Pain At Pump: Rancho Santa Margarita Gas Prices Cringe-Worthy

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA —Have you filled up for your weekend to beat the heat?

Since January, the average price of gasoline has increased by $1.101 due to a spike in oil prices and raised demand due to more people driving to work, according to Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager.

Orange County's average price dropped three-tenths of a cent to $4.293 as of Friday.

On Thursday, gasoline increased one-tenth of a cent and was on an upswing for 16 of the previous 19 days, increasing 9.3 cents. Gas prices in Orange County are at the highest they've been since May 3, 2014, AAA reports.

In Rancho Santa Margartia, the cheapest gas we found was at the Arco on Santa Margarita Parkway at $4.19 per gallon. In Orange County, we found cheapest gas in Cypress, at $3.77 and the most expensive regular, unleaded was found also in Costa Mesa, at $4.69 per gallon, thanks to www.GasBuddy.com.

The Orange County average price is 2.2 cents more than one week ago, 9.6 cents higher than one month ago and $1.207 greater than one year ago.

According to the AAA, Orange County, gas prices remain $1.085 higher than in January.

By comparison, the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County was unchanged Friday, remaining at $4.333. Thursday ended a run of 21 increases in 23 days, with the cost of a gallon of regular, self-serve gasoline dropping two-tenths of a cent.

On Friday in Los Angeles County, gas prices ranged from the lowest price of $3.89 per gallon at Sam's Fuel in Canoga Park to the higher-priced $4.19 per gallon in Pacoima's Valero station, according to www.GasBuddy.com. The cheapest gas remains at membership warehouse stations, such Sam's Club and Costco and through discount memberships such as Ralph's Club.

The average price is 2.1 cents more than one week ago, 8.8 cents higher than one month ago. That is a mere drop in the proverbial bucket, compared to the uptick of $1.229 more than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
The run of increases totaled 8.7 cents and boosted the average price to its highest amount since Oct. 24, 2012.

How much did you last pay at the pump? Let us know in the comments.