Gas Prices Soaring,How Has This Changed Your Life?

[schellie69]

We live in town and use my DS's car a geo for all errands DH takes his motorcycle to work. We do combine errands and don't do as much running around. I won't be turning the gas on this winter again for heat will just use the electric heaters again.

 

[StupidBird]

Motorcycle or scooter for metro/rural area of Atlanta?

 

[sheaviance1]

When gas prices sky-rocketed a few years ago, our employer allowed almost everyone to go to 4 - 10 hour days to make it. I was, and still am, one of those who are not allowed to do that. I do not drive on the weekends. I get all of my running around done on the way home after work or during lunch. I have tried car-pooling once before, and it just didn't work out very well. I live 20 miles away from my work, and there is only one other person who lives close by (she's my bestie). When we tried to car-pool, my kids started having problems getting back and forth to work, so I had to run them around too.

Can you imagine how drastically our gas needs would be reduced if we operated the way things did in the old days? All businesses closed on Sundays would make a tremendous impact.

If all who are able to would go to 4 days a week, how big an impact would that make? Well, nevermind, we would all have more free time to run around then, wouldn't we? It would make a difference if the school systems across the nation went to 4 days. That would save a ton of diesel fuel!

 

[Katy]

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No I don't think it's crazy at all. Every gallon of fuel we produce here makes it less that we have to import from some other country.

 

[flowergirl60]

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[ChikeeMomma]

Our lifestyle has changed over the past couple of years. I use to not even think twice about running here and there. When gas spiked a couple of years ago, I decided that I'd only go to town once a week for groceries and any other errands (I am a stay at home mom) and continued that on even when gas prices went back down. Now, I figure I have enough to do around here and kinda hate it when I have to run more than once a week -- my how I have changed! Although, I do miss the nice summer drives we'd take every now and again! My hubby is self employed and delivers goods via his diesel truck. He has cut his work day back from 5 days to now 3 days a week -- he just works a little longer days. I am hoping prices go down by the fall, as my youngest DD starts preschool (3 days a week). Thankfully, it is only a ten minute drive or so, but it will still cost extra in gas. My car doesn't get many miles put on it! The last time I had an oil change was in October and I still have a couple thousand to go before I need it changed again. At least I shouldn't wear out my car!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

My car hasnt been running for 3 weeks now (mechanical problems) so a freind gave me a 3 wheeler bike! It has a huge basket in back and the grocery store is about 3 blocks away. I feel really

riding it but this is an oldies neighborhood anyways

I might actually loose a bit of weight doing this

Whats most amazing to me is when I drive around this area it looks flat! no hills, nothing. But get on a bike and you can really feel it

If there were any "real" hills around it would kill me

 

[DadandJoJo]

I deliver seed to seeddealers and bigger farmers just paid $4.19 for deisel, work is down they are loading way heavier than last year to get that extra stop on boss is complaining about feul surcharge not covering, lost health insurance and his input on my 401k have a great job but it looks like the writing is on the wall if that don't beat all just checked the propane tank outside down to 5% they won't deliver anything under mim order of 200 gallons @$3.45 and its snowing, looks like we need to hurry this spring up but it don't look like we will be mowing all 5 acreas this year maybe a goat?

 

[PineappleMama]

That was a contributing factor to us breaking down and getting a new car. DH will be driving to Irving for Grad School in the fall and while our truck would make the trip it'd be VERY expensive. So we used the Texas AirCheck program and traded in our POS Ford (bad tranny, bad shocks, elec failure, brake problems, no heat/ac, and so on) for a 2008 HHR... better mileage than the Taurus got, WAY better than the truck, dependable, and comfy for us... including a weekend trip to OK... so it can haul all our crap too. First time ever having a car payment, which is stressing me out, but it needed to be done. The cost to get DH to and from school in the truck.. I shudder to even think of it.

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

I helped do the family farms taxes... It was not fun! The area I'm in isn't getting hit too badly we are in the middle of the natural gas boom and there are thousands of trucks driving around for the gas wells. We are being effected though the price of eggs is going up and so is the gas to get it to the store!

If gas gets any higher we may have to shut down becasue it would be even affordable to move the eggs and other things we sell to the stores. I'm just glad my gf foudn a job close to home.