ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida gas prices continue to climb, increasing by 7 cents per gallon since last week when OPEC announced it would cut oil production.
According to AAA, the average price per gallon in Florida is now $3.40.
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“Drivers faced another round of rising gas prices last week, as retail prices at the pump continued to adjust to the big jump in oil prices which occurred more than a week ago,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a release. “The 17% oil price hike was largely in response to OPEC’s announcement that it would cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day in effort to raise oil prices. The resulting gas price hike effectively erased any discounts created by the state gas tax holiday, Fortunately, oil prices took a step back last week, which should ease upward pressure at the pump.”
The Florida tax holiday, approved this year by lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis, allows motorists to avoid paying the state’s 25.3-cents-a-gallon gas tax throughout October, but the savings have been offset after the OPEC announcement.
AAA said the price of oil was $85.61 per barrel as of Friday, back to where prices were four weeks ago.
Ways to save on gasoline
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
- Remove excess weight in your vehicle.
- Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.