How have the rising gas prices affected your everyday lifestyle?

I live in a rural area so I don't take as many trips to the city as i used to. I go to the stores that are closest to my area. I just don't have the money to spend friviously on gas.

I'm not sure if foregoing the plastic would really lower gas prices. Because of pay-at-the-pump, stations can do with fewer employees and they can get gas-only customers through faster. Credit card processing is only about 2 or 3% of the total for each transaction. If they can get a few more customers through with the convenience and time savings, it pays for itself. One way to save gas and get better gas mileage in your current vehicle is to SLOW DOWN. I hear on the news about all the woes of truckers who can't afford to fill their trucks, but I haven't noticed that they are slowing down any. You get better gas mileage at slower speeds. Keep it to 45 or 55 on state roads instead of zooming around at 65 and 70. Going slower also minimizes stopping/slowing and accelerating which improves efficiency. If you can take an alternate route that has fewer stops and lights but is not very much further, you could also improve your gas mileage. Also, according to a know-it-all I know (not me), you should try to completely fill your tank each time you get gas because a partially filled tank can develop condensation which then dilutes your gas and makes it less efficient. I don't know if that's true or not, but I usually get down to the E and let the light come on and then stop and fill 'er up! It takes a little over $70. to fill my SportTrak.

I can't say that it has affected my everyday lifestyle because I live so close to my job....but it sure has put a damper on my weekends. I love the warm weather- so when it's nice and sunny I love to drive- but lately- I have not been because it costs so much for gas. I also don't visit with friends like I used to that live a town away or so.

I don't make a trip to town unless it's an absolute necessity. We work where we live, so we don't have the cost to drive to work - I can't even imagine how these prices are affecting those people who commute a distance to work.

I have definitely felt the bite. And I have altered my daily activities. I do not do much "recreational" driving, that is driving to clear my head or to enjoy the spring evening. I also try and plan all of my errands at the same time to avoid extra trips. I think these are all good things. I never realized how much fuel I was wasting by not really paying attention to it. It's kind of like using the air conditioner. We manage that fairly well. We turn it up when we are not home and off on cool nights. we never really thought about managing our fuel usage. Now we are. I think of the trip to the doctor when he tells you to lose weight or quit smoking. Those are things that we know we should do but don't. And then we get stubborn because he TOLD us to do it. Now we are being forced to manage our fuel and it is uncomfortable. But also, if it keeps going higher, I might have to reconsider how I do my business. Some days I travel 70+ miles. It had better bring a good payoff for me to drive that far anymore.

It is affecting everyone, it's just that some have more money than they know what to do with and don't give a moment's notice to the rising cost of everything. I travel less, yes. Way less. My husband is quitting his job to work at home full time because he can't afford the gas. (He works 90 miles away.) I believe there is a solution, but we have to convince our congressmen/congresswomen to work for us instead of working for the oil companies. Congress can stop this insanity. It's what they do. But I think they are getting paid by the oil companies to vote against oil price regulation. Oil companies are making record-breaking profits and patting themselves on the back while the rest of the country is suffering. It makes me sick. We need to formulate a plan to get our elected officials back into our hands and out of the hands of the oil moguls. If there's a way, I'll work on finding it. But if anyone else has a plan, I'd really love to hear it! I'll do whatever it takes to bring down the sickening profits of the oil companies and bring down the prices at the pump at the same time. Thank you for letting me vent. I'm just so frustrated!

I think it is effecting everyone. We are paying more for gasoline not only at the pump but businesses are charging us as well. Grocery prices are much higher, I am sure this is due to higher transportation costs. I used to get my milk delivered to my home. The price of the milk went up considerately as well as they wanted to charge a delivery cost, something to do with fuel charge. I have since cancelled the milk delivery because I have to go to the grocery store anyway, might as well get my milk there. The place I work at now is much closer(within 5 miles). I used to travel about 20 miles one way just a few months ago so that has helped us not use so much gas. I would love to get a new vehicle that had better gas mileage or a hybrid but they are so expensive. Something has to be done soon, alternative fuels, solar power for homes and buisinesses so it will decrease the consumption of fuel and perhaps make the demand lower and hopefully the price. I usually don't fill up my tank, most times just get half or 3/4, depending on how much money we have at that time.

None at the time, my husband pays for all gas in the car. But when it is my time to experience this, I still won't have anything to worry about either way. But I do hate to see others who are paying, struggle daily. The economy is totally crazy.... Gas prices just keep on dropping like leaves off of trees...

Yes these gas prices have definetely affected my everyday lifestyle. Before, we went to Wal-mart anytime we wanted to. Now we have to go once a week and get everything we need in one trip. If we don't get what we need then we do without until next weeks trip. Also I have family in Alabama and My grandparents are in poor health and I can't afford the gas it takes to go visit them. (I live in Georgia.)Have you heard of the term hypermiling does anyone know what it entails? Does anyone think it would help on the conservation of gas?

as for me, i think a lot of people is affected by the situation in our economy. people have nothing more to eat. the prices of basic commodities are so high that even the ones who can afford it really will say that it's too much... here in my country, the solution they come up with is to give salary increase, which i doubt will really help. i think they should think of better ideas how to help lower the prices.

It afects everybody, even if you don't have a car because everything you can buy is brought to you with a kind of transport and every transport needs gas, so I have to say that everybody is unfortunately affected.

Very much affected, as i live in a little small town in Mass, and me and the neighbor used to take our kids into the bigger city, to go to the park which is about an hours drive or longer depending on trafic, needless to say we don't do that anymore, because it is just to much. now they have to try and keep themselves entertained with jst the 2 of them in the frint yard with bikes toys and the water hose, because we are so close to the street and our back yard is all woods so they cannot play there either.

thats a worldwide problem, oil price increase , affect everything, its terrifying.. the one that affected most are those below poverty line. here in my country, thats always the ingredients of newspaper and news on tv.

Definitely!!! Where I live it is impossible to walk to where I need to go because I live on a huge military base. My hubby and I never really fill the tank of our cars completely up because we can't afford it. It's the summer and I'm a teacher so I'm not currently working. It's hard to live on one income when you have a family of 3 or more to take care of. The solution is a new president, an end to this war, and a new economic plan. I think everyone is feeling the burn unless they make a lot of money, and if they do they are not on mylot.com trying to make a few bucks. :)

it has affected me for a long time. we don't go out much like we regularly would do. now, we sit here at the home, and surf the internet, and watch a little bit of t.v.