Spring has only just begun and we are already witnessing a jump in gas prices that may continue to rise before the onset of the busy travel season around the corner.
UH students are making lifestyle changes to make room for the cost of fueling up.
"It’s so expensive that you can’t spend money the way you would normally spend it," biology senior Jose Correa said. "I drive from Baytown every day and spend at least $150 a week on gas."
As of Sunday, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.286, according to the AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, which surveys up to 85,000 self-service stations daily. The Houston area average increased nearly 16 cents to $3.212 from $3.055 per gallon in February, according to AAA.
The cost of a barrel of crude oil reached the $100 mark on Jan. 2, pushing gasoline prices up with it, The Associated Press reported. Students are making attempts to curb the financial strain of the increase by dining at home more often.
"I like to eat out a lot, but (because of gas prices) I have to buy more groceries and stay in the house more. It takes 80 bucks to fill up my truck and it lasts a week or a week and a half," finance sophomore Holden Carr said.
Carr has also cut back on taking trips home to Beaumont because of the cost of the drive.
Other students have found ways to increase their gas mileage, getting the most out of their money by using more fuel-efficient modes of transportation.
"I ride my bike a lot more.†I used to fill up for $8, and now it’s closer to $15. You feel it after a while but not as much as in my car," communication junior Fernando Frias said.†"It’s an excuse to ride more."
The Web site HoustonGasPrices.com lists the daily prices of local gas stations to help people find the lowest prices in the city.HoustonGasPrices.com is part of Gas Buddy Organization Inc., a national organization updated by visitors to list daily gas prices to help gas consumers in specific cities or towns find the lowest prices.
According to GasBuddy.com, the information posted is displayed for 72 hours to keep data as current as possible. The Web site also has gas-price charts and gas-price maps.
Even those who don’t pay for gas said they are feeling the pain of high gas prices.
"I commute, so it is a factor, but my parents foot the bill," biochemistry freshman Ben Mercado said.†"I try to cut back on reckless driving habits. I do sympathize."
Additional reporting by Jeremiah Guillory and Nathan Williamson
