Today, as I cruised through Manassas (actually, as I sat grumbling at a light) I noticed something odd. The gas station to my left read: $3.02. The gas station to my right read: $2.89.
$2.89!!!! I could hardly remember a time when a gas price had a 2 at the beginning. But what amazed me was that it was a 13 cent different. I thought to myself: who would pay 13 cents more per gallon rather than cross the street?
Flash forward to after the nice lunch I had with my friend Ginger, who was in town from Boston, and her friend Charlie. Only I had stayed too long and now had to hurry back to get my son. But I still needed gas.
I looked from the shopping center out to the main road and then across the very busy six lanes. I did the math. If I crossed the street, I would save about $1.50. And I thought, I’d hand a guy a dollar fifty to not have to cross that street.
So, I got gas for $3.02, and now I know how that gas station can continue to operate at those prices.
Most of the profit a gas station makes is on the stuff inside, anyways. A lot of times, for the station, gas is just a break-even thing to get people inside after the candy bars.
Most of the profit a gas station makes is on the stuff inside, anyways. A lot of times, for the station, gas is just a break-even thing to get people inside after the candy bars.
I remember once making that same decision, although I don’t think the price difference was quite as drastic.
I remember once making that same decision, although I don’t think the price difference was quite as drastic.