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Is cheap gas on your mind?
A debated problem in a dynamic world of cars and technology that needs fuel is how to obtain cheap gas. A question like this is not out of the ordinary and is very difficult to answer. Gas prices have been on everyone’s minds for a long time because they are influenced by several factors. Without fuel, the world would move at a slower pace or even stop. However, at the rate of gas consumption we are now, the future doesn’t look very well either. Putting an end to these many problems is what most concerns now, but the solutions are not extraordinary if cheap gas is nowhere to be found. This is the most immediate problem of all for regular people who travel, work and use cars in their everyday life.
Gas prices have such wide fluctuations that it is almost impossible to say “consumers trust this is going to be a stable price”. No matter how much politicians and scientists struggle to solve crises related to cheap gas, pollution and future lack of fuels, the gas prices keep on varying. The issue of cheap gas doesn’t go away because meeting environmental standards to diminish the quantity of smog generated by burnt fuels and producing a cleaner variety of gasoline means that refining and storage are more expensive. The demand for cheap gas doesn’t diminish and the distribution has to be carried out increasing the costs even more. For an average person that barely deals with his financial issues, increasing gas prices have a huge impact on the ability to meet with daily needs. He needs cheap gas to go to work (especially when the distance between home and the office isn’t negligible) and he needs cheap gas to take his kids to practice or to school. Weekend trips or other pleasures that require the use of a car have to be carefully justified from the home budget.
One of the reasons for high gas prices is that the government doesn’t do anything to help. They certainly can’t offer the population cheap gas, but they can make it affordable by reducing the taxes. Their responsibility towards the people is to motivate the high gas prices. Some might support the government by saying cheap gas is not a basic need, but are they correct? Simple changes in gas prices can affect a lot the yearly budget of a family. If cheap gas would become only a dream and regular people couldn’t afford personal transport (considering it a luxury), then a lot of things would change. Gas prices would influence the population to give up their personal cars and appeal to public transport. But to burden the public system this much would mean that the demand would be greater than the offer. Many would have to quit their jobs because they would not be able to pay for their commutation. Gas prices would directly make the commuting costs and the unemployment rate too high. Social welfare programs would be overwhelmed and local as well as national economies would be affected. This is a scenario the government does not take into consideration when thinking of the increasing gas prices.
Gas prices fluctuate because of the crude oil prices as well. The world market balance (meaning the supply and demand) has a very big importance. There are very few countries today that have oil reserves and sell, while all the other countries buy and use fuel from them. Its not surprising that after the expenses made to buy crude oil, to refine it and to transport it all over the world, cheap gas is no longer available for the average consumer. The individual gas stations have no control over the gas prices. They have to sell at a minimum price to cover their expenses and the difference between gas stations is very little, otherwise they would lose their clients to the competition. It’s during the holidays that the gas prices increase, because the traffic is higher and they can sell more. So, the demand matters as well. The greater it is, the bigger the gas prices.
However bad things look, people are inventive and if those who represent them can’t do anything about their problems, they can come up with solutions of their own. Cheap gas is obtainable through other unconventional methods. Profiting from gas pump computer glitches, economizing by using all the gas you pay for without leaving any behind and other ingenious ideas can actually make you think you can buy cheap gas. These options can help you get more gas for less money which translates into cheap gas (in comparison with the market prices). You just have to get informed and apply other people’s suggestions and the gas prices can change especially for you.
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