Low gas prices should help your wallet, right? Here's why they're not

Are you thrilled by cheap gas prices when you travel through the deep South or stunned by how pricey they are when you visit New York?

Just remember those extremes aren't as easy, or hard, on your wallet as they seem.

According to conventional wisdom, the Southeast is usually the cheapest region of the country for gasoline, while the Northeast is among the most expensive.

And that's true, based purely on price per gallon.

But when you factor in average gasoline usage and local wages, the yearly cost of filling...