I consider myself a pretty loyal guy when it comes to being a customer. I frequent the same stores, restaurants, even gas stations. Lately I’ve realized when I’m out of state it is awfully tempting to fill up the tank.
Recently, I filled up in West Hartford at the place where I always go, and paid $4.09 a gallon. Two days later, while on vacation in Newport, Rhode Island I filled up again, and paid $3.77 a gallon! That is a savings of $.32 cents a gallon and for a 22 gallon tank, that is an extra $7.04 I kept in my wallet. Fill up weekly and that’s a savings of $366 a year.
West Hartford
When I’m home a tank lasts me about 10 days or so, but for people who drive long distances to work and have to fill up every couple of days that’s a big chunk of change. I’ve had people who work or live near the borders tell me they regularly fill up in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to save money. I didn’t realize how much they were saving until I experienced it myself. We live in Hartford, so it doesn’t make sense for me to travel a half hour or so just to get gas, but if you live in Enfield or Stonington, it might.
Newport, RI
Why is it more expensive here? Connecticut has one of the highest gas taxes in the nation. According to the National Petroleum Institute, our gas tax is the third highest in the continental United States. Still, Connecticut gas is a relative bargain compared to what I paid in Hawaii two years ago.
Honolulu, HI
What are you paying?
Also read one of my driving tales: http://dennishouse.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/my-close-call-in-traffi/
Categories: Uncategorized
Dennis House blog 
I shop at Stop and Shop and try to buy the items that will give me 400 or so gas points. Right now I have about a $1.60 off a gallon. Still pay to much, but it doesn’t hurt as bad with the points.
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I generally fill up around Windsor or Manchester, since I live between them. However, when it gets bad (>$4), I go to Agawam, MA. This past week I found myself needing to drive back & forth to Old Sturbridge Village daily, so I took advantage of the $3.65/gal gas price & filled up twice! As you discovered, you can’t pass up savings like that. 🙂
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My niece filled her tank in New Jersey before our ride home to Ct. and paid only $3.49 a gal. and did not have to get out of the car to fill it as filling your own tank in N.J. is not allowed.
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That is o.k. – You can pay the tax you CHEATED Malloy out of on your CT State income tax – they give you a line for your out of state purchases! Thanks for documenting it so clearly!
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This line item is not aimed at each tank of gas you have purchased. It is aimed at purchases where you have gone out of state to buy things without paying any sales tax or buying on-line. Check your data.
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Thanks Ginny! You should tell the truckers who DO have to pay a pro-rated tax that – So is your point if I pay NO sales tax, then CT wants theirs, but if I pay LESS to another state that is o.k., or is your point that if they come to your house and see new furniture you bought elsewhere, you are caught, but gas in the tank (last month) at a lower rate, you can get away with..? :
-)
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just drove from connecticut to georgia. ct had the highest gas prices of all the states we drove through. so i’d say, yes, it’s too high -i’d love to know how the powers-that-be justify it. fortunately, it’s not my problem any more!
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I was in Maine on vacation and gas is less and taxes and everything else. Would love to pick up my house and move to Maine. We can thank wonderful Malloy for our high taxers.
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I spend $400 a month on gas. There is no justification for that. CT needs to lower taxes across the board…and significantly.
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That’s so cute – Next you will suggest they SPEND LESS and I will wet my pants laughing. Didn’t you hear Malloy say there ARE no NEW taxes – so how could he lower them ? ??
Financially you are right but it will NEVER HAPPEN with these people WE HAVE ELECTED !
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I think Connecticut sucks!!!!!! There are really no reason we should be paying these high taxes,the government needs to stop letting the casinos bring in help from other countries and start making them hire these welfare lifetime enrollies!!!!! I think the state hands out way too much and they dont monitor the program correctly!!!!!It just sucks!!!!!!
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There is a PERFECT REASON we should be paying these high taxes, WE HAVE ELECTED People who SPENT all the money and want to spend MORE! If you don’t LIKE it vote for different people!
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Do I think the CT gas tax and gas prices are too high…NO I KNOW they are. My husband and myself went for a drive to Massachusetts last weekend to get gas (>$0.36 less than CT gas) and counted all but 1 car of the 15 there were cars with Connecticut plates. Gotta tell you something.
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All my gas, Adult beverages and clothes (no tax on clothing) are purchased in RI. Love living near the border. Very rare that I’m caught purchasing anything in Ct. anymore.
I stopped donating my old clothes here because I refuse to let Malloy collect tax on used clothes I give to the poor, so I give them away in RI as well.
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You can thank all of the people that voted for Malloy. Most of them most likely don’t pay taxes, just take taxes!
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A difference of 32 cents a gallon? Connecticut’s taxes are high, but they can’t be that much higher than Rhode Island’s. (Especially when you’re buying in tony Newport as opposed to, say, Central Falls.) There’s a story here — is there a reporter to do it?
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Wanna bet. I save hundreds a year visiting RI to do my shopping and entertainment.
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We just got back from florida, we got gas there for 3.25 a gal. Everything in ct is way over priced. Im amazed people can survive here.
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In the Carolinas last week and gas prices were as low as $3.35. Average was about $3.45. This state is nuts with all the taxes it charges, example being, bought a gallon of paint a few weeks ago and found on the reciept a $.75 recycle tax on it that was put into place on July 1st. I could live with this except for the fact that its the town that recycles not the state.
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But Dennis, we get so much value from our tax dollars… the busway… First Five… roads that are the envy of the nation. I could go on but I just threw up in my mouth.
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Gas prices are currently to much
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Check out the Forbes article. On ct…how we went from a growing economy state to busted in a generation thanks to our tax and spend politicians….all of our major cities have less population than they did 100 years ago…check it out and we are still on that same road to ruin unfortunately. I will stay here as long as I can or go to Des Moines for a good paying insurance job.
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Somebody should look in to whether the taxes on a gallon of gasoline are 32 cents more in Connecticut than Rhode Island — ours are higher but not that much higher. There are other factors in play that need to be explained.
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What our Democratic / Liberal run Connecticut state government hasn’t figured out yet, is just how many sales also go over the state line. I don’t just drive for cheap gas, I combine my trip to spend money out of state.
Just how stupid are our state leaders!
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