What is the best day and time to buy petrol and diesel?
Is there a cheapest day of the week to fill up? What the data shows about UK fuel price patterns and what to do instead of chasing the calendar.
Drivers often ask for a magic day. In the UK, daily average price moves are usually small compared with the gap between stations, so where you buy matters more than when.
What to look at
- Our weekly and monthly fuel price reports show which weekday was cheapest on average.
- When oil prices are rising, buying sooner usually beats waiting; when they are falling, forecourts are slow to pass on cuts, so prices lag.
- Prices at the same station can change several times a day.
A better rule
Fill up when you are at about a quarter of a tank at the cheapest convenient station, rather than running low and being forced into a motorway stop. Use the map to check prices around you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monday the cheapest day for fuel?
There is no reliable rule. Daily differences are small; the station you choose makes a much bigger difference.