What was the lowest gas price you can remember both as a young person, (non-driver) and as a driver?

12/29/2014 | Nikos1121

[nikos1121]

I can recall growing up in Chicago in the 1950s. "Oklahoma" gas stations were the most visible. I seem to recall 19 cents a gallon. The lowest price as a driver was around 29 cents. Seemed like it always was about the same as a pack of cigarettes or gallon of milk.

[j. earl carter]

I'm pretty sure the S & H Greenstamps were national. There must have been many regional outfits doing the same thing. IIRC, In Ohio, you got the greenstamps at the A & P and Big Bear, and Buckeye stamps at the Kroger's.

My mom always went to Kroger's so we never really saved the greenstamps.

[fatnotlazy]

I remember my dad complaining when he had to pay 79 cents a gallon. I think that was late 70s or early 80s. I live in PA and our gasoline costs way more than in most states.

[CGASMIA68]

is that was that was..I thought it was the mushrooms!!!!!DANG

[sourcery]

As a non-driver: $0.29/gallon, early 1970s.

As a driver: $0.49/gallon, Aug 1974 (when I got my driver’s license.)

[NEMDF]

I think 29.9 cents.

[ansel12]

I remember we could cash in coke bottles or whatever.

Heck, a dollar was enough to do all of your Saturday night cruising and carousing all over town.

[Jagdgewehr]

One of those "insert tab A into slot B" cardboard models of the Apollo Lunar Module. It was one of those promotional item give-aways back when Gulf Oil sponsored television coverage of the Apollo Missions.

[who knows what evil?]

24.9 cents per gallon in upstate New York, 1970.

[luvbach1]

I recall about 19.9c/gallon during price wars in the mid-50s in San Diego no less. $2.00 good enough for a few days of driving. I bought retreads for my ‘41 Olds for $6.00 or $7.00.

[vetvetdoug]

Gas war, Del Rio, Texas. $.18/gallon around 1965.

[Rodamala]

They get $83 and change here in PA now for a carton of Luckies. NY state, even worse.

[Cvengr]

Farmers didn’t have to pay the road tax on their fuel, while if you used it to drive to town in your diesel pickup, you would have to pay it.

Most ranchers/farmers would have a 500-2000 gal tank for their equipment to run their tractors and combines’. Frequently, they would just top off their pickup from the same stock tank.

Periodically, the Dept of Public Safety or county would set up road blocks on rural farm roads and stop the pickups, and would run a dipstick in the gas tanks to see if they were using the right fuel on the roadway.

If they were using red diesel, they’d have to pay fine for not having paid the road tax, and the dispenser would have to pay .20/gal for not abiding by the Road Tax.

[Blue Collar Christian]

In the late 50s to early 60s my folks always got $2 worth of regular, and it was usually over 12 gallons in Orange County, So. California. By the time I drove in ‘71 it was .36 9/10 per gallon, and that was in a small Mojave Desert town out Death Valley way.

[dalereed]

1954 In was paying 13.9 cents/gallon in Los Angeles.

[GOJPN]

Sometimes a gallon jug and a length of garden hose lowered the price considerably for some folks.

[lonestar]

That’s interesting...never heard it before.

[who knows what evil?]

I remember taking Esso for six cents in their ‘Tigerino’ scratch-off game back in the day...

[CMAC51]

$0.12 per gallon, Grand Rapids Michigan in the late 60’s.

[ExCTCitizen]

As a young person .25 a gallon as a driver .75/gallon. Just filled up my car and boat at 2.35 at Wawa...

[unread]

I remember .17 cents per. gal...east end of Cincinnati, about 1960 or thereabouts...