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Question of the day

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Illinois

* Proft paper…

The dramatic spike in Illinois’ gas tax, which took effect just prior to the July 4 holiday weekend, has forced one Perry County activist to seek cheaper alternatives.

“I put the minimum amount of gas in my tank to get me to Missouri, Kentucky or Indiana to do my shopping, then fill up there,” Michael Phillips of Tamaroa told SW Illinois News.

The closest Missouri station I could find using Google Maps was the Conoco in Perryville, which is a little over an hour away from Tamaroa. So, that’s two hours round trip plus fill-up time.

The nearest station in Kentucky is the Marathon in Kevil, which is 1 hour and 45 minutes one way. A three and a half hour round trip without fill-up time.

The closest Indiana station appears to be the PC1 in Petersburg, which is 2 hours, 11 minutes from Tamaroa. That would be a 4.5 hour round-trip with a quick fill-up.

* The Question: How far would you drive to save money on gas?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:02 pm

Comments

Not those distances.

Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:03 pm
Across the street

Comment by ChicagoVinny Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:05 pm
I hate going 3 blocks to fill up my half-gallon can for the mower. Not that I want it any closer, I really just want the lawn to not need mowing.

Comment by thechampaignlife Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:05 pm
1/2 mile

Comment by Les Nessman Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:07 pm
No more than 30 minutes away.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:08 pm
I usually put in 10-15 gallons at a time, so a $0.15 difference would save me between $1.50 and $2.25. I’m not going to waste my time researching gas prices to save under $3. And if I’d be saving more, it would likely still be $5 or less, and I wouldn’t bother going far enough away to get that sort of price difference.

So really, if it’s not on my way or close to it, I’m not diverting my route.

Comment by OutOfState Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:08 pm
I’ll drive 3 miles to my friendly neighborhood Costco.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:08 pm
If I was able to do other shopping that I needed/wanted I’d go an hour each way. Those of us living in the boonies do that already.

Comment by frombomb Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:09 pm
I wouldn’t drive anywhere. Unless gas is free somewhere else you aren’t saving more than a few dollars.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:12 pm
Not too far. Time is money. I am inclined to fill up if my work takes me to a county where the cost is a dime a gallon less and I’ve got half a tank to fill. Always filled up in NW Indiana if the job took me there. I’m very aware of the stations in my area that are typically lower than others. Wouldn’t put more than $5 worth in while in Cook County, just enough to get to any other county. Their prices can run $1 or more a gallon more than the burbs.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:13 pm
6 miles , provided you are doing other things to justify the trip.

Comment by Steve Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:15 pm
I drive an electric car, so not a very far…

Comment by Em Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:15 pm
1 mile, I guess. I value my time way more than money saved on gas.

Comment by Former State Worker Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:15 pm
My car has a 15 gallon tank. An increase of .19 per gallon means I am paying an extra $2.85 for a full tank. Pish posh.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:17 pm
A 20 gallon tank would cost $3.80 more … with a $15 minimum wage that would mean it costs you just under 15 minutes of your time. So I would say I won’t drive anywhere because my time is worth more than $3.42 (since I have an 18 gallon tank). I am also tired of worrying every time I drive over or under a bridge in this state.

Comment by The Real Captain Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:17 pm
A few minutes, if the one closest to me is consistently higher than others in the area. If I’m already planning an errand or a trip somewhere that has cheaper gas, I may try to fill-up in the cheaper location, but no way would I make a special trip just for gas.

Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:18 pm
I pay so little attention to gas prices that the tax increases went totally unnoticed by me. I couldn’t even tell you how much I paid per gallon last time I filled up. Quite frankly, it surprises me that people are that caught up in it all.

Comment by Moby Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:20 pm
Maybe 10 minutes one way.

Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:22 pm
Rich,

When I traveled to Wisconsin for the holiday weekend, gas was uniformly $2.85 from Springfield all the way to Rockford (Usually there is some fluctuation). But the last stations in Illinois were $2.61 (I-39 North Route). The price on the other side of the border in Wisconsin was $2.57-$2.65. I was wondering if these stations deliberately kept their prices low in order to lose customers to Wisconsin. Any thoughts?

Comment by jc19pd2 Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:23 pm
***Not to lose customers to Wisconsin.

Comment by jc19pd2 Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:25 pm
If part of my shopping was for cigarettes then I would be willing to go those distances.

Comment by Union Dues Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:26 pm
With where I live I have to drive close to 18 miles just to buy gas unless I want to pay a premium at a station that is a bit closer. But I am going to St. Louis next week, so I will fill up there.

Comment by illini Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:26 pm
10 minutes is an absolute max, btw. I mostly don’t pay attention.

Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:26 pm
I don’t think it is the round-trip distance that matters, as it is the fact that so many people travel to the neighboring state for their employment already, so they will definitely choose to fill up their tank while in that neighboring state. We understate the amount of employment that exists for Illinois residents in places like St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Paducah, Evansville, Princeton, Vincennes, Terre Haute, Dubuque, Davenport, etc., that is already built into peoples’ driving patterns. And, then you have communities along interstates that depend on the cross-country traffic that will choose to wait an extra 30 minutes to bypass the border community to fill up in the neighboring state, which then translates into fewer sales tax dollars for the other sales that were generated from those travelers or truckers.

Comment by Judge Cooked Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:30 pm
Never buy in Cook, matter of principle.

Comment by JDuc Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:32 pm
I try to remember to fill up when I am in DuPage. But I wouldn’t make a special trip.

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:32 pm
I have a personal rule of thumb that I shouldn’t value my time at less than half the minimum wage for anything. And I don’t like to be down more than 1/2 a tank. So, even though I’m not that far from the border, the extra time eats up whatever savings I’d get. But if I’m making a run for some New Glarus Spotted Cow, I’m definitely filling up on the way home.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:33 pm
Personally I’d drive all teh way to freedom blasting confederate railroad the whole time. Holy fumes will get me there.

Comment by Southern_Dawg Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:33 pm
1/2 a mile while hoping the cheap gas near me isn’t adding water to keep their gas cheaper.

I live in Chicago but end up in a suburb roughly every couple weeks, and I do plan my fillups when I’m going to be in the suburbs anyway as much as I can.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:33 pm
i usually calculate the distance, price difference and miles/gallon of my truck. if i’ll save more than $5, i’ll usually do it

Comment by siudawg Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:34 pm
Twenty-four gallons for the truck, eighteen for the Vette, makes 42 gallons three times a month. At twenty cents a gallon less three times a month, that makes $25.20. I save lots of time paying at the pump to avoid the crowds in side at West Alton paying for cartons of smokes, papers, and beer. Those guys are saving real money. That trip is five miles for me.

Comment by Enemy of the State Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:38 pm
Agree with Chicago Vinny. Most of my relatives live around the Alton area and on the 4th they were bragging about going to Missouri to fill up and saving around $0.45 per gallon.

Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:39 pm
The closest example of gas savings efforts I can give is filling up on my way from Springfield to Chicago at Mile Marker 220 even if I have enough to get home.

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:39 pm
Some used to laugh about people so cheap that they’d actually spend more money just to save some money. I would not travel that far to save gas money. It would be counterproductive.

But again, how many who skip out on paying a higher gas would drive on repaired infrastructure for which they didn’t pay or paid much less than others?

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:42 pm
Dear Michael Phillips,
Just Move.

Comment by en absentia Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:45 pm
When I lived in Springfield, but had to go to Chatham at least once a week, I would try to get gas before leaving there.

Now that I live in Chatham, one mile.

I have noticed that Chatham gas prices can be, most of the time, at least 5-10 cents cheaper than in Springfield. And it would take a few days (or after a weekend) for a Springfield gas spike to reach Chatham.

IMO, probably having no Qik-n-EZ or Jiffy Stop stations (the Shell in Chatham is not a Jiffy Stop) in Chatham helps keep the prices under control (as those two station chains seem to be the first to raise prices in Springfield).

But I will only buy gas from traditional brands’ stations (e.g., BP, Shell, Mobil). I will not buy convenience store-brand gas like Qik-n-EZ or “Circle K gas” (what’s that?). Even if I have to pay more for the traditional gas brands. And unfortunately a lot of Springfield gas stations that have already been Circle K convenience stores have dropped the name brands in favor of “Circle K” gas.

Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:51 pm
I fill up when and where i need gas. Problem is, I run out of gas more than i would like to admit.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:53 pm
Costco is 3 miles away. Not a tough decision. I always check Gas Buddy just in case somebody closer is doing something exceptional.

Comment by SSL Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:55 pm
agree with lake county democrat, is this a beer run or just gas?

Comment by Beer Me Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:55 pm
I wouldn’t travel more than half a block. I live across the street from the city, I never buy gas there and I also never make a left turn to get into a gas station. Its just not that important to save a few pennies. A full tank (22 gals) last me just under 2 weeks, I pretty much only drive to the L station.

Comment by PMS Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:56 pm
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:53 pm:

I fill up when and where i need gas. Problem is, I run out of gas more than i would like to admit.

I run out of money…more than I would like to admit.

Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 3:57 pm
If I am traveling for other reasons to areas where gas is less expensive, I’ll try to buy it there. If I need it.

But I wouldn’t travel just to buy gas.

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:00 pm
Dot. I understand. Two of my kids live in the Metro and work in Missouri. They need every dime to survive.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:02 pm
=But I will only buy gas from traditional brands’ stations (e.g., BP, Shell, Mobil). I will not buy convenience store-brand gas like Qik-n-EZ or “Circle K gas” (what’s that?). Even if I have to pay more for the traditional gas brands. And unfortunately a lot of Springfield gas stations that have already been Circle K convenience stores have dropped the name brands in favor of “Circle K” gas. =

Hate to break it to you, but the gas comes from the same place. Most of the gas in Central Illinois comes from a terminal on the West side of Champaign that is owned by Marathon, whether it goes to a Marathon station, Amoco station, Phillips, etc. I think the rest comes from somewhere West of Springfield, again, regardless of brand.

Comment by phenom_Anon Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:03 pm
A mile tops

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:04 pm
If the roads continue to deteriorate, I won’t be able to drive very far to get gas. Does that answer the question?

Comment by DIstant watcher Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:07 pm
Just adding:

It’s not just a matter of the time you spend. You also have to consider your gas mileage and the size of your as tank.

If you’re driving round trip from Tamaroa to Perryville, that’s about 120 miles, according to Google maps. So you probably need good gas mileage and/or a large gas tank to get any significant savings.

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:07 pm
I’m not going to drive extra just to save a few bucks. If I can’t afford gas, there’s something wrong with how I’m managing my money/credit.

Comment by Glengarry Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:09 pm
It’s not a matter of saving money. It’s a matter of not giving my money to a state governed by those that I oppose.

Comment by Unpopular Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:11 pm
You can always earn more money, but you can’t get back time.

Comment by Steve Polite Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:11 pm
Up until a week ago, Indiana charged a higher gas tax than Illinois, so did Phillips’ Hoosier friends used to drive here for gas? What typical Proft faux news. Check out the API website. Illinois gas tax is now 8 cents a gallon higher than Indiana, 29 cents higher than Kentucky, 22 cents higher than Wisconsin. Your average Southern Illinois pick-up truck will burn through any savings en route. Support your local road repairs. https://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas/consumer-information/motor-fuel-taxes/gasoline-tax

Comment by Strategy Geek Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:12 pm
I live in Chester, and two of those stations listed in Perryville are right across the bridge. Here in Chester, where gas has always been cheaper right across the bridge by $.20, this hike has more or less ensured that almost everyone is going to “cross that money-saving bridge.”

I think some sort of allowance needs to happen for the towns on the border like mine, but I have no clue what it is.

Comment by Southern Illinois Infrastructure Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:15 pm
JoanP- the stations people from Tamoroa would use are at McBride, which is right across the river from Chester. That cuts time to an hour and distance to 50 miles.

Comment by Southern Illinois Infrastructure Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:18 pm
==I try to remember to fill up when I am in DuPage. But I wouldn’t make a special trip==
metoo, I only drive an additional distance when it makes sense to do so. Unless you’re talking about avoiding the soda tax, I made a dedicated every-other-month trip to DuPage to do my grocery shopping while that was in effect just to make a point, but I’m pretty sure I saved money doing so regardless of the additional mileage.

Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:22 pm
For those of us in Chicago, Indiana gas prices are no more than 45 mins away. But I dont know many people that would consider driving an hour an a half away to save $3. It would not have been such a drastic spike if the gas tax had not been locked since 1995.

Comment by Involved Millennial Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:22 pm
===but I have no clue what it is===

Same, but I also don’t think corporate oil company chains on the state’s borders should get a state bailout.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:25 pm
===not have been such a drastic spike if the gas tax had not been locked since 1995===

1990

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:25 pm
Gas prices by me jump between $2.50 to $2.89 all the time. A couple of years ago prices were $3.50. Only time I pay attention is when going to Cook County I make sure to stop at Dwight going and coming. Gallon price diff is often $.35+.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:26 pm
I don’t drive much, so fill up maybe once a month. I pay very little attention to gas prices, it’s just not worth thinking about to me.

Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:26 pm
About 5 minutes. I live in Chester, I just drive across the bridge it’s about 42 cents cheaper

Comment by Strobby Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:26 pm
===I make sure to stop at Dwight going and coming===

I stop in Pontiac. Half-way point to Chicago. Get out and stretch a bit. And it’s the town where my mom was born and my grandparents are buried.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:28 pm
…Also, the one time I can remember not stopping in Pontiac I wrecked my Jeep. Stopping there is my one and only superstition.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:29 pm
Being in Sprongfield, not at all. Used to plan trips to Lambert around gas fueling. Stopped that when MO adopted “Ike Clanton Carry” (open carry).

Comment by Smitty Irving Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:36 pm
Maybe 20 minutes. If your time has so little value, that’s a bigger problem than a few nickels.

Comment by Ed Higher Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:37 pm
I use the app “Gas Buddy” almost every time I fill up. The differences in prices along my 6 mile drive can be as much as $.20/gallon.

Gas Buddy is great for travel as well, I normally fill up in Gilman, as their prices can be as much as $.30/gallon cheaper than other locations. For my vehicle, the difference is enough for a fast food lunch.

Comment by Downstate Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:37 pm
When our home rule city implemented a higher gas tax to raise money to fix local streets, the outlying smaller suburban gas stations raised their prices to match the prices in the city. I refused to buy gas from those suburban gas stations who raised their prices.
You will likely find that increased sales taxes in one governmental unit will result in price gouging by nearby gas stations — maybe even those across state borders.

Comment by Medvale School for the Gifted Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:46 pm
For me, a half mile detour can save me $0.20. That’s about all I’m willing to do.

I make a point of filling up in the suburbs or rural areas if I’m outside of Chicago, but I was doing that before the gas tax increase anyways. So no change in my behavior.

Comment by Benjamin Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:49 pm
A 20¢ increase costs $4 dollars more to fill a 20 gallon tank. The IRS reimbursement rate for 2019 is 58¢ a mile. So, 6.9 miles will get you to $4. If you’re going more than 6.9 miles, you’re costing yourself more money than you’re saving. And that doesn’t even include the time spent to drive those extra miles to avoid a tax. It’s amazing what people will do out of spite.

Comment by pete’s sake Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:49 pm
I just drove 10 miles to save 45 cents/gallon in Iowa. I go there anyway- not many stores to shop at here anymore.

Comment by John doe Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 4:56 pm
Maybe across the street but nothing more.

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 5:27 pm
I can save atleast .25 per gallon by driving to Davenport Iowa where they have a Costco and also a lower sales tax on other purchases. It’s about 45miles but I never buy just gas and I plan my trips to arrive there with less than a 1/4 tank and other shopping needs to make it worthwhile. If I have room I’ll take 2 6gal gas cans with me too.

Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 5:29 pm
My father lives near the Wisconsin border and drives about 10 miles to fill up across the border. I’ve made the case to him that he is making an irrational decision.

It’s 20 miles total on local roads, about a 30 minute trip. He drives a car that gets around 30 miles per gallon. So he’s wasting 2/3 of a gallon to go there. Suppose for simplicity gas is $3 in Illinois. He’s essentially paying a $2.00 toll to fill up cheaper in Wisconsin.

Okay, now say he fills up 15 gallons for 30 cents cheaper than he would have in Illinois. That’s a savings of $4.50. Great, he’s saved a grand (net) total of $2.50.

But that is without factoring the time (”opportunity costs”) of driving 30 minutes instead of going to the gas station at the nearest corner. He’s spending half an hour to save about $2.50. That implicitly means he values his time at about $5.00 per hour. But I know he would never accept a job near the minimum wage, let alone below it. So it is clearly an irrational decision. Not to mention the added risk of a crash and the added wear and tear that comes from every additional mile on a car.

He also is not paying taxes in Illinois, so in my mind he loses his right to complain if there is a pothole on his street since he isn’t paying into the fund that would fix it. It is personally inefficient and socially irresponsible.

Comment by IL4Life Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 5:32 pm
Spiteful is driving halfway into the neighboring state to top up the car… when it’s electric.

Seriously, though, if it’s not within a mile, a price differential between gas stations doesn’t tempt me.

Comment by spiteful Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 5:38 pm
About 1 mile. The guy in the story is costing himself a lot of money.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 5:54 pm
Not any. Got too much to do with my time. Better off waiting and filling up when prices fluctuate, which they seem to do weekly.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 6:11 pm
I hate buying fuel. I buy it about the time I think the light is going to turn on.

Comment by Big foot Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 6:23 pm
I started driving 5 minutes out of my way to swing by the police parking lot and siphon gas out of their vehicles at night. Why save a few pennies when you can save $50 AND make taxpayers pick up the tab?

Comment by Da Lobsta Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 6:27 pm
I will not go out of my way to search for cheaper gas. If it’s on my way, fine. But my time is worth more than the $3 it will cost me to fill up

Comment by Ihatepolitics Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 7:07 pm
Takes a smart person to waste an hour of time and the gas it takes to drive to save $2 on a fill up.

Comment by Truthteller Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 8:03 pm
Not very.

People seem to value money more than time.

Which I think is kinda weird…

Comment by Morty Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 8:24 pm
@Da Lobsta

They mayor of suburban Shoewood Illinois did just about that. He stopped in the city owned lot to fill up his tank - for about 3 years until someone noticed.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 8:54 pm
5 miles. so not like Proft trips. what a joke.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 10:40 pm
My Prius has a tiny gas tank (9.5 gallon) so we’re talking less than $2. Even at minimum wage, that’s 15 minutes, and my time is way more valuable than that. I might drive a mile out of my way.

Comment by Odysseus Tuesday, Jul 9, 19 @ 11:48 pm
All of the north of I-80 folks feel very superior here,I’m sure, but who knows how far he and others that far south have to drive for anything. An hour for gas, grocery, church, school is nothing to people in the sticks.

Comment by Token Conservative Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 12:59 am
Down the street. Quit complaining or move.

Comment by LBJ Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 6:55 am
I moved to South Carolina about a year ago. The taxes here are low, paid $2.27 per gallon for gas last time I filled up. But I found that you get what you pay for. infrastructure here is crumbling, roads are few and far between. First time I drove at night I thought I was in a third world country, very few street lights. That said the weather is great, except for hurricanes, the beaches are beautiful and it’s a golfers paradise.

Comment by Pacman Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 7:32 am
If Proft says it, I don’t believe it.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 8:03 am
This whole discussion reminds of the people who were calling Springfield radio stations right after the smoking ban was passed.

More than a few said they were going to stop eating/drinking in Springfield because big gvt was intruding in their lives. Seems to me a lot of new places to eat and drink keep opening in Springfield.

Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 8:22 am
==This whole discussion reminds==

You’re always going to have people throw temper tantrums. But hey, if someone want to travel several miles so they can save $2 then go for it. It’s their time. Eventually they will stop throwing their litle temper tantrums.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 8:44 am
15 miles to MO. But then again, I have had to for a while now since every gas station near me is already closed due to not being able to compete with stations in MO. Also, since I have to go to Charlseton to buy gas I pick up beer and other things from inside the store that would normally be bought at gas station-convience store in IL

Comment by SOIL M Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 8:47 am
maybe the other side of the street, depending on how easy it is to get in/out. my time is more valuable than $1.

Comment by brickle Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 9:14 am
I too use the App to find cheaper gas BUT stay within limits of where I am at. If I’m on a trip, I sometimes pull up a map with the prices along the way in order to see where it’s best to fill-up as I do get under a quarter tank at times before buying gas.

On a side note, I found it interesting how “statewide” nearly all the stations jumped to where they were. Couldn’t be a little gouging, colusion or the like…

And, I drove down to almost Arkansas on Monday and was surprised to some degree of the prices along the way. Over the past year there has been a narrowing of the price difference between St. Louis and Springfield, to the point that sometimes Springfield was a tad cheaper. Just a tad. However, the St. Louis area was pretty consistent on the morning pass-by.

The cheapest I saw along the Interstate (55) was around $2.40. Yet, that evening on the way back I saw it for $2.36 around Arnold. And on the rest of the trip many in Illinois had dropped to $2.79 and a few cents below.

And Rich, you underestimate the power of CapitolFax in that someone mentioned the Shell station in Chatham (above) yesterday and today they jumped to $2.94. Beware the ire of Chathamites for the jump in gas prices (s/n).

Comment by LINK Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 9:28 am
I value my limited time on earth too much to waste it on this nonsense. These people must not… To think they would waste all that time and gas to save a couple bucks—and then the MO/IN/WI tax they do pay funds transportation in some other state!

Comment by Mr. Illinois Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 9:30 am
I definitely made sure to stop in Wisconsin and fill up on my way back from vacation this weekend. I won’t drive out of the way to get gas, but I am strategic in when I decide to fill up.

Comment by Chicagonk Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 9:34 am
I wont travel far out of my way, just use Gas Buddy to find cheapest along my route. To the post, if I am supposed to believe people are traveling an hour or more, which probably costs $6 in gas round trip, to save $3, i can understand how proft, IPI, and the like keep their readership.

Comment by Harvest76 Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 10:54 am
Maybe I misread that… lol. #Self-owned

Comment by Harvest76 Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 10:55 am
The amount spent on a trip like this would far outweigh the amount saved, especially downstate. I was in the Chicagoland area this week, and it is really expensive up there, but I imagine it was already a lot more. In Central IL, it’s only slightly up from what it was. I think the mass panic was worsened by the annual July 4th raise in prices.

Comment by wildcat12 Wednesday, Jul 10, 19 @ 2:08 pm