, walk more or take public transport - and all that benefits the environment too. Yet even if you need to do the same mileage, you can slash your costs hugely, and use speedy, pain-free tricks to improve your car's fuel efficiency.

In this guide...

• Step 1: Make your car more fuel efficient
• Step 2: Drive more efficiently
  • The real world impact: Martin's story
• Step 3: Find cheapest fuel prices
  • Free fuel extreme couponing trick

• Step 4: Get petrol cashback
  • Top petrol cashback card
• Step 5: Share driving to cut costs
  • Anything to watch out for?
• MoneySavers' successes

MSE Challenge: The petrol diet!

Once you've read the steps below, why not try the petrol diet? No, we don't advocate swigging the stuff – it's a challenge on the MSE Forum, where MoneySavers share tips to help cut their annual fuel spend, track savings, and inspire others.

The forum's proved hugely powerful in the past, seeing people work together to get debt-free, pay off mortgages and more. It's free to join, and open to all - see the Petrol Diet discussion.

Step 1: Make your car more fuel-efficient

Keep your tyres inflatedFuel efficiency improvement: Up to 3%

Lower tyre pressure increases the drag on a car, meaning you need more fuel, so regularly check the pressures are correct and your car needs less oomph to keep it moving.

Declutter your carFuel efficiency improvement: Up to 2%

The lighter your car is, the less effort it needs to accelerate. By decluttering, clearing out junk from the boot, and not carrying unnecessary weight, you can save more. On average, every extra 50kg you ride around with ups your petrol by 2% - and this could be even more in smaller cars.

Take your roof rack offFuel efficiency improvement: Up to 10%

A roof rack, even unused, adds wind resistance to a car, increasing drag and making the engine work harder. The RAC estimates a roof rack can affect fuel consumption by a whopping 10%. If you don't need it, take it off, along with anything else inefficient. Even closing the windows will make the car run slightly more efficiently.

Turn off air con at lower speedsFuel efficiency improvement: Up to 10%

Newer cars are getting better on this, but air conditioning still uses an incredible amount of fuel - so make sure it's turned off unless you really need it.

The general consensus is it's more efficient to drive with the windows down and the air con off at lower speeds, but at higher speeds it's better to use the air con and keep windows up due to the extra drag caused by having windows down. At motorway speeds air con can affect fuel consumption by about 3 to 4%, whereas it can be up to 10% in stop and start traffic.

If you're not using your air con, it's worth turning it on once in a while as not using it can mean it stops working. Also, don't keep the engine running. Drive off as soon as you start up and switch off the engine as soon as you reach your destination. Turn your engine off where possible, eg, in traffic or during big delays on motorways.

Don't fill it upFuel efficiency improvement: Up to 1%

Fuel is heavy, so by filling the car up you're adding quite a weight. The less fuel your car has in it, the more efficiently it drives. If you fill up slightly more often and put less in (to 1/2 or 3/4 full), it'll make the car run more efficiently.

But don't be tempted to run the fuel too low – winter driving uses more fuel, so you'll cover fewer miles per litre.

Step 2: Seven tips to drive more efficiently

You can drive the same distance in the same car, without slowing down, but using far less fuel. This is the biggest single factor effecting your fuel costs, and in some cases people find they save 30% when they change driving habits. The key is to drive smoothly. Here are the seven tips you need to know.

1. The accelerator is a money pump - accelerate gradually without over-revving. Speed up smoothly. If you press harder on the pedal, more fuel will flow - but you can reach the same speed using much less power. As a rough rule, stay under 3,000 revs. Plus, if you think about it, if you accelerate too quickly, chances are you'll then have to brake hard, which isn't exactly efficient.

2. Change up a gear sooner. Always drive in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine. So change up much earlier than feels natural – it will take some pace out of your acceleration, but as that’s our first tip it isn't a bad thing. If you have a fuel efficiency display, you'll be surprised how immediate an impact this has.
3. Think about road position. All the other tips require you to be alert and aware of your road position. This helps you plan ahead and move gradually. It also means that more efficient driving is also safer driving.
4. The brake is a money burner. Where safe, allow yourself to slow naturally When you press the brake you are effectively converting the energy you've paid to put into the car into heat. Instead if you can slow naturally you’re using all the stored energy most efficiently. Good road positioning is crucial for this.
5. Listen to the noise of your engine. If you hear sharp acceleration and the screech of the brakes you know you're doing it wrong. Imagine driving from traffic light to traffic light doing that. The person behind who speeds up and slows down more slowly will still be behind you at the next light, they'll just have spent far less getting there.
6. Keep moving if you can. The most expensive metre you drive is always the first one when you start. It takes huge energy to get a car going. So if you can roll gradually up to a traffic light as it changes from red to green, without stopping, it is more efficient than stopping and restarting
7. Coasting in neutral may feel cheaper but it's dangerous. While putting the car into neutral and coasting may feel like you're using less fuel, it's dangerous, don't do it. You always need access to the accelerator to avoid unexpected hazards. Plus cars can handle far worse on sharp corners when in neutral.

In many ways, this all comes down to one little rule of thumb.

Every time you put your foot on the accelerator, remember the harder you press, the more fuel you spend.

Just being conscious of this, and your road position, should massively increase how far you can drive on a tank of petrol. It's estimated someone who averages 35 miles per gallon could reach 40mpg by driving better, a near-15% saving.

The real world impact: Martin's story

On an overseas holiday I got to test this, thanks to a sexy little digital display in my hire car which gave me a km/litre readout. For every trip, I drove normally on the way there and used the "think when pressing the pedal" method above on the way back.

If you're thinking "did he really bother while on holiday?" – yes I did, and I loved it. Luckily my girlfriend (now my wife) is very understanding!

The improvement is enormous!

Overall, I drove about 500 miles, and the different 'efficiency' averages per litre of petrol were incredible: for normal driving, it was 11.2 kilometres per litre, but for efficiency-conscious driving, a remarkable 13.4 kilometres per litre.

Most intriguingly, the efficient driving didn't cost me any time at all, and on motorways my top speed didn't change. Others drove harder, only to brake harder at the next traffic light...

Martin Lewis
MSE founder & editorMartin Lewis
MSE founder & editor

For someone spending roughly £50 a week on fuel, an equivalent 20% efficiency increase would save around £500 a year. And, according to the RAC, boy racers could expect annual efficient driving gains of up to 30%!

For more info on this read Martin's blog: Petrol Efficiency Experiment. If you try this type of driving or want to share your experiences, go to the Driving Efficiently forum discussion.

Step 3: Find the cheapest petrol or diesel prices

The easiest way to find the cheapest forecourt in your area for petrol, diesel, LPG and more, is by comparing prices at free websitePetrolPrices.com.

After registering, enter your postcode and tell it how far you're willing to travel (2, 5, 10, 15 or 20 miles) and it'll list today's cheapest petrol stations in your area for unleaded, diesel, LPG and other fuels. A quick check before you need to fill up should be enough to save you serious cash.

FUEL DUTY	MANUFACTURER	VAT	RETAILER
57.95p (57%)	27.69p (25%)	18.57p (17%)	5p (5%)
Note: Based on average UK unleaded price (109.2p/L) & percentage data from PetrolPrices.com for May 2016. VAT is 20% of all the other costs.

For a central London postcode, the price of unleaded within a five-mile radius in mid May 2016 ranged from 106.7p/litre to a staggering 149.9p/litre. Prices vary between postcodes, and in some areas you'll be able to get it for less.

While the difference is pennies, in percentage terms it's an increase of 40%. So if you fill up £50 a week, it's a difference of almost £1,020 a year.

Find your target fuel price

If you want to find the cheapest local petrol station, sign up for free at PetrolPrices.com. Once you've signed up you can enter your postcode and see specific petrol prices allowing you to target the cheapest fuel price you should be paying in your local area.

PetrolPrices.com told us prices are updated every weekday around noon, so factor this in.

Morrisons: Free tank of fuel via extreme couponing trick

This is an awesome trick using gift cards, but it's fiddly and only works if you're already planning to make a big purchase at certain high street stores, such as Homebase or Currys.

Morrisons' Fuel Saver deal gives 1p/litre off petrol, diesel or LPG for every £10-worth of gift cards bought in-store. Lots of retailers are listed, including Homebase, Debenhams, Currys/PC World, Halfords, TK Maxx, Oasis and Waterstones (see the full list), though Morrisons' own gift cards aren't included.

How it works:

• Buy a giftcard in store for at least £10 to get 1p/litre off. Plus you can buy multiple cards and stack the discounts. So, for example, buy five £10 gift cards and you'll get 5p/litre off one fuel spend.
• Planning a big purchase? Buy gift cards first. If there's a large purchase you are going to make anyway – say you're spending £500 on a computer at Currys/PC World – get it by first buying the gift cards and you'll bag money off your petrol too (in this example, 50p/litre off).
• Here's the trick to get a free tank of petrol... The maximum coupon value you can get for one transaction when buying a gift card is £1 off per litre (which would be issued if you put £1,000 on a gift card). However you can stack petrol coupons – ie, use more than one at the same time when purchasing fuel. 
  
  So if you want to put more than £1,000 on a gift card, do it through a separate transaction and you'll be able to collect a second coupon. For example, buying £1,100-worth of gift cards in two transactions would give you a £1 off coupon, plus a 10p off coupon – combine the two and it effectively makes a £1.10/litre tank free.



Forumite Matthew H saved almost £100

It really depends on if you were going to spend the money anyway. We were going to buy sofas at Next, so I bought enough gift cards in Morrisons to cover the full price of fuel, then bought the sofa with the gift cards. I got nearly a £100 discount.

Gift cards will be activated by Morrisons in-store, and once it's done, a fuel coupon is printed for you at the time of purchase. You've then got 63 days to redeem the coupon (gift cards last about two years, but check with the retailer). One fuel coupon is printed per transaction, but if you've got a stack, you can use multiple vouchers when you come to buy fuel.
We've been told that it's a good idea to take the receipts for the vouchers with you when you go to the petrol station to redeem the fuel coupons, as Morrisons may sometimes want to check the coupons are legit (as apparently fakes abound).
Remember gift cards are non-refundable and third party retailers (Morrisons in this case) don't have any responsibility to refund you if a gift card's retailer goes bust. (See the Beware gift vouchers MSE news story).
Pay with a credit card for extra protection
Full FAQs and terms on the Morrisons website. Find your nearest Morrisons.

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Use loyalty schemes

Buying petrol is a regular outlay, and you spend more on it in a year than you think – £30 a week is over £1,500 a year! As many petrol stations (including the supermarket ones) run some form of loyalty scheme, it's worth signing up to schemes for the forecourts you'll use most regularly to get a little bit extra back.

However, never choose a petrol station just for its loyalty scheme, as the difference is small compared to petrol price variance (also see the Increase Your Loyalty Stash guide)

Other filling-up tips

There are several other ways to cut the cost of petrol and diesel:

1. Always fill up at least 50 miles before your tank's dry
   Then there's no panic and you've enough time to get to a cheaper petrol station. Leave it longer and you'll fill up at "the next one I see", so you're not focused on the price.
   This is slightly offset by the fact that a lighter car uses less fuel. But with 50 miles of fuel left, the difference is tiny.
2. Only use 'better fuel' if your car can cope
   Many petrol stations sell 'high performance' fuels, yet there's little or no performance difference for most non-performance cars. So only fill up with the super-fuels if you've a sports car or you've been specifically advised your car will actually use the petrol correctly.
   The AA tells us that for most other cars, high performance fuels are too pricey for regular use. But if you're keen, it suggests using a high performance fuel every third or fourth tank full to keep the engine clean and efficient, then revert to normal fuel.
3. Fill up at night?
   Talk of filling up at night getting you more is a slight urban myth, as the differences are minuscule – pennies at best. Petrol pumps are calibrated by volume, so fill up at night when it's cold and you get a tiny, tiny extra bit.
4. Don't try to put more in after the clunk
   Filling up to full isn't great as it adds weight to the car (see how to make your car more efficient). But if you must, don't keep going after the petrol nozzle 'clunks'. If you do, you're overfilling.

Step 4: Pay using a petrol cashback credit card

Cashback credit cards pay you back each time you spend on the card. Traditionally these tended to pay the same rate of cashback whatever you bought, but increasing fuel prices have coincided with a new trend for cards to pay especially high cashback when you fill up your tank.

They are a great way to shave down the cost of fuel, but ALWAYS abide by...

Set up a direct debit to repay the card in full each month, so you never pay interest, which would outstrip any gain.

The reason card companies offer cashback or reward schemes is simple. They want to encourage you to spend on the card and pay them interest. The interest cost of all cashback cards dwarves the cashback you'll earn. For full details on things to consider before applying, see Top Cashback Cards.

Each time you apply for one of these cards, you'll be credit-checked by the lenders. Multiple applications in a short period can impact your future ability to get credit. Read full details in the Credit Rating guide.

The easy way to pay off in full

It's easy to do this via a direct debit, which allows the card company to take a variable monthly amount to correspond with what you owe it. Sadly, some providers deliberately omit the 'pay off in full' option from direct debit forms, as it makes them less money. If so, just write in 'pay off in full'. They should honour it, but call up after a week or so and check it has worked.

The top petrol cashback card

This is the most lucrative cashback card for big petrol spenders. Also, check out the top overall picks in the Top Cashback Cards guide - as they may be suitable if you spend big in other areas.

Good for all-round spending: 5% intro cashback + up to 1.25% after

AMEX PLATINUM EVERYDAY*

The American Express Platinum Everyday* is not specifically a petrol cashback card but as all spending's included, it's worth checking out if you fill up often. You get a massive 5% introductory cashback, then it's tiered up to 1.25%.

Need to knows

• The 5% introductory cashback applies to the first £2,000 you spend in three months up to £100.
• Cashback is tiered, so if you spend £0 to £3,500 you get 0.5% cashback. From £3,500 to £7,500 you get 1%, and all spending above £7,501 attracts the full 1.25% cashback.
• You must spend at least £3,000 on the card or you will get NO cashback.
• Make sure you repay IN FULL each month, or you'll pay interest at 22.9%.

ELIGIBILITY CALCULATOR
(MSE’s free tool)

APPLY*
(at lender site)

Protect your credit score and check chances of getting card

• Stats box

• Cashback: 3mths 5% (max £100), up to 1.25% after.
• Max cashback/year: N/A | Paid out: On card anniversary
• Annual fee: N/A | Min income: £20k household salary
• Min spend: £3,000 | Card issuer: Amex
• Rate: 22.9% representative APR (see Official APR Example)

Good for very heavy fuel users

The AA card gives a good amount of cashback on fuel but you need to spend £500 on it every month (which can include fuel) and there's an annual fee so weigh up which is the best card for you.

Up to 4% cashback on fuel + 0.5% on other purchases

AA FUELSAVE

The AA FuelSave Credit Card is, as the name suggests, geared towards drivers but also gives a small amount of cashback on other spending too. Given its £42 annual fee (taken in £3.50 monthly payments), you need to figure out whether your normal fuel spending would be enough to cover the cost (there's a handy cashback calculator on the AA site).

The key to this card is you only get 4% cashback on fuel if you spend £500 on it EVERY month (which can include fuel) – if you spend less, the cashback's lowered. Here are some examples of the cashback you could earn if you spent £500/mth on the card:

• £90 on fuel plus £410 other spending – £5.65/mth cashback, so £25.80 per year after the annual fee has been deducted.
• £200 on fuel plus £300 other spending – £9.50/mth cashback, £72 per year after the annual fee has been deducted.

Need-to-knows

• The 4% fuel cashback applies if you spend more than £500 on other purchases, though you're limited to £150 cashback per year.
• If you spend less than £500/mth the cashback on fuel drops to 2% (still a better rate than most other cards, though it makes it harder to break even on the fee).
• In the first year you also get AA Roadside Assistance breakdown cover (RRP £39) BUT this subscription will auto-renew after 12 months (possibly at a higher price), so diarise when to cancel. Basic cover from other breakdown providers starts from £22/mth so check ourBreakdown Guide for more information.
• If you keep the card more than 12 months you get a free MOT (worth a max of £54.85) every year you have the card. (Existing AA members get a free MOT in the first year, instead of breakdown cover.)
• Cashback is paid quarterly.
• Make sure you repay IN FULL each month, or you'll pay interest at 14.9% a year.

ELIGIBILITY CHECK NOT AVAILABLE

APPLY
(at lender site)

• Stats box

• Cashback: Up to 4% on fuel, 0.5% elsewhere
• Max cashback/year: £150 | Paid out: Quarterly
• Annual fee: £42 | Min income: £8,000 household salary (exceptions apply)
• Min spend: £3,000 | Card issuer: Mastercard
• Rate: 22.4% representative APR (14.9% on purchases, and £42 annual fee, see Official APR Example)

For full details on all cards and how these compare, see Top Cashback Cards.

Step 5: Share the driving to cut your petrol costs

An easy way to cut petrol costs is to drive less! One option is to share lifts to work with friends. There are a few sites that connect people doing the same journey.

• Liftshare
  Register your details on Liftshare (it says it never uses these for marketing purposes) and enter the journey you'd like to share. Then check its search results for matching commuters. You can also opt for weekly or monthly emails alerting you to new matches, and it also lets you search for potential matches before registering.
  The site's been going since 1998 . It reckons a daily commuter sharing a journey can save around £1,000/year. You'll also find a nifty savings calculator to help work out how much your journey costs, plus how much you could save by sharing with others.
• BlaBlaCar
  Founded in France in 2006, BlaBlaCar came to the UK in 2011 and has 25 million members across 22 countries. It lets you search for potential matches without registering, but you'll need to register for free via Facebook or email if you want to contact a driver or offer a lift.

Anything to watch for?

• Be safe
  The sites store details securely, but when it comes to travelling it's important to be vigilant. Arrange to meet for the first time in a public place, let friends or relatives know what you're doing and check their ID to ensure they are who they say they are.
• Taking passengers shouldn't affect insurance
  If you're giving a lift to someone and asking for a contribution towards petrol costs, the Association of British Insurers says that provided there's no element of profit, your car insurance is unlikely to be affected.
  However, to be completely sure, check with your provider first. Liftshare has a goodtemplate letter you can use.

Your successes using the five-step cheap petrol system

'Do it - you'll be surprised'

Thanks to driving tips from @MoneySavingExp, I have saved myself £20 in fuel in 1 month, driving more carefully. Do it, you'll be surprised.- MoneySaver @mathewhasker on Twitter

'I doubled my fuel economy!'

Over the last 2 years I have almost doubled my fuel economy, without changing vehicles.

1. I drive much more smoothly and don't overtake other car users just to get one or two places further along in a big queue.

2. I leave for work a little later and return home a little later- as a result I no longer spend 30 mins plus on a 4 mile crawl through stop/start traffic on a 26 mile (each way) commute into and out of Aberdeen.

My blood pressure is also lower!- MoneySaver Caleypine

'20 extra miles per tank!'

Results I've got from trying to drive more fuel-efficiently. Most of this has been city driving:

Previously, 33-35 litres gave me around 215 miles.

Driving more carefully increased this to around 235 miles.

Turning engine off at lights increased my mileage to 293 miles.- MoneySaver Krishna

How much can you save?

The savings from following the five-step system can be huge. For someone who drives 15,000 miles a year averaging 35 miles per gallon (12.4 km/litre), just buying petrol at the average UK price would cost £2,127 annually as of May 2016. Cutting this spend by 25% could save £531/year.

To work out the initial approximate cost of running your car, the Gov.uk website has a fuel consumption search tool (it's best for new cars) which will help you work out roughly how much it'll cost you to run your car. Motoring website Honest John also has a handy 'real MPG' section where drivers have reported the miles per gallon they actually get.

Fuel cost-cutting

ANNUAL MILEAGE	AVERAGE ANNUAL COST (1)	CUT FUEL COSTS BY 5%	CUT FUEL COSTS BY 20%	CUT FUEL COSTS BY 25%	POTENTIAL SAVING
5,000 miles	£709	£674	£567	£532	£177
15,000 miles	£2,127	£2,021	£1,702	£1,596	£531
30,000 miles	£4,254	£4,041	£3,403	£3,191	£1063
(1) Cost at 35 miles per gallon (12.4 km/litre) at 109.2p/litre. Last updated May 2016, based on May 2016 averages.