MADISON, Wis. -- Gas stations in Madison are charging nearly $3 a gallon for unleaded gas, which is driving some residents to open their garages, attics and jewelry boxes for extra gas money.

Steve Shapiro spent $38 on 13 gallons of gas at the Marathon Station on East Washington Thursday, and he said he has recently shortened his commute to save some cash.

"That was actually the exact reason I moved last summer when gas prices were high," said Shapiro.

And as prices edge $3 in Madison, others are digging deeper in their wallets -- or attics -- for gas money.

At Rick's Olde Gold on Williamson Street, the owner's seen a recent increase in people selling things for long trips.

"Just a few weeks ago, a guy was going to Milwaukee, and he had a little piece of scrap gold that looked like it was a broken gold pendant. It was worth about $15 in gold so I offered him about $12, and he said, 'That's not enough gas; I'm going to Milwaukee,'" said owner Rick Paoli.

Paoli said people have been selling things at his shop for a long time to get gas money.

"People sell a lot of gold bands, little gold coins, silver rings. People always think they can sell a silver ring and get gas money, but the little silver rings you pay $25-30 for are worth 50 cents or a dollar worth of silver maybe," said Paoli.

Other pawn shops in the area are also seeing the trend. Shops WISC-TV contacted from Madison to Janesville said the need for gas is driving many more sellers in.

But while the high prices are driving some to pawn shops, commuter Jeffrey Gafner said he'll stick to just cutting back.

"Already we drive less, we try to take fewer trips into Madison, combine trips a little bit," said Gafner.