Share the Wealth
I would argue that gas prices are just an affect of supply and demand, but despite your theory, prices are back up again. So where’s your cheap gas?
I live in the Spout Run/Cherry Dale neighborhoods of North Arlington and the cheapest place around there is at the corner of Lee Highway and Military Road, just a block from my house. But, they close early occasionally, so I then go to the Shell at the Spout Run and 66 junction – just a block in the other direction of my house.
Although I work in the city, I worked in Old Town for a few years and during the soaring price times, I’d always hit the gas station on Rt. 1 into Old Town just outside of Potomac Yards. It’s a non-national brand, but they were consistently ten cents cheaper than the station just a half mile down the road.
Share. Be nice. Tell us where the cheap gas is.
Related posts:
That Liberty station on Lee is dirt cheap.
The others in NoVA are on Route 7 in Bailey’s Xroads: A Crown, a Shell and a Liberty right next to each other, and they’re all cheaper than the rest by a good 5-7 cents per gallon.
And on Lee Highway beyond Lexington headed to Falls Church, there’s a similar cluster.
When you affect something, as supply and demand do, there is subsequently an effect, such as gas prices going up or down.
Before you drive too far out of your way for that cheap-o gas - take into effect the cost of driving to it.
Let’s say your gas-hog makes 15 MPG (Ford Explorer), and you go 5 miles out of your way for cheaper gas. That would be 2/3 a gallon of gas for the round trip and at $2.30 gallon (VA Average), that’s $1.50 just for the gas to get there - not counting the cost of your time to drive there.
Now if you took that detour when your tank was below the 1/4 mark but not yet on the empty light, say at 4 gallons left of your 22 gallon tank (Ford Explorer again), then you’d need a per gallon difference of $0.08 to make the trip worthy ($1.50 divided by the 18 gallons you’d purchase).
So what does all this mean? When you drive out of your way for a few cent per gallon difference, it makes you feel good, but unless there is a significant difference in price and/or the station in on your way anyway, it’s not really helping your pocketbook.
The best way to reduce your gas costs? Car Free DC
Don, I kind of love you right now. I had effect. Then affect. Then effect. Then settled on affect. I even tried to hear my english teacher saying it, and I still didn’t know.
You’re a grammar stud, Don.
Gotta give props to the Liberty station, although it can be a pain to manuver out of, depending on where you’re headed. Guess it keeps the prices low ;)