Gas prices are jumping up there, almost to the 2008 prices, particularly this time of year. We always have higher prices in the summer but this is March.
I have an old Jeep, a 1999 Cherokee that gets somewhere around 19-20 mpg. I have no a/c so I do have to open the windows, not so good on hot, rainy days but to replace the system would be more than the car is worth. I can't afford to spend $15-20k+ for a new car. Used prices are through the roof since they destroyed them all in the Cash for Klunkers program. I can buy a lot of gas before I can spend that kind of money (plus the interest on the loan). Not to mention that the budget won't allow it! I try to run any errands on the way home so I don't have to travel around on weekends.
What are gas prices in your area?
What part of the country are you in?
What type of fuel do you use?
How are you managing your fuel budget?
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11 comments:
We have 2 vehicles - my 1999 Saturn (130,000+miles) and our 2002 GMC 2500 truck - takes diesel and we need it to pull the 5th wheel. We live in Northern Wisconsin and diesel is running around $4.08 this week...regular is around $3.92 - give or take. Living out in the country, we try to combine many errands into a few trips...makes for a long, often tiring day, but more economical by far. I can't just run to the store on a whim because of distance so our pantries are kept well stocked. We are planning a major road trip this summer & Mr. Outback had a fuel tank installed in the back of the truck...hoping to keep it filled with "less expensive" diesel so we can bypass stations in isolated areas where fuel is higher. Good theory - hope it works. All in all, we have worked hard to enjoy retirement - not sit home on the couch everyday and let the world pass by.
Yesterday I paid 3.79 a gallon.
I live in the southeastern part of the country along the coast.
Use medium grade fuel.
I traded in my Equinox last year for a Camry and get much better gas mileage. I fill up about every 2 weeks because I work 3 minutes from my home! :) I really plan out my trips now and try to shop closer to home. We also stopped the Sunday afternoon riding around out in the country. My husband has a large truck that guzzles gas and I am trying to get him on a frugal mileage program. It's hard for some people to break habits! Just a reminder that people in Europe have been paying well over $5 a gallon for years.
Lisa
Gas is 3.70 something. Diesel is 4.15 or so. On the East coast of NC.
Our boys use gas, hubby uses Diesel (we bought our truck in 2008, just before the price of diesel shot up. Until then, it had been cheaper than gas).
We mostly try to do multiple things on one trip, too.
Our savings shows the result of the fuel prices though.
Our next trip to the retirement property, to move stuff and mow, and then come back, will probably cost us about $600 for fuel? I don't remember what prices were last trip (Dec 2011) but at that time I figured about $425, just for fuel round trip.
That's assuming all goes well.
I feel your pain. ♥
I live almost 40 miles from work so it's 80 mile round trip 4 days/week. I pass just about everything on the way home so it's easy to stop and get whatever we might need. We have a diesel truck too because my husband used to have his own construction company so he needs to pull trailers and haul equipment. We have a camper but not a 5th wheel, a travel trailer. We have not used it due to the prices- as you mention, diesel used to be the cheaper choice but it sure flipped! Now the poor camper is just sitting.
Our gas last week was $ 4.37. It has gone down to $4.27. But with the weekend coming up ,It will probably go up again. We live an hour and an half from my husbands work. So he spends 3 hours on the road a day. We had to buy a Yaris to make it. His truck was killing us. He still pays about a hundred a week on gas. That's a lot better then what we were paying,but still a lot of money for gas in a week. Plus I didn't count what it cost for my job or doing errands.
Dang, I thought our gas was high at $3.75 for regular unleaded! Down here in southeastern AZ, we have some of the cheapest gas in the country, I don't know why. I have been trying to convince hubby that he DOES NOT need to go to town EVERY DAY just because he is bored, not working so well yet. :(
Ya' know, I don't CARE what they pay for gas in Europe! If the oil companies would quit sending OUR domestic oil overseas, I think things would be better. I know companies are allowed to sell and make a profit, but the oil drilled here is a natural resource of the American people for cripes sake, it doesn't "belong" to the oil companies!
Our gas is averaging $3.75- $3.80...I'm in East Texas -S.E. of Dallas. Traveled to Central TX yesterday and saw gas prices both UNDER AND OVER MY LOCAL AVERAGE.
We use mid-grade in the Car-- a paid for 4 door sedan/ Mitzubishi Galant. We made repairs on it last year and are keeping it in good working order. New tires. Our second vehicle it a Nissan Frontier pickup. Also, recent maintenance and we use it for farm use only.
We manage our gas by combining trips to town. I'm trying hard not to go anywhere if I don't have to. Although The Husband is planning a trip to the Gulf this summer.
We are also retired -- and home bodies, but getting out to go to dr. visits is necessary. We live rural and it is 8 miles to to the closest small town- over 15 to the closest grocery store.
...this is interesting to see how everyone else is dealing.
thanks for posting.
from the barn hop.
It's interesting to see where we stand, isn't it? Do you all remember gas wars? When service stations would give you a premium for shopping there- like sets of glasses? I think the gas stations are making their money on the shops these days, the convenience foods, soda and small groceries. I remember when they had, at best, a soda machine with glass bottles and maybe some candy bars or gum. And they were the only places to use a restroom when traveling.
I hear about these European cars with 50-60 mpg that we can't import or make here, California emissions laws? Something has to give soon or we'll be spending all our income on gas!
In New York City $4.06 for the cheapest grade. I work in New Jersey where I typically buy gas and it's about 40 cents cheaper. I was over in Kansas City on a business trip this past week and I think it was around $3.65.
I live in Florida and I paid $3.79 at the pump and that was for Regular gas.
We make lists and generally do our grocery shopping once a month. Depending on what we need to accomplish we make a big circle and do it all in one day....Banking , groceries, Post Office, any bills that are paid locally that are on the route we do it all then. My daughter lives on one side of our town (17 mile radius) and I live on the other. Anything that I need or want to give to her goes into a bag or a box. Anything else that is on that side of town such as bloodwork, a thrift store, the Museum where I volunteer, our favorite Cafe' we make it a day and do the big cirsle thing. If we go to dinner with friends we take turns driving. We stay home a lot more and play games or read etc.
One thing I do that is very important...I always keep our cars full of gas. You never know when there will be a power failure or and extreme emergency and you need to move out.~Ames
We try to keep my car 1/2 full at least. It takes me 1/4 tank round trip for work so keeping it full is difficult so every couple of days I fill it.
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