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Gas Price Ranges Along Mississippi Gulf Coast USA Today Route 44-410

This convenience store gas price tour is simply to compare the price of gas in different areas along Southwest Harrison County, MS and part of HancockCounty, MS.

On this day, early Tuesday morning, March 20th, gas was $3.55 at the Kangaroo, HWY 49 at 28th St. Obviously, the price of gas is not the only consideration for consumers.  Location and convenience are important factors. Brand of gas may impact customer preferences and store pricing.

What do we gain, for example, if we save a nickel a gallon, but drive farther to get the low price? Is it worth it to pay less to go out of our way, perhaps causing more frustration, and usurping our time?

From visiting so many convenience stores along the coast -- I can see that some people will drive out of the way, a little-- to trade with their favorite store because of the people who work there.

Southern hospitality is practiced at all stores that I have visited. 

I am still laughing...About this Route

From time to time I encounter individuals that ask about my route in general because it is something they have considered doing.

Question 1: How much do you make? I am still laughing. It is a business dependent on the front page headlines and photos. It is a business dependent on tragedy. It is a business dependent on the honesty of the general public... My answer--they have a really, really weird formula. Think of it as a commission sales job with a lot of physical activity. I always make something, at least enough to cover my expenses and have some left over. Sometimes I make more, sometimes I make less.

Question 2: Do they pay for your gas? I am still laughing. Let me refer you to my District Manager for that one. (Ok. NO, "they" don't pay for anything). I am an Independent Contractor, not an employee. I actually pay THEM a machine rental fee.

I have now worked this route since December of 2010. There are many enjoyable aspects of working this route. As route is rooted in routine--I would say the employees I see on this shift are one of the most enjoyable aspects, including the State, County, and town peace keepers. They are all friendly, up beat, generally hard workers, and, conscientious.

Sometimes I am fortunate to acquire a project that provides a higher level of income.  An advantage of this USA Today contract is that I can work things out with my husband or someone else to pitch in for me. Ultimately, I am responsible. Usually, my husband is able to split the route with me.  

I should try to find someone not in the family to train for this route in case my husband and I need to take off together. The only thing is, it's hard to find someone who will want to train, then not be put to work soon, or very often. Plus, on a daily basis, it is just not profitable enough to interest someone outside the family, especially with the price of gas. However, on the plus side, it is the mileage credit that keeps us from having to pay income tax. 

I guess you could say it is a decent write off as gross profit is reasonable, but net profit always looks like a loss, or barely in the black.

I do not like the gas expense. The route is 65 miles long, and because of the stop and go--I only net about 23 mpg in my Honda Civic. I guess it could be worse. I definitely keep an eye on gas prices. Right now, Bay St. Louis-Waveland has the best prices on my route, which includes: SW Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian and Diamondhead.

The most irritating inconsiderate thing people do to newspaper vending machines, other than steal, are:

1. Taking the Display copy while there are still other copies to be purchased. Maybe if you have never operated any type of vending or display retail--you don't realize that if you take the display copy, other people will think we are out. Sometimes I have ended up with 5 to 10 left over papers because someone took the display before those are sold. Inconsiderate actions will not attract prosperity to you!
2. Using the top of the machine for a table--I really wouldn't mind if people would not burn the top with cigarettes, or spill things on the machine leaving a sticky mess.   Inconsiderate actions will not attract prosperity to you!
3. Leaving an advertisement on my machine. Hey--I pay a machine rental. Why should you not only advertise for free, but sometimes even cover up my display copy.   Inconsiderate actions will not attract prosperity to you!
4. I mentioned before -stealing-. Some people will pay $1 open the machine and take more than 1 copy.   Inconsiderate actions will not attract prosperity to you!

Well, thanks for listening to my rant. Now I will return to a spirit of gratefulness.

*I will soon be starting a new project. My husband will be working the route with me. This project will last through mid-June.

Long Beach Locations Near Rail Road and Pineville

USA Today locations are often near each other but set up for the flow of traffic and convenience of stopping and getting out of your car, or the convenience of double tasking while taking care of other errands. 

This Rite Aid location also sells USA Today inside. The outside rack is among the most popular stops of route 44-410.

However, if either, or both are out--please remember the Y-Not Stop is just North at the Y where Pineville and Klondyke split (The post office is just across the street).

Also, conveniently located across the street from Rite Aid is Walgreens which also carries USA Today, inside.

If you are a visitor to our area this location is convenient to the Holiday Inn Express and the Long Beach Getaway (a Bed and Breakfast). From either location, take any street and drive North until you hit RailRoad (2 to 5 short blocks. If you walk for exercise, you could handle this easily.) From the HIE you would make a right on RailRoad. From the Getaway you would make a left.

USA Today In Long Beach, Mississippi

The Holiday Inn Express in Long Beach  has USA Today available for guests.


Here is a reservation link.  I have noticed there are many reviews on-line. The hotel having been built new after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina is lovely, modern, clean.


I took this photo myself from the water to express that Yes, the HIE Long Beach is directly across HWY 90 from the beach. Nothing obscures the beach view if you are on beach side.


As you will see from other reviews and ads...Yes, HIE Long Beach does have a lovely outdoor pool--so you can swim without jelly fish and other sea creatureas while enjoying the view. It also has an outdoor restroom.


Other Long Beach, MS USA Today locations: Winn Dixie/BlockBusters @ 109 Cleveland, Walgreen's, Rite Aid, Rouse's @ 100 W. Railroad, Moses Y not stop @ 19000 Pineville off Railroad, Hop In @ 600 W Railroad, Kangaroo Expresss@124 E. Beach Blvd, Come Back@536 E. Railroad St., McDonald's@228 E. Beach Blvd.


You are welcome to contact me regarding postinf of local: lost and found, items for sale or rent, Jobs, jobs, jobs. Please contact me via this website. If you are aware of a dysfunctional machine, please advise.

I love internet advertising, so if you need photos taken of an item you wish to advertise on the Internet--give me a call at 228-206-5156.

Thanks for visiting my part of the world.

Safe in the Spotlight

S&K 1st Stop At 15th St and 42nd Ave., Gulfport, MS

S&K First Stop owners can be confident that their store is being looked out for. This morning as I was making notes in my car after delivering to the USA Today coin box a police car crept up on me--then suddenly shown the spotlight in my face.

I waved, he went on. We did not have any kind of interchange. Unless he had been watching slealthily as our local beat patrolmen often do--he could not have known I was the USA Today vendor. I felt positively profiled. Then again, he may be familiar with my pattern.

I feel well protected at night with the town police from Gulfport to Long Beach to Pass Christian to Bay Waveland to Diamondhead, plus the presence of Harrison and Hancock County Sheriff's Deputies. Its amazing that anyone actually thinks they can commit crime on my "beat" and get away with it.

This morning saw sunrise in the mid 30's. Gas was as low as $3.029 in Gulfport and as high as $3.189 in Bay-Waveland and Diamondhead.

What does USA Today and Craigslist Have in Common?

One irritating aspect of being a newspaper vendor is storing or handling the returns/overstock. Fortunately with USA Today we only have to keep papers for about a week. USA Today will message all vendors around Wednesday and let us know which day will be audited. Then, every day but the audited day can be disposed of. Actually, after clipping the header, even the audited day can be disposed of.

At first I started loading them in my car after audit and taking them to the animal shelter in Gulfport. THEN, I hurt my leg and was in considerable pain. The thought of loading and unloading that I did not absolutely HAVE to do was unbearable.

I impulsively placed an ad in Craigslist Community/Volunteer section--to the attention of Recyclers/Re-users. Since that day I have met some of the nicest people I would not have met otherwise. People who are committed to shelters maintaining fresh litter, or otherwise re-using the papers. 

I now have "regulars" to call when the audit is done and the papers are ready for their second life. 

If I did not have others to depend on--I would likely continue doing it myself. But, as long as I have volunteers--I have to admit that I am pretty tired of dealing with papers by the time after audit pick-up rolls around. God Bless the new re-cyclers/re-users who are helping out.