When last we spoke, I was waxing poetic over a $30 fill-up at the gas pump for my compact.
This past weekend it was the minivan’s turn. It was close to empty, which usually sets me back about $60.
But, as Lundberg Survey predicted, gas prices continued to tumble, and I was able to top off the Happy Fun Van for a cool 40 bucks.
For a large swath of consumers, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, that extra Jackson is significant. So too for retailers, which have been squeezed by the dearth of disposable income for America’s middle and working class.
Putting aside the source of the gas glut (can you spell fracking?), I’ll paraphrase what I said here last week: Lower fuel prices are like a tax stimulus, and with Christmas just around the corner, the reprieve is a welcomed pre-holiday present to shoppers and merchants alike.
