The frigid temperatures, power outages, and water crisis in Texas are affecting drivers in West Michigan.

Gas prices in the area have already been creeping higher and this is just the beginning of what could be a week or more of slowly increasing prices.  According to an article from Wood TV 8, "Grand Rapids-area gas prices started increasing Tuesday afternoon from an average of $2.43 per gallon of regular gas to $2.65 per gallon, according to DeHaan. That’s in line with GasBuddy’s national prediction of a 10- to 20-cent price jump over the next two weeks."

GasBuddy reported that nearly 1/5th of the nation's oil refinery capacity is offline due to the historically extreme cold that has covered most of the United States.  The report also offered some suggestions on how you can get more for your money when it comes to filling up your tank.

They suggest that you shop around for your fuel using GasBuddy.com because prices can fluctuate as much as $1 in metropolitan areas.  They also suggest that you drive more carefully, because driving defensively can reduce the amount of gas you use as opposed to driving aggressively.  And they also suggest that you sign up for rewards programs from gas stations to get lower prices or cash back.

GasBuddy also predicts that prices will continue to rise after the refining capacity comes online and will peak around Memorial Day at an average of $3 a gallon.

You can keep up with gas prices on GasBuddy.com.

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