Americans have seen an unprecedented spike in gas prices over the last few weeks in particular, leaving citizens wondering what other economic changes they will see in the upcoming months during the pandemic.

“This is just crazy, one day I filled my tank up and it cost me barely $20, but then a few weeks later it was nearly $35, I am ready to just buy a Tesla,” gas station employee Donny Clark said.

As if a pandemic that wiped out millions of people around the world wasn’t enough, people are experiencing this new crisis as some of the COVID restrictions are beginning to ease, leaving people around the country unable to fill up their cars due to the surge in gas prices.

According to abcnews.com, gas prices are at an all time high this year because 40% of the crude oil refineries are shut down causing the low production. 

Some of these refineries shut down due to the arctic conditions seen in Texas over the past week, which caused blackouts, businesses to close, and overall panic among the inhabitants of the usually warm state. And, the unusually cold temperatures in the south have caused major oil companies to lose billions of dollars, which is messing up the supply chain.

According to local lifetime Exxon customer Jim Smith, a few months ago it cost him only $25 to fill his tank up, but this week it cost him nearly $40. 

Smith, like many other customers, can’t believe the price change, the extra $10 or $15 used for gas could have been put towards groceries, lunch, or even to pay the bills.