Compare Gas Prices

With gas prices rising and falling so quickly it can be hard to find the lowest prices when you need to fill the tank.  Especially, if you are a miser like me and only fill the tank every two or three weeks.

One source of prices is Gas Buddy.  You can look up gas prices by zip code or city and, if you are interested, enter the gas prices you have seen.

Just think of it, if more people entered prices on a regular basis, we would never need to fill up our tanks, then see a lower price at a gas station several blocks away.

God bless,
Pam

Rising Gas Prices

In the last two days I watched the gas prices at my local gas station rise 20 cents a gallon.  Many people believe that prices are rising because of the station owner or gas company, but gas prices are usually affected by a prediction of future availability.

The Good Old Days

The recent price increase is due to the instability in Libya.  Libya is a major oil producer, so the possibility of losing this source is causing the price to rise.

Crude oil is exported from the Middle East to Europe, then exported from Europe to the United States.  In the U.S. it is refined and some of the resulting oil products are exported to Europe and Asia.  Sort of blows a hole in the buying local philosophy of shopping.

Plan on prices rising even more dramatically.  Unfortunately, gas prices don't just affect the cost of driving. Farmers pay more to produce food.  It costs more to transport food.  And it will cost more to buy electricity to store the food.  So, food prices rise even more.  The same is true of other consumer goods.

How do we handle this problem now?  Drive less.  Drive vehicles that get good gas mileage.  Stock up your pantry.  Buy used goods.  Repair rather than replace.  Basically, live frugally.

I remember buying gas for 25 cents per gallon when I was a teenager.  Boy, am I getting old!

God bless,
Pam