Kip’s Comments - September 17, 2025

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During my outdoor activities and daily life I get around. As a result I see gas prices and I buy when the prices are what I considerable acceptable.

Currently we have quite a price discrepancy on pump prices. I paid $2.669 for gas at the Love’s in Jewell (with my 10-cent discount for using their app). In Ankeny gas was $2.659 without an app. When I got closer to home the fuel price was $3.199. That is a difference of .54 per gallon!

Before anyone justifies that price difference as the cost of the hauling fee, let’s consider that the one gas shop in the town of Hazelton (Sinclair) is always in the middle - a bit higher than Love’s and considerably lower than local stations. The tank hauling fee justification and even competition does not add up as justification for the much higher prices.

I am going to make a little chart showing stations where I know lower prices are often found. I will include comments.

Almost always lowest prices:

Love’s Stations - Note: Prices can vary from one Love’s station to another, but still are lowest in the area. Save an additional .10 when you use the free Love’s app.

Often within a few cents of Love’s:

Fleet Farm in Cedar Falls - Save an additional .04 with the coupon on the store receipt. Best prices when competing with Kwik Star across the road. Free pop corn! Good selection of live bait.

Kwik Trip/Kwik Star across from Fleet Farm - Far and away this chain is the most clean, most presentable fuel stops in the area. Their food selection is good with plenty of variety and appears to be fresh.

Sinclair in Hazelton- Competitive little shop in a little town. I asked the manager(?) why they always had good gas prices. Her answer… “We want to be competitive.” They are succeeding! They sell bait too.

Walmart - Cedar Falls - Usually competitive

A little more than the first five, but worth consideration:

Metro Mart in Cedar Falls - I pay at the pump and have not been in the store.

The Pumper (Phillips 66) in Fayette - Often acceptable prices. They sell bait.

Higher Still, but less than locals:

Casey’s at Lime Springs (Just off H63). The price is tolerable most of the time. Pumps often do not print receipts (appear to be out of paper). This seems to be a common occurrence at many of the Casey’s I stop at. Casey’s pizza is good.