RoswellGrey

San Antonio Express-News 4-18-08

Gas prices
hitting home

As S.A. average sets record, those with debt problems cut back.


VICKI VAUGHAN
EXPRESS-NEWS BUSINESS WRITER
Higher gas prices are hitting San Antonians day after day — the city's average jumped to a record $3.27 a gallon Thursday — and those seeking help with their finances aren't shy in saying how much it hurts.
“We're seeing clients who are paying more for gas than groceries,” said Gina Gomez of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater San Antonio.
When it comes to discussing finances, gasoline prices are a hot topic. “Every single client mentions gas prices and what a toll that has taken on their budget,” she said.
Most people seek help from the counseling service because they want to consolidate several credit card debts into a single payment. Some want help in contacting creditors to pay old debts.
Whatever their circumstances, Gomez is starting to see big changes. Some clients “are taking the truck and trading it in on a smaller vehicle,” she said. Others are carpooling or taking the bus to work a few days a week and using their vehicle the other days.
Still others have sold a vehicle and are making do with a single car, she said.
San Antonio gasoline prices now are 36 cents a gallon higher than after Hurricane Katrina, which knocked out most of the nation's Gulf Coast oil production and refining in the fall of 2005.
And, unfortunately for everyone who drives, high gasoline prices aren't likely to ease much, at least until June. The higher price of crude oil — which traded for a record $115.54 a barrel Wednesday —and demand that is expected to rise over the next few months are pushing prices up, the Energy Information Administration said this week.
That higher demand “will likely take retail gasoline prices to $3.50 per gallon and above, even if year-over-year gasoline demand is negative,” said the EIA, the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Also, summer gasoline blends are more costly to make, so that pushes up prices at the pump, the EIA said.
Gomez, a certified credit counselor, said she's cut back: “If we don't need to be there, we don't go.” She and her family have walked to a nearby park instead of driving. And it really helps, she said, “that I'm not too far away from my job or my son's school.”
vvaughan@express-news.net

MGDMike

Alright.. is something spectacular going to happen in June that I've missed?

SF18C

Chally Tank Capacity:19 gallons @ $4.10 (that is what I am paying right now) = $77.90 to fill’er up!

An estimated 15.5 MPG (13 City/18 Highway) equals a driving range of about 295 miles. (why do I think it will be lower than that…maybe the way I drive???)

That is about 38¢ a mile! Heck that is less than a can of Coke or a newspaper and whole lot more fun!!! I still wish gas didn’t cost so much!

SF18C

Gas prices should ease up a bit as most refineries will have finished the change over from Winter Gas to Summer Gas. Or maybe they plan to take over Iran?

TechmanBD

Yeah it is a little over $4 here for premium which all but my truck uses. Thank goodness the weather is good so I can ride one of the motorcycle, as they average 40 mpg's.

Thank goodness the oil companies are making record breaking profits[X(][:@]

JJMPB

yes we are so blessed that the oil compannies are making record profits

DK challenger

Maybe they will give us some money back! Yea Right

RLSH700

I've heard that sometime around June some experts are expecting the bubble to burst on lots of commodities, especially gas.

The problem here is more with the Government getting in the way, as opposed to the oil companies.