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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Your awareness of petrol prices?

214 replies

Netcurtainnelly · 28/03/2026 19:25

How aware are you when you fill up your car if what it's costing you?

Talking to a family member yesterday, who uses their car to travel round for work,and they said they just fill up and don't bother really keeping track of the cost.

Surely if self employed, you'd need to know as you mean need to adjust your prices to your customers you visit.

Do you just fill up and pay or are you actively tracking the price.
AIBU to assume, someone who is self employed and visiting customers would be monitoring the costs?

OP posts:
ThatLimeBiscuit · 30/03/2026 20:34

Bjorkdidit · 30/03/2026 07:28

Mileage allowances are set by HMRC.

For fuel only, its reviewed every 3 months, Google advisory fuel rates hmrc.

For total running costs for using your own car, its been 45 p a mile for getting on for 30 years. It used to be quite generous and obviously should be reviewed.

However it probably wouldn't go up that much as despite recent price rises, fuel is still cheaper than it was in the early 2000s when I remember paying close to £2 a litre for diesel. A lot of people also pay less road tax now if they have a pre 2017 low emissions car. Although other costs like insurance and servicing have probably increased

Employers don’t have to use HMRCs rates though. If an employer pays less than HMRCs rate, the employees can claim tax relief on the difference, and if an employer pays more, the employee will be taxed on the difference.

celticprincess · 30/03/2026 22:30

Well, our local supermarket petrol station ran out of fuel and closed. Prices aren’t putting people off. People are panic buying. I need to fill up weekly to get around for work so I’m hoping it doesn’t last.

BIossomtoes · 30/03/2026 23:08

Most people need to put fuel in their cars. The price will have to go through the roof before they’re put off.

Manicmondayss · 30/03/2026 23:44

No wonder the petrol station by me was so busy today. Wallys panic buying

Dontbeatwat · 31/03/2026 00:22

We have an EV so no, I haven't noticed. Heating oil on the other hand....🙀

MikeRafone · 31/03/2026 05:35

Manicmondayss · 30/03/2026 23:44

No wonder the petrol station by me was so busy today. Wallys panic buying

Many people are paid on the last few days of the month and people then fill up with fuel for the month. It’s normal habitual behaviour

ContentedAlpaca · 31/03/2026 07:29

Happy to have been one of the Wallys. My car was down to a range of 80 miles and I'd normally have waited another journey, taking it down to about 40 before filling up, but I filled up yesterday instead.

Maybe people's buying patterns have changed a bit, like mine, but it's not like people have spare tanks sat around that they can fill up like they might a cupboard full of loo roll.

Sirzy · 31/03/2026 07:35

I got paid today. I go away in a few days so will be doing a 400 mile round trip. So yes I am happy to be a wally later!

Mokel · 31/03/2026 07:45

With petrol prices - just don't understand why some PS were the cheapest in my area (within 5 miles of home) or within 2 miles of my work - 18 miles away, are now one of the most expensive.

Some PS about a mile apart were 1-2p difference. Now its 5-7p.

3 weeks ago, My friend filled up with fuel at her local Morrisons before buying a few items of shopping there. On exiting, she drove past the PS and it went up 5p. She was glad to fill up before shopping - another £2.20 more.

I have around 140 miles left in the tank and probably need to fill up around the end of next week.

Fortunately I am hybrid but had to go to the office Friday and yesterday for training.

Catza · 31/03/2026 07:49

I am aware of the prices but I don't track the costs. It costs what it costs, it's not like I can go without. Same for food, I prefer not to look at prices of things I buy every time. It's not like there is any alternative as I already shop at Lidl or buy supermarket own brand.

Xmasbaby11 · 31/03/2026 07:56

I get petrol once a month max so price fluctuations don’t have much impact on me. It might be £40 or a bit more depending how empty the tank is. Dh drives more than me so tells me about petrol prices so I may change where I get petrol depending on that. We live in a city so plenty of choice - I pass 3 driving to the gym, which takes 10-15 mins.

OllysArmyRidesAgain · 31/03/2026 08:12

Never have I been so happy that we switched to EVs and put in solar. I try to keep my mileage low and walk when I can, but DM is unwell, and so I have to drive to her house often and do hospital trips. My electric bill has increased with the extra mileage, but nothing like the equivalent cost for diesel.

Before switching to an EV a good few years ago DH had a large SUV that cost around £100 to fill up (weekly), it would be nearing £180 now.

However, I realise that having an EV doesn't protect me from all the other increases

janj52301 · 12/04/2026 12:11

We have one consistently cheap petrol station near us and there is a Costco about 20 mins away, I use petrolprices.com to check before filing up. Always amazes me that there are people filling up at the THREE other garages in the same street that can be up to 5p a litre more.

Loulou4022 · 12/04/2026 15:57

I have an app on my phone that I use to track my mpg fuel costs etc. no need I just find it interesting. I allocate about £50 per week (commuting) and think I’m going to have to up this amount a bit. I try to fill up where it’s a little cheaper but often they’re much of a muchness and I need the fuel so not much I can do although I have been driving a bit slower to eeck it out!

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