Gas prices hit $7 a gallon in California

What, like filling your vehicle tank is that big a deal? Just re-mortgage the house, or get one of those handy buy-now-pay-later plans or sell plasma, a lot of it ... Those are the things people are saying, anyway as gas prices in California hit $7 a gallon.

California continues to have the highest gas prices in the nation, although the prices are a patchwork across the state. While some gas stations in Los Angeles are charging as much as $7 per gallon, while the cheapest stations offer prices around $5.

Despite the challenges of rising gas prices, some gas stations like Berri Brothers in Temple City are offering competitive prices to attract cost-conscious customers.

Still, there's a $2-per-gallon difference compared to the least expensive state, Indiana.

Why is it so high in California? Factors such as location, overhead expenses, and timing of gas deliveries contribute to the wide variation in gas prices. As the L.A. Times noted, "There is a wide spectrum of gas prices in any given city, or even on a single corner, for a variety of reasons. Gas stations connected to places such as Costco, Sam’s Club and Safeway are sometimes cheaper because those retailers don’t depend on gas to fuel their profits. Some chains, like Berri, accept lower profits to stand out from the big chains.

"Meanwhile, stations near wealthier neighborhoods, downtown areas, highway on-ramps and airports are sometimes more expensive."

There's also the Iran War effect nationally, which follows the Venezuela effect, which follows the erratic tariffs effect. See it in graph form below.

That's the national average, but the next chart shows the stark story for California consumers. Prices are just so much higher than they are in Chicago and Texas.

But help is available, as for shopping around. Consumers can save money by checking online resources like GasBuddy, AAA, and Google Maps to find the best deals on gas.