In the past year, gas prices have been all over the chart. Six months ago, they were at a pretty high rate, around $3.69 a gallon, then the prices dropped for a short time, and are now  steadily picking back up. There hasn’t been a decline in buying gas though, as people still use a large amount.

Science teacher, Mica Rose drives a lot every day. She says that she recently purchased a vehicle in February that “had 14 miles…and it now has 18,000.”
Most drivers have high hopes for future gas prices to come down to a reasonable price. “Hopefully they’ll go down so I can make $20 go farther than it is,” junior Ashley Fox said.

Another student is unhappy with the distance he can drive on his money.

“You know, 20 bucks used to be a lot of money and now it’s about five miles, so I don’t like that too much,” said Dillon White, a Searcy High Senior.

According to the U.S Energy Information Administration, the price for gas isn’t just for the gas itself. While the majority of what consumerspay is for the actual gas, it’s still only  63 percent of the cost. The other parts are for retail (14 percent), Distribution (12 percent), and federal taxes (11 percent).

In the meantime, there are many things one can do to save on fuel costs. Limiting the number of trips between home, the store, and work, driving a smaller vehicle, and even cutting back on other luxuries are just a few simple changes, yet they can be a huge help.

While the prices are unfavorable and can at times seem ridiculous, they are a necessity in the lifestyle of today’s consumer.

“You’ve got to have it and I think that’s why we just pay what we have to pay, but I’m all for low gas prices,” Rose said.