Aussies feeling the pinch in bowser pain

Aussie drivers spend about $62 each week on fuel, adding up to more than $3200 annually.

Millennials spend the most at the bowser, according to research by Compare the Market, with their weekly fill-up putting them back about $78, while Boomers are spending the least at about $38.

Gen Z were the second-highest spenders, forking out about $72 per week on petrol – closely followed by Gen X, who spent approximately $71.

Compare the Market’s Chris Ford said sometimes it was the small habits that could make a difference.

“Households across Australia are continuing to feel the pinch,” Mr Ford said.

“Inflation is cooling, but that doesn’t mean things are cheaper – they just aren’t increasing as fast as they were a year ago.”

He said the use of a petrol price comparison app could alert drivers to cheaper options nearby, rather than sticking with the same servo every time and simply absorbing the cost. “I know one case personally where a colleague saved $291 in a year on fuel just by checking prices nearby rather than just rolling up to the closest servo,” Mr Ford said.

While people are slowly beginning to drive more after the Covid pandemic, the research revealed more than three in five Aussies were changing their driving habits due to the rising cost of petrol.

“We’ve seen people cut back on their daily driving habits, but one possible reason we could be seeing this creep in the number of annual kilometres driven is that more people are going on road trips instead of heading overseas for their holiday,” Mr Ford said.