Gas Prices - Not too bad ?

[jmjj215]

I live in UT so we don't deal with the outrageous gas prices seen in other parts of the US. Currently, I can get gas from $2.17-$2.29 per gallon.

Last year around this time, if I can remember right, it was about $2.

I was reading an article in my school's newspaper about the rising gas price and there were several quotes in there from college students stating (paraphrase):

"Now, all of my money is going towards gas."

"It's hard to save money for tuition when gas costs eat up any attempt I make to save a bit."

My cynical question was this:

If you fill up a college students car (civic, prizm) it's usually about 10-12 gallons per fillup. So gas prices rose 30 cents over the year. That means if the person fills up three times per month (that's how many I average) they're buying at most 36 gallons per month at increased cost of $10.80 per month. If it's a 10 gallon fillup (my prizm), that results in a monthly increase of $9.

$9 is keeping people from saving for tuition? All of their money is going towards gas? So last year they had $9 to save for tuition and this year they have none. Also, last year they had $9 extra money, after paying for gas, but now that $9 is also going towards gas.

Seemed a bit silly to me - looking at from the perspective of the incremental cost of the increase.

Am I being too harsh?

[mjrube94]

Your assessment is right on. I think this is one of those things, like the rising cost of milk, that seems worse than it may really be. (Maybe the problem is that when they add up the increases of gas, and milk, and clothes, and everything else that is going up it turns into a significant amount). Regarding gas prices specifically, I try to remind myself that I'm lucky not to be paying the prices that people outside the country pay - it can be over 100% more!