Photo by Deb Gau Vehicles pulled up at the Hy-Vee gas station in Marshall on Friday. While average gas prices have declined in Minnesota this week, regular gasoline was still $3.89 a gallon at pumps around Marshall

MARSHALL — While gasoline prices have come down slightly from highs last week, area residents say they’re still trying to change their travel plans to help save money at the pump.

“I think everyone is feeling the pinch,” said Monica Miller. But seeing the cost of a tank of gas go from around $50 up to $75 last week was enough to make you cringe, she said.

“In a week, you’re looking at a 44% increase,” she said.

Miller said she and her husband carpool for the trip from their home near Lake Sarah to Marshall, where they both work.

“We try and make that work as much as we can,” she said.

“We carpool as much as possible,” said Tracy resident Samson Obel.

Obel and his wife both make a roughly 25-mile commute to Marshall to work. With gas getting more expensive, they’ve made sure to use fuel-saver discounts, and they try to drive less if it isn’t necessary, he said.

Instead of outings that would require a car trip,”We’ve gotten creative, and took advantage of local parks,” Obel said.

Last week, average gas prices in the U.S. were the highest they had been since July 2008. Prices were already rising before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the conflict accelerated that trend, the Associated Press said. This week, AAA said the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has decreased — but average prices were still over $4 a gallon.

In Minnesota, average gas prices were about $3.92 a gallon on Friday, which was down from an average of about $3.95 a gallon on March 11, according to AAA. Minnesota’s gas prices were below the national average of $4.27 a gallon.

In Lyon County, the average price for regular gas was $3.97 a gallon on Friday, AAA said.

Diesel fuel has also seen price changes over the past couple of weeks.

“The cost per mile went up a lot, in a hurry,” said Steve Coudron, who owns a trucking business in the Marshall area.

Coudron said fuel costs went up about 20 cents per mile for his business between March 4 and March 11.

In Minnesota, diesel fuel hit its highest recorded average price on Monday, at $4.89 a gallon, according to AAA. By Friday, the average diesel price had declined three cents, to $4.86 a gallon.

It hasn’t only been vehicle fuel affected by price increases. Last week, the Associated Press reported that utility bills were also climbing. U.S. consumers were paying 40% more for natural gas and home heating oil compared to last year, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

Paying for propane and fuel oil has been harder for many southwest Minnesota residents this winter, said Pat Elizondo, energy assistance manager for United Community Action Partnership. In UCAP’s nine-county service region, prices for propane ranged from around $2 to $2.50 a gallon, and fuel oil prices have been around $4 a gallon, Elizondo said.

“It has been a struggle for our families,” Elizondo said. “We have gotten calls from people who had applied for energy assistance, and their grant is exhausted.”

Area residents say they’ve tried to find ways to deal with the challenge of saving money on gasoline. While Miller is able to carpool to work, she also needs to drive her children to school activities in Slayton.

“I try not to drive back and forth,” she said. Instead she’ll try to do something in town until the kids need to be picked up, like going for a walk or meeting a friend for coffee.

The Millers also farm, which brings up even more challenges to plan for. Besides fuel costs for farm equipment, “There’s been a huge increase in inputs,” she said. “The price of nitrogen (fertilizer) is out of this world.”

While it’s not certain how gas prices will change in the future, Obel said he and his wife are also trying to plan ahead. This year, vacation time may become a stay-cation, he said.

“Watching (gas prices) go over $4 makes you feel more comfortable staying home,” Obel said