You pass a gas station and immediately see the prices; in awe, you remember how cheap the gas prices used to be. $3.99 is the average price currently for a gallon of gas in North Carolina, having jumped 35% from last year’s prices. This is primarily due to the global oil disruptions from the ongoing Iran conflict.
Although it may not seem like it, we are actually lucky; California, for example, has among the highest gas prices amongst US states, hitting an astonishing $5.89 average per gallon. These heightened gas prices in every state are affecting citizens from all over the US.
Junior Jacob Daw said, “The increasing gas prices have made it increasingly difficult for me to do what I love to do, which is travel. Furthermore, it has made it harder for my family to help provide for me financially.”
People have had many complaints about these new gas prices because of financial situations as well as the changes they have had to make to attempt to adapt to these issues.
As junior Valentina Valverde mentioned, “I’ve started to avoid driving and especially making food at home instead of going out to get it. With gas prices, it’s cheaper to do certain things at home rather than going out.”
People may drive a lot less than they used to in order to avoid these prices, as they tend to add up quickly.
Junior Aldijana Racinovic said, “Gas prices have majorly changed how much I drive because I don’t want to pay $70 every week for gas knowing it used to be $40.”
Gas prices are projected to decrease by 10 to 20 cents per gallon within the next few weeks, but any major decreases aren’t expected for at least another few months.
For now, avoid quick acceleration and hard braking, as both of these actions can use up more gas than necessary while driving. You can also attempt to use gas-saving apps as they can save you money over time. This includes loyalty programs in which you can earn points based on gas purchases.
