Yahoo Finance ‘Low as they’ll get’: When to fill up before Christmas
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and that means it’s time to prepare for the annual trip to see the family.
While Omicron threatens to derail plans, there’s some good news for travellers in the form of lower petrol prices.
Australia’s international benchmark oil price has fallen from US$107 a barrel in October to US$89, the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) has reported.
“Broadly speaking, prices are falling pretty much everywhere [but] they’re falling slowly,” NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury told Yahoo Finance.
Many cities won’t reach the bottom of their cycle until after Christmas, and around New Year’s day.
Average prices in each capital city and when to fill up
Fill up now:
Melbourne: 149.1 cents per litre.
Prices in Melbourne are “as low as they’ll get”, so motorists should fill up now.
Brisbane: 151.6 cents per litre.
Prices are now at the bottom of their cycle, with motorists urged to fill up now.
Prices are falling:
Sydney: 168 cents per litre.
Adelaide: 157.6 cents per litre.
Perth: 166.3 cents per litre.
Prices in these three cities continue to fall, meaning motorists will have a few days to grab a bargain.
Prices are stable:
Hobart: 178.4 cents per litre.
Canberra: 169.3 cents per litre.
Darwin: 199 cents per litre.
Hobart, Canberra and Darwin are seeing stable prices, meaning motorists are better off shopping around for a deal than waiting for prices to fall.
Khoury urged all motorists, regardless of city, to shop around when it comes to filling up before Christmas.
“For example, in Sydney there’s a $27 saving if you fill up at the cheapest compared to the most expensive petrol station,” he said.
That’s based on filling up a full tank of petrol in a typical sedan.
And with motorists likely to travel on new routes and through different towns after two years away from loved ones, it’s a good idea to research the cheapest towns for petrol.
“Do your research - you want to pull up in a cheap town, rather than an expensive one.”
Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter.
