Students struggle with high gas prices
By ANTHONY WITRADO
Watching that plastic stick creep down below the "E" isn't
so uncommon anymore.
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With his Ford F250, freshman and Madera resident Jeremy Waddell
spends over $450 on gas each month, which he said is more than what
he spends on rent. Photo by Joseph Vasquez |
Not with gas prices in Fresno and Clovis and their surrounding areas
on a consistent rise. Even gas-saving economy cars can eat about $30 at
the pump.
This is especially a problem for college students who don't have full-time
jobs or travel to campus from out of town.
The facts look like this: The average price of a gallon of regular gas
one year ago was $1.60, according to www.fresnogasprices.com—a price
any Central California resident would love to pay now.
Today, the average price, according to the Web site, is $2.31.
The price of crude oil, the reason for the high gas prices, dropped to
$55 a barrel, according to an Associated Press report Sunday, lowering
the national average to $2.01 a gallon.
Just don't talk to Fresno State students about prices dropping nationwide.
"I have to budget my checks around my rent and gas," junior
Michael Amaton said. "It's ridiculous. You shouldn't have to save
money to put gas."
Amaton, who lives in Fresno, said he fills his tank up once or twice a
week. It costs him $27-32 each time.
And for the people who live outside of Fresno or Clovis?
"Man, I spend almost $75 a week for gas," said senior Sean Taylor,
who lives in Sanger. "All that driving is killing me. I take it all
the way past the "E."
Gas prices are fairly stable in Fresno and Clovis right now. It's up about
four cents from a month ago, and with Fresno pumps 30 cents higher than
the rest of the country, people want to know where to fill up for cheap.
Fresnogasprices.com says U-Save Gas on Hughes and Weber avenues is the
cheapest at $2.23 a gallon. Three other stations in southeast Fresno are
at $2.25.
The highest price in Fresno is $2.55 at the Exxon on Abby and Belmont,
near Fresno City College. Chevron on Shaw and West is the second highest
at $2.41.
An alternative is club stations. Places like Vons and Costco offer their
members gas that is usually about a nickel cheaper than the average. But
long lines are common at those stations, and you could be waiting 15 minutes
before grabbing a pump.
So while most students are stuck with the necessity of filling up, what
can they do to better deal with it?
The answer is simple.
"There isn't much you can do," Taylor said. "You just have
to deal with it and hope the prices drop."
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