Comments | hannah_henchman: A new record...

hannah_henchman

A new record...

May 26, 2008 10:39

In the past two weeks (5/12-5/25) we spent $192 on gas.
Total unnecessary driving--One trip to OBX, about 84 miles round trip and one trip to EC, 30 miles total.
Current cheapest gas within reasonable driving distance is in Chesapeake--$3.79, closest is in Camden at $3.90.
Ouch.

economy, gas prices, money

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dabroots May 26 2008, 14:48:28 UTC

That's a lot of gas!

Prices here went up from $3.79 to $3.84 between weekend before last and this past Thursday. Haven't checked in the past couple of days. This is crazy.

hannah_henchman May 26 2008, 15:23:16 UTC

Sad thing is, it's not a lot--I was spending right around $30 for half a tank.

I think $3.80 is the national average. Week before last I could find a couple places priced as low as $3.50 but now we just have to suck it up.

It IS crazy--We're spending about a quarter of our income just to get to work. AND from what I read this morning, crude oil just went up to $133 a barrel.

But, we just put on new brake pads and changed the oil in the car this weekend so I'm hoping that will improve our mileage a bit.
*fingers crossed*

dabroots May 26 2008, 15:26:45 UTC

About a month ago I decided against following up on a part-time job that would have required me to commute about 30 miles roundtrip, every day. It wouldn't have come even close to being worth it.

hannah_henchman May 26 2008, 15:35:30 UTC

I hear ya--I'm sticking with the "work at home" route despite the low income for that very reason.

The problem here is that you do have to drive 15-20 miles to find any work. The highest paying jobs are on the beach (35 miles from me) and in VA (at least 25 miles). Public transportation doesn't exist.

Of course I have to annoy myself further on the subject by checking financial news--Nothing like reading speculation on whether oil prices will fall as demand decreases.
To me that's sort of like saying, "Well as soon as everyone who makes under $15 an hour is unemployed or has to choose between getting to work and eating...Well, then the rest of us might get a break."
Okay, gonna stop bitching now. *L*

dabroots May 26 2008, 15:48:34 UTC

What kind of work do you do at home? Freelance projects? I'm always curious about such things, and in some ways would like to do it, myself. I"ve been working in offices, classrooms and retail for many years.

hannah_henchman May 27 2008, 12:26:54 UTC

Well, I used to do freelance photo restoration and digital editing--i.e. http://www.pbase.com/miss_creant/restoration... )

kencf0618 May 27 2008, 02:12:34 UTC

I fill up now every half-tank. Shall go to every quarter-tank soon. And I drive a 2000 New Beetle, albeit more often at 40 mph than 60 nowadays.

dabroots May 27 2008, 02:15:53 UTC

After my comment, I was out and noticed it's gone up to $3.91 since Thursday. Right now, I drive relatively little. I might start filling up at every quarter-tank, right now.

hannah_henchman May 27 2008, 12:32:01 UTC

Just curious--what's your reasoning behind filling up every half or quarter tank? I do the same thing and I'm curious if it's for the same reason.

I do it mainly when I know gas prices are going to go up again soon--Yes, I read business news before going to the gas station. *L* Then I fill up every quarter tank or so until prices DO go up so that, if it's just a brief fluctuation, I have a chance of riding it out.
Otherwise I generally fill up every half tank to give myself "budget leeway". You know, so at the end up the week I'm not on empty with a choice between overdrafts and not getting where I need to go because of miscalculation. Also, I don't like getting too near empty so any residue in the tank doesn't get put through the engine.

kencf0618 May 28 2008, 00:56:14 UTC

I do it nowadays both to keep ahead of inflation & because it's marginally more fuel efficient to top off the tank in quarter- or half-tank increments (despite the fuel to carry the fuel to carry the fuel). But now it's a pain to gas up relatively more frequently!

hannah_henchman May 28 2008, 12:43:55 UTC

**because it's marginally more fuel efficient to top off the tank in quarter- or half-tank increments...

I'd heard something like that before and noticed that the first quarter tank I used went slower than the rest.
It's no big deal for me to do that--I go by my main gas station of choice pretty much daily. The only problem is if, in my usual morning stupor, I forget to write down the gas purchase and screw up my bank account.

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