What changes have you made since the gas price went up?

[MsDisney23]

DH and I went out to eat Sunday, and the place was just about empty! This place is always busy. Our server said it has been very slow since the gas price went up. My DD is a waitress and she called lastnight and said that work is slow. She has also noticed (which happen the last time gas was high) that people are not tipping accordling. She also noticed that people are not ordering alcohol drinks as much, etc. Alot of people are asking for water over a soda.

Regular Gas here in S. Jersey is around $3.00! I have to go out today, and try to combine all of my errands, etc.

 

[Marseeya]

I noticed the same thing at Walmart over the weekend. This Walmart always gets out-of-town shoppers, so I couldn't help but wonder if people were shopping closer to home.

There's not much else I can do to change. I think DH has stopped buying breakfast and lunch out. After May 1, I won't have to drive to school anymore, so that'll save us a good bit of gas money.

 

[ducklite]

Not really much of anything. We both drive fuel efficient cars, so it's not impacting us as much as it will others. I have always tried to limit and combine my trips because I hate to drive anyhow.

The long term impact will be in the skyrocketing of consumer goods--that will affect everyone. Fortunately there's not a lot that I think we will need to buy over the next few years except food and cleaning products, etc. We're all pretty well set for clothes and household goods.

Where it will hurt DH and I the most is my monthly (or more) flights to PHL/EWR to spend a weekend with DH. He's up there three weeks of the month and down here one week. Fortunately I'm usually able to combine it with work where a client is footing the bill. DH drives a Prius, so even at $5 a gallon, his drive to and from FL will still be affordable. The difference between $150 and $230 if gas goes to $5 a gallon. It's just one less dinner out--he'd usually rather have me cook anyhow.

BTW--My 34-36 mpg 2004 Saturn ION Quad Coupe is for sale--my Saturn Sky should be in within the next few weeks. Anyone interested?

Anne

 

[ADisneygirl]

I've been trying to combine errands and I even go to the closer grocery store even though it is not my favorite.

Gas around me is climbing about 6 cents a day. Yesterday it was close to $3.00 a gallon.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We haven't really changed how much we drive, but we have changed HOW we drive. I now set the cruise right on the speed limit or 5 MPH below. I never go more than 65.

 

[aprilgail2]

I take my smaller saturn instead of my van alot...I filled up in NJ this past weekend because the gas was so much cheaper than where I live..I was in NJ and figured that heck, since it was only 276 a gallon I would fill up before heading home where it is 3.29 a gallon!

 

[Christine]

So far, I'm just doing a LOT more complaining. I haven't had to change much because I already try to combine errands. The one thing I can't get rid of is my one hour commute. I keep thinking of ways that I can get a smaller car without ruining my finances.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Nothing....no changes. DH works from home now so that helps!

 

[stinkerbelle]

I adjust my habits years ago....so there really is nothing more I can do!

Combining errands...and doing most of them on the way home from work (no extra trips out...luckily I drive right past the grocery store every day.)

Once I'm home...I'm home. I don't go out at night.

I traded in my Nissan Pathfinder (6 cylinder) for a 2005 Rav 4 (4 cylinder) last September (not the newer, bigger one) the old model. I can go the same distance on a tank of gas as my pathfinder...but that tank of gas is smaller and I can put 'regular' in vs. mid-grade I was putting in the Pathy.

I do have a long commute - 60 miles round trip each day. Yes, it sucks. But hey - so I cut back on my target shopping sprees to put more gas in my car. so be it. such is life...everything cost more these days.

 

[siouxi31]

I've only made minor changes. I no longer take the tollway to work. .Instead, I take side streets.

If work is slow, I used to drive home for lunch to get some laundry done. I don't drive home anymore during lunch. In fact, I don't like to drive far during lunch at all.

I now bring my breakfast to work instead of buying it from the cafe.

 

[laura001]

This past week I have had to go out of town a lot and have spent 140.00 in gas...... It hasn't slowed me down because my trips were necessary, but it has slowed my kids down. I keep telling them how much I am spending and that I expect them to put more than 5.00 in when they use it....(like that is going to work)

In the fall when my two oldest go back to University it is going to be a problem....they will not be able to come home as often, that is for sure!!!

 

[j's m]

DH's car died about six weeks ago. It was a 13 year old 8 cylinder Cadillac. We started out looking to replace it with an SUV. After prices started climbing, we looked at more fuel efficient cars, but a 6 cylinder. After they kept climbing, he decided on a 4 cylinder Camry!

I've always combined errands, work from home and don't really drive too much. I combine Target trip with Walmart which is almost around the corner from the post office, but I'm lucky, everything is really close, 3 supermarkets within a mile.

But today, Kitty, I am driving down to Vineland. My mom lost one hearing aid and I have to take her down to get fitted. Then another trip down there next week.

 

[Christine]

After they kept climbing, he decided on a 4 cylinder Camry!

Great car!!!

 

[C.Ann]

Gas is already over $3 a gallon here so I've been making a LONG list of things I need that I can pick up all at once either today or tomorrow and hopefully I won't have to shop again for 6 weeks or so.. I have to go around 20-22 miles to where the stores are, so when I'm finished I'll top off my gas tank before the cost goes even higher.. I can get milk once a week over to the smaller town (7 miles from here) or just have my DD and her DH bring it with them when they start coming up every Friday night..

I'll be purchasing my stamps via my mailbox (they still do that up here in the mountains) and I'm probably going to go with home delivery of the newspaper..

Odd thing to think about, but I've been wondering what the impact will be on the garage sales - all that stopping and starting.. The weekend after this is the village-wide (7 miles away) and I'll still be going to that because there are some things that I need that will save me quite a bit of money if I get them at garage sales as opposed to new.. However, this year I will park the van and walk much further before I go back to the van and move it again..

The biggest "pinch" will be when DD and her DH acquire their new house and I'm needed down there to help clean, pack things up, and move.. The new house is only 35 minutes from here (as opposed to 50 to 55 minutes from the old house) and I had planned on just coming back here every night, but I may have to rethink that - depending on how long and drawn out this move tends to be..

Otherwise I'm perfectly content to just park my van and sit here until whenever..

 

[SillyMe]

I'm trying to combine errands. I'm doing my grocery shopping at a local store where I don't normally shop, no more McD's chocolate chip cookies for breakfast I've also cut out unnecessary trips to the mall and cutting back on going out for lunch.

 

[kilee]

I'm trying to combine errands. I had a long debate w/ myself yesterday on wether to go to Walmart for laundry soap or hold out until I HAD to go that way.

 

[stinkerbelle]

oh - i also quit my gym last year and purchased an elliptical machine for my home.
The elliptical cost about the same as my 1 year membership.

Yes I miss the weight machines...but the exercise bands and free weights I have will have to do. The gym was WAY too far out of my way to justify the extra driving.

and instead of driving to a "walking path" to walk...I just do laps around the parking lot of the school behind my house. (there are no sidewalks in my town and i live on a main road where, despite the school, they like to speed.) Yeah - the scenery never changes, but it's not a bad workout. and when I get motivated, I can use the jungle gym for stuff like chin ups and arms dips.

 

[jimmiej]

None (yet). I'm taking a new job (in August) which will require commuting. DW & I will probably switch vehicles since her's gets better gas mileage.

 

[Crankyshank]

I all ready made changes last year so there really isn't much more I can do. I'm going to switch over driving my 4 cyl tacoma instead of my 6 cyl Taurus. We arranged for a food delivery service for our meats because the rising cost of grocery prices (and the poorer quality). I haven't driven to see my family in a few weeks and probably won't again until Mother's day. I am debating on whether or not to find a new vet for my dogs because honestly as much as I like our current vet - 45min drive is just not worth it for the good but not stellar care.

 

[Jpgirl]

I live in a great community where I can bike everywhere I need to go. Today I'll ride to the gym to work out then to ds's school meeting then to the grocery store to get some things and meds at the pharmacy. I have a big old V-8 that's not very gas efficient so I try to only fill it up once a month for trips that just can't be avoided. I'd love to get a more fuel efficient car but this one is paid off only has 142,000 miles on it and I can't afford a huge car payment. What's really funny is I can usually get where I want on my bike using trails and side streets than I can in the car using the main roads. If gas gets much higher I'm going to buy a trailer for trips to the grocery store for the big shopping. Poor dh though works on the other side of Houston and spends a small fortune in gas . I see a lot more people out riding now doing their smaller errands. Well off to the ride.