So how bad is it?

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: So how bad is it?

I don't go to the commisssary anymore (cheap military grocery store). I only go there if I happen to be near, but I'll just have DH swing by and get me my special european foods that the commissary carries...

The gas for that trip is about... $10 or so, depending on traffic.

I definitely do less running around, and practically go ballistic when Kate misses her bus, etc., etc. because of the gas money more than anything! (So I charge her gas money!!! When it's totally her fault! )

[Vishenka69]

Re: So how bad is it?

We both have pretty fuel efficient cars and don't really make too many trips out of the way, so haven't had to change our habits yet. But after having the Passat for 4 days, it's safe to say that we'll be sticking to Japanese cars until these ridiculous prices come down.

[DCJenn]

Re: So how bad is it?

I don't see the prices coming down. Ever. Maybe down to $3.00 but I don't see gas prices ever going back to the days of less than $2.00 a gallon. Not with light crude hitting $109 a barrel this morning.

We could have had the alternative technologies ALREADY, if we'd funded things differently. They'd already started in the 1970s. Stupid.

as for the original question, I live 4 miles away from work and 4 miles away from Nikolai's school so daily I drive about 20 miles. (maybe. I might have overestimated). However, once 1) the detox unit opens downtown and 2) my trainer changes gyms, I'll alleviate two sources of gas travel- I'll be able to walk to both. I'll be at the detox unit at least once a week and at the gym 3x a week, minimum.

One of the benefits to putting him in the local kindergarten is that it's one street over. and the high school (should we stay here that long) is a few more streets over.

It's funny, gas prices are really impacting the way my husband is looking at future car purchases, especially since he's going up to Ft. Hood (3 hour drive) at lease once a month.

Jenn

[mommax3]

Re: So how bad is it?

According to a website, gas prices in the past 36 hours here have ranged from $2.98 (at a CostCo) to $3.45. Now that the boys are done with basketball, I am driving much less, which is a good thing for many reasons. My tank holds about 27 gallons, and I generally fill up once a week....maybe a little less often here lately.

Going much smaller isn't really an option for us for the forseeable future. We have been looking at cars casually as both of ours approach the 200K mark, but I really don't think we'll be that much better off, no matter what we do. DH could maybe get by with a smaller sedan, but we need to have one vehicle that can carry us and our stuff for road trips. I really like the look of Arcadias, but their mileage isn't that much better than a Suburban, so I think I'm screwed no matter what.

Sally

[migirl]

Re: So how bad is it?

When I drove by the Amoco this morning on my way to my mom's group at church it was $3.25 ... when I drove by again on my way home it was $3.39 ... up $0.14 in 2 hours!!!

Re: So how bad is it?

Fuel efficiency was definitely a factor in choosing our Hyundai Tucson last year, for an SUV it is pretty good....but it is still an SUV, and now that I am not working DH is starting to take my Dodge Neon to work, it gets 30mpg.
Living in Europe makes you think differently about these things I think. I would bet that gas prices in the UK have been more than $3/gallon since I was born (right now they are pushing $9).
It is only pretty recently that US gas prices have gone up much at all and people have had to take it into account. I can't see them going down, like Jenn said we should have out more effort into alternatives before things got so bad :huh:

[Cumberland]

Re: So how bad is it?

I filled up today for 2.99. I thought that was pretty decent. I will never forget filling up at the QT gas station on briarcliff road in Atlanta for .75 cents a gallon in 1998. That is the cheapest I have ever paid.

[Sheherezade]

Re: So how bad is it?

Do any of you participate in programs to lower your gas costs? Here, the Giant Eagle grocery store operates a program called "fuel perks". My grocery bill gives me ten cents off a gallon for every hundred dollars spent - and sometimes double for some items. You have to purchase at their stations (GetGo), but since I only fill up every two weeks or so (and I spend an obscene amount on groceries) I sometimes get gas for $1.50 or $2.00 a gallon. If I went on a strict schedule, I could probably make that happen all the time.

We can walk most everywhere if we need to. I only have to drive for many of the afterschool activities - and DH has to drive to work each day. I suppose we could give up the afterschool stuff if we were pressed. (I'd LOVE that!!)

[Phoebe]

Re: So how bad is it?

3.19 this afternoon at Costco

[HouseofWool]

Re: So how bad is it?

I paid $3.19 this morning. When we bought a new vehicle in October, we definately took the fuel economy into account. That said, with dh still in school, we ended up getting a Kia Rio because of the sticker price. But I get on average 31 mpg highway. My commute is about 25 miles each way, so it really adds up.

[alison]

Re: So how bad is it?

Dh paid 3.68 for regular today.

We're going to have to go down to Morrisville (or whatever that town is called) in Indiana and tank up. There's a Costco there.

[PrincessFiona]

Re: So how bad is it?

Bad. Regular is $3.17, but I need the supreme for my van I paid $70 to gas it up the other day...and with all of my running around I'm having to refuel every 2 or 3 days. We're going to be broke...

Kris

[Flynn]

Re: So how bad is it?

Regular here is $3.15 -- not awful compared to the rest of the country but bad for here!

Re: So how bad is it?

We pay anywhere btwn $8-9 a gallon. And actually we are fortunate that the dollar is so weak right now. Otherwise I guess we'd be paying more like $10 a gallon.

I use public transport to go to work. DH uses motorcycle (gets better mileage than a car). We only take the car maybe once a week but we live in a big city so it's actually quite convenient to use public transport. One of the reasons I do not want to move outside of the city is bc of the lack of public transport and therefore the need to use a car (just adds to the expenses in general plus it's bad for the environment).

[rainbabies]

Re: So how bad is it?

$3.42 as of last night.