SEATTLE — Gas prices are going back up.
Have you noticed?
In Seattle, the price at the pump has gone up $0.20 since last week.
KIRO 7's Maria Guerrero searched out expensive options and the cell phone app that can help you find some relief.
Bill Sorden isn't filling up all the way at Jim's Mart in Rainier Valley.
"20 bucks,” he said. “Just enough to get me to a cheaper gas station."
The pain at the pump is back.
Sorden owns Bill's Quality Construction and has two vehicles to fill up.
“It was nice when it went down like $1.99, $2 a gallon. It was great and I figured it would last a little bit longer," said Sorden.
We checked -- and Triple A reports the average price for a gallon of gas in Seattle is $3.01 -- up $0.68 from a month ago.
The average in Tacoma is $2.98 -- up $0.66 from a month ago.
We searched out options in Seattle.
The price for regular at one gas station in Rainier Valley is $2.99.
The 76 station near the Space Needle has gas at $3.19 a gallon.
And a gallon of regular at the Shell station on lower Queen Anne is going for $3.09.
The prices were about on par with the station at Renton and MLK where we saw people filling up at $3.19 a gallon.
Want to compare gas prices in your neighborhood?
There's an app for that and it's free. It's called Gas Buddy.
The app finds gas stations near you and posts the price.
The app showed that a little more than a mile away, the Safeway in Rainier Beach has gas at $2.85 a gallon.
And sure enough it was busy.
"I just try to keep my eyes open and when something looks good that's where I fill up," said customer Jody Page.
We had to show the small business owner the app and the cheaper alternatives nearby.
"34 cents a gallon cheaper, yeah. Hey, that's good,” he said. “Thanks for letting me know that. That's perfect. I'm outta here."
Gasbuddy.com blames rising prices on a recent refinery explosion in California and labor strikes at refineries in 7 states -- including in Washington, at Anacortes.
It is cutting into supply at a time when pump prices traditionally go up, with more demand.