Pawning jewelry for gas money?
The national average for regular gas is now $2.82 a gallon
7Online.com, NY
(New York-WABC, April 20, 2006) – If you’ve pulled into the gas station recently, you know the price of gas is up — again.
AAA says prices have risen two and a half cents in the last day.
The national average for regular is now $2.82 a gallon
In New York, it is up to $2.97
New Jersey is at $2.69
And the average price in Connecticut is $2.90
The prices are now so high that some people, as Eyewitness News reporter Anthony Johnson found out, are taking drastic action to pay for gas — including pawning their jewelry.
Rising fuel prices have forced motorists to take some rather drastic steps to keep their cars on the road. Pawn brokers say some customers short on cash are hawking their valuables to buy gasoline.
“They came in on Monday and Tuesday saying I need the money to put gas in my tank so I can get to work and get my check by Friday,” one pawn broker said.
Gas station attendants say customers are rarely asking for fill-ups these days. Some motorists say it’s coming close to the time when they have to ditch the car and use mass transit.
But for now, cherished items are being traded for cash or gas.
“Two bracelets and I only got $30 dollars for it, so now I gotta go back and get it before my son know I took it,” one woman said.
A pawn shop in Passaic, now has a snow blower because the owner could no longer afford the gas to run it.
As gas continues its run towards $3 dollars a gallon for unleaded regular, it’s becoming more and more of a challenge. However, the pawn shops are now making a profit.
(Copyright 2006 WABC-TV)
