Where will gas end in 2006?

genchan · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 07:50 AM

Time to put on your prediction hats. What price do you think gas will be at on December 31, 2006? I think it's going to be a rough year and we're going to end above $3.00 a gallon.

sweeps · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 08:21 AM

$1.85.

Jason · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 10:15 AM

As long as the oil companies cannot find some natural disaster or another excuse to raise prices...$1.99

FrugalTexan75 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 01:56 PM

I am hoping for less than $2, but expect it will be more around $3.50 or higher.

Optsol · #5 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 03:23 PM

$2.75

cercis · #6 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 06:53 PM

$1.85? $1.99? Do you have prices lower than that now?

Our gas prices have been steadily rising. They dropped to $1.85 pre-xmas and now they're up to $2.21 and rising. And we live in an area where they compete with Mexico for gas prices (as in, people will actually drive across the border to buy gas rather than pay high US prices).

I fully expect the prices to hit $3.50 this summer and end up around $2.85-2.95. If we have a hurricane season like last year, I expect it to hit $4.50 in the heartland and end up around $3.15 or so.

Pray God I'm wrong. But, just in case, my new house is 2 miles from my job, a mile from the bank, the grocery store, etc. We can easily get by with just DH's car (slightly better mileage than my 8yo car). We've been doing practice walks. We walked to the library yesterday, the grocery store last week and the bank today. The kids whine, but I notice they still have energy to run around the park when we pass it.

If it goes up much higher, I may just allow DH to get that scooter he's been wanting.

sweeps · #7 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 03:41 AM

The average price for gas is currently $1.75/gallon. In the long term, gas prices will go through the roof, but for now I feel that gas prices will remain low. The $3+/gallon stuff was a temporary bout of insanity.

EHadden · #8 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 04:12 AM

Yesterday, in Central Illinois, the average price was $2.27/gallon. Compared to the National Average of $1.75, I would say that we are getting the shaft. Based on that, I would guesstimate that by the end of 2006, the National Average will hit $2.50, putting us here in the Corn Belt at around $2.75.

cercis · #9 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 05:01 AM

According to this site - http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gassta...?zip=&src=Netx the average is $2.30/gallon. Now, I look at MY zipcode and they have 3 gas stations lower than $2.21 and a dozen at and over and claim the average is $2.20, so I think their average is a bit low. I think Yahoo's all wet.

This site also says the lowest in the nation is $1.73. If that's the case, then for Yahoo's article to be right, there must be a TON of $1.73 gas stations around.

I've been using MSN's site for a long while and they've always been right on (with prices) so I believe them.

sweeps · #10 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 05:35 AM

Hmm, interesting. Perhaps $1.75 is the wholesale price? Thanks for the correction.

PRICEPLUS · #11 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 05:45 AM

$2.25 to 2.35 range.

Ima saver · #12 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 10:51 AM

I paid $2.56 per gallon last night, but I use premium gas. I have no idea where it is going?

cercis · #13 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 01:36 PM

Sweeps, I had that idea on my way to work. It probably is the wholesale price rather than the retail price. It will be much higher this summer (gas prices go up for the special summer formulation) and we can only hope it will come down again.

debtfreeme · #14 (**permalink**) 01-10-2006, 02:37 PM

in Sacramento the gas prices were almost 2.00 a gallon, just about 2.05 last week. now all of a sudden i go to get gas this weekend and it is back up to 2.30!

AntiCost · #15 (**permalink**) 01-13-2006, 06:53 PM

As long as we don't get any hurricanes, i think it should stay under $2.25.. They'll come up with excuses to boost it around the summer time (memorial day, labor day, etc) claiming that all the people driving are consuming more gas.. i don't seem to buy into that notion though..

cercis · #16 (**permalink**) 01-13-2006, 07:01 PM

Anticost - what is the gas price in your area now? Are you talking wholesale or retail? Because to end at under $2.25, the average retail price would have to drop from today's average. I don't see that happening.

AntiCost · #17 (**permalink**) 01-13-2006, 07:04 PM

Northern NJ; I think I filled up yesterday for about $2.25 a gallon. NJ typically has lower gas prices than most states.. I just don't think it can continue to remain absurdly high. Every boom has it's bust, and it's clear that the oil/gas companies were gouging consumers in 2005..

jmjj215 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 10:27 AM

Prediction: below $2

cercis · #19 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 11:43 AM

Jesse, what factors lead you to think gas prices are going to drop?