Gas prices keep dropping; $1.99 in Marston

Gas prices in Portageville haven't gone below $1.99 a gallon, but they had fallen to $2.05

Some Scott City, Mo., stations are selling fuel for $1.99, and a number of customers said they haven't seen gas advertised at that price in a long time, according to the Southeast Missourian. Gas stations in Benton, Mo., have been advertising at equally low fuel prices.

Lower gas prices have been making headlines for the last month. The price per barrel of crude oil has fallen below $45 per barrel, which is a far above $100 per barrel which had become the norm. OPEC has not cut production, and domestic production has increased due to fracking and other means of tapping oil reserves that was not formally available. The big new consumer, China, has also lowered demand for gas.

Average retail gasoline prices in Missouri have fallen 12.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.93/g last Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 3,940 gas outlets in Missouri. This compares with the national average that has fallen 9.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.28/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Missouri during the past week, prices yesterday were 108.7 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 56.7 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 50.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 100.5 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

"The dramatic decline at the pump continues to reap significant savings for the motoring public- over $525 million less spent every day versus this past summer, or $375 million less than the same time last year," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. "The slump in crude oil has wavered slightly and we're in the fourth quarter of the game. However, there is still a chance that crude prices resume their slump again, and carry the pump plunge into overtime," DeHaan said.

AAA Travel expects lower fuel prices to bring out more motorists during the holiday season. The national average price of gasoline is at the lowest level in five years, it reports, and 70 cents lower than last year. Its annual travel report said gas prices have fallen for more than 80 days in a row, helping increase Americans' disposable income by 3.5 percent compared to last year.

AAA predicts 98.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home from the period between Dec. 23 and Jan. 4. It's a 4 percent increase over the number of people who traveled last year. Vehicular travel also remains the preferred method of travel, with more than 90 percent of holiday travelers driving to their destinations this weekend.

Before hitting the road, AAA reminds drivers to go through routine vehicle maintenance checks. It expects to rescue more than 1 million motorists, primarily because of dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts. AAA recommends checking battery and tire conditions and ensure vehicles are prepared for winter driving before leaving home.

(Some of the information available from the Dexter Daily Statesman.)