Hike in prices causes pain at the pump

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - If you drive, you've probably noticed gas prices have increased dramatically. They're up nearly fifty cents in one month for regular unleaded gas.

Some call it pain at the pump and at times it feels like you're literally pouring cash into your gas tank.

“Outrageous, right now,” said Keith Elkins, buying gas at a station on Government Street.

“You have to just get what the pockets can afford right now, you know,” said Yolanda Jones, who was putting gas in her late-model pick-up truck with an eight cylinder engine.

“It's ridiculous,” said John Milligan, buying gas on Michaels Boulevard.

Regular unleaded gas prices in Mobile have increased about 41-cents in one month, according to data compiled by the Web site Triple-A Fuelgage-report-dot-com. 

Thesite lists prices at area gas stations, when a user enters a location. 

On February 18, in Mobile gas prices ranged from $3.622 to $3.919 depending on grade of gas, according to Triple-A-Fuelgage Report.com.

“The gas prices were $3.74. I said gosh so I had to come find me a place with cheaper gas,” said Jones.

Some people said they aren’t filling up the tank and are making other cuts to your budget.

“I had to cut out my leisure time and family vacations,” said Elkins.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said crude oil is the biggest factor in the price of gasoline.

It said that world economic growth increases demand, while Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC can influence prices by setting a production limit on its members. 

But, here in Mobile the first person who may get blamed for the price hike is the station owner.

“I personally worry about the gas myself, tell you the truth I own this place, but I go somewhere else and put gas cheaper -- I'm just like everybody else,” said Karim Benghorbal, who owns the gas station on Montlimar Drive and Michael Boulevard.

Benghorbal said he worries when the price he pays for gas goes up, and must get passed on to customers.

“My customers are going to be upset, but you have to, you have to raise it if you want to pay your bills,” said Benghorbal.

One way to save money on gas is to check prices in your area before you buy.