By: Eames Yates

Valdosta, GA - Americans in Lowndes County, and across the country, are feeling the hurt when it comes to prices at the pump. In fact, this is the most they've spent on gasoline in the last 30 years. That's despite the fact that they consumed less fuel last year due to factors such as driving habits and higher mileage cars.

One Lowndes County Resident, William Fraser, said "some people I know, myself included years back, I lived pay check to pay check and it just made it harder. So, of course, as it goes up it takes away from something else."

The Energy Department says that U.S. households, on average, spent about $2,900 on gas last year. That's about 4% of their pretax income.

Another Lowndes County resident, Paul Bennett, said "you can't budget it because you don't know. You budget it so much but then that's in January and July your budget's blown."

At $3.54, the average price of gas is up 18 cents from last week. That's the biggest weekly price increase in 2 years.