Gasoline prices are up again — by an average of 20 cents per gallon nationwide in the last two weeks.

The most recent Lundberg Survey reveals that the average retail price of regular unleaded gas now stands at $2.55 a gallon. The highest average price nationally was $3.10 a gallon in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Anchorage, Alaska drivers shell out the lowest per-gallon price, $2.22.

Officials say “concerns over falling gasoline inventories from decreased refinery production and fewer imports have boosted oil and gasoline prices.” I say, “Hooey!”

Gasoline prices are going up because they can. I mean, what else can we do? Those of us who live in rural areas, those places, in other words, without subways, trains, or even bus service, are also those who generally find themselves hopping in the car for everything from a loaf of bread to a way to get to work — and “alternate energy sources” simply don’t work all that well in internal combustion engines.

The one thing I DON’T love about my Jeep is the cost of not driving past the gas pumps. On average, I spend about $60.00 per fill-up. That’s why, before going in for the wallet reaming, I log onto http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx for the latest price information in my area.

If you’ve never checked this site, you should. All you need do is enter your zip code, whether it’s at home or on vacation, and look at the map and list for the best deals. After all, if you can save 15, 20 cents, or sometimes even more per gallon, it’s worth it to drive to a station you might not otherwise visit. Happy motoring!