Drivers filling up their cars at the petrol station have been warned to remove three items from their cars immediately in order to save money.

Motorists have been told they can boost their fuel efficiency and cut down on petrol and diesel costs by following a simple tip to reduce weight in their cars.

Filling up at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s or any other major forecourts, can be made cheaper when maximising fuel efficiency, experts say.

One of their top tips is to remove heavy items such as luggage, sports equipment and unnecessary bags to decrease weight and strain on your engine.

Rebecca Bebbington, a personal finance expert at NetVoucherCodes, said: “Removing unnecessary items from your vehicle can reduce its weight, leading to improved fuel efficiency.

“Extra weight places a strain on your engine, causing it to work harder and consume more fuel. Regularly declutter your car by removing items that you don't need for your journey, such as sports equipment, excess luggage, or bulky items.”

Similar advice has been shared by the RAC, who say: “While this isn’t going to make the biggest difference to your mpg figures it stands to reason that the heavier a vehicle is, the more fuel it will use.

“For that reason, don’t keep unnecessary items in your boot as they all add weight to your vehicle, which is not going to help your fuel economy in the long run.”

While the AA added: “The more weight in your car, the more fuel will be required to get it up to speed, so it’s worth having a good clear out of any unnecessary weight.

“This is particularly true of the boot, especially if it’s full of clutter. Empty it out and only keep the essentials.

“If your vehicle also has removable roof bars on, take them off as these will also increase fuel usage as there will be more drag created.

“If you want to go a step further, you could think about driving around with less fuel in the car and topping up more regularly – such as always keeping the tank between a quarter and half a tank of fuel.”