Gas prices surpass $5 per gallon in parts of New York
Gas prices across the nation have again reached a record high this week, as the price per gallon has surpassed $5 in parts of New York Monday morning, according to AAA of Western and Central New York.
The latest rise comes just days before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a busy travel weekend in which more than 39.2 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, according to AAA. In New York and across the country, gas prices have skyrocketed this spring.
AAA research finds that 75% of American adults say they will likely change their driving habits or lifestyle if the cost of gasoline rises to $5 per gallon.
Gas prices in Rochester NY
The national average price per gallon of gasoline is $4.60, which is a 12 cent increase from last week's rate and a 48 cent rise over the per gallon price one month ago, according to AAA. One year ago, the cost was $3.04 per gallon.
Monday's gas price per gallon reached $4.88 in Rochester, which is an 18 cent increase over last week's rate and a 60 cent increase in the past month, according to AAA. One year ago in Rochester, gas cost $3.02 per gallon.
Gas prices in New York
The statewide average is $4.93 per gallon, which is 17 cents higher than one week ago and a 70 cent increase over the last month. One year ago the state average was $3.07 per gallon.
Two areas in New York posted per gallon rates above $5, according to AAA.
The latest average gas prices:
Buffalo - $4.82
Ithaca - $4.86
Rochester - $4.88
Utica/Rome - $4.87
Syracuse - $4.86
Batavia - $4.82
Binghamton - $4.89
Watertown - $4.89
White Plains - $5.03
New York City- $5.05
Elmira - $4.85
Albany - $4.88
You can check daily prices at: https://gasprices.aaa.com/.
How to find the cheapest gas prices in Rochester NY
Gas prices can vary as much as 10 cents to 15 cents a gallon even within a few blocks or miles.
Use apps such as GasBuddy, Gas Guru and the AAA Mobile App to find the lowest gas prices wherever you are.
You can also check Waze.
Why are gas prices rising?
Prices steadily rose across New York through the first few months of this year, starting at around $3.50 statewide in early January and breaching the $4 per gallon mark in early March.
But Russia’s attack on Ukraine intensified already-existing inflation, drove oil prices up and snarled supply chains globally. New Yorkers are feeling the effects of these events on their wallets.
According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration, domestic gasoline stocks decreased while gasoline demand increased. Tighter supply and increased demand have pushed pump prices even higher. This supply/demand dynamic, combined with volatile crude prices, will likely continue to keep upward pressure on pump prices, according to AAA.
Oil prices were more than $110 per barrel Monday morning, according to AAA. Last week, crude prices dropped temporarily over market concerns about the possibility of a recession. (If a recession occurs, crude demand would likely decrease amid slower economic activity.) Crude prices last week also recovered, then increased over geopolitical concerns involving Russia and Ukraine.
Memorial Day weekend travel
Despite the historic gas prices, more than $34.9 million Americans are expected to hit the road this holiday weekend, with what's predicted to be the busiest holiday weekend on the roads in two years.
Flexibility is important when considering Memorial Day travel plans — aim to travel on off-peak times or days, pick a hidden gem closer to home or opt to stay at an all-inclusive resort with plenty of on-site activities. This limits the need for a rental car and paying a la carte for entertainment and dining.
Based on AAA booking data, Thursday is expected be the busiest day for air travel during the Memorial Day travel period, with Monday being the lightest. For those driving to their holiday weekend destination, Thursday and Friday are anticipated to be peak traffic days.
The best time to travel on those peak travel days is before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m. The roads will be the busiest on Thursday and Friday afternoon and evening.
Tips to save money at the pump
Fill up at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart and Kroger: Wholesale club stores Costco and Sam’s Club and grocery stores such as Kroger offer discounted gas. Typically, you need to buy a membership or enroll in a discount program. Using the Walmart app, Walmart+ members get a 5 cents a gallon discount and access to member prices at Sam's Club.
Pay in cash at the pump: You can save 5 to 10 cents a gallon when you pay in cash. That can add up over time, averaging about $1 in savings each time you fill up a 12-gallon tank, according to GasBuddy. But beware of gas stations that charge a surcharge for using a credit card, because they may charge higher prices.
Get points, cash back from credit cards: GasBuddy says most people prefer to pay with a credit card. Less than 6% of drivers pay with cash when they fill up their tanks, a GasBuddy study found. Gas cards and gas reward credit cards provide much larger discounts than cash. Check to see if your credit card has any deals on gas purchases. Some will give you double points or cash back. For example, you can get 3% cash back at gas stations with the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. One of the best is the Sam's Club Mastercard, which will give you 5% cash back on gas, up to $6,000.
Sign up for gas loyalty programs: Sign up for loyalty programs and gas cards, GasBuddy recommends. Nearly all gas stations have a loyalty program. You can often link those rewards accounts to a gas card. 7-Eleven has a program that gives you a discount of 11 cents a gallon for the first seven fill-ups on all fuel grades.
Best time of day and week to buy gas: According to GasBuddy, the best day to save money at the pump is Monday, which has the lowest average gas prices in most of the country. The most expensive days in most states? Thursday, followed by Wednesday. GasBuddy estimates you can save $50 to $100 a year by filling up on the cheapest days of the week. You can check the GasBuddy site (gasbuddy.com) for the cheapest and most expensive days of the week for your state.
Earn free gas cards: You can earn free gas gift cards by taking surveys for apps like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, but be prepared to spend a good deal of time and to hand over a lot of personal information such as your age, job, income and shopping habits.
Improve fuel efficiency: Don’t speed. Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%, according to AAA. Also, don’t brake hard or aggressively accelerate as both of those burn gas faster, GasBuddy says. Turn off your A/C and roll down the windows. Keep up with vehicle maintenance and do routine inspections, AAA says. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. And, travel light. Take anything you don’t need out of your vehicle. For every 100 pounds you carry around, you lose 1% to 2% in fuel efficiency, or 8 cents a gallon, according to Gillis.
Fill your tank with regular, not premium: If regular gas is all that’s recommended for your vehicle, then that’s all you need, AAA says. Filling up on premium doesn’t improve your fuel economy and just costs you more money.
Drive less: Plan ahead. Map your route before you leave, AAA recommends. Take the most fuel-efficient route on Google Maps. Combine errands to avoid extra trips. Avoid rush hour and anticipate road conditions. Shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute. According to AAA, a car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling. A warm engine only takes about 10 seconds' worth of fuel to restart.
Contact Victoria Freile at vfreile@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @vfreile and Instagram @vfreile. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Gas prices surpass $5 per gallon in parts of New York
