It's becoming an endless conversation.

"Anytime I'm with my friends that comes up at some point," said MSU law student Michael Bill.

That topic-- four dollar gas. A year ago that cost was only a slice of overall expenses. The only question remaining is when will the price you pay jump again.

A Tuesday trend may provide the answer.

Gas on April 29th was $3.49. Just a week later on May 6th the price jumped to $3.89. Last Tuesday $3.99.

So what can you expect this Tuesday?

"I realized that they were going up, but I didn't realize it was that trend that was happening on Tuesdays," said Chad Bierspach as he filled up his SUV at a Marathon Gas Station.

Others are noticing the trend.

"I have noticed that. It seems like it's gone up every Tuesday because they want to hit the local consumers for their weekend travel," said Bill.

"It has been a 'trend' the last few weeks. The last few weekends we came out of, we've been selling substantially below cost," said Kent Kildea, who owns a Marathon Gas Station in East Lansing. "That increase that you see on Tuesday is to get things back in the black, because you just cannot operate."

Kildea says steep gas prices are also cutting business inside, including less cigarettes, cookies and car washes.

The Tuesday trend is just a coincidence, according to Kildea...but the price you pay at the pump is proving to be bad for business.

"No business can sell their number one product below cost at the extremes we have done over the last three to four months," said Kildea.

No matter what happens this Tuesday, those buying gas Monday may not have to deal with the stress of waiting in line.

"I'm happy I'm buying gas right now," said MSU student Ke Ji. "Tomorrow I'm going to watch the prices."

So will the rest of Mid-Michigan.