Manitowoc County has one of the highest average gas prices in Wisconsin, according to AAA, and local businesses say they feeling the impact on their bottom lines.
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For All Out Moving, a Manitowoc County moving company, gas has become one of owner Austin Bowling's biggest expenses.
"Last year we spent around $2500 a month on gas right now it's like $3500 to $4500 depending on what we are doing," Bowling said.
Bowling said the company has been making changes to combat the rising prices, including cutting back on which trucks it uses and how much drive time is put on those vehicles.
He said even a single trip to a transfer station for junk removal and back to Manitowoc costs about $25 in gas.
As the company expands into commercial moving and demolition, Bowling said the high fuel costs are making growth difficult.
"It's hard to grow the company right now because of gas prices," Bowling said.
Lawn care businesses are also feeling the pressure. Ethan Limon, owner of Limon's Lawncare LLC, operates two trucks and two lawn mowers, and said fuel costs are changing his day-to-day operations.
"Budgeting .. and knowing what we have to throw aside for gas, it's definitely eye opening, it's a big difference than what we had to pay a couple months ago," Limon said.
To keep up with rising costs, Limon raised his minimum service price.
"We were at a 50 dollar minimum but we had to bump it up to 55 dollars just to cover the gas prices," Limon said.
Limon said he now spends about $130 a day on fuel, compared to around $80 a day just months ago.
"If the gas prices go back down low we can go back to the regular price but as of now it is causing an impact on everybody," Limon said.
Both business owners said they do not anticipate any additional pricing changes for now and hope to see gas prices come down soon.
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