How Mad Are You At Gas Prices In Lansing Right Now?
Wait a minute.
I swear that wasn't like that this morning.
Monday morning I distinctly remember stopping by the gas station to grab a cup of coffee. I was out at home and didn't feel like waiting to make a cup when I got to work. Our coffee at work sucks. I also wanted to get a donut but that's neither here nor there.
Don't judge me.
I remember looking up at the price of gas Monday morning and saying to myself, "$3.89 ain't so bad. California's paying almost $5 bucks a gallon".
This afternoon I stopped by the VERY SAME GAS STATION and this happened.
$4.25 A GALLON?!?
Wait, what now?
Holy sticker shock Batman.
I know inflation, Ukraine, and any and every other excuse you can throw in there. But come on man. Go slow. Ease into it.
That's a hasty .36 cents jump. In a matter of hours.
I legit experienced sticker shock at the pump. I had half a tank of gas in the car. For fear of it going up even more in the next few hours and having to fill up at a higher price, I decided to top my tank off.
I got the nice little price rollback and with my "points" I got .13 cents a gallon knocked off at the pump. Did it help?
Almost 6 gallons of gas for $25 dollars?
My angry old man is about to come out.
I remember the good ole days when gas was $1.49 a gallon.
Mind you by the good ole days I am referring to are April 2020.
Let's talk real quick about why the price at the pump is escalating so quickly.
Currently, we can focus on world events and the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
During the first full week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the price of regular gas rose by almost 41 cents, according to the AAA motor club.
That represents the second-largest jump in average national prices in a week, GasBuddy reported. (KTLA)
Ready for some even better news.
First, this is the worst it's been in a very long time.
The all-time high for average gasoline prices was set in July 17, 2008, at $4.10 per gallon. (KTLA)
Second, it's definitely going to get more expensive.
“As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to evolve and we head into a season where gas prices typically increase, Americans should prepare to pay more for gas than they ever have before. Shopping and paying smart at the pump will be critical well into summer.”
According to GasBuddy, prices are expected to continue rising, potentially to a record high, through the summer months. Current forecasts predict the national average could reach $4.25 per gallon by Memorial Day. (NBC Chicago)
Spoiler alert. It's already $4.25 in Michigan already.
Head here to find out how much oil the US gets from Russia, how much Europe depends on Russia for oil, and how calls for a ban on Russian oil could kick this whole thing up several notches very quickly.
Your summer road trip plans could break the bank this year. Be prepared.
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