Fuel cost

[SWofDisorder]

What is the current cost of fuel in your area? Why does it seem that fuel goes up each summer when families what to travel? I just wish it would stay stable and be able to budget for our holiday. For now I just assume the highest price I can find and use that number.

 

[ICF]

What is the current cost of fuel in your area? Why does it seem that fuel goes up each summer when families what to travel? I just wish it would stay stable and be able to budget for our holiday. For now I just assume the highest price I can find and use that number.

It goes up due to supply and demand --- and also because the gas companies can.

To your original question -- it's now $3.55 here. It was in the $3.30's until last Thursday when it did it's usual Thursday increase.

 

[eliza61]

two other reasons.

1) most refineries especially on the East coast will do annual maintenance during the summer (lol, cant work on outside refineries in the winter) so now you also have a bit lower supplies, right at the time demand goes up.

2) gasoline in the summer is a different "blend". Summer blend gasoline cost more to produce and that cost gets passed onto the consumer.

 

[Disworldluv]

two other reasons.

1) most refineries especially on the East coast will do annual maintenance during the summer (lol, cant work on outside refineries in the winter) so now you also have a bit lower supplies, right at the time demand goes up.

2) gasoline in the summer is a different "blend". Summer blend gasoline cost more to produce and that cost gets passed onto the consumer.

Eliza61 is right on. Gas in our area is around $3.58. That represents a drop from $3.78 just a week or so ago.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Right now, gas relative to the price of crude is inflated by 60-80 cents a gallon thanks to speculators (speculation was deregulated in 2000). That's a big part of the problem.

Locally, gas is $3.39 and diesel $3.69.

Without the influence of speculators, it'd be somewhere around $2.69 & $2.99 respectively.

Even worse, based on 1970 dollars, that'd be about $1.50 each right now

 

[amcnj]

Also the current world tensions had caused the price of oil to go up too, though that has eased a little lately. Gas prices have actaully been dropping over the past two weeks by me. I paid 3.31 this morning, though most stations I pass are in the 3.35-3.37 range right now.

 

[marmalade]

I live in Western NY and I just paid $3.71 at Bj's on Saturday, right next door at the grocery store gas was $3.82.

 

[Dakota731]

Ours is $3.69. And contrary to what people think, oil companies aren't making a fortune on gas. According to energy.org - the latest published data for the fourth quarter of 2013 shows the oil and natural gas industry earned 6.3 cents for every dollar of sales in comparison with all manufacturing, which earned 8.6 cents for every dollar of sales. Crude oil costs account for about 67 percent of what people are paying at the pump. Excise taxes average 13 percent. That leaves just 20 percent for the refiners, distributors, and retailers to be split between them.
My friend who manages a convenience store said they make only a few pennies on each gallon and the oil companies and distributors make about 6 cents on each gallon. The government as usual gets the most.

 

[havaneselover]

$3.23 in central VA although I usually have money off from Kroger.

Supply and demand drive the price. More demand in the summer. Plus government regulations for summer blend.

 

[DawnM]

It is right around $3.50 here, although if I cross over to the SC side, it is $3.30 or so.

Thank goodness for our Hybrid right now.

I just drove the youngest to camp almost 3 hours each way yesterday.

In the hybrid, I got 45-50 mpg the entire way and used only 7 gallons of gas. Last year it was 18 gallons round trip (Sequioa)

Roughly a $40 savings for my r/t drive.

 

[StephMK]

I just drove from VA to NE last week and paid anywhere from $3.60 to $3.27. It was the highest in WV and lowest in NE. $3.55 seemed to be the most common price point throughout the states.

 

[tvguy]

Paid $3.75 yesterday, down from $3.82 a week earlier.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

North Phoenix: $3.48 right now, down .02. It has been right at $3.50 for several months and did not climb that I noticed even over Memorial Day and 4th of July weekends.

I love this perk of living in AZ! As soon as we cross into CA the gas jumps .60!

That price is at the regular gas station (Circle K). Our area is .10-.20 more than other areas in Phoenix. Costco is usually .10 or so cheaper but not on my route. (Also, Costco is only .20 more per gallon for Premium; Circle K is .34 more per gallon for Premium.)

We pay $1 less per gallon at Circle K thanks to Kroger fuel perks (so out of pocket $2.48) but I put that savings directly into my vacation fund so I don't count the $1 off.

 

[Gina]

Gas is $3.19-3.21 right around where I live, but we got it for $3.13 yesterday at Buc-Ee's. Like I didn't already love them enough for their fudge.

 

[pixiedustaholic]

Wow! Another great benefit to living in South Carolina...gas in my area is $3.07 right now. MapQuest has a neat feature that will estimate your fuel cost based on fuel costs along your route. You should check it out!

 

[*pixie*dust*]

I paid $3.59 this morning, here in Michigan.

 

[LJSquishy]

Around $3.75 ($3.70-$3.85) here in Spokane, WA. It's been hovering between $3.70 and $3.90 for a looooong time. Never drops.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I've seen 3.99 to 4.25 depending on the gas station you pick.

 

[tvguy]

I've seen 3.99 to 4.25 depending on the gas station you pick.

ARCOs and COSTCO in Sacramento are all around $3.75.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Cheapest I have seen around in my area is $4.12. It was about $4.30 about a month ago. This is in Central California.