What's Happening with Gasoline Prices

[Bird]

I could understand prices going down a bit this time of year, but would have thought they'd wait until AFTER the Labor Day holiday. The $1.999 prices I saw this morning were at the Circle K and Walmart in Hickory Creek. Later, I went to Denton and the Quick Trip (where I paid $2.279 yesterday) was only down to $2.259 today.

 

[ronjhall]

Cannot wait to get back down your way after Christmas. Price for regular unleaded in MI is around 2.55 with credit card.

 

[Bird]

Yeah, Ron, I don't know whether it'll go up or down, but it's almost bound to be a little cheaper than where you live. The cheapest gas I've bought in several years was $1.359 on 12/31/08, but of course a year earlier on 12/31/07 I paid $2.899.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Were paying $1.041CAD / litre here today. Thats $3.62 USD/USG if i did my math correct.

Last week when I was in Antigonish it was $1.06 CAD a liter.

Thankfully we have price regulation here so we dont see quite as radical changes as we used to. Regulation has its pros and cons and personally id like to see some transparency in the system (currently its set behind closed doors, and weve never been told the actual formula) and have the new price announced a day before hand (now the price isnt announced so you have no idea if its going up or down).

Did you now we pay an extra 1/2 cent a liter to have this regulatory system? IMHO I think the regulation process should be completely transparent. As for announcements, well, I just look to see what the price in New Brunswick has changed to, Nova Scotia typically follows the same.

But it helps to keep the swings in price down. The free market never really worked in our area, because the retailers had no interest in undercutting their competitors and getting in a "price war".

That's because there isn't enough traffic flow and enough competition.

Story time...6-7 years ago we headed to Old Orchard Beach for July 4th.The evening before, we were driving through NB and the price of gas was 35 cents a liter. Price war. Back in NS it was about 79 cents at the time I think. It was half, I remember that. A week later, on our way back home, it was back to 'normal' pricing.

 

[weldingisfun]

Prices are holding pretty steady around here. $2.389 for regular and $2.529 for diesel. Sure would like to see the fuel prices drop.

 

[Double Orange]

Our prices in Canada have been climbing again.


The strange part is we ship a lot of our gas to the states and sell it cheaper to you than what we pay for it...

Ivan

And we Thank You Ivan!

No sense both of us paying too much!

 

[EddieWalker]

Wow Bird, gas under $2 is amazing!!! We went out to eat last night in Lindale and gas was $2.21 a gallon. Lindale is always the cheapest gas around for some unknown reason. Tyler is just a few miles away, but gas there is always about ten cents a gallon more. Tyler has the refinery, but you can buy it cheaper, farther away from the gas stations right next to the refinery.

I've also been suprised at seeing the price for gas coming down before the holiday weekend. I expected it to go up, so I filled up earlier this week.

I was telling Steph that consumption must be down and nobody is traveling due to so many people being out of work. Officially they say we're at 9.7% unemployment, but allot of independent studies are publishing that the real number is around 16%. With that many people not working, it's reasonable to assume that allot fewer people are spending money traveling or buying things that are not needed.

Of course, the latest discovery of another billion plus barrels of oil in the Gulf just puts that much more oil out there to keep the prices down. There is no energy crises except for what the government creates.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

Prices are holding pretty steady around here. $2.389 for regular and $2.529 for diesel. Sure would like to see the fuel prices drop.

You know one of my brothers spends the summers in Ellensburg, WA, and the Winters just north of Waco, TX. He and his wife live in a 38' three axle fifth-wheel RV and pull it with an F550 Ford diesel. I got an e-mail from him this morning and he said gas up there hasn't been below $2.50 since they got up there in April and that he paid $2.889 for gas yesterday. But he said he noticed that diesel was down to $2.859 and he's hoping it'll come down a bit more this month before he heads south and has to buy "lots of diesel".

 

[MossRoad]

One month ago yesterday (Aug. 5), I filled both vehicles with gas that cost $2.449, on Aug. 13, I paid $2.429, on Aug. 18, I paid $2.389, on Aug. 29, I paid $2.379. Aaah, yes, prices slowly coming down. So yesterday, prices had dropped another dime, yep, figured I better fill up before it goes back up, so I filled both vehicles, paying $2.279.

And this morning, the price is $1.999!!!! Yep, my usual luck!

Still about $2.48 here in northern Indiana. Has been for about 3 weeks.

 

[Scooby074]

woodchuckcanuck: Good points.

About transparency. I didnt know they padded the price to pay for it, but it doesnt surprise me. When have you ever seen the gas companies loose money?

It should be COMPLETELY transparent. Show the price of gas on the open market + oil co. profit + retailer profit + tax. But hey then wed actually see how much we are being screwed. and you know they'd NEVEr want that

I still think regulation works. But its far from perfect. How many times have se seen the price jump mid week (gotta love that special "interrupter clause" the oil cos got) when the price in New York jumps, Funny i think the price as only lowered once using that same rule Or the fact that the price of gas can jump 5 cents in a week but take 3-4 weeks to drop back....

Transparency would help to eliminate these "games" and keep the oil cos in check.

You guys are lucky South of the border.

The strange part is we ship a lot of our gas to the states and sell it cheaper to you than what we pay for it...

Ivan

Yeah that feels right good as a Canadian dont it

I love the fact that Nova Scotia Natural gas pipeline passes right through our town, going to the states for a bargain price (stupid gov't gave it away) yet we dont have it in our town.