# Are current gas prices hitting you very hard? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338 "2006-04-26T18:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/61 "2006-04-28T02:45:37Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I wonder how people’s answers would change (if any) if they could also see the effects of higher fuel prices on the goods and services they buy. Well, wonder no more then friend! I’m here to tell you that you aren’t the only one who has realized that higher gas prices ALSO means higher prices on goods and services! Yes indeed, though it may be a shock to you, I DO realize that, and since you asked I’ll give you the answer you seem to crave…my answer remains unchanged! Yep, you heard it here first…although the price of goods and services AND the fuel to let me tool around, it really hasn’t effected me much. I’ll just throw a couple more peasants on the fire this winter when it gets cold, and all will be right with the world! And if it comes to it, we can always eat Sir Robins mount if the price of food rises too high…and there will be MUCH rejoicing! 😛 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/62 "2006-04-28T04:28:43Z")
> [@Chotii](#): > > We’re paying $50 more a month for gas, approx., than we paid 3 months ago. I’ve already cut out cable, eating out, taking the kids on the kinds of outings that cost money, driving anywhere that’s not necessary, going to the chiropractor we’d been with for 7 years. Aren’t you saving $50 a month just by cutting out cable? > [@](#): > > As a one-income family with 4 kids, we need a minivan (kids are required to be in booster seats until 90 lbs. Until they’re 11 or 12 years old, or even older? Seriously? I’m astonished. [hijack]I don’t know how my folks would have made it these days, with eight of us kids in nine-and-a-half years. I never went anywhere without a baby on my lap till I was in my teens.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Chotii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Chotii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chotii)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/63 "2006-04-28T04:48:14Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Aren’t you saving $50 a month just by cutting out cable? Actually, we went from non-basic cable ($45) to utter basic cable ($14, without which we would get no reception at all) about a year ago when things started getting tight for us due to another issue. Actually, the real problem is that we’ve been tight financially for a while - not strictly paycheck to paycheck, because we have a ‘buffer’ of cash we could use in an emergency (unlike many folks), but we don’t like to _use_ it for non-emergencies because if we use it, it will be gone. So, yeah, the raise in gas prices has made a tough situation that much tougher. If things get desperate, there are a few other things I consider necessities that can still go, as they’re not food/water/power/taxes/mortgage (such as, extra-curricular educational/sports for the kids, keeping them active and involved). I really don’t want it to come to that, over gasoline. > [@](#): > > Until they’re 11 or 12 years old, or even older? Seriously? I’m astonished. > > [hijack]I don’t know how my folks would have made it these days, with eight of us kids in nine-and-a-half years. I never went anywhere without a baby on my lap till I was in my teens.[/hijack] In Washington State, yes. In this state, police actively look for people not following seatbelt laws, and will ticket the driver, I think it’s $101 per person not correctly buckled. 4 kids X $101…ouch. ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/64 "2006-04-29T01:12:07Z")
I found out this morning that one of my coworkers (someone I really like) has resigned because of the current gas prices. She drives an hour each way to get to the office, and she said that the job doesn’t pay well enough to justify her travel expenses. She plans to do freelance editing and work from home. A few of us have tried to persuade management to allow telecommuting or more flexible scheduling, but we haven’t had any luck. The owner doesn’t seem to grasp that many of his employees are struggling financially. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/65 "2006-04-29T01:46:45Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > The only thing that really chaps my ass is the shortages of 87 octane that seem to crop up around here every time gas prices go above $3 a gallon. Suddenly all the people who couldn’t be arsed to use anything but premium are all about the low-octane and they suck the pumps dry. Sometimes means having to go to the second or third gas station to find the ‘regular’ gas. Heh. I use premium exclusively, and today I had to go for mid-grade because someone had stolen the premium pump handle! I guess they expected to take away something more for their money! 😃 I wouldn’t change gas grades because of the price. A fill up is costing me about $60 right now, and I have to fill up at least twice a week, and sometimes a third time. It’s a drag, but I knew what I was buying when I got this thing, and paying more for gas (and more often) is nothing new for me. Sure it sucks, but I can’t stop driving, nor can I change vehicles. An extra buck a gallon is better than a car payment! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/66 "2006-04-29T10:55:21Z")
Three weeks ago, right about the time gas prices started skyrocketing, I started a new job. I’d been doing about 25 miles a day commuting; it just went to 65. Ouch. So, yeah, I’m buying gas about every three days. Luckily, the gas up by my job is about a dime a gallon cheaper than it is where I live, so that helps a little. And the new job pays a lot more than the old one, so that helps a lot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/67 "2006-04-29T11:11:48Z")
Until they raise the bus fares, I don’t feel any kind of hit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/68 "2006-04-29T11:44:06Z")
Unlike many of you (it seems) I DO live paycheck to paycheck. In the past I was able to get to work and back on $NZ 20 a week. Now? Not so much. For fucks sake GEORGE either have a war or rule it out! I’m sick to death of hearing that MY petrol costs more BECAUSE Iraq is scary/Iran is scary/Nigeria is scary. “The Most Powerful Country In The World” (only in quotes because it makes such a good slogan) should elect somebody LESS irritating to the world in general. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/69 "2006-04-29T12:01:01Z")
You may hear that, but it ain’t so **kiwi**. Gas costs more because China and India want their share… I don’t own a care, but I can quantify my increased gas-related expenses: the company I order groceries from slapped a fuel surcharge on deliveries a few months back. Delivery now costs $4.95 + a 63-75 cent surcharge (somewhere around there, I don’t recall the exact amount). I do my big grocery shop every 2-3 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/70 "2006-04-29T14:06:02Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Luckily, the gas up by my job is about a dime a gallon cheaper than it is where I live, so that helps a little. Are you so close to the line that $1.50 per tankful is helping? Seriously, a dime doesn’t make much difference for me. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/71 "2006-04-29T18:41:38Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > Are you so close to the line that $1.50 per tankful is helping? Seriously, a dime doesn’t make much difference for me. I drive an econobox, so it’s more like a buck a tank. No, obviously the difference is mostly psychological – but going from buying gas once every three days instead of once every week and a half is making me extremely conscious of how much gas costs. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338/72 "2006-05-17T12:08:03Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I drive an econobox, so it’s more like a buck a tank. > > No, obviously the difference is mostly psychological – but going from buying gas once every three days instead of once every week and a half is making me extremely conscious of how much gas costs. Same here! But it is hard to not blame Mr Bush. He just seems the man of the moment 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-current-gas-prices-hitting-you-very-hard/354338.md?page=3)