I Got Gas

It’s always exciting when you see a drop in the price of gas when you need to fill up. Especially when you’re actually due to fill up. The feeling comes close to winning something like a church raffle, or bingo. Not as extreme as winning a lottery but exciting all the same. Hoards of vehicles flock to the pumps to save what would appear to be mega bucks at the newest lower price per litre. And this euphoric feeling can continue as long as you don’t think about it too much. Or do the math.

Gas prices for no logical reason whatsoever, rise and fall without warning or definable reason, regardless of what the world market seems to dictate. If the price of a barrel of oil goes up today, why does the price of gas at the pumps go up as well that very same day? The gas that is here at the gas station is already the lower price gas right? It’s from a previous price at the very least being here prior to the unexplained ridiculous market elevation isn’t it? So why are we paying more for the same gas that was here yesterday before this unexplained increase?

Most of the time, and after a few days of this wonderful lowness they surprisingly increase the price by ten cents per litre overnight. This usually happens on a Thursday night just before the weekend rush. This is when it becomes a complete shock to the system. Even more so if you waited too long, like Friday morning to fill your tank. It’s a snooze you loose kind of situation that makes you want to smack yourself in the forehead like you should have had a V-8. Those who get it will laugh. Those who don’t get it…ask someone who’s laughing to explain the V-8 thing to you.

The thing that is curious to me is the people that will drive across town to fill up because they heard that there is a gas station with the cheapest gas in town over yonder. I don’t get it. How much cheaper is it than the gas station that is closer to you? It would have to be substantial.

In a world that seems to aspire to nothing further than average yet expects astronomical results, let me explain this within the laws of average. Now don’t get all bent out of shape here and start an argument saying “my car gets better millage than that”, or, “my tank takes more (or less) gas than that…gawd. My averages are not based on any make or model in particular. My numbers are for example purposes only. K?

You drive an average car with average gas mileage give or take right? Your average gas tank holds 50 litres of gas. Your average gas mileage is 15 litres per 100 kilometres. Yes it’s high but I drive a pick up truck. Sue me. You need to fill your tank because it is empty. Not realistic that your tank will be completely empty I know, but for this scenario let’s just say it is. It’s just easier to explain this way. So let’s do a little math shall we?

The gas across town is 2 cents a litre cheaper and is 25 kilometres away. Depending on what you paid for the gas already in your car, this little trip will burn 3.75 litres of gas at an average cost of $4.00.

This is the part that gets interesting kids so listen up. The cheaper gas you are bound and determined to purchase works out like this. For the 50 litres of gas you need at a savings of 2 cents per litre, you are saving a grand total of $1.00 on the entire tank. Woohoo! If you take into account your fuel economy and the mileage involved, your trip across town just cost you $3.00 to give yourself the illusion of purchasing cheaper gas. That’s correct. It cost you that $3.00 just to drive across town to get to the cheap gas. But wait. Now you have to drive back across town to get home. So how much did you really pay? Or save for that matter?

I don’t get it.