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How Much Did The Average American Family Spend On Gas in 2011?

When holiday travel is over, the typical American household will have spent about $4,155 filling up this year, a record. That is 8.4 percent of what the median family takes in, the highest share since 1981.

How Much Did The Average American Family Spend On Gas in 2011?

Source: U.S. Census Bureau/Becket Adams

Gas averaged more than $3.50 a gallon this year, another unfortunate record. And next year isn’t likely to bring relief.

Prices are high, despite slow economic growth and comparatively weak demand.

“In 1981, when the economy was sliding into recession and oil prices were high because of Middle East turmoil, gas ate up 8.8 percent of the typical family budget,” says Fred Rozell of the Oil Price Information Service.

Over the past decade, gas has taken up 5.7 percent of the family budget. If families had spent only 5.7 percent this year, they would have saved $1,300.

For this year, gas should average $3.53 per gallon. That’s 76 cents more than last year. It’s 29 cents per gallon more than 2008, when gas last set an annual record, $3.24. That year, the price of oil hit a record in the summer but collapsed when the financial crisis struck in the fall.

High gas prices can take a toll on consumer confidence. People are more aware of small changes in gas prices because they drive past the signs all the time.

James Hamilton, an economics professor at the University of California, San Diego, who studies energy prices, estimates that high gasoline prices reduced economic growth by about 0.5 percent for the year — a substantial hit for an economy only growing at an annual rate of about 2 percent.

Still, it could be worse. At least the U.S. economy is more fuel-efficient than it was during the oil spikes of the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1980, for every $1,000 of economic output, 1.07 barrels of oil were consumed. By 2010, it took half that — 0.53 barrels, says Judith Dwarkin, chief energy economist at ITG Investment Research.

Today, the percentage of households using heating oil has fallen and vehicles are less thirsty than ever, far more fuel-efficient than they were in 1980.

Nevertheless, relief from high gas prices is nowhere in sight. Ed Morse, head of commodities research at Citibank, expects oil to average $100 per barrel next year, which would eclipse 2011′s average of about $95 per barrel.

Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at OPIS, expects gasoline prices to approach $4 per gallon again next spring.

Compared with the year before, American gas consumption has been down every week for more than nine months, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse, a spending survey.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Comments (55)

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  • LovinUSA
    Posted on December 21, 2011 at 3:29am

    And The Kenyan Czar is laughing at the Country that he lied his way into. And there are still paid idiots out there to stand up for this BS, instead of standing up for their own people and their rights. Little do they know, that they too, are being screwed by the very person that is employing them. I can‘t believe these people haven’t woken up yet. Concience? No, all they see is $$$ and thinking they are exempt. The joke will be on all of you soon enough.

    Report Post » LovinUSA  
  • taxx
    Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:30am

    I keep a budget every month so I know my family spent $5100 for the entire year. That is a shocker since we only have one car!

    Report Post » taxx  
    • Bum thrower
      Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:01am

      I guess that ‘electric, solar, green stuff‘ ain’t workin’ out so good for ya?

      Wait ’til the next term! you ain‘t seen nothin’ yet!!

      Report Post »  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 9:36pm

    Too MUCH

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • TeaBill
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:57pm

    I guess BO is getting just what he wanted!

    Report Post »  
  • FANGS
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:45pm

    I dont think American workers/Taxpayers can afford 4 more years of high fuel prices. High fuel costs prevents us from hiring more workers.

    Report Post »  
  • FANGS
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:38pm

    Obama cuts our Oil supply for 3 years and now we’re paying double for our fuel. Obama care = Republicans who work for a living will be paying 15% of your check to pay for all the unemployeed, Freeloaders, Illegals and of course Yourself For Your Family’s Health care.. Such a Deal Obamacare is for those of us who work. Economic slavery and physical slavery. for Conservatives/ Republicans. Democrats are laundering money through everything. Thats a Fact. Obamacare will be one big laundering machine.Thats why, if Obamacare isn’t stopped, there will be a revolution unlike the likes this Country’s ever seen.Republican Workers / Taxpayers wont be everyone else’s Worker slave.. When My tax money pays for someone elses healthcare free of charge without my choice, then thats slevery.

    Report Post »  
  • Publius Novus
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:29pm

    This is why we need Keystone line & explore more here at home. North Dakota is booming right now & there’s still more to find. Truth is if we stop giving our money to the middle east, they will become irrelevant because they would loose the largest consumer of their products. Home heating oil is another problem, it’s #2 diesel fuel and we are being porked on that as well. When I bought my 1st home in 1992 it was 88 cents/gallon, COD. Think it was $3.70 on the last fill-up @ the end of Nov.

    Report Post » Publius Novus  
    • nighttrainno9
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:54pm

      When I bought my first home in 1967, fuel oil was 15 cents a gallon.
      Fuel oil (diesel fuel) is a waste product that used to get pumped back in the ground.
      It’s very inexpensive to make and by and large should be 1/3 the price of
      a gallon of gas. In other words, we a being ripped off big time. The govt.
      goes along with this because they would like to eliminate diesels, they are much
      more efficient than gas engines both in milage and horsepower. Efficiancy
      is bad for the govt., it lowers their revenues.

      Report Post »  
    • Publius Novus
      Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:27pm

      I agree but there is also all those gas taxes they collect for all those “highway improvements”. ;-)

      Report Post » Publius Novus  
  • nighttrainno9
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:54pm

    Our govt. is helping this right along by no.1, NO NEW DRILLING, no.2 not allowing
    good MPG cars from europe into the country. My friends BMW 2.8 diesel gets
    50 mpg, his wifes passat gets 80mpg. That beats the hell out our hybrids.
    Kinda makes you think, “whats controling this situation”, why the US govt.
    of course. We are constantly being dupped by washington, lets clean
    it out and start over.

    Report Post »  
  • nighttrainno9
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:47pm

    Part of the idiotsy involved here is parents taking their kids to school every morning.
    An estimated 4 billion gallons of gas are used for this purpose every year when
    school buses could be transporting every kid. They have to run their bus routes
    anyway why not let them do their job. I see it every morning, mothers in pajamas
    and housecoats clogging the roads, taking their little angels that are to good to
    ride the bus, to school. HOW STUPID, no wonder we are failing as a country.

    Report Post »  
    • wbalzley
      Posted on December 21, 2011 at 12:13am

      SNARK: Yet one more excuse to do away with the education system…

      Report Post »  
  • Depressed_American
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:28pm

    Hey this President wants Americans to pay twice what we are paying now. Think it’s tough now, just wait. This president is anti-oil and has done everything he can to shut that industry down, which means we Americans are going to be paying a whole lot more by the time he leaves office!!!

    Report Post » Depressed_American  
    • jzs
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:15pm

      Okay, let’s stop blaming the government and get back to reality. Oil companies are making higher profits than they ever have in history. Record profits. Is the price of gas coming down? Of course not, why would you think it would?

      Some US Oil companies are actually exporting oil now. So much for the “drill baby drill” thought that more US oil would reduce gas prices.

      Oil companies of every country, and the companies that transport the oil here or there, and those companies that separate the oil into gasoline, and the companies that transport gasoline to your pump, and all those rich guys who make speculative investments all have one goal: drive up the cost of gasoline because that is what drives their profits. Your loss, their gain.

      Sure blame the government for driving up the price of gasoline. And hold tightly the idea that oil companies, while profit driven, will lower your price at the pump if the government would only giving them more than the 2 billion dollars is subsidies your tax payer dollars are already providing.

      Hey, let’s give Big Oil 10 billion in subsidies and see if they decide that rather than being totally motivated by profit, the executives become more empathetic to the average American and decide to reduce their profits so you don’t pay so much at the pump. Ya think they would?

      Report Post » jzs  
    • Depressed_American
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:43pm

      If you go back and listen to our President’s speeches when he got into office and listen to his campaign speeches. This is what he wants, his words, and has worked to accomplish his goal….

      So I am blaming the government, because this President has done all he can to stop oil drilling in this country. Regardless if you don’t believe it or not.

      Report Post » Depressed_American  
    • Pontiac
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 10:18pm

      [Record profits.]
      Oh my, better get Obama on this right way! Or is finally it Obama’s fault now? I can never get a consistent scapegoat from you libs. Btw, why don’t you show me a yearly breakdown of Oil Company “Profit Margins” per gallon of gas since the 1970′s. If you can do that then you might have an argument.

      Report Post » Pontiac  
    • Depressed_American
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 10:46pm

      JZS,
      Look at Obama’s record when it comes to the Oil Industry, Coal Industry, or any other industry related to fosil fuels. It’s on the records, regardless what his progressive propaganda machine is telling the American Public….

      This President wants to end our reliance on these forms of fosil energy and force us all onto “Green” energy, whether we want to or not!!!!

      Report Post » Depressed_American  
  • I.Gaspar
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:28pm

    Let’s see…gas doubled, electric going through the roof, and the housing market deeper in the toilet…all since the dope in the white house took office. We definitely need another four years of this, right, libs?

    Report Post »  
    • bedwards11
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 9:33pm

      I am not by any means an Obama supporter,but he did inherit the recession.But let’s face it,he’s spent us into oblivion,and he said what he was when he was running for office,he’s a socialist!!!

      Report Post »  
  • certified ethical hacker
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:15pm

    you must have a real sad existence? all you do is troll these message boards and tell people about your aunts and co workers sister. maybe you should take this **** to a more appropriate place. like the tolit

    Report Post »  
  • EKPHRASIS
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:15pm

    Meanwhile, local, state & federal government are loving the increased tax revenue from higher prices. So where is the incentives for government to ok pipeline or anything else to lower fuel costs. Higher prices just keeps us moving closer to the goals of UN Agenda 21.

    Report Post »  
  • The10thAmendment
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:49pm

    With a couple of weeks to go on the year I’ve spent 4,420.00 on gasoline. That total is just for cars and doesn’t include fuel for a boat, or 4 wheelers that I budget from a different slush fund account.

    My employer reimburses field employee’s 25% of our fuel cost, so I’ll be getting a check for 1100.00 or so, bringing my actual gasoline costs to about 3500.00 give or take a few dollars, or 67.00 weekly.

    Report Post » The10thAmendment  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:07pm

      Just wait til your dollar is worth about 1/10th of what it is now. Oh well, at least when we all are unemployed and the stores close down, we won’t have have as much need to go places.

      Report Post » TXPilot  
    • The10thAmendment
      Posted on December 21, 2011 at 12:25am

      True that Tx. But we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

      Report Post » The10thAmendment  
  • NoRoomForSocialismHere
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:48pm

    It takes less crude oil to refine diesel making it MUCH cheaper to make. It was less than half of gasoline until the fake oil shortage of 1973 started.
    It is a rip off that is priced near the same as gasoline. Many people started buying diesel engine cars and pickups because of this but oil and gas said not do fast public, BOOM

    Report Post »  
  • nobull14
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:46pm

    We have not seen anything yet ? wait to the real inflation hits with this boob in office and us printing money like there’s no end to it !!!! this summer is going to be really bad . I bet we see 6 dollar a gallon for gas . The fed is crazy and run by incompetent boobs and thieves . We do not even have the power to audit them.?

    Report Post »  
  • stool
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:45pm

    Well if you don’t like throwing your money away on gas you are free to buy an economy car. I got a brand new Nissan Versa basic model for under $13,000 that gets 35 mpg. I have a 10 year old Honda with nearly 300,000 miles on it that still gets over 30 mpg.

    Report Post »  
  • garyM
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:45pm

    Instead of paying off the Arabs off in cash like we did in the early days of our nation’s history, we just let them add it in on crude oil charges! That is, all except the presidents who said’ “NO MORE extortion money”! That wasn’t Jimmy Carter, Clinton or Obama!

    Report Post »  
  • garyM
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:41pm

    If we could bottled up and capped all of Barney and Whoppie’s we could have cut that expense in half!

    Report Post »  
  • brother_ed
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:40pm

    I’ve spent about $3,900 on gas…interesting.

    Report Post » brother_ed  
  • Alvin691
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:38pm

    You need to change the scale. Calling WVa a stong GOP state based on the 2008 presidential election is a huge mistake. They should be deep blue.

    Report Post »  
    • ShyLow
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 7:18pm

      I live in WV and I can’t find anyone young or old that has the slightest clue about politics

      Report Post » ShyLow  
  • N-TIME-WATCHER
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:30pm

    MARKET MANIPULATION AND GOVERNMENT EXCISE TAX GOUGING!!!!!!!!!!!!
    This is the calm before the storm! After the Re-Election og the O hold on to your
    debit/credit cards………

    Report Post » N-TIME-WATCHER  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:22pm

    One more example of Obamas policies trashing the nation.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • brntout
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:14pm

    Chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6hvmWDYiCY&feature=player_embedded Ck out this brilliant rendition done to Don McClellans American Pie.And yes gas is mentioned.

    Report Post »  
  • seejanemom
    Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:13pm

    Unless you have a DIESEL, of course.

    In my area, the “MERLOT” of the refining process is a full FIFTY CENTS MORE PER GALLON!!!

    Report Post »  
    • seejanemom
      Posted on December 20, 2011 at 6:19pm

      Diesel is a FULL FIFTY CENT MORE per gallon than $$ Premium $$…. I meant to say.

      Report Post »  
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