Small businesses in California try to survive higher gas prices

SANTA ANA, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - Rising gas prices are putting pressure on drivers everywhere, but for small business owners on the road everyday, the impact hits even harder.

As gas prices climb, small business owners who depend on their cars say every trip is costing more.

"The reason why I am delivering flowers instead of a driver is to cut costs," said David Watermeir, owner of Main Street Florist in Santa Ana.

NBC affiliate KNBC spoke with Watermeir while he was out on a delivery, right as he stopped to fill up his tank.

He says rising gas prices are adding to an already tight budget.

"It's just constant price increases and stuff and no business can survive with constant increase of cost everything," Watermeir expressed.

It's not just delivery businesses feeling the impact, Miguel Angel Guzman owns two food trucks in Santa Ana. Both are stationary, but he says they still use a lot of fuel.

"We need to turn on refrigerators, generators...the truck also needs to be running," Guzman shared.

By law, the generators that power the equipment must stay running he says rising gas prices are adding to an already tight budget.

"We're talking about something like $50 or $60 that was being spent previously," Guzman said.

However, it's now closer to $80 to $100.

According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in Orange County is now at $5.32, up nine cents from Monday, and up 65 cents from last week.

"It's all I think about, the businesses and trying to keep them afloat," Watermeir remarked.

For small business owners, it's an expense they say they simply cant avoid.

"All you can do is try to maintain the prices as low as possible, and at some point, increase it," Watermeir said.