[Indy]

I know our driving habits are changing...quickly. As gas prices climb, so does everything else. Time to tighten the belt.

How is this affecting everyone else?

[DianeScraps]

We have totally changed our driving habits. I no longer run out for quick errands, I do my best to combine trips. If hubby is home I take his car as it is newer and gets better gas mileage.

As my job involves me being on the road, I have been much more careful about my scheduling for that.

Oh and I got a new 2nd job. Local car dealership (literally 1 mile from the house) hiring vehicle exchange drivers (swapping cars between dealerships) I get my driving fix, even get to drive new cars, and get paid for it.

[mrsred]

These gas prices are killing us. We have our own hauling business that relies on two deisel guzzling trucks. We are trying to hang on, but bankruptcy is looking more and more like a possibility.
As for my personal stuff, I am being much more careful about my gas consumption. For instance I used to take my three older kids to the church at 5:00 on Wednesdays for music and drama, then go back to get them at 6:30. Now I hang out the hour and a half waiting. I also time my bank and grocery store runs to coincide with dance lessons, then if I finish early just sit at the studio and wait. We live in a small rural town. I do my "city errands" on thursdays when I take the little one to occupational therapy.

[Lylac]

We have 2 gas hogs and they are eatting us right into the cheese line..

I've always scheduled my kids appointments at the same time, so thats normal for us. At 18 miles to the gallon..shoot I can't even get to town and back on a gallon.

the good thing is now that hubby will be off work a while, we don't have to feed his guzzler.

[Kat-L]

Originally Posted by Indy

I know our driving habits are changing...quickly. As gas prices climb, so does everything else. Time to tighten the belt.

How is this affecting everyone else?

I don't know what's worse: the gas prices or the food prices. Last night, I ran into the grocery store to grab something quick for dinner. It was raining so I figured soup would be great. A single can of Progresso soup was $2.99. Three dollars for a can of soup? Soup was always my "in a pinch" dinner. I can't spend 6 dollars on two cans of soup.

I HAVE to pay my mortgage so I have a place to live. I HAVE to pay daycare so I can work. I HAVE to buy gas so I can get to work. I HAVE to buy food. And these things take up my whole pay. When Suzie Orman talks about "saving", I wonder what planet she's living on. Does she know how much stuff costs?

My tax "stimulus" is already spent. I want to pay off whatever bills I can.

I'm worried that the economy is going to take a long time to recover. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. It will probably be a year or more before things settle..and then several years before things improve. The next president can't do it. It's going to take more than 4 years to bring us back to prosperity.

Honestly, I can't remember ever worrying about money like I have over the last few months. The dollar is becoming worthless as the prices continue to climb. I wonder where it will all end.

[Bippette]

I work in the industry. I don't think it will get that bad, but it may get close to $5 a gallon this summer. And I too think it will take 4-5 years for the economy to recover completely.

[skirbo]

I'm pretty much just terrified. Really.

Sarah

[lucyjoy]

I rarely go anywhere that I can't walk to. My big driving expenses now consist of visiting my mother once a week and S's doctors appointments that are over an hour away. However, dh works an hour from home. His car, thankfully, gets good gas mileage.

As for food, we bought a cheap freezer and buy in bulk on sale items. I am becoming a very creative cook.

[BrandyHagz]

I am considering asking my boss (company owners) to allow me to telecommute in order to cut down on costs/expenses.

I know the answer will be no - but it wouldn't hurt to ask I don't think.

I am considering joining one of those warehouse clubs for bulk purchases. I am starting to consider more coupon cutting, even though the thought of buying a news paper makes me want to vomit....

It's hit us pretty hard. It takes over $100 to fill up my van and all I do is drive to work and back. Add to that the fact that we moved (both the office and my family) and now my commute is longer - what used to cost me $40 a month to drive to work now costs $200.

I am also really frustrated about the cost of food.

My husbands company is doing so badly, that they gave everyone a 10% cut in pay in Jan - yesterday, he discovered that they are repainting the building they are in and making some minor changes to the 'yard' - he wonders if it's in prep for selling.

We're both scared.

We've been foreclosed out of 2 rental houses since moving to Arizona. The housing market here is so flooded with foreclosures that some subdivisions look like overgrown ghost towns.

All in all – I’ve always been pretty conservative with my spending – but it’s getting so bad now that I’m not sure how much more I can cut out in order to make ends meet, while leaving at least a tiny bit left over for emergencies.

It may not get ‘that bad’ – but it’s already to the point (for our family) that any worse could potentially be catastrophic.

[hydroxybutane]

Well..mrsred I feel for you..We were where you are about a year ago. My hubby was a courier driver..and his salary was paying for his gas..and car insurance..and nothing else. The two accidents were the most stressful time in my life..but I think God was trying to drive the point home..time to move on.

We do not have a car...I take the bus everywhere. The girls appointments are at the local kid's hospital which is about 10 mins away by bus..and the bus runs every 15 mins Groceries are harder...We go once a week to the grocery store (yes all the kids too) LOL..we have three collapsible wheeled carts and a big backpack..We load all the groceries into the carts and backpack and walk them home..It's about a 15 minute walk to the grocery store (unless we stop to play on the playground equipment) and about a 30 minute walk home LOL..

I think we're fortunate because we are right downtown..so things are pretty accessible by bus for us...We all have bus passes, which are $60.00 for hubby, $54 for mine (student), the two youngest are free, $30 for the two older girls..Hmm speaking of which..I need to buy new bus passes

Food prices are worrying to me...The brood eats a lot and I like them to eat fruit and veggies! My ILs belong to Costco..and if they are going out..I will go out with them and stock up on essentials...I hate coupons..but honestly..I think I have to start...

We also have a plot on the community garden this summer..and we just got a HUGE freezer for a small price..so this summer I will be hitting the farmer's markets to buy en bulk and freeze..My mother used to do this...She would freeze corn, peas, tomatoes, strawberries, cauliflower, broccoli, green and yellow beans, carrots, peppers. I will also be canning peaches, pears, applesauce. The expense will be large over the summer, but then we can live off them next winter...It's a lot of work..but I have 5 extra sets of hands to help

[crick]

I'm doing a lot of combination trips and this weekend I went with a friend to Sam's Club to split up various groceries in bulk.

I do all my shopping in town so that does help me on my gas, plus I get a gas discount for buying food so that helps too. Luckily we are still around 3.50 a gallon for mid grade gas here.

Generic brands more than the name brands, which I've done for years anyway, but now even more so. Go without some of the "luxury" items that really add up. I prefer 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee but I can make do with milk, I prefer coconut milk in a lot of my indian/thai cooking, but can choose recipes that don't call for it or just use milk, things like that. Don't buy steak and have been shopping the clearance areas more. I used to make up my menu and shopping list before going to the store, but now I buy the sale/specials meat and create the menu once home.

We will get a lot of produce from the Farmer's Market once it opens in mid May and I know those prices will be higher than last summer but I'd rather pay them than the big grocery store wherever I can.

[ChatMan]

Since Y2K we have seen:

Property taxes increase ~400%
Property Insurance increase ~500%
Fuel costs increase ~400%
Food costs increase ~200%

Income has stayed level (although wife's business has started providing some income so that could change).

None of this jibes with the pablum that our government keeps feeding us, but these are the documented numbers we see. It's hard to argue with reality and when you do reality has a way of winning.

We started on our adoption journey 2 years ago. Completed MAPP classes 11/2006. Got delayed 6 months in our homestudy due to a death in the family and then got delayed another 4 months because ???? well I guess it just take four months to get two visits scheduled. Since 10/07 we have had one call regarding a child. I never thought our general requirements were over the top: age 7-12 yrs., healthy, any gender, any race, no allergies to nuts or pets, no extreme therapy reqt's (one or two appt's/wk).

Today the 'budget' has been announced for FL. They have done away with adoption subsidies. State funded medicaid has been cut. Between these two, and the fact that we were not considered an attractive placement because we don't have video games or cable TV, I have the distinct feeling we will be dropping out of the adoption derby. I can only assume that we are too old (mid 50's), too fringe (though that can't be true based on what I read from my forum 'friends' ). Now I am thinking we are too poor as well.

Not to worry though. Tomorrow is another day, new battles to be fought, and who knows, we may get a call needing a placement for Shirley Temple.

Other than that, no, I haven't noticed anything different due to the rising fuel costs...

[kelceesmom]

It is very scary. I have to buy diesel here and I am paying $4.50 a gallon. Thank goodness I work about 8 miles from home. I also charge my office for my errands.

I am buying more off brands now. Some I am getting used and some not. I bought the store brand bread the other day which was only $1.29. I was shocked and it was very fresh. Trying not to eat out at work as much.

I'm squeezing Kelcee into last years shorts if I can so I don't need new ones this year. It is really hard.

[atouchofheaven]

my husband and i have been trying to save for an addition to our 850 square foot house for 2 years now. we would love to grow our family and adopt another child but it's not looking good right now. like someone said, 4-5 years at least before the economy starts to go back up.

i used to own a business as a massage therapist, but recently closed down. no one can afford massage anymore so i'm out of a livelihood. thank god my husband has a reliable job and decent salary. but my son is out of daycare now cause i can't afford it and i am trying to look for a new job but massage is the only degree i have.

we were gradually paying off our school and credit card debt but now with food and gas being so expensive, we can't pay anything down! we are pretty much stuck. it's very frustrating.

we both drive a lot, my husband has a 35 minute commute and i have lots of doctor's appointments and such. plus, my son goes stir crazy in the house. for my own sanity we need to go out. but i'm trying to conserve my errands and do them together. we live at least 15-20 minutes away from anything. we can't walk anywhere useful, except maybe the beach. i just get so shocked everytime i go fill up for gas and it's 5 cents more than the last time.

we have been buying in bulk for a while now, but are really trying to buy items on sale. i love buying fresh fruits and veggies but now it's back to freezer food. it sucks. i can't even afford to eat healthy. i don't know how people buy organic.

we are almost in a panic for the future. i don't think we could afford another kid even if we did have a bigger house. it's really scary.