I can't be the only one that notices the little trick that happens with fuel prices.

They raise the prices significantly and keep them there for a period of time, then lower them a few cents, and we all think we're getting some great deal. Meanwhile, the actual cost is still much higher than before they jacked up the prices.

Pretty slick, no doubt. However, I'm on to them, and I'm not the only one.

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Even though the prices are down here in Montana, we're still paying more than we've paid at any other time (with the exception of this summer). However, there might be good news coming down the pipeline in the future. Or at least some relief.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gas prices look like they will be falling by 2023. The EIA predicts that gas will average 3.57 cents a gallon in 2023. Once again, that is still significantly higher than it was a couple of years ago but it's a dollar cheaper a gallon than it is right now and only about 30 cents higher than it was this time last year.

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At the end of last week here in Montana, the average cost for a gallon of gas was 4.53, which was higher than the national average of 4.27. A gallon of diesel was running 5.45 here in Montana.

While it certainly seems that folks are feeling a financial hit, it seems that some people are still hitting the road this summer, though much of that travel might be closer to home.

What about you and your family? Have you canceled or altered your summer travel plans based on the cost of fuel? If so, it seems like there might be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, even if it isn't as bright of a light as we would all hope for.

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

 

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