Price of gas going up again | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

With gas prices expected to soar another quarter over the next two months, the 5-cent break Shell stations offer on Tuesdays causes a "substantial spike" in sales, Mr. Elsaesser said.

Drivers will change their gas-buying habits to save pennies - even if 5 cents off a gallon means most customers will save less than half a dollar on a fill up - and the Eastport gas station owner said he typically sees Tuesday sales jump 15 percent over a normal weekday.

Those pennies in savings will become more precious as the summer driving season sends gasoline prices climbing once again.

According to federal projections, a gallon of regular gasoline on the East Coast is expected to peak around $3.50 during May and June, but the oil market remains extremely volatile, analysts said. West Coast drivers, who pay more in gasoline taxes, could see prices stay around $4 a gallon.

The expected summer increases follow a winter that was plagued by rising gasoline costs. Typically, prices bottom out during the winter.

Statewide, gas pries are up more than 70 cents compared with this time last year, according to Marylandgasprices.com, a Web site that tracks costs across the state. A gallon of regular gas in Maryland now averages $3.25.

Chelsea Caspar of Owings, who works at Anne Arundel Medical Center, said rising prices have forced her to budget more and carpool more often. Filling up at the WaWa in Edgewater yesterday morning, she said her sedan guzzles $60 of gas each week, which is taking a bite out of her wallet.

"I don't have a lot of money right now," she said. "I go week to week."

Through it all, some drivers remain unfazed by the price at the pump. Bob Gale, a federal contractor from Pennsylvania who stopped to fill up his car in Millersville Monday, said he has no plans to change his summer travel itinerary, which includes ferrying his son to regional baseball games, regardless of gas prices. Though the family often travels out West for summer vacations, Mr. Gale still said he stil expects to travel with his son.

While some people may be putting off trips to the gas pump, Mr. Elsaesser said he is seeing them more often in his garage as they look to maximize fuel economy.

"We are seeing more requests for scheduled maintenance services," he said. "Where they skipped a maintenance or two before, they're coming in now."