Summer gas prices are already well on their way. If you doubt this, just notice how prices are going up every week at the gas pumps. Every summer gas prices tend to increase for many reasons, but as regular consumers we don’t worry so much about why the prices are going up. We worry more about what it’s going to do to our budgets!

So why do gas prices go up in the summer? Many of you may not be aware of this, but fuel companies actually use a different blend in the winter than they do in the summer. In other words, the gas you pump into your car is different depending on the season that you are buying the gas. One cause of the increase in prices is because the different oil refineries actually have to shut down temptretch each gallon of gas out as long you can. Try a fuel additive, do some of the other tips you can find online, but do something to improve that gas mileage and you’ll be spending less at the pump.

According to an article from reason.com (http://www.reason.com/news/show/119300.html) the change in seasonal blends of gas is due to a regulation from the EPA that started back in 1989. This regulation set a cap on vapor pressure in gasoline. The main reason for this regulation was to reduce pollution. This regulation has effectively helped to reduce smog but has also made it more costly to make gasoline with a lower vapor pressure. According to reason.com, summer blends can cost between 3 to 15 cents more to product than winter blends.

There is also a logistical problem with switching over all of the gas stations in the country to the new blends as well. This is another reason why summer pricing really starts to take effect in spring rather than just in the summer.

So what can you do to survive the summer gas prices? In the end it comes down to improving your overall fuel economy. Try to stretch each gallon of gas out as long you can. Try a fuel additive, do some of the other tips you can find online, but do something to improve that gas mileage and you’ll be spending less at the pump.