Gas Prices Soar in Long Beach

Gas prices in California have quickly reached $6 per gallon. According to the AAA, the prices have increased 61 cents in the past month.

As of October 5, 2023, the spike has been more significant in the Long Beach metro area, hitting $6.14, up 74 cents in a month.

And locals are fed up; one local 7-Eleven worker exclaims, “This is the last thing we need, for the gas to soar up to match last year’s record highs!” And continued to say, “Now I understand the appeal of the EV.”

And they are correct, for the prices are on pace to match last year’s price average of $6.49. As Russia and Saudi Arabia curtailed oil production, gas prices reached record highs in 2023, which, in effect, created 52 price increases for gas in the LA area in 57 days in September of this year.

High gas costs increase inflation, although total prices are slowly moving in the correct way.

Long Beach State student and business major Gissel Campos says, “As a commuting student that also has to worry about tuition, gas prices is another worry that contributes to my daily routine due to how expensive it is.” A valid point that Campos makes is that besides acclimating to all the expenses and cost of living, adding gas expenses to the mix of monthly spending students endure can also be very tough.

Abbygail Conway, a pre-bio major, believes that “As someone who pays for my own tuition as well as all other expenses that come with living on my own, paying for gas really adds up.” Conway further says, “I am grateful that right now I’m not driving. I have fears that in the future, it will become too expensive to sustain driving a car and I will be forced to find other ways of transportation.”

It can be argued finding other means of lengthening transportation should not be a consideration, especially when timeliness, deadlines and due dates are crucial in a student’s world. Whereas having to resort to other means of transportation can affect one’s quality of life and add unnecessary inconvenience to the average commuter.

Furthermore, oil prices, which can be argued to be the critical factor influencing retail pump prices, keep rising, primarily due to Saudi Arabia and Russia’s desire for it.

US oil prices rose to a 10-month high of about $94 per barrel on Tuesday before falling below $91 on Wednesday, helped by those two countries’ significant supply cuts.

Consumers are hurt by the increase in petrol prices, particularly lower-income families. It serves as a stark reminder of the cost of living right now.

It can be argued that there is a preference for owning a car that runs on gas. Unfortunately, it affects millions, specifically 3.2 million Americans on Forbes’ top 10 selling cars, excluding 252,000 Americans who bought the Tesla Model Y.

Regardless, many of those in this position paying $6 for gas are recommended to use a rewards credit card to purchase gas, enroll in gas rewards programs and try to purchase gas on the first day of the week.

According to Gasbuddy.com, Monday’s offer “the lowest average gas prices in the majority of the US – 17 states including Illinois, Michigan and Virginia. Monday was also the best day to buy gas on GasBuddy’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 studies. Contrary to previous years, Friday became one of the cheapest days of the week to buy gas in 2021.”