WEST ASHLEY, SC (WCSC) -
According to AAA, gas prices will go up more before they come down. In just one week, the price went up 18 cents.
AAA says gas prices in Charleston will rise more, before they dip.
"The trend is, year after year, that fuel prices do decrease coming into May, and at AAA we do believe that trend will continue this year," says Darin Allison, the facility manager at the branch in Summerville.
Facility manager Darin Allison says prices have gone up 34 cents since February 1st.
"It's real difficult," says one Charleston resident. "Every time I leave to go to work, I see one price and when I come back from work it's another price. It's ridiculous. The gas prices have just went sky high."
AAA says crude oil prices, supply and demand, and how much you spend shopping or dining out all dictate the price at the pump.The cost of crude oil drives up gas prices because it's refined to make the gasoline.
"Increase in crude oil prices, which has increased 14 percent since mid-December," says Allison. "Also, believe it or not, an improving economy leads investors to believe that consumers will be purchasing more gasoline and traveling more."
Some people say they drive as little as possible and are having to re-work their budgets.
"Going downtown, back-and-forth commute, you have to plan accordingly and really how it ends up is staying downtown more days than often."
The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.73.
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