How Can You Help Keep Gas Prices Lower?
More Americans are hitting the roads this 4th of July weekend. Triple A predicts a 2 percent increase in travel this year over last. This comes as gas prices hit their highest point for the holiday since 2008.
After a year of ups and downs, gas prices are higher again. That’s mainly due to instability in the Middle East, but analysts say local factors play a big part too.
Triple A officials say how much you’re willing to shop around for gas has a big impact on how much gas stations will raise prices. If you only go to stations with better deals, it could force other stations to take notice.
In the Montgomery area, we see a huge range in gas prices, between $3.20 and $3.80 a gallon, a staggering 60-cent difference.
Analysts say change won’t happen overnight, but the more you’re willing to do your research and shop around, the bigger long-term difference it makes.
“We need to pay attention to those prices and reward those stations that are keeping their prices lower and that’ll put a lot of downward pressure on our prices in general. It’ll save us a little bit of money today, but potentially a lot more in the months to come,” said Clay Ingram, Marketing Director with AAA.
Analysts predict prices gas prices will stay mostly stable, with a few jumps throughout the summer, and they say prices should go down as we head into fall.
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