Gas Prices Down, Slowly
I just saw a headline on CNN Money that reads “Gas prices drop: 24 days and counting”.
Should my response be, “Whoopie!”
Should I be up out of my chair dancing my happy-dance?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly glad we are seeing some relief at the gas pumps. It was not so long ago that even $4 a gallon was a “good deal” around here.
However, according to the headline I just quoted, it has taken 24 days (the better part of a month) for the national average gas price to go from $4.114 to $3.818. When gas prices were rising, it took only half that time for the prices to move the same amount in the other direction.
Gas prices always go down a little bit in the summer. There is not as much demand for heating oil and other factors. I suppose I expected a little bit of a break. Still, gas prices today average a full dollar more than they did this time last year. For many people, that means $15-$20 per tank.
For me, higher gas prices have meant that I have taken fewer day-trips with my daughter this summer. I’m considering jobs in a closer radius to home. I am careful about combining errands and I drive less often to pick up freebies I’ve found on Freecycle or Craig’s List for things like audio racks or old books I do not really need. So, even though prices are slipping slightly, I am not going to change back to my old driving habits.
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