AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The rising gas prices have some consumers feeling the pain at the pump. The average cost of gas per gallon in the Aiken – Augusta area hit $3.58 cents this week. That’s up 20 percent from just a week ago. And while there are talks that prices could go up more, experts say we just don’t know.
“They’re steep, but I got to get to where I’m going,” Stacy Williams, of Augusta, said.
“I’m really waiting on them to go down. (laughs) Wondering when that’s going to be,” Reginald Carter, of Augusta, told us.
It’s a pain that just might make you go ouch at the gas pump.
“Well, I’m filling up this tank and that tank so when I finish, it’s probably going to be about 250. $250 dollars,” Carter explained.
He said he fills up his pick up truck daily for that amount as he hauls cars across the Peach State for his business. He said at one time it was $100 a day. And he has since passed the increase on to his customers. Another increase would be detrimental to him.
He added, “If it do I been thinking about having to park.”
Williams works from home though, so most of her travel is leisure. She fills up for 45 now.
“I’d say it’s at least up by 5 dollars every time I fill it up,” Williams said. “I was at 40 before.”
Montraie Waiters, a spokesperson with AAA, said that what’s going on in Ukraine and the rising price of crude oil over the last few months are all what’s impacting what people see at the pump. She said it’s still to early to tell if the cost will go up due to the Russian invasion and we do not know by how much it will increase.
Waiters added, “Gas prices prior to Russia invading Ukraine were already increasing and that was because the price of crude oil has been going up for the last past, I would say, couple of months. And crude oil accounts for almost half of gas prices.”
Right now, the markets are reporting crude oil is just under $100. But there are ways you can save money at the pump.
“Some gas stations, if you pay in cash, it’s less than playing with a credit or debit card. Keep that in mind. Also, you know what a lot of folks don’t know is get the junk out your trunk. If you have a lot of things in your cars, you’ve been using your trunk for storage in your trunk. Clean that out. You get better gas mileage with a lighter car,” Waiters said.
Here are some other tips to save at the pump. Join a fuel rewards program and also check the AAA website for the lowest prices around. Waiters said you should also keep your car maintained.
Photojournalist: Gary Hipps
