Surprising good news about the price of gasoline

The federal government was set to go back to work this morning after the borrowing limit on the national credit card was extended once again, at least temporarily. Obamacare opponents went back to the drawing board after pushing the deadline to the limit in an effort to dismantle changes to the national healthcare system.

We'll all feel effects of the machinations in Washington at some point, but complicated financial issues are a mystery to most of us until the actual bill arrives.

Living in sparsely populated Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, however, one financial issue, the price of travel, is no mystery.

For most of us, getting to work, to school, to go shopping, church or a night out involves filling up the tank of our car or pickup truck with gasoline.

Every extra nickel we put in the fuel tank means one less for food, entertainment, clothes, other utilities or contributions to charity.

You won't hear many people celebrating, but the price of fuel is actually lower than it was last year.

According to GasBuddy.com, which lists fuel prices as reported by volunteers, as of Oct. 15, the U.S. average gas price had gone 70 consecutive days with the price lower than the same day last year.

Aug. 6, 2013, the U.S. average of $3.628 per gallon was the last time the country saw a price higher than last year on the same date. On Aug. 6, 2012, the average was $3.619 a gallon.

The site listed most recent McCook gas prices at $3.34 per gallon, $2.97-$3.19 in Omaha, $3.14-$3.49 in Lincoln and $3.27-$3.42 in North Platte.

Across the country, the average difference between the highest 1 percent of stations ($4.140 gal) and the lowest 1 percent of stations ($2.944 gal) is only $1.196 gal, a smaller differential than last week ($1.256 gal,) last month ($1.241 gal,) and last year ($1.508 gal.)

According to GasBuddy.com, There are three states where the most common price is under $3 gal: Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, all at $2.999 gallon. (Hawaii is the only state with a most common price over $4 gallon at $4.059 gal.) Last year, there weren't any states with a most common price under $3 gallon.

At 42 percent, Missouri has the most stations under $3 gallon; last week, only 26 percent of the stations in the state could say the same. Oklahoma has the second most stations reporting prices that low, with 24 percent of them under $3 gallon.

Beyond buying more fuel efficient vehicles when possible, taking good care of the ones we already own and making life changes to reduce travel, there's not much a lot of us can do about the price of gasoline.

The fact those prices are holding steady or declining, however, is welcome news at a time of uncertainty.