We're almost there...

[Kristie]

to $4 gas prices...

I figured we'd be hitting it before summer....i wonder how that'll affect everyone's summer vacations (that and the airline biz)...

anyone changing their summer plans to accommodate the prices?

[Regina]

I read awhile back that it was going to be at 4. something around the spring. We don't tend to drive anywhere, or fly anywhere for that matter right now with it being the 8 of us and soon to be 9 of us.

One thing we have been doing on a consistent basis though is combining all our errands. When we go to pick up our school kids, that is when we do our shopping, dry cleaning pick-ups, etc. Everything is pretty far for us, so we don't make any extra trips for anything. So, I am sure we will keep that up!

[CLErocks]

The gas prices are a pain in the neck, but I'm not convinced that people are going to quit driving so much. They prices haven't stopped people yet. I guess I'm a see it to believe it type of person. I think people will keep driving just as much but maybe cut back in other areas like shopping but I haven't seen that too much either. It will end up being cheaper to fly acroos the country than to drive, if it isn't already. We are taking our vacation in September and we are flying. Our grocery store has fuel perks, and for every $50 you spend you get 10 cents off a gallon of gas. The other day with my fuel perks I paid 2.62 a gallon. Regular it was 3.15. That's why I shop at my grocery store for everything I can because it pays off! I shop at Giant Eagle and I think Kroger has a fuel reward system too.

[Imachickadee75]

We're closest to cheapest in the nation here in OK ($3.09 yesterday) but I told DH that when it went over $3 I'd stop driving our Nissan Pathfinder and go back to my 1997 Saturn sedan. Nothing like paying on a vehicle we're not driving! I've been telling him forever that we should dump it!

I too combine my trips, and try to drive slower overall. Its definately made me reconsider trips to OKC and Fayetteville as an alternate to Tulsa for airtrips too.

Jackie

[Regina]

We are in Florida, and I think we pay about 3.60 or so a gallon.

I agree, people are still going to do their usual things, and for some reason, I think the media has been hyping up the so-called trouble with the airlines so that people won't travel by plane....even when it seems it would be cheaper after all is said and done with gas, stops for food, miles added to your car, etc.

Quite frankly, I am sick of all the bad publicity with the airline industry. The media seems to overexagerate a bunch of stuff. Yes, some people have a bad experience on their flight. Yes, some delays happen because of weather or maintenance. BUT...wouldn't these same people be slowed down from rush hour traffic, accidents, bad rain storms, etc. These same people would say they went to McDonald's on their vacation and how they wouldn't believe how rude the customer service people were to them. They had to wait in a line through the drive-through for over 10 minutes before they got their food, and you wouldn't believe the cost of a milkshake! Then, their car got a chip in it from some road not being taken care of correctly. Or, how about they got pulled over by a cop and he gave them a ticket. Were they speeding...? Yes, but that's not the point; the cop was mean to them.

Sorry to rant, but it has been bothering me lately at all the news about what the airline did to the poor airline passenger that was drunk, disorderly, rude, etc. Or that their flight was delayed a few hours because of a tornado in the city they were going to, and because of that airline, they missed something really important and the airlines should make up for it with unlimited lifetime free tickets.

[spotty4]

Oh, you guys are singing my tune!! Back in March last year I started changing my driving habits. In CA we've been well over $3/g for several years now. To assuage some the of the pain I started adopting some common sense economical driving habits. I wrote all about it on my website. Have a read:
Driving Economically

I've been driving this way since March 2007 and I kept records of all of my fill ups until March 2008. Comparing what my average mpg was before I changed my driving habits to what my average mpg was after I changed my driving habits (~27 vs. 33.63), I spent $300 less in gasoline for those 12 months! That's a substantial "savings." That's an extra $25/mo, or $5.77/wk! Granted, that savings may not be as substantial in a market where the cost for fuel is not as great. There's a lot to consider. I plan to officially publish my results on my website in a week or so, when I get a chance.

As it is, this morning I saw gas from $3.69 to $3.73. I believe in Hawaii, its already breached the $4 mark.

Regarding vacations and trips ... most of what I've got up my sleeve are relatively local weekend trips, or non-rev and/or frequent flier flights. So, no ... I don't think the higher costs will keep me at home any more than usual.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by Regina

I read awhile back that it was going to be at 4. something around the spring. We don't tend to drive anywhere, or fly anywhere for that matter right now with it being the 8 of us and soon to be 9 of us.

One thing we have been doing on a consistent basis though is combining all our errands. When we go to pick up our school kids, that is when we do our shopping, dry cleaning pick-ups, etc. Everything is pretty far for us, so we don't make any extra trips for anything. So, I am sure we will keep that up!

i do the same thing... i have one day that is errand day and it's been able to work just fine for me!

Does anyone have one of those gas credit cards and do you find if it really helps in saving some duckets?

[Mistress Trista]

Originally Posted by Kristie

i do the same thing... i have one day that is errand day and it's been able to work just fine for me!

Does anyone have one of those gas credit cards and do you find if it really helps in saving some duckets?

I have a raceway card and I get 2% back, so usually with every statement, I get a $20.00 certificate for gas. It's okay so long as there's always a raceway around.

I still drive the same amount. Not much of a choice since the closest grocery store is 35 minutes away. Gas is anywhere from 3.22 to 3.29 here.

Gas will keep going up as long as we put up with it. Eventually it will get to a level that it affects everyone's lives, like people freezing because they can't pay for their heat, then maybe...maybe, congress will step in and do something.

[ccbegay]

Here new Charlotte, we've been hovering around the $3.30 mark. I was driving the Highlander around for awhile, but when it spiked up and paying about $55/tank, I switched to my Sentra because I can fill up on $30! I've picked out weekend trips here and there, but I think for us depending on prices, they might be closer to where we live!

[christykay]

We are paying 3.13 a gallon here in S. Carolina and I so do not miss the N. Carolina gas prices!

Between Scout meetings, softball practices, games, t-ball practices, games, and making the airport pick ups and drop offs (the pilot's car is at the crash pad), it seems that I am always driving somewhere and I am always cringing at having to put gas into the tank.

We were planning on making a trip back home to California this June, but with the cost of having to get a rental car while we are there and pay CA gas prices has me thinking otherwise. I'm not sure what we are doing yet except I do plan on putting in a garden. With the increase of gas prices I am fearful that the produce prices are going to be insane. If our fuel prices are going up you know that the farmers are too. YIKES!!

When I was 16 and had my first car I could buy gas for .99 a gallon and amazingly that was in CA. Goodness I sound like an old lady.."Sonny when I was a teen...gasoline cost me..." Sad, but I doubt we will ever see prices like that again.