Last week people were sounding the warning alarm for $5 gas at the pump. I didn’t echo the thought here because at the time on the surface it seemed somewhat reactionary. But some people are still claiaming we could shortly reach that… maybe.
Compare these two CNN articles. First, Rita could equal $5 gas, written September 22. Opening sentences:
Remember when gas spiked to $3-plus a gallon after Hurricane Katrina? By this time next week, that could seem like the good old days. Weather and energy experts say that as bad as Hurricane Katrina hit the nation’s supply of gasoline, Hurricane Rita could be worse.
Now here is a more recent article (September 28, today), in which Gerri Willis offers 5 tips for saving gas. The first few sentences:
Remember when gas spiked to $3-plus a gallon after Hurricane Katrina? By this time next week, that could seem like the good old days. Weather and energy experts say that as bad as Hurricane Katrina hit the nation’s supply of gasoline, Hurricane Rita could be worse. Analysts are predicting Rita’s aftermath could catapult gas prices to $4, even $5 a gallon.
Perhaps energy experts will come out once a week, every week, to declare that by “this time next week” we’ll see $5 gas. At some point, they will be correct.
Predictions aside, Gerri’s article does offer five tips as promised:
- Save from the start. Buy smart. At the very least, know the how your new car is rated in terms of gas mileage.
- Be high maintenance. Clean out the trunk, check air pressure in the tires, and keep your air filters clean.
- Find a buddy. Carpooling is a great solution for those who can give up some flexibility.
- Compare prices from home. Shop around for the best (lowest priced) stations on your route.
- Show us the deduction. Don’t forget the reimbursement rate for September through December 2005 is now 48.5 cents per mile. When I volunteer over the weekends this fall, I’m only getting 30 cents per mile in excess of 200 miles per day—a minimum I rarely reach. I suppose that’s why they call it volunteering.
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