(article) Gas Prices Could Hit $3.75 by Spring

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

lifeinc.todayshow.com/_news/2011/01/03/5756950-usa-today-gas-prices-could-hit-375-by-spring

USA Today: Gas prices could hit $3.75 by spring

Get ready for pain at the pump, and a possible economic curve ball.

Experts are predicting gas prices will go as high as $3.75 per gallon this spring, USA Today reported Monday. Gas prices were at $3.06 at the end of 2010, according to USA Today.

Another jump in gas prices could crimp consumer budgets and potentially slow the nation’s already languid economic recovery.

In 2008, Americans responded to rising gas prices by cutting back on everything from the cable bill to restaurant visits, and some even traded in the family SUV.

Average gas prices hit a high of more than $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008 before falling sharply amid the nation’s deep financial crisis that fall.

This round of pain may also only be temporary. Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, told USA Today he expects gas prices to fall again, just as they did back in 2008.

"We learned in 2008 that when things become a little untethered, what comes up often comes down," Kloza told USA Today.

[suzwantstobefree]

Well, the good news is I work at a car dealership. The bad news is we are going to deal with a million people who have SUV's that are underwater, no downpayment, and want to trade it on an economical car with a lower payment. Then three months later when the price of gas goes down, they will be back to purchase an SUV....

[mtshastawriter]

Gas here is already $3.60 for 87 octane. We have some of the most expensive gas in this area...

[la808]

We're seeing prices in our area already that high. We would love to get a new motor home, but just can't see spending the money for gas to move it around.

[Value Buy]

I guess, this time it is not Bush's fault.
Obama must be in the pocket of big oil.

[dancinmama]

Jan 3, 2011 22:48:21 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I guess, this time it is not Bush's fault.
Obama must be in the pocket of big oil.

ha ha ha

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Gas here is $3.37 at my corner 76 station.

[NastyWoman]

Another Californian here and I think that $3.75 might be low by labor day

[writer88]

I would LOVE to pay $3.75 a gallon for gas.
I live in Israel and they just raised the price of non-leaded 95 octane to NIS 7.14 per liter. Translated into USD / US gallon terms, that's $7.66 per gallon.

[resolution]

It is $2.99 here. I don't fill up often so I try to wait for lower prices. Maybe I should go out and fill up now.

[Cookies Galore]

I think gas is $3.24 where we live. I filled up on Friday when we visited BF's grandparents because gas was only $3.07 there. I drive 12 minutes a day (six minutes to the high-speed line and six minutes home), so I never get too concerned about gas prices, though it is a great excuse not to visit out of the way family!

[daisylu]

I could definitely see this making people tighten their belts.

I am in a rural area of VA and we are at $2.99. I have a 20 mile commute to work, but luckily my commuter car gets 41MPG. And has been paid off since 2005.

See, I can roll with YM.

[mtshastawriter]

With China and India's needs for oil, I don't really see how we can think that the price of gas won't go up. (Just like everything else in life.)

[8 Bit WWBG]

What is this "could"? Here in NoVA it is already over $3. I for one am looking forward to seeing less gas guzzling SUV-buses on the road. I am not, however, looking forward to how grocery prices will go up due to increased transport costs.

[Poppet]

I could definitely see this making people tighten their belts.


It will be a disaster for a lot of people who are already struggling, who already have their belts at the lowest notch.

Think about the people who have to commute.

I'll be walking, dh will be biking and we're darn lucky to be able to do so.
However, it'll be harder to deal with increased prices on everything else.

It's bad news.

Or maybe the kick in the pants to get a giant paradigm shift going?
This price hike will be interesting to say the least.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"Think about the people who have to commute.":::...

The smart ones are probably already carpooling. The stubborn ones will not change their ways until it is already too late. I am hoping there will be less cars on the road, but I won't hold my breath.

...:::"Or maybe the kick in the pants to get a giant paradigm shift going?":::...

It sure wasn't last time.

[Poppet]

The smart ones are probably already carpooling. The stubborn ones will not change their ways until it is already too late. I am hoping there will be less cars on the road, but I won't hold my breath.

The smart ones (or perhaps the lucky ones, depending on how you look at it) never created the need to commute in the first place.


...:::"Or maybe the kick in the pants to get a giant paradigm shift going?":::...

It sure wasn't last time.

We might not have a choice this time around.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"The smart ones (or perhaps the lucky ones, depending on how you look at it) never created the need to commute in the first place.":::...

When I said "the smart ones", I was thinking in terms of those who are already working smart within their own situation. Remember how during the first part of the recession, tips like "make coffee at home", "wash your own car", "clip coupons", "shop thrift stores"... were everywhere, and many savvy YM people's responses were "duh, we ALREADY do that".

Now if your situation is such that you don't have to commute, you are probably both smart and lucky.

...:::"We might not have a choice this time around.":::...

People said that last time too. That the day of reckoning was finally here, that cheap gas was gone for good... Smart Cars were selling above sticker price and had a 14 month wait. Then the prices went back down to $2/gallon and the H2s came back out and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

[runewell]

It just bumped up to $2.99 here, it was $2.75 around Christmastime

[Poppet]

...:::"We might not have a choice this time around.":::...People said that last time too. That the day of reckoning was finally here, that cheap gas was gone for good



No, for reals this time. ;D

and the next time after that

and the next time after that

Whether it goes up to $4 this summer and $5.00 the next summer as predicted, and then comes back down to .50 a gallon, our best bet is to avoid long work commutes,, and stop buying gas guzzlers.

Stupid people will believe these fluctuations are temporary and will go back to their ways when it temporarily subsides . Smart YMers know better.

Seriously, did anyone here on YM believe that gas price hike a couple years ago was just a fluke? Did anyone believe that it would not happen again? And again? And again?

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...I drove behind a Jeep Wrangler the other day with six gas cans strapped on the roof... smart driver, whether an off-roader or a commuter...

[daisylu]

Whether it goes up to $4 this summer and $5.00 the next summer as predicted, and then comes back down to .50 a gallon, our best bet is to avoid long work commutes,, and stop buying gas guzzlers.

For most commuters the gas prices are offset by the costs of not being a commuter. For example, I live in the county, not the city. I could not find a home in the city where I work for less than 4x what I paid for my home in the county. The taxes are are also much cheaper.

That is just some of the monetary benefit. The quality of life benefits are far greater as well.

[The J]

Paid $3.37/gallon this morning. It makes me happy that 90% of the time I take the train.

[Urban Chicago]

I hope it means more people wanting to move onto my block, as it's only 2 blocks from the commuter train that takes you downtown.

I do think that in the long range, this will be one more nail in the coffin of the whole idea of "suburbia". We simply can't afford to live that way anymore.

[Deleted]

That'll be a bummer. The last time gas prices went so high it cost me around $100 to fill up my tank. ;D My gas-guzzler gets 12-14 mpg.

On the other hand I use much less gas now than when I was driving a corolla and commuting 45 minutes each way.

[Poppet]

in the long range, this will be one more nail in the coffin of the whole idea of "suburbia". We simply can't afford to live that way anymore

And it may be a faster demise for some who moved out of the suburbs into the urban rural fringe and wound up having to commute to everything--jobs, supermarket, church, movies.

[Deleted]

When gas prices increase the price of good used trucks goes down. It may be time to upgrade. ;D

[thyme4change]

Every time gas goes up I hope this will be the time I pull the trigger and buy a big, huge obnoxious SUV for a sweet deal.

I only drive 300 miles per month - so fluxuating prices don't hurt me too much. I really want something that I can put at least 4 kids into.

[Cookies Galore]

Jan 5, 2011 9:53:24 GMT -5 The J said:

Paid $3.37/gallon this morning. It makes me happy that 90% of the time I take the train.

Same here, and my work pays for the majority of our transit passes. Win-win! ;D

[thyme4change]

When you guys see the big teeth, squinting smilie, is anyone else reminded of the Bugs Bunny that was considered so racist against the Japaneese that it was been locked in a vault?