Is the price of gasoline causing you to cut spending in other area's?

Question

First I would like to thank the people that answered my first question with regard to how much money you are spending on gasoline. I have been finding myself locked in the basement and extremely paranoid about spending any money on things other than my vehicle and gasoline. It seems like my like half my paycheck goes toward my vehicle and fuel. I really miss the good old days. Now if you combine the added cost of maintaining a vehicle and the price of fuel we are talking about a good portion of your wage.

Answer 1

While a substantially larger portion of my paycheck does go into my gas tank, I recently consolidated all of my other debts into one payment and don't have to cut back on other spending ( unless I choose to, which I do ). Another way to stretch your vehicle maintenance costs is to switch to a synthetic motor oil that offers an extended drain interval ( I use AMSOIL http://www.firstandfinestsynthetics.com/ which offers a 25,000 mile or once a year oil and filter change ). Different people have different beliefs about AMSOIL and "extended drain intervals" but, I've personally gained 2 mpg since switching to AMSOIL and save almost $200. per year by only having to change my oil and filter once.

Answer 2

This is another thank your goverment question. Not only does it cut back on people traveling in their cars but it does alot more, you will start to see train bus and airline prices go sky high so there will be no more cheap travel unless you own a bike. we are paying 3.05 right now and i know its higher in some parts of the country i think it is odd that we pay so much for fuel when our wonderful(gag) Mr. Bush has his hands tied in oil so while we are losing most of our check to gas we are also making him a little more rich. It will only get worse as the years go by some think that this might be the worlds next depression era and i am starting to think it will be look at all these companys that depend on fuel they are starting to close because they cant afford it so now it is still hurting some jobs because people are losing their jobs when the company close's.

Answer 3

Eventually, the price of gas will reach the point that people will start riding bicycles and converting their cars to alternate fuels. Greed is really the only thing that causes such high gas prices. To answer your question, I moved to within a mile of where I work and I don't go anywhere else in my car. I don't cut spending in other areas, that would be like admitting defeat. I won't allow the greedy oil milliionares to affect my lifestyle. Moving was extreme enough, but now, I feel like I'm doing my part to limit how much they make. Even though it's like spitting in the ocean to raise sea level, it makes me feel better.

Answer 4

It hasn't yet. However I work from home and my husband now takes my car to work rather than his truck. But he did have to finally fill the truck up yesterday after a month and it cost us more than $65. It was horrible. I can see how people driving large vehicles would be hurting. It would hurt us if we had to do that every week rather than once a month.

Answer 5

Yes I totally agree with you. It is the same in Australia. We are currently playing absolutely ridiculous prices for fuel/gas here.

To the TM Leaf Fan. Logically how many cups of coffee can you drink one after another? A couple of cups will cost you $4

Yet

To run the car it takes litres/gallons say at $1.40 a litre. (which is what it currently costs in my home town) Our cars dont run on coffee unfortunately. Lord how easy we would have it if they did run on 1 cup of coffee.

Gas/Fuel is used for everything from running cars for work and pleasure, running generators (that run lights, tv etc) electricity so its disgraceful how much we rely on it and how it costs us a good portion of our wages.

Cheers

Answer 6

Always try and shop in your local area.That way you will save on your motoring expenses and also support your local shops. Have a good look around your own shopping area I mean a GOOD look and see what they have to offer. Sometimes we forget what our local shops do have. If they do not have what you need, make a shopping list and only try and shop once a month. Buy in bulk the things you use most of the time and the others once a month.

Answer 7

Not too much. I do not consider 99% of our trips to be optional. However, the old budget is tighter than usual. What that means to our family is more modest meals out (more McDonald's, etc. & less Chili's & Longhorns, etc).

Gas will have to get to around $5.00 a gallon for many of us in the 'burbs to really start combining trips, car-pooling,, etc.

Answer 8

You are right. What is more important to you, your time or your money? If you want to save money, you can commute to work, which will take more of your time and cost less, overall.

If you work longer hours in a day, making up a full day by the end of the week, you could take one day off, resulting in a four day work week. Results in fewer trips a week.

Answer 9

not really - I don't drive as much as I used to - and I take my motorcyle if I can. When I got my new job two years ago and went house hunting - I found a house that was only 1.5 miles from my job. Commuting for hours each day is for suckers.

Answer 10

I make pretty good money doing data entry, but even then I've had to cut back on how much driving I do, or carpool. I usually carpool because most of my friends work where I work and we work out at the same gym, so it all evens out.