“PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The cost of gas is rising and it has a ripple effect on other goods and services. It seems there’s no relief in sight. Robert Miller is not bashful when it comes to the love of his life. ‘It’s a 1990 Chevy Camaro,’ Miller said looking at his car. He admits he drives it everywhere. But these days, it takes some muscle to fill up the muscle car. You can say Miller is pumping some iron at the pump. “If I come to work full, I will probably have to fill up again due to our radius and how far we deliver,” Miller said. For Miller, it’s not joy rides but his job delivering pizzas for Chanello’s in Portsmouth. What makes him hot is the idea of gas prices. ‘It hurts,’ Miller added. ‘I’m going to be real, it does hurt. Even a three-cent jump would hurt.”‘

“Miller is not alone feeling the pain at the pump. The national average for a gallon of regular now sits at $3.56, but experts say by April that could go up to $4.25. Some cities could see the $5 mark ‘If the gas does go up there is nothing we can do about it,’ said driver Jennifer McKinney. ‘We are just going to have to pay the gas price.’ The upswing in prices can be attributed to tension in the Middle East and more demand for oil. Of course, gas prices hit your pocketbook well beyond the pump. Food costs go up because of shipping. It’s already estimated most of us spend more than 8 percent of our budget on gas alone.