Consumer Alert: Rochester gas could top $4.50 by week’s end according to GasBuddy prediction.

Deanna Dewberry

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The price of gas in Rochester jumped 45 cents in just one week. That’s according to AAA. The average here is now $4.24 a gallon. Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, thinks gas could jump another 20 cents by the end of the week.

Remember last month, the good ole days, when you could fill up your car for about $55. Those days are gone. If like mine, your car holds 16 gallons, it now costs almost $70 to fill ‘er up. If you fill up once a week, you multiply that by four, and we’re now paying more than $270 a month for gas alone.

"The pace of increases wasn’t exactly surprising given the jump in oil prices as we watched it last week," De Haan said.

The steady climb continued Monday, at one point soaring past $130 a barrel. Consider the fact that the average price of Brent crude was $87 in January.

"But the primary driver is the Russia invasion of Ukraine and the corresponding sanctions that the U.S. has put on Russia," De Haan said.

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But we aren’t just feeling the pain at the pump. We’re also feeling it at the grocery store. That’s because diesel is the fuel of commerce. Everything from food to lumber is transported in a diesel-powered big rig.

"Diesel prices are at $4.65 a gallon, Just about 20 cents away from an all-time record high," De Haan said.

So that brings us here. What can our politicians do? Monday we asked the governor if she would consider cutting the state gas tax.

"I want to make sure that if we do something that it’s actually going to have an impact if we reduce state revenues. And much of this money is dedicated to road repairs and improvements, " Hochul said.

She said the matter is under review. In the meantime, two Republican senators have introduced a bill that would suspend that state’s gas tax until September.

But no matter what happens in Albany, we have to take fuel efficiency into our own hands. Two things you can do today: Slow down, and check your tire pressure. Doing both can get you more miles per tank.

With the help of Consumer Reports, Here’s Deanna’s Do List for saving at the pump:

  • Stay at half. That gives you the flexibility to stop when you see the cheapest gas, not when you absolutely have to get it.
  • Combine trips. I always fill up my tank after church because it’s closer to Costco than my house.
  • Drive evenly. Consumer Reports tests found that hard braking and acceleration can reduce your gas economy by up to 3 mpg.
  • Buy Top Tier gas. The detergents in it are easier on your engine and increase fuel economy. TOP TIER
  • Skip premium. Unless your car says premium is required, you get little benefit from premium gas. You can find your car’s octane requirements on the fuel filler door.
  • Check your tire pressure. Your tires lose about 1 psi per month. If your tire pressure is too low, your fuel efficiency will be affected.
  • Use a gas app to find the cheapest gas near you.

Here are my favorite gas apps: