Local gas prices (non-political)

[ctenidae]

I hear ya, Jim- and agree. The only companies making money on high gas, though,a re the oil companies. Sure, some people are adding a fuel surcharge, but the fact they haven't until now means they've been absorbing the cost with lower profits- the fact the CPI barely moved shows that prices haven't increased anything like they should have. I'd say businesses are finding ways to use less fuel, and that's teh biggest source of the drop- plus the couple of million people who aren't driving in LA, AL, and MS.

 

[JimG.]

I hear ya, Jim- and agree. The only companies making money on high gas, though,a re the oil companies. Sure, some people are adding a fuel surcharge, but the fact they haven't until now means they've been absorbing the cost with lower profits...

I know, but I'm choosing to look at this as businesses versus consumers. Doesn't matter to me if a retailer gets hurt because gas prices are high. Perhaps simplistic, but it works for me on a personal economic level.

And don't fool yourself about businesses raising prices...nobody is absorbing anything other than money from the consumer's pocket. UPS is particularly heinous in this respect and increased their fuel surcharge to 20% mere days after Katrina.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

A barrel of crude dropped another .49 today or at least for the moment.

I too thought about all those folks in the Katrina area not driving but probably gets offset by all the folks driving down there to help.

The supply line that was disrupted by the hurricane is getting back on line. People are driving less. All good news as compared to when Katrina hit. The price at the pump should continue to drop. The sales of hybrid cars is way up.

The bad news is that the high price of fuel is starting to take it's toll as Delta and Northwest just filed for bankruptcy. As so it goes....

 

[ctenidae]

They're saying that 50% of seats on domestic flights will be on a bankrupt carrier. That's scary.

 

[skijay]

I am flying out in November on one of those airlines.

 

[JimG.]

I am flying out in November on one of those airlines.

I'm flying on NW next week and Delta in October.

Good thing I'm already convinced that most airlines are crap anyway.

 

[Stephen]

I'm SOOOO glad I've got an AmEx Delta Skymiles card.

 

[MtnMagic]

In Lancaster, the price is $2.99. In Gorham it's $2.95. I haven't been in Littleton for a few days but I suspect the prices should be $2.89 or even a bit less.

 

[riverc0il]

2.899 in StJ!!! i suspect the gas companies have been really hurting these past two weeks. the prices are dropping almost as fast as they went up. it was 2.999 when i went to work this morning and 3.099 just two days ago.

 

[shannon_dickson2001]

I think that it is nice to see the usage drop. I Honestly think if there were any way to get to work, in my area with out using my car I would. The STARS say that everyone should get one of those Hybrids, but not only are they expensive, they have a long waiting list. So they are great, for the Stars. It would be nice to just have some kind of way to fight back against the ridiculous price. :angry:

 

[cbcbd]

Wow, you guys all have some good gas prices. The going rate around here is $3.40s

 

[bvibert]

Wow, you guys all have some good gas prices. The going rate around here is $3.40s

Wow it was down to $2.99 at Cumbies in Litchfield, CT this morning. Of course all their pumps were "Out of Order" for some reason... :roll:

 

[tjd]

Finally returning to insane levels

$2.959 in Danbury (Global on Rt 6 on the Bethel border) a few min ago. Of course, my car won't take 87 so I had to pay 3.159 for 93 octane. A lot better than the Sunoco I passed this AM still looking for 3.199 for 87 octane - but those were westchester prices.

And I too enjoy getting miles for my gas purchases

As for policy, do not take off the gas taxes - leave them on. Why encourage consumption ? The age of cheap oil is over. Time to invest in alternative energy...The next 25 years will see energy crisis after energy crisis.

 

[Vortex]

Just paid at 2.30pm $2.85 in bost. I was amazed how happy I was. Just crazy.

 

[riverc0il]

$2.79 now in StJ and dropping like a rock! that is an average decrease of nearly 10 cents per day since monday!

 

[BeanoNYC]

We're down to $3.09 out here.

 

[shannon_dickson2001]

At Sams today the price was 2.69 so it has increased by almost a dollar and then droped 60 cents in the last few weeks. Man this gas is ridiculous!

 

[JimG.]

So, after Katrina hit I got motivated to look into locking a rate for winter fuel oil. The day after the hit, my oil company wasn't even quoting prices, then it was $2.799 for a lock on a fixed rate.

That number crept down steadily until it hit $2.449 last Friday. My rep had been good about calling me every day with a quote, so I told her I thought the rate had gone as low as it would and I told her to send me the contract to lock at $2.449. Cap contracts were still high with the cap at $2.999 and I felt that they were hedging bets, that I needed to lock in now.

Good thing I got that contract. With Rita lurking, my fuel oil company was again not quoting fixed rates yesterday and my rep forsees fixed rates over $3 if Rita continues its' current track.

 

[ctenidae]

Good call, JimG. I'd agree with your rep's assesment.
When you lock in, do you pay up front, or on delivery?

 

[Stephen]

I locked at 2.40 the week Katrina hit. If I had locked back in August, I would have gotten 2.09.

-Stephen