News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee<\/a> and photojournalist Jesse Hanson found several stations charging around $4.59 a gallon.<\/p>\nFor drivers like Chris Mendez, the impact has become impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom where I live and from where I work is about half an hour,\u201d Mendez said. \u201cA few years ago, less than $25 could fill up my tank and last me about a week. Now it\u2019s $40, and that barely lasts me a week now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like many drivers across Jacksonville, Mendez said rising prices are forcing him to make trade-offs \u2014 weighing everyday wants against the rising cost of simply getting around.<\/p>\n
\u201cI collect stuff, and before I would be able to at least to go see if there is anything I am willing to get,\u201d he said. \u201cBut now I\u2019m not able to go to those places, or if I try to, it\u2019s not as often, or I don\u2019t have as much money as I used to because of the prices.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ellie Anderson relies on Uber to get to work and run errands, something she said has become more expensive as gas prices continue rising.<\/p>\n
She said the financial pressure is showing up in everyday decisions, forcing her to think more carefully about what she can afford beyond the essentials.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe going shopping or other places, I have to improvise and put priority first, because if I don\u2019t work, where would that money come from?\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n
The pressure at the pump comes as many families are already struggling with higher grocery costs.<\/p>\n
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows grocery prices nationally remain higher than they were a year earlier, despite inflation slowing overall.<\/p>\n
University of North Florida economics professor Chiradip Chatterjee said the rising costs may feel especially noticeable in Jacksonville because the city has historically been considered more affordable than many other parts of Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, it should feel less expensive in Jacksonville, actually,\u201d Chatterjee said. \u201cIf we look into the other cities, even in Florida, Jacksonville is actually on the lower end. I don\u2019t deny things are expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chatterjee said many families are being forced to make difficult financial decisions as higher prices continue affecting everyday essentials like gas and groceries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s only like one side of it,\u201d Chatterjee said. \u201cThe other side is that the wages aren\u2019t going at that rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chatterjee said even if some prices eventually begin to ease, consumers should not expect costs to quickly return to what they were several years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrices are a little sticky. Once they go up, it\u2019s very hard for them to come down,\u201d Chatterjee said. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to stabilize in the next six months, one year, or two years. It might take much longer than that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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