IN BRIEF:
- Fuel prices are increasing amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
- The government reports real-time petrol prices, but some apps make them easier to track.
Australians are paying more at the bowser than they have in months, amid strikes in the Middle East leading to oil price shocks and the fuel excise being paid in full.
A cut to the fuel excise, implemented in April to offer Australians relief amid skyrocketing petrol prices at the height of tensions in the war in the Middle East, ended on 3 August.
Opening the war in the Middle East to a new front, Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen seized control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and disabled the vital Saudi Arabian East-West pipeline, causing oil price spikes.
Brent crude shot above US$100 ($142) on Monday, more than 8 cents per litre, according to the NRMA weekly fuel report. The report also predicted that wholesale prices would continue to rise and that average unleaded prices would rise in Sydney from 237.8 cents per litre to at least 240 cents per litre over the coming week.
Diesel prices similarly spiked with Sydney’s current average diesel price at 286.1 cents per litre.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Experts have warned that these fluctuations could become the "new normal".
Alison Reeve, program director of energy and climate at the Grattan Institute, told SBS News this week that while Australians can "adjust to a new normal" of sustained high fuel costs, it's "volatility that's actually more dangerous to the economy than a price that goes high and stays high".
Fluctuating prices make it more challenging for governments, industry, and households to plan ahead.
However, there are a range of simple hacks you can use to find more affordable fuel amid the uncertainty.
Where to find the cheapest fuel in your city
Peter Khoury, head of media at the NRMA, said price gaps between petrol stations can be significant — sometimes as much as 20 or 30 cents per litre — in the same neighbourhood.
"We know that there are several service stations now charging over $3 a day for a litre of diesel, whereas the average is still below $3 and $2.94. So we want people to find the best bargain before they fill up."
But thankfully, he said, "it's easier to do that now than it has ever been before".
In Australia, each state and territory government receives and publishes real-time data on petrol prices. These are available to all motorists through state government websites and some apps.
Additionally, for some states, free apps integrate this public government data with GPS integration to direct you to your closest and cheapest station, or the ability to compare prices across areas.
Others, such as Petrol Spy and Fuel Map, use a mix of crowdsourced and government data, depending on where you are in Australia.
Petrol Spy (nationwide)
Petrol Spy AU/NZ is a free app that covers almost 8,500 petrol stations across Australia. It uses government data on prices for all states and territories except for Victoria, where it employs crowdsourced updates. Petrol Spy also tracks historical pricing trends and graphs to show whether fuel prices are rising or falling in major metropolitan areas.
Fuel Map (nationwide)
The app and website use crowd-sourced data from across Australia and government data for WA, NSW and Queensland.
My NRMA (Members only, NSW/ACT)
My NRMA is the membership, rewards, and lifestyle program offered by the National Roads and Motorists' Association in Australia. Its FuelFinder app allows consumers to compare fuel prices nearby, set alerts when prices drop and stack fuel discounts to save.
MotorMouth (nationwide)
One of the free fuel price comparison apps that is recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Vroom Fuel Price Compare (QLD, NSW, TAS, and WA)
An app that uses official state government pricing databases to show up-to-date fuel costs.
The government resources include:
NSW/ACT
NSW Fuel Check (website and app)
Northern Territory
MyFuel NT (website)
Tasmania
FuelCheck TAS (website and app)
South Australia
RAA SA (website and app)
Victoria
ServoSaver via the Service Victoria app
Western Australia
WA FuelWatch (website and app)
Which day is best to fill up?
The short answer is there isn't one, despite a persistent myth that Tuesday is the optimal day.
Khoury said Perth was the only Australian city still on a seven-day petrol price cycle.
"It might still be that Tuesday is the cheapest day in Perth and then Wednesday is the most expensive as it's a seven-day cycle, but apart from there, there's no particular day. "
"It really is a matter of just making sure you check those prices before you fill up."
Khoury's message was clear: the best way to save money at the bowser was a little bit of planning.
"Plot your journey," he said.
"There's always going to be a spread of prices, no matter where you live, but also, if you're heading away for the holidays, there is every chance you're going to drive to or through a place that's cheaper than where you are.
"Find the cheaper servos and the cheapest towns, because you can save a lot of money."
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
