Let's talk about gas prices, shall we? I currently need gas. My gas light is on, or as some people refer to it as the idiot light. First off, I'm not sure why people call it the idiot light. Isn't that a bit harsh? I mean, sometimes you get low on gas and the light comes on. You're not an idiot, you are just a person who uses a car which uses gas which eventually runs out. Anyway, gas prices tend to make people irritated because they go up, and that means more money out of your pocket. But how much does that little fulucuation in gas prices really affect you? Sure there's a big difference between say, $1.29 a gallon against, say, $4.50 a gallon, but 30 cents? Let's do some simple math here to figure out why you don't need to wait in line at the gas station for the cheapest price in town.
First off, most gas prices in your area will be close to the same, if not exactly the same. Gas stations need to keep the prices close to the other places that sell gas to stay competitive. 30 cents is a pretty big flucuation in price for one area, but I did see it last week. One station near my house had it the entire 30 cents cheaper than a station in a different part of town. But how much does that really effect the damage to your wallet? Let's say you have a 15 gallon tank in you vehicle. That's about average (smaller cars may be more like 12 gallons, bigger cars more like 16. SUV's will be 20 gallons or more.) Filling the empty tank at, say $3.47 a gallon rate will cost you $52.05. On the other side of town their selling gas for $3.77. That will cost you $56.55 for a difference of $4.50. Now, that's a pretty big difference in terms of gas price, but $4.50? That's a gallon of organic milk. That's a sandwich at a lunch spot. It's nothing to get bent out of shape about, but it's also something you would like to avoid if you can. You could totally save $4.50 just by knowing where to buy your gas. But what if the place selling gas at $3.47 is so busy you will have to wait 15 minutes just to fill up? I would imagine that somewhere nearby, has gas for a similar price. Like I said, gas stations in proximity of each other need to keep prices competitive so I would bet somewhere nearby has gas for a similar price. That 15 gallon tank filled up at $3.50 at the Exxon down the street will cost you $52.50. That's a difference of FORTY FIVE CENTS. You can't buy anything worth while for 45 cents. I imagine that there will be no wait at the place with the $3.50 gas either.
So unless the gas prices on one side of town is 30 cents more, just get gas wherever you are, because it really isnt' that big of a difference. 15 gallons at $1.29 a gallon is $19.35, at $4.50 a gallon it's $67.50, so that's something to bitch about, my friends. I cite these numbers because these are the cheapest and most expensive I've seen gas prices in my driving lifetime, which is just over 10 years of driving. But if you want to go out of your way and wait in line forever just to save 45 cents, you are frugal, but you are also stupid. Just think about it next time your getting gas.
First off, most gas prices in your area will be close to the same, if not exactly the same. Gas stations need to keep the prices close to the other places that sell gas to stay competitive. 30 cents is a pretty big flucuation in price for one area, but I did see it last week. One station near my house had it the entire 30 cents cheaper than a station in a different part of town. But how much does that really effect the damage to your wallet? Let's say you have a 15 gallon tank in you vehicle. That's about average (smaller cars may be more like 12 gallons, bigger cars more like 16. SUV's will be 20 gallons or more.) Filling the empty tank at, say $3.47 a gallon rate will cost you $52.05. On the other side of town their selling gas for $3.77. That will cost you $56.55 for a difference of $4.50. Now, that's a pretty big difference in terms of gas price, but $4.50? That's a gallon of organic milk. That's a sandwich at a lunch spot. It's nothing to get bent out of shape about, but it's also something you would like to avoid if you can. You could totally save $4.50 just by knowing where to buy your gas. But what if the place selling gas at $3.47 is so busy you will have to wait 15 minutes just to fill up? I would imagine that somewhere nearby, has gas for a similar price. Like I said, gas stations in proximity of each other need to keep prices competitive so I would bet somewhere nearby has gas for a similar price. That 15 gallon tank filled up at $3.50 at the Exxon down the street will cost you $52.50. That's a difference of FORTY FIVE CENTS. You can't buy anything worth while for 45 cents. I imagine that there will be no wait at the place with the $3.50 gas either.
So unless the gas prices on one side of town is 30 cents more, just get gas wherever you are, because it really isnt' that big of a difference. 15 gallons at $1.29 a gallon is $19.35, at $4.50 a gallon it's $67.50, so that's something to bitch about, my friends. I cite these numbers because these are the cheapest and most expensive I've seen gas prices in my driving lifetime, which is just over 10 years of driving. But if you want to go out of your way and wait in line forever just to save 45 cents, you are frugal, but you are also stupid. Just think about it next time your getting gas.
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