Georgia gas prices on the rise, drivers and businesses having to cut back

AUGUSTA, Ga, (WJBF) – Gas prices in the area are going up again, making money tighter than usual.

“Rent of course is high, so you have that, you have lights, and then trying to pay for gas it’s just difficult,” said. Pamela Prayther. “Food expenses – it just takes a lot from each and every bill each week to be able to fill up a tank and go back and forth to work.”

AAA says the average price of gas in Georgia is more than 60 cents higher than last month. 

This is mainly due to the rise in crude oil prices nationwide.

“Crude oil accounts at least half of gas prices. So whenever we see crude oil start to trend up, 9 times out of 10 gas prices are going to follow suit,” said Montrae Waiters, a AAA spokesperson.

Many drivers tell us that they’ve had to cut back on spending for other necessities because of these prices.

“I got kids in other states and I can’t even go visit them a lot of times,” said Aubrey Burkhalter. “Before it was fifty dollars to fill this Jeep up, now twenty dollars don’t even get you five gallons of gas. It’s pretty outrageous.”

Landscaping companies that rely heavily on gasoline also said they’ve had to raise their prices to offset the cost.

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Jeremy Owens, the co-owner and general manager of Lawn Care Services of Augusta, said the company is grateful for the customer base they have, who supports them in tough times because of the work they do.

“In our industry, lawn care and landscaping, nationwide the average profit margin is seven percent,” said Jeremy Owens, the co-owner and general manager of Lawn Care Services of Augusta. “So with gas increasing like it did, we almost have no choice but to pass that price on the consumer. Otherwise we could face downsizing, going out of business, and things like that.”

However, there are ways to prevent these costs from breaking the bank.

“The biggest thing is enroll in a fuel savings program,” Montrae Waiters said. “There’s different gas stations that have fuel savings programs that motorists can enroll in where you can save ten to twenty cents, so those are definitely good programs to get in.”

Unfortunately, it’s hard to predict how much these prices will rise and fall in the future. 

But, AAA has the following tips to help save money on gas:

Money-Saving Tips for Drivers

• Shop around for gas prices. Drivers can check area gas prices on the Fuel Price Finder.
• Consider paying in cash vs. a credit card. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
• Enroll in fuel savings programs.

Fuel-Saving Tips for Drivers

• Maintain your vehicle to ensure the best fuel economy. Find a trusted automotive facility at AAA.com/AutoRepair.
• Combine errands to limit driving time.
• Slow down. Fuel economy diminishes significantly at highway speeds above 50 mph. Drive conservatively and avoid aggressive driving. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduce fuel economy.