Fuel prices: are we being serious? The story of ordinary people laughing and crying at the petrol pump

Every morning on the way to work, I find myself glancing at the prices as I pass the petrol station. Lately, though, I almost dread it. Word is that the average price of petrol in Seoul has now comfortably topped 1,800 won per litre. People are already talking about the 2,000-won mark, and honestly… I don’t know what to say. It just makes you sigh.

So why are fuel prices going through the roof?

There’s always a reason, isn’t there? Rising global oil prices, a jump in the exchange rate, refinery margins – it all adds up. But for most of us, those 'reasons' feel a world away. When you see the price at the pump go from 1,730 won per litre yesterday to 1,780 won this morning, it’s easy to wonder if it’s really down to geopolitics or just something to do with the local garage owner’s circumstances.

Honestly, until last week I thought things might be settling down, but this week it’s anyone’s guess. The word 'average' has lost all meaning. It’s not unusual to see a price difference of well over 100 won per litre between a petrol station on Gangnam Boulevard and one on the outskirts of town.

For ordinary people, it all comes back to fuel prices

Rising fuel costs don’t just mean paying more at the pump. They shake up the whole cost of living. Delivery fees, takeaway charges, even the bus fare to the supermarket – everything that moves runs on fuel. Speak to anyone running a small shop, and you’ll hear they’re really torn about whether to hike their delivery charges. Put them up and you lose customers; leave them as they are and you’re losing money. In the end, that burden gets passed straight back to us, the consumers.

Fuel costs have stopped being just a transport expense. They’ve become a survival cost. If you’ve got a long commute, you’re practically having to rework your monthly budget from scratch.

Your survival guide to fuel prices – things you can do right now

When prices are as volatile as they are at the moment, talking about it won’t help. You’ve just got to get on with it. Here’s a roundup of some practical money-saving tips that people around me have actually found useful.

• Get a real-time price comparison app – it’s a must: Taking three minutes before you set off to check the cheapest petrol station in your area can save you enough in a month for a few coffees. Sticking to the same place out of habit is the most expensive way to fill up.
• Stop hesitating about 'thrifty' petrol stations: People used to worry about the fuel quality at these places, but now the difference of 50 to 80 won per litre can be the difference between managing and not. Go to one and you’ll see queues so long no one’s got time to worry about quality.
• Card perks: go for per-litre discounts, not points: Take a close look at the fuel deals credit card companies are offering. Earning points is a nice-to-have for later; the key is how much they knock off per litre, right now.
• Rethink your commute: Try setting aside days where you don’t use the car at all. Some people have switched to the tube or bus during the week and only drive at weekends, and they’ve cut their monthly fuel bill by 30 to 40 per cent.

Individually, these might not seem like much, but they add up. We’re talking savings of tens of thousands of won a month, or even a hundred thousand or more. We’ve moved beyond just 'cutting back'. It’s now about being clever with what we spend.

So what’s next for fuel prices?

The outlook is mixed. Some reckon prices will stay high for a while yet; others think they might steady out in the next month or so. But one thing’s for certain: it’s probably unrealistic to hope we’ll ever see the old prices again.

Government measures do help, of course. But whether those benefits actually filter down to what we pay at the pump, and how long they last, is anyone’s guess. In the end, it seems the only things we can rely on are our own smart spending habits and a willingness to change our routines. And so, we find ourselves at the petrol station, calculator in hand, pausing for a moment in front of the price board. It’s becoming the most ordinary picture of our times.