Gas prices have hit yet another all-time high price in Wisconsin, Milwaukee and the United States. 

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the Milwaukee/Waukesha metro area stood at $5.11 on Monday, the highest average price ever, according to travel organization AAA and its Daily Fuel Gauge report.

The price in the metro area is up 48 cents a gallon since last week. 

For the state of Wisconsin, the average price per gallon is $4.81, also the highest average price ever. The price has risen 39 cents a gallon since last week. 

Across the U.S., a gallon of regular gas was selling for an average of $4.87 a gallon, also the highest average price ever.

A gallon of diesel fuel was selling for $5.65 a gallon on average across the U.S., according to AAA. That's also the highest price ever. 

There is no relief in sight.

The cost of a barrel of oil, which makes up nearly two-thirds of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, is nearing $120, "nearly double from last (year), as increased oil demand outpaces the tight global supply,"  AAA said in a statement on Monday.

A year ago, crude was trading around $70 a barrel. 

"Meanwhile, domestic (U.S.) gasoline demand rose last week in the wake of a robust Memorial Day weekend of travel," AAA said in the statement. "As a result, the national average for a gallon of gas surged 25 cents in one week..."

How long that fuel demand continues to be elevated as prices approach and top $5 a gallon nationwide, remains a big question.

“People are still fueling up, despite these high prices,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “At some point, drivers may change their daily driving habits or lifestyle due to these high prices, but we are not there yet.” 

Anecdotally, some of us are already taking steps to lessen the impact of soaring fuel prices. 

Jacolby Woods stopped Monday morning at the Mobil station at Hawley Road and Vliet Street in Milwaukee and put $20 worth of gas in his van. It netted him less than four gallons.

At $5.19 a gallon, Woods said $20 worth was all he could afford on Monday.  

"I'm bartending right now," he said. "Hopefully I can fill the tank after work, but I'll need to spend almost $100," Woods said.

"The cost of living, since the pandemic, was already hard," Woods said. "But none of us expected to be living like this. I know in my 30s, I didn't expect this life." 

The soaring prices go beyond simply driving. Fuel prices touch just about every consumer good imaginable, from food to clothing to construction materials, because those goods have to be shipped to their final destinations.

People say they have changed their shopping habits as a result.

Andrea Haywood said she has tried to ignore higher prices for gasoline and food, but lately the costs have reached the point where she must now pay attention. 

Haywood said when she saw the price of a 10 pound bag of potatoes, it changed the way she shopped. 

"I haven't stopped buying certain things -- I mean if I need it, I need it, but I've changed how much I buy," Haywood said. "Even the dark meat on chicken is $10 a pack now and that used to be way cheaper than the white meat." 

If you drive for a living, the soaring prices are nothing short of disastrous. 

Latonia Green, 60, has been driving for Uber since 2017. It's her only source of income. She drives a Honda Odyssey and the rising gas prices determines whether she works or not.

“Last week is when the prices tipped over $5," Green said outside the BP station at 350 N. Plankinton Ave. in Milwaukee.

Once the price hit $5 a gallon, "...I only drove three days when I usually drive six or seven. So it’s having an impact on my livelihood,” Green said.

She’s had to make significant changes in her spending as a result. 

“I’ve had to cut back tremendously. It’s bare bones. You make sure your mortgage is paid. Even driving 3 days a week, I pay about $100 dollars to fill my gas tank up,” she said. 

“Let’s say I make $600 driving Uber. I’m going to spend $250 in that on gasoline. So I do it because it’s my primary income, but no, there’s not a lot of room for anything outside of mortgage, utilities, food," Green added. "Those are the big ones. I do manage to keep internet on... I don’t do any frivolous spending.”

Those changes in spending habits will no doubt eventually have a ripple effect throughout the region's and the state's economy. Every extra dollar that must be spent on gasoline isn't being spent on other goods and services.

Alice Cox, 59, of Milwaukee has been driving for Uber and Lyft since 2019. She was parked outside of the BP on Plankinton in between rides.  

She said she is frustrated by the government’s lack of involvement in curbing the rise in gas prices. “It’s ridiculous," she said. "I do think the government doesn’t want us to drive.” 

“I literally went from (spending) $60 a week to $240 a week, driving for Uber and Lyft," she added. 

Driving for the rideshare services is her only source of income and soaring gasoline prices have led her to cut back on spending for other things such as getting her nails done.

"...If I had $100 to spare, now it’s going into the tank,” she said.

Cox said she doesn’t have plans to supplement her income, despite rising gasoline costs. She likes being her own boss and enjoys being a driver for Uber and Lyft. 

“I have no other choice. This is my source of income," she said. 

“I thought COVID was the worst, but the gas prices are the worst,” Cox added. 

Here's what prices are averaging in Wisconsin's metro areas, as tracked by AAA. Each is the highest average ever recorded by AAA:

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Contact Joe Taschler at (414) 224-2554 or jtaschler@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTaschler or Facebook at facebook.com/joe.taschler.1.