What I remember reading somewhere, is that every 1 cent increase in the average yearly price of a gallon of gas, means $1 billion taken out of the pockets of co

What I remember reading somewhere, is that every 1 cent increase in the average yearly price of a gallon of gas, means $1 billion taken out of the pockets of consumers. So if the price of a gallon of gas averages 200 pennies more for a year, that is $200 billion in consumer spending that goes to gas. We've had a run rate of $200 to $300 billion (depending on which state, when you start counting from the previous lower price, etc.) being drained from people over the past year. That has to come from somewhere!