Gas prices dipped to $2.14.9. per gallon in Hartselle Friday bringing smiles to the faces of customers.

“This is the lowest price I’ve paid for regular unleaded gas since I can’t remember when,” said Mark Shaw of Hartselle.

“I work in Athens and use a lot of gas going to and from work.”
he pointed out. “The less I pay for gas, the better it is for me and my family. We can use the extra money for other things we need.”

“It’s a blessing to me,” stated Hartselle resident Tommy Mason. “I’m glad to see the prices coming down.”

“We’re selling gas for less than at any time since I’ve worked here,” said the manager at Jet Pep at I-65 and Hwy. 31.

The same price was posted at several other gasoline dealers in the city.

Average retail gasoline prices in Alabama fell 9.0 cents per gallon in the week before Christmas, averaging $2.30 per gallon on Dec. 21, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 3,348 gas outlets in the state. This compares with the national average that has fallen 10.8 cents per gallon during the same period to $2.42 per gallon.

Including the change in gas prices in Alabama during the week of Dec. 14-20, prices on Dec. 21 were 76.8 cents per gallon lower than the same day a year earlier and 36.6 cents per gallon lower than in the prior month.

Just as Americans were taking to the roads for Christmas travel, they were giving a gift that keeps on giving: falling gas prices,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with Gasbuddy. “Americans are saving over $13 million dollars an hour versus gas prices a year ago.”

“Just in a 24-hour period, the national average declined nearly 7 cents per gallon, one of the largest single day decreases ever. However, I’m worried the decline may soon begin slowing – oil prices have held in the $50/bbl, and the concrete may be setting in. If it does, and oil prices fail to drop below $50/bbl, gas prices likely won’t drop more than another 10-20 cents per gallon. Either way, a sneak peak of our soon to be released gas price forecast for 2015 reveals a yearly national average far lower that what we saw in 2014,” DeHaan said.