[seeker1950]

I have to admit, I'm kind of worried about our economy. I went to fill up my car today, and stopped filling it at $50, though I could have continued at the pump! The news of our economic outlook is not good on TV...actually frightening with the cost of wheat, food in general. Does anyone else feel this way, or am I just being paranoid?
Patty

[Brian37]

if you watch the media on TV you would probably think we are headed for another great depression

gas prices are up because demand is still high
Americans just dont get supply and demand....they never will

with gas prices up....everything else is up because it relies on
transporation to get goods to stores....so food at the grocery is going up

every couple of years there will be a recession...its a business cycle

im not worried.....

[Perna]

It is scary to wonder. I quit pumping at $52 and it only filled 3/4ths of my tank.

There's some good websites to find the lower priced gas in your area, just type in your ZIP and it gives a list:

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx

[Timgt5]

Well said, I am glad some folks still have a handle on basic economics. and Patty do not give the media too much heed, they thrive off the negative. Our economy is the result of a long period of over-consumption, fuel, homes, food, electronics, etc... We are now in a correction, and these always hurt people all over. The big lesson for Americans here is to shop smarter, not harder.

We will pull out of this mess eventually, but gas prices will not go back below 3 bucks anytime soon. Just conserve your resources, spend wisely and you can ride this thing out.

[EJ711]

Patty,

You're not alone. I feel concerned myself.

EJ

[Doh2007]

If I watch the news, I get scared. The last thing that scared me is that there's a worldwide rice shortage. I like brown rice. Although I haven't had to do without anything yet.

But then I watched all the Earth Day shows and got loads of ways to be good to the planet. That way I feel like I have some control.

[gimmeice]

I'm a little nervous about the economy but since I quit watching the news I feel a little bit better. Instead of watching the news I check websites and only read stories that I feel comfortable reading. Gas prices are up to $3.69 a gallon in my area and thats the low grade stuff so I am trying to conserve my gas whenever I can.

[PlanningtoLive]

I'm worried about the gas prices too. I'm looking for a job and can hardly even drive around to go to interviews and such. It's terrible.

Mary Alice

[(JD)]

IMO, if everyone would cut their usage of gas just 10%, the prices would come down. They charge us that price because they know we will pay it.

I still see countless drivers just driving around "crusing" at evening hours (and I suspect all night, as I hear neighbors cars..) I see young drivers especially sitting and talking or texting with the engine running.

I recall the beef prices of the 70s...they just went up and up and up... UNTIL we didn't buy! A whole week..across the nation. Beef prices plummetted, and stayed down a long time.

There is nothing that has caused this increase in gas. Nothing at home, nothing on the world front. Too bad we can't get our collective selves together and boycott buying even two days, to get their attention.

[Razzleberry]

I agree with what most have said here - don't worry too much. It's the natural cycle of the economy, and it's all about supply & demand. Things will level out eventually.

In some ways I see high gas prices as a good thing - it is forcing car manufacturers to create more hybrid vehicles at costs that an average person can afford, and forcing people to think twice before wasting gas. This can be a good thing, in the long run, for our environment.

That said...I hate that the gas companies are making record profits while the rest of us suffer. But...such is life. That's what a market economy is all about.

Falling house prices are actually a good thing for those trying to get INTO the market. And even for those already in a home - prices over 5-10-20 years are still stable. It's only hurting those who sell in short-term.

[Timgt5]

I think most of what you said here is very correct about usage, but your last point is inaccurate. Here are the facts.

Over the last 10 years:

The various state governments has required more boutique blends of Gas, this costs the oil companies far more to refine.

We have not built a refinery in about 25 years, in the mean time US demand, thanks to all those lovely SUVs has shot up tremendously.

The Indian and Chinese economies have gone up in vastly in size, with both countries consuming far more automobiles than they use too. This means more pull on world gas supplies.

A great deal of the world's oil supply is controlled by people who should frankly be locked away in a mental institution. This puts the fear of God into speculators. Who have driven the price of oil through the roof.

As for the oil companies themselves, well when you factor out the raw cost of the oil, refineries, transport, marketing, and taxes, their take:

15 cents per gallon,

which by the way is a lower profit margin than Walmart makes on most things it sells.

The federal goverment gets almost three times money in taxes out of that same gallon.

So who should you really be angry with?

[(JD)]

Me not angry.

There's no reason for the gas prices to be this high, other than they know they can get it. There's no shortage of fuel, anywhere. There are no embargoes, no oil fields burning, nothing that would CAUSE the price of oil to go so high (in just a year, no less.)

It's all controlled. Unfortunately.

BUT, if we rebelled... and didn't pay it, didn't buy it, gave up a few "joy rides" a week, or carpooled, or slowed down to 55 and used less.... they would notice, and drop their prices.

[Perna]

Gas is bought in advance, in "futures" like pork bellies so what we're seeing now was gas bought a while ago and reflects how much was paid then. Summer is coming on, when people travel and use the most gas too; it's got to go up, does every summer.

But it's not going to go "down". We won't see gas ever again in the $2.99 range. When I got my first car in 1972, I paid less than $5 to fill my tank.

[TaintedGoth1]

We are having a hard time affording our utilities plus having to drive to town and get groceries every week...and we don't go anywhere that isn't necessary and sometimes go without some things....thank the Goddess that we have two incomes in the house or we would not make it!

[ECHOES]

Patty, I'm very concerned, too. Everything goes up but income. People I know have been losing ground the last few years and this year has been especially diffiicult with prices of all goods rising faster than ever.

It worries me.

[Brian37]

i cant complain too much

I own stock in British Petroleum and Exxon.........

[Timgt5]

Great point B, you and I are on the same wave length, Gas will only go down when another source of energy becomes relatively cheap to produce and feasible to distribute throughout the US. Had we started researching fuel cells in earnest 15 years ago, we would be a lot closer than we are now.

[Brian37]

speaking of gas..........whats with diesel!............4.19 a gallon !

i filled up my dual axle stake bed yesterday .....110 gallon tank

do the math

gulp.............

[Timgt5]

I admire your drive and determination, but to bring the price of gas down its going to take more than cutting back. We are going to have to be serious about not using it all together, that means pressuring our car makers to build "plug-in" hybrids in the short term and then trading our current cars in for them, and in the long term hydrogen-hybrids and the necessary infrastructure to support them.

If we want to "truly stick it to the man" we are going to collectively have to show him that we have NO need of his product at all. He will then have no choice but to lower his price because for once his product will have a real competitor

[(JD)]

<font color="blue">My brother created a wv van (Yep way back in the 70s!) that ran on hydrogen. No one was interested.

Let's face it, we have no control of oil prices, it's soooo political.

However, there are a few places in the world (Halifax, Israel) that is making OIL from sewage. There's no shortage of sewage in this world! It doesn't take millions of years to make the stuff.

I'm trying to go green..well I am green but I want to be greener. I use cf light bulbs (except in the room I have my notebooks, then I have one light that is regular.) I leave the a/c on all the time, adjusting it time-wise with a digital programmable thermostat. I wash clothes in cold water (using liquid detergent makes it work well.) I recycle everything they collect (not enough imo.)

I'm allergic to petroleum based products... so I lean towards natural stuff. I wish I could have bought a mower that wasn't gas propelled. I have a generator that is gas powered too. But that's just for after hurricane.

Did someone post these already? (the first 2 were already.) </font>
3. Combine Trips

Another way to sve on gas is to try to combine as many purposes into one trip as you can for the following reasons:

You’ll save time and money by combining the number of errands and stops that you make in one trip.
When you make several smaller trips, especially in cold weather, you will use up to twice as much fuel than if you were making a multipurpose trip.

4. Anticipate Driving Conditions

If at all possible try to anticipate the driving conditions that you will be taking on your route. Tune in to radio traffic reports. If you know the traffic is or will be heavy on a certain road take an alternate route.

5. Avoid Rough Roads

Driving on rough roads, such as those made of gravel or dirt, will reduce your fuel consumption by as much as 30 percent. In addition, driving over rough gravel or dirt roads can damage the underside of your vehicle, causing damage that you’re not aware of for some time to come. This damage, even if minimal, could be a factor towards increasing your gas costs and fuel inefficiency.

6. Drive The Speed Limit

Make sure that you observe the speed limit. Your gas mileage will decrease rapidly when you travel at speeds over 60 mph. For every 5-mph that you drive over the 60 mph mark you are adding an extra 10 cents onto each gallon of gas that you purchase. Also keep in mind that you will be using at least 20 percent more gas when you are traveling at 70 mph than you would if you were driving at 55 mph.

7. Avoid Fast Getaways At The Stoplight

Accelerate slowly when the light turns green. The faster you accelerate the more gas you are going to consume.

Make sure you start at the stoplight slow and steady so that you conserve as much fuel as possible while you are going from a stopped position into a driving mode.

It may be tempting for younger people to accelerate and race away from the stoplight. Don’t fall into this trap and you can save up to 20 percent in fuel costs just by being a safe driver. <font color="blue"> PLUS it burns rubber, your tires to screech away...another petroleum based product.</font>

8. Avoid Sudden Stops and Turns

When you are driving your vehicle you should try to avoid braking suddenly or starting abruptly. Studies indicate stops that you can increase your fuel consumption when you brake gradually, start slowly, and avoid sudden stops. Drive responsibly and with care to avoid these stops and starts.

9. Avoid An Idling Vehicle

Try to avoid letting your car idle, even on those cold mornings when you try to heat up the car before driving to work. Studies show that it’s more fuel efficient to turn off your car and re-start it, than it is to let it idle.

10. Remove Excess Weight From Your Car

When traveling, avoid excess weight, as carrying excess weight will negatively affect your mileage. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle. Get rid of excess weight by removing unnecessary items from the vehicle. Store only essentials in the trunk. Less weight means better mileage which will help you to save on gas.

11. Avoid Using The Air Conditioner<font color="blue"> I disagree with this one. They did a study and found that riding with the windows down causes drag and just as much fuel is used. </font>

Try using your air conditioner only when necessary. Running your air conditioner causes your vehicle to consume more fuel, especially in stop and go traffic. However, for highway driving, it’s probably better to use the air conditioner than to leave your windows open, as open windows will cause wind resistance and drag the vehicle, which will thereby consume more fuel.

12. Cruise Control

When you are driving on the highway you should be using cruise control whenever possible to maintain a constant speed. This will help to increase your fuel consumption. However, you’ll get better gas mileage on mountainous or hilly roads, if you hold a constant throttle position instead of using cruise control.

13. Use Overdrive Gears On The Highway

When you are traveling on the highway try to use your overdrive gears. By using your overdrive gears you can improve the fuel consumption in your car during highway type driving.

The concept behind overdrive gears is that they decrease your engine speed, saving you on engine wear and fuel consumption. If you are uncertain about how to use your overdrive gears, ask a friend or put in a call to your mechanic for some advice.

[Brian37]

10. Remove Excess Weight From Your Car

guess my wife cant ride with me anymore

[(JD)]

OH my!

Actually, I'm shocked at how many people don't realize that they can't carry much weight at all in the average car. Few check the payload limits. Most 5 passenger cars can't carry 4 average/large adults and luggage without exceeding the gas mileage average limit!

But if you need an excuse for that...you got it!

[50guy]

I have several vehicals in my household.

1. 04 F150 4X4 13-17mpg

2. 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4X4 17-19 MPG

3. 01 Suzuki Swift aka 2 door speck. 38mpg

That Jeep used to big a big SUV now it dosen't look big at all. I use the Suzuki swift to drive back and forth to work.
42 miles R/T. The truck is used to pull my RV and for long trips in comfort.

If you have your budget in order and don't live life paycheck to paycheck you can do alright.

Another reason for high prices is a pump and dump factor.
Just like housing is deflating, gas prices will have their time too.

I am old enough to remember the gas lines and limiting in the 70's. I also remember in the early 80's gas was at $1.20 plus then it came down to .87 or so. It will take time and it is going to hurt. As for food, expect shortages due to idiots that believe in grain derived foods used for fuel. farmers are selling to refineries because they get more money for it.

Hang on it is going to be a wild time.

I should add that I am invested in energy so, I enjoy getting a dividend that offsets the high costs.

[(JD)]

As for the cost of living, it is going to go up here in the USA. Anyone who is living paycheck to paycheck (and plenty of those close to it) needs to be cutting back now, imo. Put money into stocking up on products now or into a liquid savings account or CD (I know, low interest, but safe.)

As it was mentioned, petroleum based products are going to go up as well...and everything in a plastic bottle will too!
Every product produced using hmmm electric will go up (cost of manufacturing effected.)

I still find it hard to believe that Americans (but not me) spent $500,000 to $2,000,000 (2 billion dollars) last year just changing their ringtones on their cellphones! That's NOT poor economy actions, imo. lol

[heyjoe]

the price of oil is affected by supply and demand but not totally. It often operates outside of supply and demand as it is right now. Gasoline usage has dropped one per cent per week for four weeks in a row yet the price of oil continues to go up. There are many complicating factors that contribute to the price of oil, political climate, terrorism and civil war in oil producing countries, interest rate cuts by the federal reserve which lower the value of the dollar which results in investors investing in commodities such as oil and gold and wheat instead of the dollar which raises the price of those commodities, the lower value of the dollar also leads to having to spend more dollars to get the same product. Speculation also raises prices, sometimes dramatically and last but not least market manipulation and greed. In the long run we have to turn to other sources of energy, such as hydrogen, wind, solar, waves. The big boys are getting into the action now, such as GE has recently announced that they want to work with utilities to develop cheap plentiful energy. They say the technology is there but has to be developed and applied on a larger scale. One of the problems here is that whatever is proposed, for instance here on long island, windmills, natural gas pipelines, natural gas storage is opposed by someone because they dont want to have to look at it.