Will Gas prices $3.00 plus interfere with your personal freedoms

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[FloridaPat]

1. Definately. $2.50 interfered with my "personal freedoms" already.

Instead of going to church meeting 2-3 times a week, I cut it down to 1 day. Forget going out for a ride to see tourist things.

[trof]

17. Exactly. Already.

We don't hop in the car to run out for a loaf of bread anymore.
Most days the car stays in the garage.
if we do need something, we plan one trip to take care of a number of errands.
We call neighborhood friends (and they call us), "Need anything from the grocery store?"

[Mass]

2. This is a small price to pay

compared to the price in human lives and traumatism the people of AL, MS, and LA have to suffer.

May be we should relativize a little bit here.

[jayfish]

3. I Have To Agree.

The man in me wants to bitch and complain about my ruined holiday weekend. The human in me makes me stop myself.

Jay

[rkc3]

9. If the price temporarily remains at $3 a gallon , I agree with you.

However, if it continues to climb, I, like the rest of the country will have to cut down on everything to pay for gas and heating costs.

If it continues the economy will grind to a halt. Take $200-300 per family per month out of buying groceries, movie tickets, and restaurants and watch how fast the economy goes into the shitter.

The economy continues to flow because of credit card debt and discretionary spending - consumers account for 2/3 of economic activity - take us out of the picture and the economy crumbles.

[growlypants]

4. absolutely.

[ernstbass]

5. It already has

I make a point to run all errands on the way home from work. Cancelled beach trip due to cost of gas. Rarely leave home now except to go to and from work.

[DamnYank]

8. Not yet

I fill up 2-3 times a month and at $3.00/gallon my added cost is about an extra $60/month. If it hits $4.00 we'll probably cut back on dining out and take weekend hiking trips closer to home.

[Mutley]

6. Yes. I can only afford to fill my car up twice a month now.

This means the only thing I can do with my car is go to school.

[wli]

7. gas prices haven't hurt me

I fully understand how they could hurt most people, though.

[merbex]

10. I had already modified how often I was doing errands/shopping

I try real hard to only do a major foodshopping once a week;it never used to bother me to jump in the car to get another gallon of milk or for anything if I ran out of something. I've been trying to avoid that for a while.

I will definitely question every trip I make and see how much I can do in one trip

[Patiod]

11. Looking more kindly on my high-priced SEPTA transit pass

The $125/month fee didn't seem as horrendous this month. And also, I'm glad my S.O. works 3 miles from home, even though he hates his job.

[KamaAina]

12. Not a bit.

I don't drive. :evilgrin:

[natrat]

13. question should be -Would 6$ gas....

$3 was yesterday, get with it dude

[Mizmoon]

14. It's way over $3.00/gallon here

the high octane is nearly $4.00/gallon.

[xmas74]

15. Absolutely.

I'm job searching right now. I've had to limit the distance that I will travel for a job (even if it is a great job) and figure out if the pay for each job is worth the drive.
It sounds like bitching but we have to think about the impact on the lower income families. This is serious for them. They were having a hard enough time when gas went up more than 5 cents. Now they have to make some hard cuts. Less groceries, limit utilities until they absolutely need them, no more day trips, etc.
My friend is frightened. She commutes about 30 miles one way every day. Her income is not very high and she is supporting 3 children (w/ no assistance). She stated if it gets to $3 here she will have to either quit her job (because of gas) or drop her health insurance.
Too many tough choices.

[devinsgram]

16. Wonder if AAA will make their stupid statements that they expect

more travelers this holiday season, that the price of gas will not deter anyone.

[LSK]

18. while they dont hurt me YET, the ripple affect is scary

I work for a transporation company. Im guess layoffs in the months ahead. And higher prices for everyone and everything. So in the long run, it will affect us all.

[newportdadde]

19. Its already taken away approx 75.00 a month of 'fun money'.

We did the bills the other night and added up all of our gas expenditures. Right now compared to gas back when it was half of what it was we have lost 75.00 of extra after tax income or around 900 a year. Thats just gas not talking the increase in food/item costs that has occurred. That is a lot to us especially with twins on the way and a 19 month old.

Things I'm not buying due to rising prices:

New PC - I always bought a new PC every 3 years, I was due back in May I'm not buying one this year, probably not for several years.

Different Car - we are going to make due with the payed for Buick and 3 car seats, can't afford a minivan payment especially since the last few raises got ate by gas, food and health insurance increases(doubled).

New TV - I would love to have a 20 inch or so LCD TV downstairs, just going to get by with the ancient one.

Thats just 3 things off the top of my head this economy just lost from a middle class above median salary average joe because of gas prices and healthcare increases.

Poof.. gone, 3 products which help create jobs now getting eaten by oil companies and healthcare companies..

[obreaslan]

20. YES. eom.

[RamboLiberal]

21. Here's how prices going above $2.50 have affected me so far

I'm staying over at work surfing the net so I don't hit rush hour traffic. I'm lucky I'm in IT and can a bit more flexible on my hours so I don't normally have to sit in rush hour wasting gas. Bad part is I have a bit over 40 mile round trip commute.

As to what I've cut back on: I'm single so I eat out a lot, but I'm now avoiding the restaurants where I pay over $10 and have to leave a tip. I've been doing Panera, Boston Market, Fuddrucker's (chili, salad and beer for a bit over $8). No going to movies, no movie rentals, no fancy coffees, etc. Lunch is eat in, either a self-made salad, canned soup/chili, frozen $2.50-$3 entree, etc.

And I'm truly frightened what I have to pay for heating oil this winter. Fortunately I can turn the heat off while at work and I'm already thinking if it's a cold day on a weekend I may camp out at a bookstore so I can keep the heat off till late night. And while at the bookstore I'll drink a hot tea or hot chocolate instead of a fancy coffee. I'll also read the books in the store. No more buying the hard back to take home.

I'm also going to try to hold the line on purchases of clothing, misc items I can really do without, etc.

I'm also going to hunker down at work and try to make sure I'm not the one laid off/let go. I lost a great job back in the late 70's to the energy crisis when natural gas was cut off to the factory I worked at. Fortunately then I was in my 20's and being in IT I was a hot commodity. Now at 50+ I know I'm not.

[demzilla]

22. Nah. I've got a Prius.

Actually went an entire month without filling up. This reminds me of our vacation in Canada last summer -- higher gas prices, but we were unfazed. . . . Honestly, I probably won't really notice it until gas hits about $5/gallon.