What have you done to ease the price of fuel for yourself/family?
Have you had to purchase a different vehicle with better gas mileage? Have you had to sell some things? Do you carpool? Do you buy from Ray ?(just kidding) What's your take on the gas prices and do you feel there is an end in sight? Have you had to skimp on other material things to help feed your fuel tank?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
31 comments:
I'm not driving my kids to wherever they want, whenever they want. We coordinate our trips better.
Sharing ways to "save" is a great idea Joe. Thanks. It is quite stylish to be "frugal".
We have combined our trips, making the "rounds" with our errands, and we have put off trips until we have several "needs". No more single destination vehicle use. Also use the smaller vehicle (better gas mileage) when we can.
The eastern shore economy.
No jobs for the average worker.
Gasoline is out of sight and no its not going to get better. Its going to get worse, wait till next winter.
Have heard that a new station with good prices is opening in Parsonsburg,called RayKenPauls self serve.
Oh and i had to sell my pickup.
I had a temp job in Ocean City and this weeks schedule of 9.5 hours at minimum has forced me to quit to avoid the drive. To buy fuel I am only doing dollar amounts and not a full tank. I don't go a great deal of places and on trip includes several errands. With no steady or reliable work and unable to patrol the job market as easily in the past things have been bleak. I am also taking a bit more time to make sure my care is running as well as it can, this has always made a fuel difference.
all you can do is plan your trips , slow down to 50 or 55mph, keep the vehicle in good tune up shape , tires inflated to proper pressure. drive gently not taking off fast and stuff thats bout all i can do. i try to get all my stuff in town before coming home from work so i do not have to go back.
i filled my harley up today cost 20 bucks! i said WTF OH WELL LEAST I AM GETTIN 40 MPG LOL
since i am in the service industry i just have to pass the price of fuel on to the comstomer. I have also found out that since money is getting tighter clients are taking longer and longer to pay up. on a personal side we are not going out to eat as much and not spending money on need less items.
I've had to go from eatting three meals a day to only eatting one meal a day... Well, at leasting I'm losing some weight. However, gas prices going up wasn't a big surprise to me, what did people expect when you put an oilman in the whitehouse.
I have an idea!
~How about a carpool, set up for all the parents/students in public school. Set up in a way that there are enough students envolved that parents never have to take a turn driving!
~Oh, that's right! Its called A SCHOOL BUS! It burns the gas to go to stops even when the kid's parents have already driven them to the school!
~Teach the kids about public transportation, save your gas and put them on the bus!
I am disgusted at seeing busses with only a few students, but huge LINES of personal vehicles at the schools. What a waste!
I have written letters to every Mayor, the County Commissioners, the Department of Economic Development, Department of Tourism, and Shore Transit to ask for every hour on the hour buses to and from OC to Pocomoke. Both of my kids work in OC, but on their salaries keeping insurance and buying gas, and maintenance of the car has forced them to use the bus.
However, one gets off work at 11pm last bus out of OC to Pocomoke 10:55. She has stayed in OC more than once. One time her friend she usually stays with wasn't home and she was stuck at the Park & Ride all night until the 5am bus to Pocomoke showed up. My other kid works at Secrets, it doesn't close until 2am he gets done with his work at 3am, and sleeps at the park & ride until 5am if he can't stay with a friend.
This is rediculous!!!!
How many people could work if they knew that there was reliable public transportation? I don't think we would have to import workers, that's for sure!
The only person who responded to my letter was Commission Linda Bustick.
You would think that these type of things would be of great concern to the people that I sent these letters to, but apparently not.
Maybe if all of you readers here would send letters to your officials and let them know how absurd this situation is they may take notice.
Unfortunately, I think at this time there are very few middle class white riders, and they don't see how stupid the whole situation is because it doesn't affect them. However, as gas prices go up, I think more and more people will find this to be the most viable option for transportation, and then maybe something will be done.
I have broken out the old trusty bicycle for short trips. Great mileage but boy do I need a softer seat!!
Being self employed, you are always hoping to have enough money left in the business bank account to pay yourself at the end of the week. I've had park my Excursion that gets 9-10 MPG. I bought a Volvo stationwagon to get better gas mileage (20 MPG) for daily errands and weekly trips to Salisbury. With the Volvo I still have some of the room I need for trips to Walmart and Sam's Club. The Excursion is now used only when pulling a trailer and this summer for Assateague, if I have extra gas money.
Families with daycare children are feeling the pinch as well. Working full time to make ends meet for their children, they are spending at least $100 per week for daycare per child. Plus the triple-inflated gas money for the trips for drop-off and pick-up. And if they are still in diapers, forget it! One of my friends has 4children. They have the same type of business as my husband and mine. 2 of their children are twins, which turn 2 in July.....and they own an Excursion. I saw her a few days ago. She expressed how hard it was already without the gas prices, now this. I totally understood how she felt.
Unfortunately, everyone is in the same boat in these trying times, some more than others.
10:33
Do you have children?
Wymzie-
Are there no closer options for your kids to work? I ask this question respectfully. I'm in Sussex County, and not real familiar what's in your area as far as employment.
It would be lovely to have more mass transportation options; I'm sure they're feeling the hit of gas expenses as well.
Anon 10:33 - I don't understand your post? My kids take the bus most days, but there are times that I'm picking up since I'm in the area, or I'm picking them up as we have somewhere to be.
Regardless, seems to me that it's a personal decision to let your kid ride the bus, or pick them up. How is that affecting YOUR gas expenses, ANON 1033?
Personally, I'm still driving nearly as much as ever, but I am trying to be mindful of those little, unnecessary trips. I try tp plan my errands so that I can do as many in one outing as possible.
I traded in my Ford Expedition, 10 mpg, for a Mazda 3, 30 mpg
The bus routes around salisbury really do need much work. I live about 2miles out of salisbury and the bus does not stop here.
This is another taxpayers service that only a few get to use.
Like school buses they are out of touch,maybe it is just a good ole boys job doing the routing.
Anyway im going to write to some of the people mentioned to try and help.
We really need to get things like this so people can use them to there advantage and stop letting people set at bus stops all night long.
OC in the Summer is where the $$$ is.
There is nothing in Pocomoke that pays even 1/2 of what my daughter can make waiting tables in OC for summer season. My son, is the sound man at Secrets, and this is the field he wants to pursue. Since it is the top place on the East Coast to do this he wants to put in his time there and move on to CA and get in the studio's. But it's all a part of paying your dues. I just think that there are a lot of people in the southern end of Worcester County that would travel to the northern end to fill jobs that are there if there was reliable public transportation; not to mention a 3am drunk bus. What a load off of peoples minds that would be to know that your kid or their friends didn't have to compromise and possibly drive after drinking!
Thanks to those who are willing to solicit the County and Shore Transit on this matter. If gas prices keep climbing it will be important to us all.
I ride the school bus which my neighbor and brother drives to Bennett school and walk to HollyCenter to work.The bus is not full and there is always a seat for me.
My answer was simple:
I quit paying maintenance, insurance and gas for my kids cars.
They have sat in the driveway unused for almost a year.
The kids take the bus to work in Ocean City (see Wymzies comments) but they are not spending the $500 to $600 per vehicle per month that dear old Dad (me) was.
Living in Pocomoke we cannot walk to the store because the city did no pedestrial planning and several people have been killed this year just to get a bag of groceries.
We could save a lot of money and/or gas if I did not have to watch county cars police cars and sheriff's cars hauling their families around. A few of us will have some photos for you to post if things don't change.I'm like you Joe, I carry my little camera everywhere I go since I retired.
I filled my car up with gas and went out to the Salisbury Mall. On the way home, I couldn't believe my eyes. I had less than half a tank.Somebody had to siphon it out. Security saw nothing they said.
I havent changed anything yet.....i still come go and do the same as always at least for now.
Our govt needs to allow the drilling in Alaska, SDakota, NDakota, and montana. Our environment is important for the future of our grandkids and so on but drilling can be done without hurting the environment. The govt is letting tree huggers control the environment by not letting the drilling happen. We also need to get more refineries up and running that can handle the second grade oil that is not as easy to refine. They also need to stop putting fuel into the reserves and let it go to market which will bring the price down some because of supply and demand. Then they need to be more aggressive in finding alternative fuels so that we can tell opec up yours. Ethanel is not the answer. It is to costly to produce. Its also the reason for food shortages and higher prices. We have to get the economy up and going because oil is a global market and the value of the dollar against the euro is a big factor in the cost. Right now the dollar isnt worth much in comparison. My personal opinion is that it will get better. However we are in an election year and the democrats want the white house so this is another blame Bush and the repub party grip in order to gain ground. Al Gores global warming fiasco hoax doesnt help either. The big question here is whats going to happen when China wants to cash in on our debt to them? Things can be done but will the people that we elect do the job that we pay them to do? (by letting the drilling take place?) Probably not. mostly because of bueracratic bullcrap. I know thats spelled wrong but you get the point. Hang on the bumpy ride isnt over yet. But have faith it will get better.
I used to drive everyday from Salisbury to Alexandria,VA to work. I did this until the gas prices hit 2.50. After that, I was fortunate enough to talk them into working from home. I'm a computer programmer and there aren't any jobs here for that. The few that there are, pay less than half what I make in DC.
It will get better when you get Bush and his cronnies out of the WhiteHouse. You don't see him making a stand against the rising fuel costs,thats because he's planning for his retirement come November and as an oil man he's making a fortune!! However don't believe everything you hear from the three trying to fill the position.
The first thing to do is to purchase a locking gas cap if your vehicle doesn't already have one. I have had gas siphoned out of my vehicle before and don't intend to let it happen again.
My family has had to do a terrible thing to save gas: My grandson, who has schizoaffective disorder, has been a patient at Potomac Ridge in Cambridge for a few weeks. he's only 17, and although he is smart enough to know when he needs to be an inpatient, he needs and loves his family. My daughter lives in Salisbury, and I live in Mardela and work in Salisbury. We simply cannot afford the gas to visit him on a daily basis. We're his lifeline, and he looks forward to us visiting him, but sometimes no one can go see him because we can't afford it. So, gas prices are hurting more than just our wallets.
I bought a 2005 Toyota Prius new. I got 49 MPG out of my last tank of gas. I get a big kick out of knowing I go farther on a gallon of gas than a motorcycle and I don't get wet when it rains either!
-I bought a hybrid in January
-I do not speed like a maniac
-I drive to conserve fuel
-I maintain my car (tire pressure, oil changes etc)
I buy $20 gas a week, it gives me half a tank on my small vehicle, and I make it last all week long. I don't ride for the sake of seeing what is going on around town. I make every trip count or I don't go. I also do not buy gas on a credit card, I refuse to pay interest on small purchases. It's a matter of tightening your belt, get used to it, it's going to be a long road. Gas is just the beginning, wait until winter when you want to heat your home and buy groceries.
People in this country piss and moan, whine and cry about everything but do they cut their consumption? NO, emphatically NO. So keep on buying and they'll keep on raising the prices. It is, after all, SUPPLY and DEMAND. If we don't demand they'll have enough to supply.
since i was a kid, mileage has been the most important feature affecting a car purchase. over 40 mpg on a trip on my 03 toyota. 20 bucks at the pump when the tank is half spent, and no more. there's a half tank left if something should come up. now 20 bucks every 2 weeks is all i'm spending. maintaining tire pressures and clean oil is the only maintenance. i won't use the air this summer. actually, never had air in a car until this one.
It ain't that hard. discipline is what's required.
oh, i forgot, i'm a very conservative driver. NEVER "stomp" it, rarely have to fully brake to stop & stay just under the limit, never over it.
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