gasoline prices

[Katelyn]

What does everyone think of the gas prices lately? Instead of putting in $5 and getting my tank half full, it costs me $10 to get it 'almost' half full! It really pisses me off. Do they think that everyone is made of money around here? We supply Iran with food and weapons. All Clinton has to do is raise the prices for the food and weapons. It doesn't take a genius to figure all this out.

Tell me what you think.

[blu_theatrics]

it has actually went down here in Indiana. Of course those days of 99 cent gas are far gone, but it's better than that 2 dollar stuff we had a while ago.

[mwedzi]

Yes, I've heard gas prices are skyrocketing back in the states. But as I've heard it, gas prices are cheaper in the states than most other countries, so count yourselves lucky.

[matthewg]

Hi everybody,
just a little example - in Germany we currently pay little less than a US-Dollar for a liter, that is approximately a quarter gallon! Count yourself lucky!
I think it has nothing to do with Iran - Venezuela, Mexico, Saudi-Arabia and lots of other countries are members of the OPEC and thus control crude oil prices.

[Eli]

matt you said it before I could! Germany has the highest prices, so Im not about to complain. I remember paying about four dollars a gallon when I was there. When I was in Australia, it was high there too. I dont mind though about todays prices. I dont really care that gas is 1.50 here. I just grin and bear it, worrying about something so trivial as a gallon of gas will give you a heart attack. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Easy E www.angelfire.com/va2/gammachi (http://www.angelfire.com/va2/gammachi)

[Siobhan]

Here's your reply from up north. Lately in BC it has been about 72.9 cents/litre (CAD). So it is better than it has been, but I long for the days of 50 something cents per litre http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

[SilverTurtle]

It's not even that gas prices are that high in the U.S... it's that they are heavily taxexd. (Around $.40/gallon). So if you're paying $1.50, the cost is only about $1.10, you just have to give all that extra cash to Uncle Sam.

------------------
SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity (http://www.phibeta.com)
Phi chapter (http://homepages.go.com/~phibetaphichapter/index.html)

[mwedzi]

I'm the tree-hugger type, so I'm thinking, maybe this will help us cut back on driving so much and it will be better for our environment as a whole http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

[matthewg]

just to add some info - in Germany half of the gas price is tax! That makes things a little funny because our current government wants us to drive less for environmental reasons (that what they say...) and is, on the other hand, the one that profits most from those who drive most. Pretty paradox......

[SilverTurtle]

I would love to be able to utilize public transportation more. Unfortunately, where I live it's terrible, and you can't rely on it to get you to and from work on time every day.

I did recently move to an area where I can walk or bike to most of the places I need to go, which is really nice.


------------------
SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity (http://www.phibeta.com)
Phi chapter (http://homepages.go.com/~phibetaphichapter/index.html)

[Corbin Dallas]

Blu-Theatrics, where you at in Indiana? I go to school in Terre Haute, and live near Bloomington.

The reason gas is cheaper in Indiana is because the Governor suspended the gas tax for a month. However, it's 15 cents cheaper in Indianapolis than it is where I live! That's rediculous!

It's not the fact that we have to pay $1.40 per gallon for gas. Like it was said, that's cheap compared to other countries. What sucks is that gas prices doubled in a year! At the end of my freshman year, I paid $0.70 per gallon, and early this summer, it was actually tripled in some places. THAT, is what gets me!

------------------
Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

[ZetaAce]

Katelyn,

We don't supply Iran with food OR weapons. And most oil comes from a consortium of oil providers called OPEC, which is comprised of many different countries.

ZetaAce

Originally posted by Katelyn:
What does everyone think of the gas prices lately? Instead of putting in $5 and getting my tank half full, it costs me $10 to get it 'almost' half full! It really pisses me off. Do they think that everyone is made of money around here? We supply Iran with food and weapons. All Clinton has to do is raise the prices for the food and weapons. It doesn't take a genius to figure all this out.

Tell me what you think.

[ZChi4Life]

Yes the gas prices do suck. Is anyone in Michigan? I just went to Indiana last week and I didn't know it was cheaper there! It made me wanna fill up some gas cans and take'em back w/ me LOL! But I wish Michigan would lower their prices like some of the other surrounding states have. My parents just helped me buy a Jeep and boy does that thing guzzle some gas! I want my little Shadow back...well not really. But I would enjoy it right now as far as buying gas goes http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
A Radiant Lady of
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.
http://www.umich.edu/~zchi

[Eli]

Ya know,

John Denver has his own gasoline reserves (he bought thousands of gallons a long time ago, when it was thought the supply would run out). Lets go raid his supplies! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Easy E

[SilverTurtle]

ZChi-

I'm in Ohio, so I'm feelin' ya on the supa high gas prices. I heard (as in, I have no information to actually back this up) that the midwest was being used as a test market to see how people react to prices being increased so much and so fast. (Which explains why it's $.30/gallon cheaper in Georgia, but I don't know about Indiana). Anyways, the midwest is the general test market for lots of national things, so it would make sense, if it is true. Sucks to be average midwesterners, eh?

matthewg-
you're right, gas is cheap in the U.S. compared to other (European) countries. But Americans are used to getting a great abundance for a little cost (have you seen the portions restaurants hand out over here?!) http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity (http://www.phibeta.com)
Phi chapter (http://homepages.go.com/~phibetaphichapter/index.html)

[tickledpink]

I rec'vd an email that said that gas in London is $6.00 per gallon. Is this true?

[Billy Optimist]

THERE is a more recent topic about this now so just for a minute, can we all do the bump? bump bump bump bump

[Siobhan]

Originally posted by tickledpink:
I rec'vd an email that said that gas in London is $6.00 per gallon. Is this true?

My parents were back in England recently (visiting Family) and they rented a car, a vauxhaul cavalier. the vauxhaul cavalier is the british version of the chevy cavalier. So to put things into perspective, I have a cavalier and it usually costs me about $25-$35 to fill up. In England, it cost my parents 40 pounds to fill up the same car. 40 pounds is about $80 CD!!!! Glad I don't live in Europe right now.

[DGPhoney]

Ok , Gas prices are extremly severe, I mean today on my way home for schoo,my poor little gas guzzling Galant needed some gas, and I nearly fell out at the gas station because i kicked out $1.90 for regular gas , I mean thats crazzy and then I heard on the news that this summer might go up to $3.00. I mean I am feeling everyones anger on it, but I wonder is there anything logical to do to get prices back to them sweet days of $1.25, oh well nice dream eh,
DGPhoney~

[amycat412]

$2.25 here for Premium in Los Angeles. Cost me $30 to fill up my Jetta! ACK! Its seriously enough to make me stop driving in protest.

[PenguinTrax]

There is an alternative...hybrid electric cars. We own the Toyota version, the Prius (http://www.toyota.com/prius), and it's wonderful. Even running the A/C today, the current MPG is around 47. Without the A/C we get about 50-53 MPG. It seats 4-5, is very plush inside and has a 12 gallon gas tank that gets us about 400-500 miles, depending.

The Honda Insight is another hybrid electric car that's available now. It's a 2-seater, manual transmission.

Toyota is working with Ford to develop hybrid technology for them. A hybrid version of the Escape SUV is planned for 2003.

Barbara
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/tiere/pengy.gif

[ThetaDancer]

Bumping this old thread after reading this (http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/080311/031008_gas_prices.html) article.

I'm curious to find out what gas prices are around the country. What is the price per gallon in your area? Has it changed the way you travel?

[DaemonSeid]

Bumping this old thread after reading this (http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/080311/031008_gas_prices.html) article.

I'm curious to find out what gas prices are around the country. What is the price per gallon in your area? Has it changed the way you travel?

3.25 in DC

3.17 in Baltimore

http://re3.yt-thm-a01.yimg.com/image/25/m2/2305827876

[AlethiaSi]

Gasbuddy (http://gasbuddy.com/)
You can search for gas prices around the country and in your area... My area, its $3.29- $3.49
I was in Jersey/AC area this weekend and gas was $3.00.... and they pump it for you!!! :mad: :D

[GeekyPenguin]

$2.96 at my house in MN, $3.17 at my house in WI.

[SthrnZeta]

$3.05-$3.15 here, but of course that's for unleaded 87 - I'm the lucky one putting premium in my car (stupid Turbo Jetta!) so I end up paying about $40 to fill up. Over the river in SC it's about 10 cents cheaper a gallon.

[ree-Xi]

If you read the beginning of this thread from 2000, people were complaining it took $10 to half-fill their tanks! It's all relative, isn't it?

Where I am in the northeast, cheapest unleaded is $3.21 per gallon. Thankfully my Jeep will be paid off this year so that will give me back some nice change.

I am also thankful that winter is about over, if only because home heating fuel is $$$$$. My sister spent almost $700 last month in home heating oil. It's a disgrace! We have propane which is cheaper, but it still adds up.

[nittanyalum]

http://re3.yt-thm-a01.yimg.com/image/25/m2/2305827876
Hilarious!

[SthrnZeta]

Hilarious!

Yeah, I hijacked that for later use.

The beginning of the thread is crazy - it really is all relative. The question has been asked - at what price will people start refusing to pay? The same has been asked about movie ticket prices... Both are ridiculous. Yet we continue to pay them. :(

[ISUKappa]

$3.79/gallon for diesel. It cost almost $80 to fill up the Jeep the other day.

[lisarpotter]

This funny.... it really is all relative, I agree. I remember when $10 used to fill up my tank,back when it was .99 cents per gallon. I also remember when I was outraged to pay $1.80 a few years ago when a gas pipeline burst in the phoenix area and there was a shortage. We all stood in line forever to pay $1.80 and were SOOO upset. Now I roll up and pay over $3 no without even thinking about it. :rolleyes:

[DaemonSeid]

Yeah, I hijacked that for later use.

The beginning of the thread is crazy - it really is all relative. The question has been asked - at what price will people start refusing to pay? The same has been asked about movie ticket prices... Both are ridiculous. Yet we continue to pay them. :(
Pretty soon someone will bootleg gas like they bootleg movies.....

[AGDee]

How do we refuse to pay for gas? I wouldn't be able to get to work if I didn't buy gas. No work=homeless. It's not an option. There is no mass transportation that is available and feasible for me. I will have to pay whatever price it is no matter what. Thankfully, I have a Chevy Aveo that gets around 29 mpg city/35 highway. Unfortunately, there is so much road construction that even when I take the highway now, I'm getting city gas mileage.

[Tom Earp]

It is called devaluation of the American Dollar and since oil is traded for $$ the price of oil goes up and so it goes gas at the pump to car tanks.

I drive a 9 year old Honda that gets good gas mileage and drive 4.5 miles daily.

So, maybe we can thank thoses that drive SUVs, RVs, PU Trucks, and drive go fast boats at the local lakes that eat gas up.:o

Or, how about those who live in the country for the living and drive 60-100 miles daily to and from work?

We aint seen nothing yet!:rolleyes:

[justabeachbrat]

How do we refuse to pay for gas? I wouldn't be able to get to work if I didn't buy gas. No work=homeless. It's not an option. There is no mass transportation that is available and feasible for me. I will have to pay whatever price it is no matter what.

I was in the same position when working in los angeles. There is light rail now, but doesn't reach wide area, and if you work a weird work schedule like graveyard to do news editing, you're sunk.

To use "mass transit" and get to work, I would have had to take a bus to to the light rail station, then the train to LA, then shuttle bus to job. Problem was the last bus that connected with the train was around 7 p.m. and when i got there, standing a bus stop alone at night in downtown LA, no.
Then, to get home, would have to do it all over, again. Total of 2 hrs one way, sometimes more, mass transit. Driving--1 hr.
I've been out of LA for a few years, moving back for school, and the cost of gas is affecting where I look for housing. I would love to live at the beach again, but it's too far for school.

[Scully]

Gas is up to $3.49 today. I travel from Queens County to Suffolk County everyday. I have a 60 mile round-trip to work and that does not include the extra distance I travel to run errands in the evenings and on weekends. Plus, on Wednesdays, it's an 84 mile round-trip when I go out to the barn (but I'll follow my riding instructor anywhere)! It costs a little over $40.00 to fill up my tank. And unfortunately, I have to fill up about 1.5 times per week.

ETA: There is no convenient mass transit from my house to the office. I live by the LIRR, but there are no bus or train stops remotely close to my job.

[ree-Xi]

It is called devaluation of the American Dollar and since oil is traded for $$ the price of oil goes up and so it goes gas at the pump to car tanks.

I drive a 9 year old Honda that gets good gas mileage and drive 4.5 miles daily.

So, maybe we can thank thoses that drive SUVs, RVs, PU Trucks, and drive go fast boats at the local lakes that eat gas up.:o

Or, how about those who live in the country for the living and drive 60-100 miles daily to and from work?

We aint seen nothing yet!:rolleyes:

*Preface - I don't know a lot about economics, so this comes from my my personal perceptions.*

Screw the valuation of the dollar crap. When people have to choose between a week of groceries and a tank of gas, that's a crisis.

Now, before I get to my point, let me clarify a few of your assertions.

- Many people live in the country because in many places, living in the city is getting very cost-prohibitive. The state where we just moved from, to rent a studio apartment (600 sq ft) was $1700. When we looked for a house, we had to move almost 40 miles out from the city limits to find affordable homes. My husband had an almost 2-hour commute, whether he took the train or drove). Sure we could move to east podunk, but the jobs aren't there. WHere we live now, it's still $$$ to live near the city. I know people who spend 4+ hours a day commuting, just so they can make the money they need to cover the basics.

- I drive a small suv, because there are safety reasons I did so. Weather is a huge concern here, and for half the year, you need four-wheel drive to deal with frozen precipiation, a higher wheel base due to local flooding (a big problem that I have encountered living near wetlands), a heavier car (ever have to put bricks in your crappy little car trunk so that you don't spin out on ice?), etc. Plus, in most sedans, I cannot see over the steering wheel or reach the pedals well enough.

Public transportation is either a non-entitiy or not sufficient enough for most people in the country, I would imagine. Building it from the ground up would be a mammouth expenditure of time and money.

So let's place the blame where we should - the big oil companies, who raise crude oil prices for every fluctation in the economy, weather, politics, mating seasons of the silver squirrel - then post record billion-dollar earnings the following quarter.

What I don't understand (and if someone who is clued in can explain) is how the oil companies raise the cost of a barrel of oil. Let's say that two weeks ago, the cost per barrel was $60. It's at $70 today because a storm blew over a rig in the Gulf. Suddenly, Joe Schmo's Gas station raises the cost per gallon from $3.19 to 3.31, although he bought his gasoline at the $60 per barrell cost. How is that justifiable?

We can also thank the state governments who impose higher gas taxes. I happen live in a state that has one of the highest gasoline taxes. I don't know a lot about the federal govt's role or grants to states for gas price regulations or funding, but why such a difference?

Does the fed not have a say in something that I would classify as a Utility (a relative necessity such as electricity, water, etc.)? Again, if you know the answer to this, I would love to know what the story is.

Anyway, my point is that the blame does not and should not rest only on the shoulders of the end user. Those who process and supply the product claim that their hands are tied over how much they pay to acquire the oil, yet post record profits. I know that this is a capitalist society, but I believe that as a commodity, oil should be subject to government regulation, because its demand and use are so imperative to the daily functioning of every person in this country (whether you drive or not...remember your groceries get delivered to stores, your water gets heated by some sort of fuel).

If I have misunderstood anything, please correct me. This is how I understnad the situation to be.

[Tom Earp]

Yep, devaluation of the Dollar means it is worth less!

Are We getting screwed, I would say yes to that.

I drive 4.5 miles a day as I live close to where my business is. Why, for many reasons.

Do I know people who moved to Podunck City in the country and commute, yes I do!

So, in Podunk City, they have to drive to a bigger City to get gas, groceries, clothing centers, work out gyms, movie theaters or what ever. Does it cost more to drive their SUVs, yes, do they mind, no! Do they have excuses yes.

Do they complain, yes.

But the cost still goes up and we get less!:o

[Jill1228]

The cheapest place to fill up here is Costco. When i got gas the other day it was $3.39--I think it has gone up since then

I am traumatized because on Friday night, Mr. 1228 had me fill up his pickup (Toyota Tundra)--to the tune of $75 :eek:

I will stick with driving my civic, thank you

[Tom Earp]

The cheapest place to fill up here is Costco. When i got gas the other day it was $3.39--I think it has gone up since then

I am traumatized because on Friday night, Mr. 1228 had me fill up his pickup (Toyota Tundra)--to the tune of $75 :eek:

I will stick with driving my civic, thank you

Why I have always loved you JillyBean!

You are smart!!!!:)

[preciousjeni]

What I don't understand (and if someone who is clued in can explain) is how the oil companies raise the cost of a barrel of oil. Let's say that two weeks ago, the cost per barrel was $60. It's at $70 today because a storm blew over a rig in the Gulf. Suddenly, Joe Schmo's Gas station raises the cost per gallon from $3.19 to 3.31, although he bought his gasoline at the $60 per barrell cost. How is that justifiable?

If only... we're closing in on $110/barrel. To attempt to answer your question, there is always a delay in the increase or decrease at the pump because of what you're talking about. But, it looks like you might not realize how quickly gasoline is consumed at gas stations. Most larger gas stations get their gas once a day or once every few days. Gas stations don't make a much of a profit on the gas - they make their money in the convenience store. It's the local government that rakes it in with the tax on gas.

Gas stations also play a balancing game with the price. Too much = consumers go elsewhere. Too little = not enough money to pay for the next day's gas off the truck and the gas runs out...end result, consumers go elsewhere.

[Sister Havana]

Gas prices jumped up to $3.43-$3.45 around here yesterday. I filled up (had half a tank left) at "only" $3.27 at a station that hadn't yet increased prices.

[AGDee]

I was excited to find a station that was at $3.19 yesterday. Most were $3.29. I was kicking myself for not buying it the night before when it was $3.09.

Then I think "It's really pathetic when I'm happy to pay $3.19."

[ree-Xi]

Here's an idea... let's cut the gasoline tax and recoup it with increasing tax on cigarrettes!

We need gasoline (and home heating fuels)...no one NEEDS cigs!
:p

[Thetagirl218]

Here's an idea... let's cut the gasoline tax and recoup it with increasing tax on cigarrettes!

We need gasoline (and home heating fuels)...no one NEEDS cigs!
:p

The State of Florida is acutally thinking of raising the cigrraate tax by a dollar and a half. They are facing a huge deficit this year, thanks in part to our crazy governor who loves to spend money we just don't have! Ok, I will end my rant now! :rolleyes:

[texas*princess]

I live about 2 miles away from my office, and everywhere else I would possbily need to go is within about a 20 mile radius..... Generally I fill up my tank about once .. *maybe* twice a month.

Gas prices here used to be bad... then they went down again ($2.80/$2.90 range).. then all of a sudden it went up to $3.05... Ok cool.

Then I fill up my tank last week and it's $3.35/gal for the cheap stuff! :rolleyes:

Wowzers.

Supposedly it's only going to get worse. Maybe this is the scary media trying to freak everyone out, but I hear it's going to be over $4/gal for the cheap stuff by the end of Spring

[ree-Xi]

If only... we're closing in on $110/barrel. To attempt to answer your question, there is always a delay in the increase or decrease at the pump because of what you're talking about. But, it looks like you might not realize how quickly gasoline is consumed at gas stations. Most larger gas stations get their gas once a day or once every few days. Gas stations don't make a much of a profit on the gas - they make their money in the convenience store. It's the local government that rakes it in with the tax on gas.

Gas stations also play a balancing game with the price. Too much = consumers go elsewhere. Too little = not enough money to pay for the next day's gas off the truck and the gas runs out...end result, consumers go elsewhere.

Thank you for breaking this down for me. I didn't understand how quickly the domino effect happened.

[twinkle555]

Supposedly it's only going to get worse. Maybe this is the scary media trying to freak everyone out, but I hear it's going to be over $4/gal for the cheap stuff by the end of Spring

^^^oh shiz...$4/gal = I will die of starvation and be in debt til Im 90.

[LaneSig]

$3.14/regular unleaded in Dallas this morning.

[Thetagirl218]

$3.14/regular unleaded in Dallas this morning.

You suck!! j/k

I just filled up my tank in Tampa Bay today at 3.23, and that was at a cheap gas station that was mostly out of gas! I love gas lines! :mad:

[AKA_Monet]

Smartcars? I'm about to get one. Yes, I know it's a driving coffin, but everytime I see one it cracks me up. And if my streets flood, it might float!

My areas gas prices are ~$3.50+. Costco gas is my friend!

[cheerfulgreek]

The prices here are $3.59/gallon. It's ridiculous! But right now we're caught between a rock and a hard place. We get a lot of our oil from Saudi Arabia, but there's plenty of it in Canada. In fact Canada is only 2nd to Saudi in oil reserves. The problem is it cost too much. It cost about $15 per barrel to produce when we can get it from Saudi Arabia for like $2.00.

I mentioned moving beyond fossil fuels in another thread. I mentioned that we should switch to corn ethanol, but unfortunately it wouldn't be a long term solution. What we can do is use Cellulosic ethanol, because it can be produced from pretty much any carbon based stock, like wood and solid waste. We have so many resources that are possible. I think with more efficient vehicles, alternate fuels and cleaner electric power all coming in the next few years, the high gas prices could be a thing of the past.

[elusive47]

"UK petrol price hits 5 Pounds a gallon"

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=231742

Since the prices in the above article are in pounds I've included a link to a currency conversion page.

http://www.xe.com/ucc

[cheerfulgreek]

"UK petrol price hits 5 Pounds a gallon"

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=231742

Since the prices in the above article are in pounds I've included a link to a currency conversion page.

http://www.xe.com/ucc
The prices are only gonna get worse everywhere.

[aephi alum]

Last time I filled up, I paid over $40. My car is pretty fuel efficient, but it only takes premium... $3.839/gal. :(

My husband, who just HAD to get an SUV :rolleyes: , just paid $50 to fill it up with the cheap stuff. "Cheap stuff" my ass.

We do have it better than much of the developed world, but still... damn.

[jon1856]

This site could become our "best friend" at least until something changes:
http://www.gasbuddy.com/

[smiley21]

In my two door car, I had to fill up the tank at $3.50/gal (premium gas). The total was $50.00 :(

[sunnyhibiscus]

Gas prices are now almost $3.70 on average. San Francisco is the highest at over $4.00.

It's not just gas prices, but food prices. A gallon of milk in my area is almost $5.00 at the most. Sad, real sad.

[TrojanWoman]

I'm in Los Angeles and filled up for $4.09 in the middle stuff. Premium was $4.19

[Tom Earp]

Kansas City=$3.69 the is the highest That if has ever been!:mad:

Oh, it is a screw job and no really knows care?:rolleyes:

[Tom Earp]

Kansas City=$3.69 the is the highest That if has ever been!:mad:

Oh, it is a screw job and no really knows care?:rolleyes:


OOPs came home today and is $3.89!

Guess I I will quit eating and not pay for Utilities!:rolleyes:

[macallan25]

Kansas City=$3.69 the is the highest That if has ever been!:mad:

Oh, it is a screw job and no really knows care?:rolleyes:

How is it a "screw job" might I ask?

[icelandelf]

It took $74.00 to fill up my tank today. :(

[BabyPiNK_FL]

In Greater Miami/Ft. Lauderdale it's anywhere from $3.48ish-$3.79ish and that's for the regular. I used to fill up my used Honda in '03 for about $15. Now I can fill up my used Corolla for $38. I don't get paid more when gas rises and I don't think anyone else does either. Gas is eating away at my meager earnings...help me...help me...:p

[jon1856]

How is it a "screw job" might I ask?
Well between the Pirates, criminals and terrorists blowing up pipe lines and tankers and speculators jacking up price of oil, Brother I would start to call it "a screw job".
Or something of that nature.
Add to that many of us driving "big rigs" and we are ****ing ourselves.

And to add salt to the wound, just saw a story in AutoWeek that shows driving a Hybrid does not mean you are saving any money! It truly depends on just what you spent on the vehicle and the price of gas.

If you own a sport/utility vehicle, the recent climb toward $4-per-gallon gasoline might have you gasping for air and looking at more fuel-efficient modes of transportation. No question, if you're using the sport/ute for one-person commuting, there are options that are easier on the wallet.
http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/FREE/593545705/1023/LATESTNEWS
Click on the chart for interesting details:
http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/FREE/593545705/1023/LATESTNEWS&template=zoom&Site=CW&Date=20080422&Category=FREE&ArtNo=593545705&Ref=H2&Profile=1023&CRED=

According to www.fueleconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/), the Honda Civic Hybrid has the highest EPA combined mileage for a 2008 small car, at 42 mpg. (The 46-mpg Toyota Prius is classified as a midsize car.) Past champions in the federal fuel-economy derby have posted combined figures in the 50s. What happened?

First, the EPA revised its system for 2008, adjusting the numbers to reflect real-world mileage better. The same Civic Hybrid was rated at 50 mpg for '07. But that's not all. In the early '90s, the mpg top dog was the three-cylinder Geo Metro, a 1650-pound, three-cylinder, 1.0-liter shoebox rated at more than 52 mpg. Even using 2008 methodology, it matches the Prius at 46 mpg. The closest thing to a Metro in '08 is the 1807-pound, 1.0-liter Smart Fortwo, rated at a mere 36 mpg.

http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080421/FREE/160806841/1023/LATESTNEWS

And for those wondering about cars rather than small SUVs-here is a chart of just 3 cars vs their hybrids counter-parts.
http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/default.aspx?c=0&n=6&i=0&tb=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&dt=0&v=t105857&v=t105870&v=t106013&v=t106283&v=t106332&v=t106276
And just to keep chart within same family lines:
http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/default.aspx?c=0&n=6&i=0&tb=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&dt=0&v=t105857&v=t105870&v=t105986&v=t105941&v=t105956

IIRC, we already had a CF/train wreck over the gas companies....

[AGDee]

My Chevy Aveo gets 30 mpg city, 35-38 highway. It has a very very small gas tank too though. I have to fill up every 4 work days at about $30 a fill up. That's still around $120 per pay period. I don't know how those with SUVs or F350's do it, honestly.

[texas*princess]

since i moved around 2 miles from work a year and a half ago, I've been filling up around once every 3-4 weeks which includes the traveling i do on the weekend.

This last weekend I went on a long drive to go to a friend's bridal shower which knocked me down to around 1/2 tank.

Normally I don't fill up again until I get a little below 1/4, but I will be filling up tomorrow... b/c I am scared to bits what the price for REGULAR will be in another week or two :(

I can't even imagine how those people who have long commutes do it.

This shizz is seriously cutting into my fun budget :(

[macallan25]

Well between the Pirates, criminals and terrorists blowing up pipe lines and tankers and speculators jacking up price of oil, Brother I would start to call it "a screw job".
Or something of that nature.
Add to that many of us driving "big rigs" and we are ****ing ourselves.

And to add salt to the wound, just saw a story in AutoWeek that shows driving a Hybrid does not mean you are saving any money! It truly depends on just what you spent on the vehicle and the price of gas.

If you own a sport/utility vehicle, the recent climb toward $4-per-gallon gasoline might have you gasping for air and looking at more fuel-efficient modes of transportation. No question, if you're using the sport/ute for one-person commuting, there are options that are easier on the wallet.
http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/FREE/593545705/1023/LATESTNEWS
Click on the chart for interesting details:
http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/FREE/593545705/1023/LATESTNEWS&template=zoom&Site=CW&Date=20080422&Category=FREE&ArtNo=593545705&Ref=H2&Profile=1023&CRED=

According to www.fueleconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/), the Honda Civic Hybrid has the highest EPA combined mileage for a 2008 small car, at 42 mpg. (The 46-mpg Toyota Prius is classified as a midsize car.) Past champions in the federal fuel-economy derby have posted combined figures in the 50s. What happened?

First, the EPA revised its system for 2008, adjusting the numbers to reflect real-world mileage better. The same Civic Hybrid was rated at 50 mpg for '07. But that's not all. In the early '90s, the mpg top dog was the three-cylinder Geo Metro, a 1650-pound, three-cylinder, 1.0-liter shoebox rated at more than 52 mpg. Even using 2008 methodology, it matches the Prius at 46 mpg. The closest thing to a Metro in '08 is the 1807-pound, 1.0-liter Smart Fortwo, rated at a mere 36 mpg.

http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080421/FREE/160806841/1023/LATESTNEWS

IIRC, we already had a CF/train wreck over the gas companies....

Haha, I know. Just felt like a good time to have the Earp explain something.

I drive a new 4 wheel drive Tahoe. About 90$ to fillerup. Rock on.

[Scandia]

I fill my Corolla up about once a week. It takes about 30 bucks to fill it up. I remember when I got my first car back in 1995- it took 13 dollars to fill it up. I do have a 20 mile or so commute- sometimes with traffic. I can only imagine the nightmare it must be for people with SUVs.

My next car will definitely be a hybrid.

[moe.ron]

I bike to work.

[jon1856]

I fill my Corolla up about once a week. It takes about 30 bucks to fill it up. I remember when I got my first car back in 1995- it took 13 dollars to fill it up. I do have a 20 mile or so commute- sometimes with traffic. I can only imagine the nightmare it must be for people with SUVs.

My next car will definitely be a hybrid.
Scandia-Please read my above links about hybrids which I did edit and update a bit. I too was giving it some thought. Now I am giving it several thoughts.

[RU OX Alum]

I bike to work.

i can't save up enough to buy a bike because I spent all my money on gas.

(kidding)

Avg price for regular (not scientific avgerage, just what I've noticed) is $3.50+ now, I'm glad I filled up the other day, but I know I will need to again.

[Trey_P-I_47]

Gas is skyrocketing in NC too....its average is $3.55+ per gallon.....not to mention my current vehicle is a Dodge Ram 1500, its really getting to be a nightmare. I actually tried to fill my truck up yesterday and the gas pump automatically stopped me at $75.00:eek:

[Tom Earp]

Haha, I know. Just felt like a good time to have the Earp explain something.

I drive a new 4 wheel drive Tahoe. About 90$ to fillerup. Rock on.


Thank you for keeping the gas prices up you friggen gas hog!:rolleyes:

[epchick]

My Chevy Aveo gets 30 mpg city, 35-38 highway. It has a very very small gas tank too though. I have to fill up every 4 work days at about $30 a fill up. That's still around $120 per pay period. I don't know how those with SUVs or F350's do it, honestly.

Holy crap. Do you drive around a lot? Do you know how big your gas tank is?

$30 for 4 days is a whole lot. I have a Hyundai Sonata and I can usually go a week, maybe a week and a few days. It used to take about $30 for a tank of gas, but now w/ the gas prices its more like $35-40 (depending on how much gas i have left).

[ThetaDancer]

I just paid $3.79 for regular :(

[ZTAngel]

I paid $3.49 last night for regular. I can remember only 3 years ago when I was in shock that gas was starting to creep over that $2 mark. That's nothing now!

I really wish public transportation in Atlanta was better. :(

[jon1856]

I paid $3.49 last night for regular. I can remember only 3 years ago when I was in shock that gas was starting to creep over that $2 mark. That's nothing now!

I really wish public transportation in Atlanta was better. :(
1995: Gas $1.14
1996: Gas $1.23
This weeks copy of AutoWeek can get one real depressed.:(

[ZTAngel]

1995: Gas $1.14
1996: Gas $1.23
This weeks copy of AutoWeek can get one real depressed.:(

And those prices are expensive compared to the prices back in 1999! I can remember seeing signs for 87 cents a gallon in Orlando circa 1999.

I really hope that in a few months we're not all saying,"3.49? That's nothing! I pay $5 now."

[cutiepatootie]

i just paid $3.89 for regular this morning and i traded down for a kia spectra...still hurts on a good gas friendly car

[jon1856]

And those prices are expensive compared to the prices back in 1999! I can remember seeing signs for 87 cents a gallon in Orlando circa 1999.

I really hope that in a few months we're not all saying,"3.49? That's nothing! I pay $5 now."
If we really wish to start both looking backing to past and crying at what going on now:
http://zfacts.com/p/35.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_history.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/FAQ.shtml

[kstar]

If only... we're closing in on $110/barrel. To attempt to answer your question, there is always a delay in the increase or decrease at the pump because of what you're talking about. But, it looks like you might not realize how quickly gasoline is consumed at gas stations. Most larger gas stations get their gas once a day or once every few days. Gas stations don't make a much of a profit on the gas - they make their money in the convenience store. It's the local government that rakes it in with the tax on gas.

Gas stations also play a balancing game with the price. Too much = consumers go elsewhere. Too little = not enough money to pay for the next day's gas off the truck and the gas runs out...end result, consumers go elsewhere.

Actually, this isn't quite true. Per gallon prices are figured out using a complicated method that uses the estimated price per barrel that will be in two weeks- the time it takes to turn crude into gasoline. (Per my friend who is a regional manager for a chain of gas stations.)

[aephi alum]

Gas prices are through the roof. But what can you do? I've done everything I can do, short of buying a hybrid. I consolidate my weekend errands, I don't drive at insane speeds on the highway, and most of my commute is by railroad. I'm doing my part, as much as I can.

[Thetagirl218]

Average in Tampa Bay is 3.55 a gallon for the cheap stuff!!! What an oxymoron!

Apparently living near a major port doesn't help us in Tampa and it is actually hurting things in Jacksonville. Gas is on average 3.65 last I heard!

[summer_gphib]

I filled up for $3.26 at Sam's Club. Nice that it's right near my house... but the next day hubby went there and it was $3.39. :(

[lillady85]

I just paid 3.89 for mid grade. It was the cheapest I could find within three miles. :-(

[AEcutiePhi]

In Michigan it's $3.65 for a gallon of gas :'(
Soooooooo depressing to see a 6 hour shift at work go into my gas tank.....

[DeltAlum]

$3.399 today in Suburban Denver.

[AGDee]

Holy crap. Do you drive around a lot? Do you know how big your gas tank is?

$30 for 4 days is a whole lot. I have a Hyundai Sonata and I can usually go a week, maybe a week and a few days. It used to take about $30 for a tank of gas, but now w/ the gas prices its more like $35-40 (depending on how much gas i have left).

My work commute is 25 miles each way plus taking kids to activities, etc. in the evenings.. I sometimes drive 70 or 80 miles in a day. My gas tank only holds 10 gallons so I'm generally buying about 8.5 gallons each time. And, since I work in downtown Detroit, I always have to make sure I fill up before I head to work and never buy gas downtown, so sometimes I'm only buying 7 1/2 or 8 gallons in the morning when I probably *could* have made it to work and back, unless I hit a traffic jam or something.

[Honeykiss1974]

$3.49 for regular unleaded here in Wichita Kansas!

[elusive47]

I don't drive but regular is now up to $3.75 here in Buffalo. It was $3.50 last week.

((((((((((((((people who drive)))))))))))))))))))))

Not that e-hugging actually helps.

[aephi alum]

I posted this back on the 18th in the random thread:

Every morning, I drive past one of the most expensive gas stations in town. (Note, I say I drive past it. ;) ) This week I saw the following prices posted for premium:

Monday: $3.839/gal
Tuesday: $3.899/gal
Wednesday: $3.919/gal
Thursday: $3.939/gal
Friday: $3.999/gal

16 cents in the space of four days.

Oy.

This asshat is now getting $4.119 for premium. Regular still isn't over $4, but it's only a matter of time..........

[smiley21]

I posted this back on the 18th in the random thread:



This asshat is now getting $4.119 for premium. Regular still isn't over $4, but it's only a matter of time..........


Now I don't feel so bad for paying the extra low price of $3.67 for premium. Then again, it is just a matter of time before I will be paying over $4/gal. :(

[jon1856]

Well if you live anywhere near NJ, you have about 5 hours until prices go up 21 cents on NJT and GSP.

[SWTXBelle]

our 3.55 a gallon seems like a bargain!

[aephi alum]

Now I don't feel so bad for paying the extra low price of $3.67 for premium. Then again, it is just a matter of time before I will be paying over $4/gal. :(

You suck. :p Around here, the cheapest gas you can get is $3.679/gal... for regular. I kid you not when I say people line up to get gas there... burning gas while idling in line.

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to buy premium. The Princess will only drink Veuve Clicquot - no Korbel for her. :rolleyes:

[jon1856]

U.S. gasoline theft on the rise along with prices
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. motorists, angered by soaring gasoline prices, are resorting increasingly to theft -- a trend that could worsen heading into summer driving season, a national association of fuel retailers said Thursday.
"It is getting bad. When the price of gasoline goes up, the number of drive-offs goes up," said Dan Gilligan, president of the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, which represents about 8,000 retailers.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2447526520080424?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

There is a Shell station near me that:
1) That has just about always had the lowest price gas in the area.
2) Is, from what I have been told, is the busiest Shell in area.
3) Has at least 2 dedicated tanker deliveries a day.
4) Has pay up front pumps.

And yet it has more cameras on the property than any two banks I have ever been in!
I was told that they added one or two after they realized that someone figured out a dead zone in coverage!

And I should add that this station still has very active bays and when they are busy, an employee is walking around directing traffic flow.

[AGDee]

When you really look at this issue carefully, what's shocking us is that it's going up so quickly. However, gas prices were increasing at less than the rate of inflation for a very long time and it's correcting itself now. When I'm reading posts about 1999 and gas prices were around $1, I think "Hmm, when I was in college, it was around $1/gallon too". So, from the early 80's til the late 90's (20 year span), it barely went up at all. Now it's skyrocketing fast. If it had gone up 10 cents a year from 1980, it would be right around $3.80.. hmmm. 10 cents a year, every year, wouldn't have seemed like a big deal, but to have it go up almost $1.00 over the past year, it hurts more.

I know it hurts, trust me. Food prices, gas prices.. it's all putting a major dent in our budgets.

[sjsoffer]

Last summer, when I bought my bike, I felt silly throwing down $350. If I had a car that whole time, I definitely would have spent much more on that....
I haven't driven in 2 years, at all, so I'm worried about when I finally do have to get a car, how much more broke I'll be :(

[nikki1920]

gas prices are too dayum high!!!!!!! :mad:

[Tom Earp]

gas prices are too dayum high!!!!!!! :mad:

Amazing isn't it how bad we are getting screwed?

Kansas City, Ks.- two days ago it was $3.55 unleaded, and then it will penny a day or three down and jump .12-.14 cents and people flock to the pumps at the higher price!

Thank goodness I drive close to my store and home.:cool:

I am tired as we say in this part of the country of getting stump broke by big companies and Government!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beryana]

When I'm reading posts about 1999 and gas prices were around $1, I think "Hmm, when I was in college, it was around $1/gallon too". So, from the early 80's til the late 90's (20 year span), it barely went up at all. Now it's skyrocketing fast. If it had gone up 10 cents a year from 1980, it would be right around $3.80.. hmmm. 10 cents a year, every year, wouldn't have seemed like a big deal, but to have it go up almost $1.00 over the past year, it hurts more.


Actually in the 90s it went up and then plummeted in 98 or so down to below $1.00/gallon (I recall seeing $.79/gal!). Yes, it has been steadily increasing - but there is still NO reason for it to go up $.20/gal in two days or be as high as it is except for pure, unadulterated greed. And it's greed on the part of some states too, not just oil companies. A few years ago when prices were reaching over $2.00/gal some states dropped their tax on gas to help out - don't see any doing that now (not that Wisconsin did at that time either! Doyle even MADE gas stations raise their prices and set a minimum gas price!).

[macallan25]

Amazing isn't it how bad we are getting screwed?

Kansas City, Ks.- two days ago it was $3.55 unleaded, and then it will penny a day or three down and jump .12-.14 cents and people flock to the pumps at the higher price!

Thank goodness I drive close to my store and home.:cool:

I am tired as we say in this part of the country of getting stump broke by big companies and Government!!!!!!!!!!!

What big companies are screwing you on gas? Oil and gas companies?

[smiley21]

You suck. :p Around here, the cheapest gas you can get is $3.679/gal... for regular. I kid you not when I say people line up to get gas there... burning gas while idling in line.

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to buy premium. The Princess will only drink Veuve Clicquot - no Korbel for her. :rolleyes:

Well guess what? That is what I paid last week. I drove pass the gas station today and premium is now $3.81 or $3.87 (I cannot remember which).

I feel your pain about your car's preference for gas. My car will only accept premium. Oh well.

[summer_gphib]

:eek: There was a line today at Sam's to get gas. It was $3.529 for regular unleaded. Everywhere else it's $3.599. So it was worth the wait.:o

[jon1856]

Ship hired by U.S. military fires warning shots in Gulf
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A cargo ship hired by the U.S. military fired warning shots at approaching boats in the Gulf, the U.S. Navy said on Friday, underscoring tension in the region as the Pentagon sharpened its warnings to Iran.
According to American defense officials, the Westward Venture cargo ship chartered by the U.S. Defense Department was traveling in international waters when two unidentified small boats approached on Thursday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWAT00939920080425

[NappyBison]

Gas is only $3.54 here in NC

I heard that by Memorial Day we'll be hitting the $4.00 mark as well though *sigh*

[ISUKappa]

It was $4.25 for diesel last weekend. Haven't had to fill up yet this week. It's about $70-75 to fill the tank, but that lasts us around 450 miles.

[Jen]

Wow, you guys have it good.

In Canada, we're paying $4.77 a gallon today.

[txdiva]

Wow, you guys have it good.

In Canada, we're paying $4.77 a gallon today.

WOW!!!:eek:

We'll get there, probably before the summer.:rolleyes::mad:

[texas*princess]

What the Hell!!!

I last filled up my car 2 weeks ago. I was hitting the middle so I thought I might as well fill it up.

It used to cost around $30-$32 to fill it up from BELOW THE 1/4 TANK LEVEL.

I was HALFWAY DOWN and it cost me $30.

Soooo either my gas-o-meter on my dashboard is really screwed up and I was actually a lot lower than it was showing.. or gas prices have soared !! :mad::mad::mad:

[GeekyPenguin]

I've had the same car since I graduated high school - I used to be able to fill it completely up for under $15. Last night it was almost $40. Sigh.

[aephi alum]

Soooo either my gas-o-meter on my dashboard is really screwed up and I was actually a lot lower than it was showing.. or gas prices have soared !! :mad::mad::mad:

The latter, sadly.

DH and I both fill up when the gas gauge shows 1/4 tank. I drop $40+ on a fill-up - 13-gal tank, premium only. $4ish per gallon * 10ish gallons = $40ish per fill-up.

DH drops $50+ per fill-up. He puts regular in his SUV, but then again, it's an SUV. He does mostly highway driving, and I do mostly local driving (to the train station) - and we get the same fuel efficiency. He just had to have the boat. :rolleyes:

[1908Revelations]

Soooo either my gas-o-meter on my dashboard is really screwed up and I was actually a lot lower than it was showing.. or gas prices have soared !! :mad::mad::mad:


It should not take $40 (regular) to fill up a Cavalier! WTF!?!?!

[knight_shadow]

It should not take $40 (regular) to fill up a Cavalier! WTF!?!?!

:eek:

Thank God for Honda. I think it's $25 to fill mine up right now.

[Scandia]

Exactly what happened today that prices jumped 5 cents in less than 24 hours?

[AGDee]

They went down 5 cents here in the last 24 hours.

[texas*princess]

It should not take $40 (regular) to fill up a Cavalier! WTF!?!?!

I know!

It wasn't even a FULL TANK!

I don't know for sure how big my tank is because I never wait until it is close to being empty to fill it up.

According to WikiAnswers (since I'm too lazy to go to my car to check the owners manual) the gas tank of my car has a capacity of 15.2 gallons.

The gas station I went to had Regular gas for $3.57/gal

Which would mean an actual FILL UP of my car is $54.264 :eek:

It's a (*&@#$(*@# CAVALIER!!!!

[texas*princess]

Along the lines of gas, thieves are finding new ways to steal it from people.

The article here says it only costs up to $500 to fix, but I heard on the radio just Thursday that it is actually closer to $2K.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/crime/stories/khou080424_mh_gasthieves.96973b9e.html

EDIT:

I tried looking for other articles relating to this type of gas theft and found this instead. (http://www.tv.ku.edu/news/2005/03/29/high-gas-prices-provoke-drive-offs/)

Wow. If drive-offs were that bad when the price was $2.15... I'm scared what will be happening now as we head into $4.

[Honeykiss1974]

I hear yall! I drive a '00 Toyota Corolla and when I'm near "E" it takes about $35-$40 to fill my tank up. And I drive a "fuel efficient" car. :( My prayers are with those of you who drive SUVs and mini vans.

[luv n tpa]

Well if you live anywhere near NJ, you have about 5 hours until prices go up 21 cents on NJT and GSP.

I drove home from school on Thursday. GSP was $3.17 ... the lines for the rest stops overflowed onto parkway lanes! It would have taken me over an hour to get gas. When I drove back up on Friday, $3.38 was still cheaper than spots in town.

I'm seriously considering going out of my way to a rest stop this week if prices continue to soar.

[Leslie Anne]

$4.01 today in the Chicago 'burbs. Probably a lot higher in the city. :(

[texas*princess]

$4.01 today in the Chicago 'burbs. Probably a lot higher in the city. :(

WHAT! It's in the $4 range ALREADY???

[jon1856]

WHAT! It's in the $4 range ALREADY???
I saw $4.09 on Parkway just yesterday.

[Trey_P-I_47]

gas prices are just getting too ridiculous.....i really wish there was something to do to get it back down. i dont want to be paying $5 by the end of summer for a gallon of gas

[macallan25]

Refineries would help.

[RU OX Alum]

prices up again around 3.52-3.59, a bit cheaper out in the boonies, but you burn more driving there and back than you would save

ridiculous

[TrojanWoman]

$3.99 Regular
$4.09 Plus
$4.19 Premium

Gotta Love Los Angeles!!!

[Tom Earp]

Golly, Shell only had a $9 Billion profit in the first quarter!:eek: One of the first to report, more to come later!:mad:

The Federal Govt gives subsidys for building new refiners and drilling to find oil to the Oil Companies!

Any new refiners being built lately?:rolleyes:

So, I often wondered how oil gets so damn high except the American Dollar is being devalued so low and may go down a 1/4 % again.:o

Can someone explain how the Stockmarket can set the price of oil?

[1908Revelations]

:eek:

Thank God for Honda. I think it's $25 to fill mine up right now.

I AM JEALOUS!!!:mad:

I know!

It wasn't even a FULL TANK!

I don't know for sure how big my tank is because I never wait until it is close to being empty to fill it up.

According to WikiAnswers (since I'm too lazy to go to my car to check the owners manual) the gas tank of my car has a capacity of 15.2 gallons.

The gas station I went to had Regular gas for $3.57/gal

Which would mean an actual FILL UP of my car is $54.264 :eek:

It's a (*&@#$(*@# CAVALIER!!!!

I am soooo pissed. I don't want to ride public busses, plus I don't know anything about where to get on or off at (no pun intended...lol).

[ree-Xi]

In my town, the lowest, cheapest is $3.80 a gallon. The next town over's lowest is 3.97. I don't quite get the differences, expecially when two stations are directly across the street from each other, and there is a difference of several cents per gallon.

Another annoying thing is that we used to have gas cards for all the major stations. Over time, several of the brands seemed to disappear from my area, and due to not using the cards anymore, they were cancelled by the card companies. Now, the two stations that we do have cards for are either being replaced by stations like Gulf and Shell, or they are posting the highest prices per gallon.

I used to choose the station based on where I had to go that day, but now I have to plan three, four days ahead. Or else re-apply for the other gas cards.

[Thetagirl218]

Gas was down to 3.51 in some places today! Weird, it went down!

[Kevin]

In OKC, we're still as "low" as $3.36.

[texas*princess]

gas prices are just getting too ridiculous.....i really wish there was something to do to get it back down. i dont want to be paying $5 by the end of summer for a gallon of gas

There was something about this on the radio earlier today that (if true) ties in with the fact that we are currently trillions of $ i debt.

(Don't know how true this is, but...)

Since the nation is in so much debt, the gov't borrows money from various sources (govt issued bonds for example) and other rich countries (like Dubai).

They related it to the following scenario:

When you borrow money from your mother-in-law and your mother-in-law asks you to stay at your place for 3 months, you obviously don't say 'no' even though you might really want to.

If we are borrowing all this money from countries like Dubai, the Pres. wouldn't open up the reserves that we have to lower the gas prices ... since Dubai makes most of their money with petroleum and things like that.

I don't believe the 'stimulus' checks are going to do anything for the recession. Most of the money is going to buy gas (which doesn't help our country, but all those others that we get it from) and to pay down debts since people have been using their cards more than ever w/ the gas/food prices lately.

[Scandia]

Still between 3.57 and 3.65 here. Does not seem to have decreased.

[FirstAndFinest]

$4.19 for regular unleaded. I kid you not. Exxon in Summit. He's always the highest in the area, but day-um - $4.19!!

[texas*princess]

$4.19 for regular unleaded. I kid you not. Exxon in Summit. He's always the highest in the area, but day-um - $4.19!!

O.M.G!

[OTW]

$4.19 for regular unleaded. I kid you not. Exxon in Summit. He's always the highest in the area, but day-um - $4.19!!

I seriously will start catching the bus if it ever gets to $4 here.

$3.84 regular unleaded here in Honolulu.

[mu_agd]

There was an article this morning that prices on Nantucket jumped 60 cents overnight. Regular there is now $4.56. Somehow it got out that prices were going to go up today so people were lining up yesterday to get gas.

[FirstAndFinest]

I seriously will start catching the bus if it ever gets to $4 here.

$3.84 regular unleaded here in Honolulu.

I think we're paying like $3.40ish. Already my coworker & i are talking about car-pooling. There's no bus and the train would take 3x as long.

[aephi alum]

$4.19 for regular unleaded. I kid you not. Exxon in Summit. He's always the highest in the area, but day-um - $4.19!!

For regular? I pay that for premium. But I'm sure that's what we'll be paying for regular before too long...

[AGDee]

I paid $3.52 this morning.

[texas*princess]

this is super scary :(

[jon1856]

As Pump Prices Soar, Buyers Flock to Small Cars
DETROIT — Soaring gas prices have turned the steady migration by Americans to smaller cars into a stampede.
In what industry analysts are calling a first, about one in five vehicles sold in the United States was a compact or subcompact car during April, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when sport utility vehicles were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/business/02auto.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

[Thetagirl218]

3.62 at the expensive stations

3.52 at the harder to find stations!

[KatieKate1244]

$3.75 in WV yesterday. Thank god I don't drive. I don't know how I'd be able to afford that on top of all other living expenses.

Are any of you drivers actually cutting back on your driving? THat's something I'm not really getting. Prices are through the roof but folks still don't mind driving everywhere.

[DaemonSeid]

My Fave:

http://www.cartoons.diberardo.com/01-summer-cartoons/large-cartoons/gas-prices-high.jpg


http://www.40lbhead.com/head2head/files/gas_prices_293.jpg

[ree-Xi]

There was an article this morning that prices on Nantucket jumped 60 cents overnight. Regular there is now $4.56. Somehow it got out that prices were going to go up today so people were lining up yesterday to get gas.

In Nantucket, they have to ship the gas over there. Everything comes over on boat or plane, which is very costly. Gas prices are always higher on the islands, because they have to pay more to get it over there. Good thing they limit how many cars can come over each day.

[ree-Xi]

$3.75 in WV yesterday. Thank god I don't drive. I don't know how I'd be able to afford that on top of all other living expenses.

Are any of you drivers actually cutting back on your driving? THat's something I'm not really getting. Prices are through the roof but folks still don't mind driving everywhere.

We have totally cut our driving to the minimum. In fact, I was supposed to see my "big sister" today and it's not in the budget for extra driving this week. I spent $57 to fill up my 15-gallon tank the other day. It has to last til next week.:(

[Tom Earp]

Funny, oil is down per barrell, but gas goes up at the pump.:mad:

We are told that people are driving less and there is a surplus of oil?:rolleyes:

I cannot ride a bus, I have to drive owning a small business, but 4.5 miles a day isnt bad.

If I make shopping trips, I go to the closest places for Gas and Grocerys. Thank goodness, they are all close and I love people who say if gas gets higher I may ride the bus!:eek:

Start riding it now!:rolleyes:

[AGDee]

$3.75 in WV yesterday. Thank god I don't drive. I don't know how I'd be able to afford that on top of all other living expenses.

Are any of you drivers actually cutting back on your driving? THat's something I'm not really getting. Prices are through the roof but folks still don't mind driving everywhere.

Many of us don't have much choice. I have to go to work everyday and that's the bulk of my driving. There are no mass transportation options for me. If there were, I'd take mass transport in a heart beat.

ETA: Meant to note, $3.49 today, so it came down a few cents.

[PM_Mama00]

I paid $3.55 today. It was the first time I filled up my new Edge and it only cost $45!!! My Liberty would have cost almost $60 at these prices.

[aephi alum]

My preferred gas station recently went independent (formerly Shell). Friday is sale day - $0.10/gal off premium. Princess got a nice full tank of premium this evening... and I am $45+ poorer. $4.139/gal.

Are any of you drivers actually cutting back on your driving? THat's something I'm not really getting. Prices are through the roof but folks still don't mind driving everywhere.

I've cut back about as much as I can. I commute by train, but I still have to drive to the station. DH, on the other hand, just had to have the SUV. :rolleyes:

[AGDee]

I paid $3.55 today. It was the first time I filled up my new Edge and it only cost $45!!! My Liberty would have cost almost $60 at these prices.

The new Marathon at Fort and Vreeland is ALWAYS about 5 cents cheaper than anywhere else, so make a note of it!

[smiley21]

My preferred gas station recently went independent (formerly Shell). Friday is sale day - $0.10/gal off premium. Princess got a nice full tank of premium this evening... and I am $45+ poorer. $4.139/gal.



I've cut back about as much as I can. I commute by train, but I still have to drive to the station. DH, on the other hand, just had to have the SUV. :rolleyes:


What kind of car do you have, my fellow premium gas sufferer? :)

This morning I filled up my car with premium gas at $3.80/gal. The total came to $55.00.

[PM_Mama00]

The new Marathon at Fort and Vreeland is ALWAYS about 5 cents cheaper than anywhere else, so make a note of it!


Thanks Dee! But that one is so far down from Dolce that I duno if it'd be worth it. But thank u for the heads up! If you're in Southgate, the Marathon across from Subi's (lol) is always the cheapest around here.

[texas*princess]

Are any of you drivers actually cutting back on your driving? THat's something I'm not really getting. Prices are through the roof but folks still don't mind driving everywhere.

I definitely am. My driving is already not a whole lot since I live close to work, but instead of making frequent trips to run errands, I try to do them all at once so I'm not going back & forth all the time.

The same goes for trips to the mall. The closest mall is still several miles away, so I try to make less frequent trips.

If I need to go somewhere, I try not to drive at "peak times" if I can help it so I won't be stuck idling in traffic.

[aephi alum]

$4.239/gal for premium. :(

Had the exterminator in today. He told me he drops $45-$50 PER DAY on gas, driving his truck from house to house.

[jon1856]

This is the price spread in a two mile section near me:
$3.82-$3.99
I did see a sign for $4.05 a bit north.

[GeekyPenguin]

I just paid $3.45 for regular...SIGH. I drive under 100 miles a week now but when I move in two weeks I'll be going to the land of no public transit and will be driving about 300 miles a week. :(

[Ronnie B]

I just paid $3.45 for regular...SIGH. I drive under 100 miles a week now but when I move in two weeks I'll be going to the land of no public transit and will be driving about 300 miles a week. :(
300 miles?! Damn! That's a drive.

[GeekyPenguin]

300 miles?! Damn! That's a drive.

I know! :( My parents live about 25 miles from the university where my bar classes are at, so that'll be 50 miles a day roundtrip 5 days a week - and my boyfriend lives 100 miles from them, so when I go visit him on the weekends that'll tack on the rest. My car gets 30+ mpg all the time, but it's still going to suck!

[navane]

The average in San Diego right now appears to be $3.89/gallon. :(

My roommate and I had a conversation the other day about how people might be able to make some sort of impact. In the past, you'd get these forwarded e-mails from people urging everyone to not buy gas on a particular day in protest of prices. However, drivers would just fill up the day before or after.

My roommate suggested looking into which gas companies are owned by unfavorable refineries (eg. Citgo, fuel from Venezuela), and having everyone not buy gas from those 2-3 companies. In other words, feel free to fill up anytime from any station *except* for the 2-3 we've decided we don't like.

He theorizes that when sales for those companies dry up, they might start feeling the pain and may start whining and/or lowering prices. Since we'd be picking on the least favorable companies, then no big deal.

There's got to be some catch to this that I'm not seeing at the moment. What do you all think of my roommate's theory on a new style of gas protest?

.....Kelly :)

[Ronnie B]

I know! :( My parents live about 25 miles from the university where my bar classes are at, so that'll be 50 miles a day roundtrip 5 days a week - and my boyfriend lives 100 miles from them, so when I go visit him on the weekends that'll tack on the rest. My car gets 30+ mpg all the time, but it's still going to suck!
Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

[jon1856]

The average in San Diego right now appears to be $3.89/gallon. :(

My roommate and I had a conversation the other day about how people might be able to make some sort of impact. In the past, you'd get these forwarded e-mails from people urging everyone to not buy gas on a particular day in protest of prices. However, drivers would just fill up the day before or after.

My roommate suggested looking into which gas companies are owned by unfavorable refineries (eg. Citgo, fuel from Venezuela), and having everyone not buy gas from those 2-3 companies. In other words, feel free to fill up anytime from any station *except* for the 2-3 we've decided we don't like.

He theorizes that when sales for those companies dry up, they might start feeling the pain and may start whining and/or lowering prices. Since we'd be picking on the least favorable companies, then no big deal.

There's got to be some catch to this that I'm not seeing at the moment. What do you all think of my roommate's theory on a new style of gas protest?

.....Kelly :)
No type of "boycott" on gas will work. That has been written about too many times.
Check under urban legend sites.
Save everyone the "trouble":
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp
http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/gas-prices.html

[navane]

No type of "boycott" on gas will work. That has been written about too many times.
Check under urban legend sites.
Save everyone the "trouble":
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp
http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/gas-prices.html

Thanks Jon! I didn't think to look on snopes (it's not so much a scam or urban legend as it is a poor understanding of economics). My roomie has to drive 350 miles every *weekend* and I'm sure that hurts his wallet. I think he's already considering purchasing a smaller car, which would fall into the "buy less gas" suggestion given in the snopes link above. Thanks!

.....Kelly :)

[FirstAndFinest]

This is the price spread in a two mile section near me:
$3.82-$3.99
I did see a sign for $4.05 a bit north.


The NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway are still at "just" $3.49. My local stations are still a nickle or so less.

[deadbear80]

I'd gladly pay $3.49 right about now...

In the City of Chicago gas is somewhere between $3.99-$4.09. I was excited the other day being out in the suburbs (on the border of Cook and Lake Counties) and finding gas for $3.79.

Last weekend I paid $3.65 in Indiana for gas (and that was about the low in Indiana and Michigan).

[jon1856]

Thanks Jon! I didn't think to look on snopes (it's not so much a scam or urban legend as it is a poor understanding of economics). My roomie has to drive 350 miles every *weekend* and I'm sure that hurts his wallet. I think he's already considering purchasing a smaller car, which would fall into the "buy less gas" suggestion given in the snopes link above. Thanks!

.....Kelly :)
K-In this case it was not yet a scam/urban legend.
That said, all too many chain letters with same idea have been going around for years and ending up in all to many in-boxes.
And that is why it is covered in the Urban legend sites.

[jon1856]

NEW YORK (May 1) -- Despite daily headlines bemoaning record gas prices, the U.S. is actually one of the cheaper places to fill up in the world.
Out of 155 countries surveyed, U.S. gas prices were the 45th cheapest, according to a recent study from AIRINC, a research firm that tracks cost of living data.

The difference is staggering. As of late March, U.S. gas prices averaged $3.45 a gallon. That compares to over $8 a gallon across much of Europe, $12.03 in Aruba and $18.42 in Sierra Leone.

The U.S. has always fought to keep gas prices low, and the current debate among presidential candidates on how to keep them that way has been fierce.

But those cheap gas prices - which Americans have gotten used to - mean they feel price spikes like the ones we're experiencing now more acutely than citizens from other nations which have had historically more expensive fuel.
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/us-gas-is-cheap-compared-to-most/20080501105809990001?icid=100214839x1201190002x120 0043254

[justabeachbrat]

:eek:Today, the first time in my area, Pasadena crept past $4.00 gallon, 2 at $4.03, and paid $4.05 downtown LA. My older sister in Wyoming reporrts they are on the rise there, too. There: $3.35: no CA taxes and whatever else they tack on here.

[Thetagirl218]

On I- 75 from Tallahassee to Tampa I saw once place that had gass for 3.79! Also gas was on average 3.65 in tally while it is 3.52 down in Tampa Bay. I wonder why the difference?

[aephi alum]

My "favorite" gas station is up to $4.339/gal for premium. A ten cent increase in three days.

[SoCalGirl]

$3.79 for the super cheap costco stuff today. :(

[WVU alpha phi]

$3.65 in Charlotte, NC today.. 20 miles down the road in Fort Mill, SC you can find a few places in the $3.50s.

[Beryana]

A ten cent increase in three days.

Try a ten cent a gallon increase OVERNIGHT!!! We went from 3.599 to 3.699 from yesterday when I came home from work at 10pm and headed out today at 1pm.

[PeppyGPhiB]

$3.63 at the Safeway down the street from me (plus you get a discount on top of that if you have one of their club cards)

[bballbandit]

$3.43 here, or that's what it was when I left campus today. It will probably be higher tomorrow though.

[christiangirl]

My "favorite" gas station goes down by 7 cents between 4-7pm. I usually go then, so that it's about $3.35 instead of $3.42, but last week, I saw that BP is at $3.22--all day everyday. :cool:

SWITCH!!!!!!!!!

[Sister Havana]

Try a ten cent a gallon increase OVERNIGHT!!! We went from 3.599 to 3.699 from yesterday when I came home from work at 10pm and headed out today at 1pm.

I can beat that. The Speedway near my house was $3.719 when I left for work this morning. Now it is $3.959! :eek: Good thing I filled up yesterday!

[Scandia]

Thetagirl- maybe because Tampa has a big port and thus the gasoline is easier to transport?

Either that, or the same reason why gas prices in Gainesville are much higher than in most other parts of the state- to trap the rich students.

[tld221]

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080506-Chrysler-to-Guarantee-Three-Years-of-2-99-Gas-/

The "Let's Refuel America" campaign "gives buyers of many new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeeps 3 years of 2.99 gasoline. Each qualifying buyer will get a 'gas card' that has been linked to their own credit card, but when they gas-up they will only pay $2.99 a gallon with Chrysler charged the difference." The offer is not available on many Chrysler models -- "The program is limited to 'fuel efficient' models and limits each buyer to the discounted price on only 12,000 miles worth of fuel each year."

According to Chrysler, the eligible models are: Dodge Caliber, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler Sebring Convertible, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Journey, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Ram and Dodge Ram HD.

The deal does not apply to: All SRT models, Dodge Viper, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Ram Chassis Cab, Chrysler Crossfire, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Sprinter.

[tld221]

p.s. i think its kind of a shame that the "bargain" is gas being 2.99/gal. but sheesh, ill take it!

[AOIIalum]

Try a ten cent a gallon increase OVERNIGHT!!! We went from 3.599 to 3.699 from yesterday when I came home from work at 10pm and headed out today at 1pm.

TWENTY CENT increase here today, folks. TWENTY. Thank heavens I still have a half tank from filling up at $3.54 on Monday.

[smiley21]

I am happy that I still have over half a tank of gas left from filling up last Saturday.

[Tom Earp]

Was going to the grocers but needed gas!

Made that decision easy. No grocers!:mad:

Jumped .10 over night, $3.59. Guess the weedsa and grass will have to keep growing too!:rolleyes:

[PeppyGPhiB]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

Everyone better get used to this, because the prices are not likely to drop much in the future. This is why the rest of the world has thought we are crazy for driving our big SUVs and trucks - Europe pays two to three times as much as we do for gas! It's time to rethink the cars we drive and rethink public transportation in this country. OR, adjust budgets to fit in this expense. I actually think this could be a great A-ha! moment for this country.

[Tom Earp]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

Everyone better get used to this, because the prices are not likely to drop much in the future. This is why the rest of the world has thought we are crazy for driving our big SUVs and trucks - Europe pays two to three times as much as we do for gas! It's time to rethink the cars we drive and rethink public transportation in this country. OR, adjust budgets to fit in this expense. I actually think this could be a great A-ha! moment for this country.

You are very astute!

So, I drive a Honda (9 years old) and drive 4.5 miles a day!

What the hell else do you expect me to do?

But, You are right! Get out of the big damn cars!!!!:mad:

I am tired of subsidising you asses who drive Mommy and Daddy Cars to hold your friggen Kids!:mad: Oh, I be cool, Benzes, BMWs or what the hell ever!:mad:

I would drive a Mo-Ped but cannot afford to buy the damn thing!:o

[summer_gphib]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

Everyone better get used to this, because the prices are not likely to drop much in the future. This is why the rest of the world has thought we are crazy for driving our big SUVs and trucks - Europe pays two to three times as much as we do for gas! It's time to rethink the cars we drive and rethink public transportation in this country. OR, adjust budgets to fit in this expense. I actually think this could be a great A-ha! moment for this country.

I agree-- it amazes me what people spend on Starbucks! :eek: I think part of the problem is that this country has grown into a materialistic society. It seems to be all about what purse you carry, what car you drive... ugh. :( It keeps people living above their means, so when things like a skyrocket in gas prices happen, it kills them. Hubby and I drive pretty fuel effiecient vehicles (I have a Honda CR-V and he has a Ford Ranger). I only work 4 months out of the year, which is now over, and just drive locally (to the store, beach or whatever) or when we go on trips. We live on a strict budget, I was looking back this week, and last year at this time we had a $40 a week budget for gasoline. Our gas budget is currently at $100 a week. We're lucky enough to afford it, as long as we watch the small things and don't splurge on things we really don't need. We also had to cut back what we put into our liquid savings fund, so vacation will be a little more sparse this year. I can't imagine, however, if we were strapped at this time last year what our situation would be now. We're also fortunate, in that we bought a new house, and hubby's raise completely covered the difference in our rent payment and our new mortgage payment.

I think many, many Americans are up the wazoo in debt and the gas "crisis" is just adding to that. We were at one point, we came from $18 k in credit card debt to zero. So I can understand the pain, but those same people are spending a LOT on unnecessary things as well. :o

[Thrillhouse]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

Everyone better get used to this, because the prices are not likely to drop much in the future. This is why the rest of the world has thought we are crazy for driving our big SUVs and trucks - Europe pays two to three times as much as we do for gas! It's time to rethink the cars we drive and rethink public transportation in this country. OR, adjust budgets to fit in this expense. I actually think this could be a great A-ha! moment for this country.

My thoughts exactly. However, less discretionary spending means that we are in for a bumpy ride for now until things work themselves out. A lot of folks (myself included) have to cut back on certain things which leads to trouble for certain industries that cater to the "extra things" in life.

[nate2512]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

Everyone better get used to this, because the prices are not likely to drop much in the future. This is why the rest of the world has thought we are crazy for driving our big SUVs and trucks - Europe pays two to three times as much as we do for gas! It's time to rethink the cars we drive and rethink public transportation in this country. OR, adjust budgets to fit in this expense. I actually think this could be a great A-ha! moment for this country.

Some of us really have no choice but to drive big trucks and such. You try hauling a trailer with a hybird civic with less than 200 hp. its doubtful you'll get very far. Also, because americans are generally more obese than other countries, its not as comfortable to fit six people in a civic either, so people go for the SUV.

[christiangirl]

I'm actually getting tired of the whining about gas. People, we've been SPOILED for a long time. We pay way less for gas proportionally than we do for Starbucks, booze, and any number of other items. We still pay way more for a gallon of organic milk at the grocery store!

I started to say that, but was afraid of the pouncing. Glad someone had the guts. :o

I broke it down: We pay approx. 3 cents per ounce for gas. However, compare that to 5 cents for an ounce of milk, 7 cents for an ounce of soda or 22 cents for an ounce of a caramel frap and well...Americans are idiots. :shrug:

[nate2512]

I started to say that, but was afraid of the pouncing. Glad someone had the guts. :o

I broke it down: We pay approx. 3 cents per ounce for gas. However, compare that to 5 cents for an ounce of milk, 7 cents for an ounce of soda or 22 cents for an ounce of a caramel frap and well...Americans are idiots. :shrug:

Do you drink more than 26 gallons of milk every three days?

From an economic standpoint, they aren't comparable.

[christiangirl]

^^^I like it enough that I would if I could afford it. However, I don't go through 26 galloons of anything in a week, so this chicken is moot.

[macallan25]

You are very astute!

So, I drive a Honda (9 years old) and drive 4.5 miles a day!

What the hell else do you expect me to do?

But, You are right! Get out of the big damn cars!!!!:mad:

I am tired of subsidising you asses who drive Mommy and Daddy Cars to hold your friggen Kids!:mad: Oh, I be cool, Benzes, BMWs or what the hell ever!:mad:

I would drive a Mo-Ped but cannot afford to buy the damn thing!:o

Get over yourself. If people have the resources and the want to to drive luxury sedans and SUVs it should be none of your concern. Yeah, fuck all of those parents who drive big and safe cars for their children. You tell 'em tough guy.

[Scandia]

In my county they range from 3.57 to 3.65. It seems to have less to do with a neighborhood's average income and more to do with its proximity to a major interstate and thus ease of tankers to get the gasoline to the station.

[jon1856]

Get over yourself. If people have the resources and the want to to drive luxury sedans and SUVs it should be none of your concern. Yeah, fuck all of those parents who drive big and safe cars for their children. You tell 'em tough guy.
Brother;
You may just wish to turn on the news this morning.
The sales of large SUVs is dropping like a stone in water.
They are sitting on the lots.
Per CBS-National radio news 7:00 AM.

[nate2512]

^^^I like it enough that I would if I could afford it. However, I don't go through 26 galloons of anything in a week, so this chicken is moot.

Yeah, but you're missing my point, when I'm in school I go through 26 gallons of gas every four days. While this is certainly not an average for most americans, i don't know what is, but you get my drift that you use a lot more gas than you do milk. My point is that there are way more supplies for gasoline than there are for milk or most other products. The reason that oil prices are so high is because the demand in the global market is high. OPEC claims that they are producing enough oil to meet the worlds consumption, so there are only two ways to lower gas prices, simply use less, which is not a viable option as the demand for gas is very inelastic. The second is for OPEC to raise their daily output, which they have already said they aren't doing. And when gas goes up that makes everything else more expensive too. To compare gas to a consumer product such as milk is just flat out retarded.

[jon1856]

Yeah, but you're missing my point, when I'm in school I go through 26 gallons of gas every four days. While this is certainly not an average for most Americans, i don't know what is, but you get my drift that you use a lot more gas than you do milk. My point is that there are way more supplies for gasoline than there are for milk or most other products. The reason that oil prices are so high is because the demand in the global market is high. OPEC claims that they are producing enough oil to meet the worlds consumption, so there are only two ways to lower gas prices, simply use less, which is not a viable option as the demand for gas is very inelastic. The second is for OPEC to raise their daily output, which they have already said they aren't doing. And when gas goes up that makes everything else more expensive too. To compare gas to a consumer product such as milk is just flat out retarded.
I agree but there is at least one other "choke point" which is production.
And just thought of another one which also has been in the news: distribution/transportation.

We all have heard by now of need for more production facilities and when ever one plant goes down for whatever reason, prices go up.

Just as when ever pipe line or tanker has a problem prices go up.

[christiangirl]

Yeah, but you're missing my point, when I'm in school I go through 26 gallons of gas every four days. While this is certainly not an average for most americans, i don't know what is, but you get my drift that you use a lot more gas than you do milk. My point is that there are way more supplies for gasoline than there are for milk or most other products. The reason that oil prices are so high is because the demand in the global market is high. OPEC claims that they are producing enough oil to meet the worlds consumption, so there are only two ways to lower gas prices, simply use less, which is not a viable option as the demand for gas is very inelastic. The second is for OPEC to raise their daily output, which they have already said they aren't doing. And when gas goes up that makes everything else more expensive too. To compare gas to a consumer product such as milk is just flat out retarded.

No, I didn't miss your point. You seem to have missed mine. I don't go through 26 gallons of milk in a week, but I don't go through anywhere near 26 gallons of gas either, so asking me that question as a way to support your argument was ineffective. That's what that post meant.

And the flaw is not that one is a necessity and the other is a consumer product. The problem is that we gripe about how expensive our necessity is when we happily spend on consumer products which are infinitely more expensive. That's what's retarded. It makes America look like a place full of people with backwards priorities (which it is but we could at least try to hide it). If you don't do that, then it doesn't apply to you.

[macallan25]

Brother;
You may just wish to turn on the news this morning.
The sales of l;arge SUVs is dropping like a stone in water.
They are sitting on the lots.
Per CBS-National radio news 7:00 AM.

That is expected. Doesn't really have anything to do with what I was saying though.

People who want to drive SUVs and luxury cars and have the means to do so are going to do it and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. If someone called my mom an "ass" for driving a Mercedes they're probably going to get a fist in the face. That goes for old men with drinking and spelling problems as well.

[jon1856]

That is expected. Doesn't really have anything to do with what I was saying though.

People who want to drive SUVs and luxury cars and have the means to do so are going to do it and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. If someone called my mom an "ass" for driving a Mercedes they're probably going to get a fist in the face. That goes for old men with drinking and spelling problems as well.
Understood.;)

[nate2512]

No, I didn't miss your point. You seem to have missed mine. I don't go through 26 gallons of milk in a week, but I don't go through anywhere near 26 gallons of gas either, so asking me that question as a way to support your argument was ineffective. That's what that post meant.

And the flaw is not that one is a necessity and the other is a consumer product. The problem is that we gripe about how expensive our necessity is when we happily spend on consumer products which are infinitely more expensive. That's what's retarded. It makes America look like a place full of people with backwards priorities (which it is but we could at least try to hide it). If you don't do that, then it doesn't apply to you.

But even your milk would be cheaper if gas is cheaper, everything would be cheaper. What I'm saying though is that the supply for milk is a lot less than that for gas, so the more supply of something the cheaper it'll be. The more demand, the more expensive. That's pretty basic. But people aren't going to gripe about the price of milk, cause they aren't buying it in the volume that they buy gas. And to be correct, I gripe about the price of everything, milk, soft drinks, food, about as equally as gas. The supply demand curves are met for all for those though, because yes I'm willing to pay the price asked for those products. However, though I'm really not willing to, I'm FORCED to pay the price for gasoline that is set, that is why I have such a big problem with the gas prices. Gas is the most inelastic product on the american consumer market, that is why there is a huge ordeal about gas than other things.

Go take an economics class and then you can come back and chastise me, because I'll bet you'll agree with me a lot more.

[OTW]

I was putting off getting gas until my light came on and it finally came on today.

I pulled into my usual Chevron and noticed that the red Regular pump was bagged up. I drove around to another pump and same thing. They freaking ran out of Regular gas, so I bit the bullet and paid $3.91 for Premium. :mad:

[christiangirl]

^^You poor thing, I would've gone to another station. There's usually 3 or 4 grouped together at an intersection and I try to remember that when the baggies go up!

And to be correct, I gripe about the price of everything, milk, soft drinks, food, about as equally as gas.

I've already said it once, but you obviously need me to say it again: if this is true, then what I said does not apply to you. Clearly, I stated my being fed up with the attitudes of people with backwards priorities--I've said NOTHING about rationalizing the prices of any product. How about you go take a class in remedial reading because that's twice you've wasted time constructing long-winded arguments against something I wasn't fighting you on. :rolleyes:

Now, back to our regularly scheduled thread.

[Ronnie B]

Do you drink more than 26 gallons of milk every three days?

From an economic standpoint, they aren't comparable.

lol this is some funny chit.

If I drink one glass of milk, it gives me gas like a mug. I don't even want to imagine what 26 gallons would do to my system.

[texas*princess]

I know!

It wasn't even a FULL TANK!

I don't know for sure how big my tank is because I never wait until it is close to being empty to fill it up.

According to WikiAnswers (since I'm too lazy to go to my car to check the owners manual) the gas tank of my car has a capacity of 15.2 gallons.

The gas station I went to had Regular gas for $3.57/gal

Which would mean an actual FILL UP of my car is $54.264 :eek:

It's a (*&@#$(*@# CAVALIER!!!!

On 4/26 it was $3.57/ gal reg. unleaded.

Today, 16 days later, at the same gas station, it was $3.74/gal.

I filled it up with about 1/3 left... and it was close to $38.

A full tank is now $56.85 for me.

[nate2512]

On 4/26 it was $3.57/ gal reg. unleaded.

Today, 16 days later, at the same gas station, it was $3.74/gal.

I filled it up with about 1/3 left... and it was close to $38.

A full tank is now $56.85 for me.

At that rate, my fill is $97.84, and I fill up about twice a week.

[texas*princess]

At that rate, my fill is $97.84, and I fill up about twice a week.

One of my coworkers has a REALLY bad commute... it's made worse because of traffic... and both him & his wife drive about the same distance.

They spend around $500 a MONTH on fuel.

Before gas prices started going up, they tried selling their home to move closer (when they moved out there the commute wasn't the way it is now) and they live in a nice area, but the house never sold after being on the market for several months. :(

I can't even fathom what a huge dent $500/mo would put on my fun budget :(

[ThetaDancer]

^^^ That's awful.

Gas hit $4.00/gallon here yesterday :(

[nate2512]

I can't even fathom what a huge dent $500/mo would put on my fun budget
Ha I don't care how expensive gas is, I'm not giving up fun or beer.

[texas*princess]

^^^ That's awful.

Gas hit $4.00/gallon here yesterday :(

I have absolutely no doubt it will be that much the next time I fill up.

[ASUADPi]

Gas is like 3.50 (it could be higher though, but not higher than 3.75). It is retarded!

Anyone else remember the time when they complained about gas reaching, OMG, 2 bucks! I do!

If gas got back down to 2 bucks, I'd probably kiss the ground! Hell, if it got down to 2.50 I'd kiss the ground :D

[texas*princess]

If gas got back down to 2 bucks, I'd probably kiss the ground! Hell, if it got down to 2.50 I'd kiss the ground :D

lol

you and me both!

[DeltAlum]

I agree but there is at least one other "choke point" which is production.
And just thought of another one which also has been in the news: distribution/transportation.

We all have heard by now of need for more production facilities and when ever one plant goes down for whatever reason, prices go up.

Just as when ever pipe line or tanker has a problem prices go up.
I've heard all of those arguments.

They're probably valid. Big companies deserve to make money.

I still want an explaination of the record profits.

Something doesn't figure.

[smiley21]

The day has come. I had to pay $4/gallon for premium. I don't care about this being the state of the economy, blah blah blah. I still don't like it, but I know that I must deal with it or not work. ugh. :(

[Tom Earp]

Luckly I do not drive far, 4.5 miles a day.

But I only put $20.00 in at a time. The scary thing is one time I got 189 miles, and the last time it was 136, that is @ 50 miles less!:(

[nate2512]

Luckly I do not drive far, 4.5 miles a day.

But I only put $20.00 in at a time. The scary thing is one time I got 189 miles, and the last time it was 136, that is @ 50 miles less!:(

You do realize you'd spend less on gas if you filled all the way up everytime.

[aephi alum]

$4.439/gal for premium :(

[smiley21]

$4.439/gal for premium :(

I am feeling your pain. We premium girls need to cry on each other's shoulder. ;)

[TrojanWoman]

Ha I don't care how expensive gas is, I'm not giving up fun or beer.

I agree . . . it just means that I will have to walk more for my fun. I save my driving for my commute to work and back and try my best to park for the weekend and walk (or convince others to drive :o)

[Tom Earp]

You do realize you'd spend less on gas if you filled all the way up everytime.



Hm, and how do you figure that?

[SydneyK]

Hm, and how do you figure that?

According to this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Fuel-Mileage-on-a-Car

"When you fill up with gas, fill up completely and try and keep your tank above one third full. If your fuel runs low, the engine might not receive a steady supply of gas (since it will splash around while you're driving and it might momentarily splash away from the tube that leads gas out of the tank). Not having a steady supply of gas will make your engine less efficient. The benefits of having a full tank will outweigh the drawbacks of having the added weight."

[nate2512]

Hm, and how do you figure that?

Let's say today gas is 3.54/gal. You put 5.64 Gal in your car.

Next time, gas is 3.61/gal. You put 5.54 gal in your car.

Next time, gas is 3.71/gas. You put 5.39 gal in your car.

That's $60.00, 16.57 gal. That means for an average you paid $3.62/gal.

Well lets say you put $60 at $3.54, thats 16.95 gal.

[cheerfulgreek]

You are very astute!

So, I drive a Honda (9 years old) and drive 4.5 miles a day!

What the hell else do you expect me to do?

But, You are right! Get out of the big damn cars!!!!:mad:

I am tired of subsidising you asses who drive Mommy and Daddy Cars to hold your friggen Kids!:mad: Oh, I be cool, Benzes, BMWs or what the hell ever!:mad:

I would drive a Mo-Ped but cannot afford to buy the damn thing!:o
:eek: lol lol lol :D

Tom you're so funny.:) Actually, what I think would be good for you is the Charge Cycle. It's a new electric bike. It doesn't really rely on total battery power, because that wouldn't get you too far. It actually runs on a cyborg like mix of muscle and machine power, which means it can travel twice as far as most battery charged powered bikes. It's pretty cool. When you pedal, an integrated torque sensor triggers the right kind of power to keep the bike at a steady pace. The harder you pedal, the slower the motor turns. It's supposedly for sale right now. I'm not sure of the price, but based on your angry post, you might want to look into it.:p

[Tom Earp]

According to this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Fuel-Mileage-on-a-Car

"When you fill up with gas, fill up completely and try and keep your tank above one third full. If your fuel runs low, the engine might not receive a steady supply of gas (since it will splash around while you're driving and it might momentarily splash away from the tube that leads gas out of the tank). Not having a steady supply of gas will make your engine less efficient. The benefits of having a full tank will outweigh the drawbacks of having the added weight."




LOL, it is fuel enjected!;)

With less gas, less weight, then easier on mileage.

[jon1856]

Following are some web sites that can be of some help in finding lower priced gas in your area:
http://gasprices.mapquest.com/index.jsp
http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx
http://gasbuddy.com/
http://www.gaspricewatch.com/new/default_V3.asp
From:
12 ways to find cheaper gas

With gas prices stuck in the stratosphere, you can save hundreds of dollars a year by using these tips and tricks to buy your gas for less.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveonaCar/12WaysToFindCheapGas.aspx

[Coramoor]

I remember reading how a large part of the increase in the cost of gas is due to the weak dollar. A barrel of oil is still worth the same amount when set against gold as it was a few years ago.

The devalue of the dollar, due to stupid policies like bailing out homeowners that made irresponsible decisions and bought houses they couldn't afford (for example), is causing this increase.

It had some other examples...but I can't be bothered to try and find the article. Once again I'll just blame the democrats and their unsound fiscal policies driving the dollar into the ground.

[KatieKate1244]

Gas prices have actually dropped here a bit. They hit $3.95 and stayed put for a few days, went down to $3.91, and now it's down to $3.85. My dad thinks it will drop a little bit more before Memorial Day, and it will suddenly jump to over $4.00.

[texas*princess]

I saw gas at a nearby station for $3.67!!!

(Is it sad that $3.66 is a bargain for regular unleaded?)

[nate2512]

I remember reading how a large part of the increase in the cost of gas is due to the weak dollar. A barrel of oil is still worth the same amount when set against gold as it was a few years ago.

The devalue of the dollar, due to stupid policies like bailing out homeowners that made irresponsible decisions and bought houses they couldn't afford (for example), is causing this increase.

It had some other examples...but I can't be bothered to try and find the article. Once again I'll just blame the democrats and their unsound fiscal policies driving the dollar into the ground.

That is correct, when the dollar weakens in global markets the price of oil goes up because oil is traded in strictly American dollars. Thats not the only reason oil prices are so high though. OPEC says they are producing enough oil to meet global demand, and they won't increase it because they are basically punished America. A while back, when oil was about $20/barrel, OPEC and the US were working on a deal to increase middle eastern oil production which would have meant billions of more dollars for OPEC, well before the deal was done, far eastern countries struck oil and the US went there to get the rest of the oil needs and oil plummeted to $10/barrel. So OPEC wasn't happy about that and now they're hammering us for it.

[jon1856]

Just read this story in AutoWeek. Interesting observation on Federal "Gas Tax":
Kevin A. Wilson

Pounding the pavement
I was going to toss in my two cents on the gasoline-tax summer-holiday idea advocated by two of the presidential candidates, but you know what? They're U.S. senators, paid to lead, legislate and cast votes. So if the idea was more than pandering for votes, we'd see a bill in Congress with their names on it. It takes longer to pass and implement such legislation than to fill the starting grid at Indy.

Forget a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day tax cut. Ask instead, why is there a federal gasoline tax? It's not just a tool for managing the economy or reducing emissions or oil consumption. The tax, established in 1956, goes into the federal Highway Trust Fund so we have money to build and maintain roads (a tiny portion goes to mass transit).......
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/FREE/64761486/1528/newsletter01

[kstar]

This is what is bugging me more than anything:

When gas prices were rising when Clinton was in office, he released some of the federal oil reserves, lowering the price. It actually ended up making the gov. some money, as he then turned around and bought them back at the now lower price. Why hasn't Bush done this? Oh yeah, he likes his oil buddies having record profits.

[nate2512]

This is what is bugging me more than anything:

When gas prices were rising when Clinton was in office, he released some of the federal oil reserves, lowering the price. It actually ended up making the gov. some money, as he then turned around and bought them back at the now lower price. Why hasn't Bush done this? Oh yeah, he likes his oil buddies having record profits.

It's a quick fix, it'd work for a couple of weeks, but then they would cut it off, or run out, and you're right back where you started. There are two ways to fix the problem, the dollar must strengthen in the global market, or OPEC has to agree to produce more oil per day.

ETA: We have stopped putting oil in the reserve, but you see it hasn't helped at all.

[jon1856]

Found this in AAA's Car and Travel Magazine today-Could be of interest for those who are currently filling up with Hi-Test:
Why Pay for Premium Gas?
Do you spend $200 every year on octane that you don’t need?
To rein in budget-busting gas prices, maybe you need look no further than the button you press to pick a grade at the pump. If you usually fill up with highpriced, high-octane gas, you could save $6 or more per fill-up by switching to good old 87-octane regular. You’ll notice a difference in your credit card statement, but probably not in the way your car behaves.
According to AAA’s most recent statewide Fuel Gauge Report, premium gas costs 31 cents more per gallon than regular; midgrade, about 23 cents more. Despite their higher costs in a time of rising overall gas prices, premium and midgrade still account for roughly 17 percent of the market, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. Some people opt for higher-octane gas because the owner’s manual tells them to use it in their cars. (Actually, carmakers recommend premium gas for only about 5 percent of all models.) Other folks buy premium because they believe it gives them better mileage or more power. Still, others splurge on an occasional tankful as a treat for their car, much the way you might indulge your dog with a juicy morsel of steak every now and then. Unfortunately, all these reasons will waste your money....
http://carandtravelmagazine.com/CarandTravel/Current/Homepage/Why_Pay_for_Premium_Gas.asp

[Benzgirl]

:rolleyes:It's a quick fix, it'd work for a couple of weeks, but then they would cut it off, or run out, and you're right back where you started. There are two ways to fix the problem, the dollar must strengthen in the global market, or OPEC has to agree to produce more oil per day.

ETA: We have stopped putting oil in the reserve, but you see it hasn't helped at all.

It will only impact 70,000 barrels per day, which Bush said is too small to make an impact. Not that he knows what he is talking about :rolleyes:

[TexasWSP]

He's been around the oil business his entire life. I think he knows what he is talking about concerning it. That is too small to make an impact.

I haven't seen anyone mention anything about refineries.....which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest causes behind the increase in gas prices besides the futures markets and their uncertainty due to the conflict in the Middle East. Refineries used to use a gasoline product called Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether to make cars run cleaner....but it also was a contaminate and was severely affecting water supplies. Now they are using ethanol and it is costing oil/production companies a boat load to switch over.

Even with the recent spikes in oil production, companies can't meed the demands of refineries because of having to produce ethanol. The cost to produce it is being handed to us people. You can thank Congress for that..although their actions were not a bad thing given the circumstances. Now add in state and federal taxes and you get a pretty good idea of why it is so high.

[nikki1920]

I moved 2 weeks ago. Gas at the station 2 lights from me was $3.48. This morning it was $3.79. :mad: Bush doesnt care about working people and/or their budgets. The economy is not in a slow down, its in a recession. Stop sweating OPEC and find somewhere else to get our oil for gas already. Already my summer plans are greatly reduced because gas is too dayum expensive. How's THAT for economic stimulation?

[TexasWSP]

Actually if you go by the textbook definition of a recession.......I'm pretty sure we aren't in one....at least we weren't last month when someone else mentioned it.

.........and this isn't really aimed at you I guess but, I get so sick and tired of blaming f'ing Bush for gas prices. That is a tool of the completely ignorant and uninformed. "Stop sweating OPEC and find somewhere else to get our oil for gas"??? Take a trip through East Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Ft. Worth, Wyoming-Colorado-North Dakota, The Marcellus Shale......just to name a few. The oil and gas is there but it takes time, money, and extremely smart individuals to get it. There is oil all over this country.

[Tom Earp]

I love how we acomplian, myself included when European Countrys have paid a much higher price than we have in the USA!

I also wonder why the Oil for Alaska is going to Japan and not us in the USA?

[nikki1920]

mccallan, Im sure you weren't referencing me. My point is he is acting as if OPEC is the ONLY place we can get oil from. If we have all these places at home where we can get it from, then why is gas so high? Rhetorically (sp?) speaking, of course. I place some of the blame on Bush because he is so closely tied with Big Oil. And I am hardly ignorant nor uninformed. I am going by what my wallet says.

[nate2512]

Saw today where they are actually going to attempt to sue OPEC, really, how dumb are our elected officials?

[TexasWSP]

mccallan, Im sure you weren't referencing me. My point is he is acting as if OPEC is the ONLY place we can get oil from. If we have all these places at home where we can get it from, then why is gas so high? Rhetorically (sp?) speaking, of course. I place some of the blame on Bush because he is so closely tied with Big Oil. And I am hardly ignorant nor uninformed. I am going by what my wallet says.

I posted a couple thoughts on why gas is so high on the last page.

Sorry I was kind of mean. I am in the oil and gas business and it just irritates me how uninformed people are. To be completely honest......most people don't have a clue.

OPEC is relied upon because of the fact that there are so many places you can drill for oil in this country that aren't being utilized because of environmental activism. Florida coast, California coast, and Alaska are among a few. If people don't stop being pussies about putting drilling rigs in the ocean, among other places, this country is going to be in serious trouble in 10-15 years.......it is a reality....and it frustrates the hell out of people in my profession.....especially when we are the ones that are getting shit on by everyone because of gas prices. People don't have a clue. These places I've mentioned should have been explored and opened up a decade ago but people bitched and moaned about it so much it never happened......now we're in this situation and guess who they bitch to now......the oil companies. It's ridiculous.

[texas*princess]

On 4/26 it was $3.57/ gal reg. unleaded.

Today, 16 days later, at the same gas station, it was $3.74/gal.

I filled it up with about 1/3 left... and it was close to $38.

A full tank is now $56.85 for me.

Today it was $3.89/gal. $25 for around 6 gals of gas.

Full tank is now $59.13... 9 days later.

That "bargain" I found the other day is gone :(

[texas*princess]

I posted a couple thoughts on why gas is so high on the last page.

Sorry I was kind of mean. I am in the oil and gas business and it just irritates me how uninformed people are. To be completely honest......most people don't have a clue.

OPEC is relied upon because of the fact that there are so many places you can drill for oil in this country that aren't being utilized because of environmental activism. Florida coast, California coast, and Alaska are among a few. If people don't stop being pussies about putting drilling rigs in the ocean, among other places, this country is going to be in serious trouble in 10-15 years.......it is a reality....and it frustrates the hell out of people in my profession.....especially when we are the ones that are getting shit on by everyone because of gas prices. People don't have a clue. These places I've mentioned should have been explored and opened up a decade ago but people bitched and moaned about it so much it never happened......now we're in this situation and guess who they bitch to now......the oil companies. It's ridiculous.


First off, chill out.

Secondly, I'm sure there are really good reasons why drilling hasn't begun in those places you mentioned otherwise I'm sure they would have done it long ago.

[DeltAlum]

Major oil company CEO's testified before a Senate committee today.

The senators did not treat them very kindly.

There is a thread in the News and Politics forum.

[ree-Xi]

Filled up on Monday at 3.91. Today it is 4.05. Absolutely ridiculous.

[AGDee]

Talk about mad. On the way to picking my daughter up from band practice, I checked out every gas station so I would know which one to stop at on the way home to buy gas. Logical, Right? Not driving out of my way for a cheaper price, but finding the cheapest one on the way. Well, 30 minutes later, driving home, three of the four had gone up 10 cents and were sitting at $3.99.

The one that didn't change had it for $3.89 for cash/debit, $3.94 for credit. Anybody else seeing a lot of that? Why are they doing that??

[jon1856]

Talk about mad. On the way to picking my daughter up from band practice, I checked out every gas station so I would know which one to stop at on the way home to buy gas. Logical, Right? Not driving out of my way for a cheaper price, but finding the cheapest one on the way. Well, 30 minutes later, driving home, three of the four had gone up 10 cents and were sitting at $3.99.

The one that didn't change had it for $3.89 for cash/debit, $3.94 for credit. Anybody else seeing a lot of that? Why are they doing that??
Perhaps saving on CC fees?

[nate2512]

The one that didn't change had it for $3.89 for cash/debit, $3.94 for credit. Anybody else seeing a lot of that? Why are they doing that??

Depends on the type of store. If it's like a locally run gas station and they have a contract with an oil company that provides pumps and cash registers, everything run through credit they only get paid that money at certain intervals, normally 30 days. If it's credit or cash, it's money they pocket immediately, so that may be a little incentive for people to use cash so all their money isn't tied up for an entire month.