Is $4.00+ gas really affecting you??

reply to post by AshleyD

Originally posted by AshleyD
However, I quit in 2004 for good once my son was born so I was curious to know what is going on now with the airlines due to the increase of oil prices. I figured they would be laying off people again. Although I didn't work for American Airlines like that article mentions, I am sure the major airlines are experiencing something similar. Thanks for sharing!

I heard that US Air is the exception. Last spring, they locked in price of $80/barrel and now have a supply of cheap fuel while the other airlines are struggling.

reply to post by jsobecky


I beleive that its Southwest that has hedged alot of its fuel at low prices.

$4.50 gas here in California has not had a huge effect on me. We have a hybrid and a corolla, live 4 miles from work etc. We also make enough that the increase is a small percentage of our gross income so its more of a psych impact than a real impact to us financialy

reply to post by wolf241e


Has it truly affected me?

To be completely honest no, but I get a gas allowance at my current job, so I don't notice that much strain.

Although prices have gone up, so have my wages, I suppose it could really suck if you were an unskilled worker. Or if you just worked part time.

I mean it'd be nice to go back to the 90s but that ain't going to happen, so we just have to deal with it, tis the way things have become.

reply to post by FredT


You may be right about it being Southwest instead of US Air. In fact, I'm pretty sure you're right.

Mea Culpa.

reply to post by jsobecky


Thanks for letting me know about that. It is interesting. But yes, the article said Southwest so that is probably the one you are thinking of. I worked for Continental Airlines and often wonder how some of my ex coworkers are doing. If SW is the only one that not affected by the oil prices then that must mean Co Air is struggling, too. Thanks for the information.

It has completely changed my career.

Live music as an industry is clinging on to its last hopes of life. Many of the bands I've met up with on the road told me that this year is their last broad-based US tour. It is financially impossible go on the road for more than a couple weeks without ruining your bank account.

This summer, we toured 12 states. Our next one we can only afford to get as far as 3.

Sure, Bon Jovi will still be touring every huge amphitheater in the country because he's richer than God. However, small venues across the country are going to go under because national acts can't afford to get to them.

Touring was always a costly thing to do, now its almost suicide.

There's always a bunch of talk about people who wonder how others are able to manage now. Especially those who are already struggling to afford to get to and from work, and cover all the bills and such... But I have never seen such a post of someone in such a situation.

Everyone always says "If it gets any worse" ........
But then the prices go up more, and everyone still manages just fine.

I don't think gas prices are really hurting that much at all right now. Still, the media makes a huge deal of anything, just to get people worked up and afraid.

Shame. Is this the worst they can throw at us, while claiming "recession" ??

I think with the increase in gas prices and the cost of food etc. it's raised my spending about 300 bucks a month at the most. Seeing as how I recently started a job that pays me quite a bit more than my last job i'm still coming out ahead. It sucks seeing such a high number at the pump, but it's not the end of the world for me either. I live about 7 miles away from work so it's only an icrease of 4 miles compared to my last job.

I also work for the hotel industry, apparently business is pretty dang good, we continue to build properties all over the country as well as overseas. Our tech support desk, which only supported 1/4 of the hotels we own, has seen a 80% increase in properties they support over the past 4 months. We mainly cater to the business traveler, so it would seem that they are still on the road and in the air.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
There's always a bunch of talk about people who wonder how others are able to manage now. Especially those who are already struggling to afford to get to and from work, and cover all the bills and such... But I have never seen such a post of someone in such a situation.

Everyone always says "If it gets any worse" ........
But then the prices go up more, and everyone still manages just fine.

I don't think gas prices are really hurting that much at all right now. Still, the media makes a huge deal of anything, just to get people worked up and afraid.

Shame. Is this the worst they can throw at us, while claiming "recession" ??

Really?
You haven't heard about mass layoffs in almost every field? The car companies, their suppliers, the airlines, the entertainment industry, the construction industry, and on and on and on.
You haven't heard about rising prices that are forcing people to drop their health insurance policies?
Or the truckers who are going under because it now costs over $1000.00 to fill up their semi's?
You haven't heard about the problems with the taxi industry due to high gas prices?
Have you heard about all the landscape companies going under ?

I could go on all day about layoffs, going out of business, etc.. and all related to SOARING gas prices.

I'm not sure where in the United States you live but every state I'm familiar with, (50) is being decimated by the oil companies constant quest for ever more PROFIT.

Gas prices and the other rising costs of living have killed me.

I lost my restaurant after Katrina due to increased price and now I am in the process of attempting to sell my house.

I have had to shave off $15,000 from the appraised value just to get people to even see the house among the many, many homes for sale in my community.

I live in a town that does not have many job opportunities and have yet to find work in over 6 months. Myself and a few people in similar situations have been car pooling just to go job hunting.

I blame the gas prices for my struggling restaurant [ I say struggling, but we're actully one of the bussiest places in town] . I live in Bay St Louis, MS; groung zero for Hurricane Katrina. I opened the restaurant 8 months after the storm. My overhead has went up atleast 25% & that's after we have cut back on many things & raised our prices. Most of the higher cost of products can be directlly linked to fuel. Sysco told me at the beginning of the year that this would happen, but I had no idea how much it would hurt. I never imagined a place as busy as us would have it this ruff. Everyone thinks we're making money hand-over-fist, but it just ain't happening. The money that used to be my income goes to pay for these price increases. I can barelly pay the bills (a month or 2 late). And TAXES unbelieveable.
The gov't makes more than me off the business, but thats another thread...

[edit on 12-7-2008 by corusso]

I own a construction company and the largest single items as part of my overhead has always been gas and in the last 2 years the price has DOUBLED thus doubling my largest overhead item.

What other industry can get away with hurting the United States like this? If all construction companies doubled their home prices, what would happen?

What if all resturaunts doubled their menu prices?

What if all airlines doubled their ticket prices?

reply to post by amonkey


I feel yatotally on this one. I was working on a government project last year and they had to end the project and lay us all off at the end of December. I haven't found anything yet. I am trained for telecom but currently there are over 100,000 telecom professionals out of work nationwide. That is alot of people to contend with for work. Being on a seriously fixed income has hit my family very hard. I am very afraid for my family's future. I have a wife and a 1 year old son and my wife lost her job last month and neither of us can find work. Both of our jobs were cut because of financial strain from rising gas prices and food prices. In the state of TN the most you can qualify for on unemployment is 275$ before taxes a week. My wife didn't qualify for unemployment and we were turned down for food stamps because I'm on unemployment. Try making a living for 3 on 200$ a week and be able to buy gas. We were budgeted to just my income, but I made in the high 80s by myself, and we've dropped to 200 a week.
YES the rising gas prices have hit us hard !!!!

Yes this affecting myself and my family. Our account is always negative it seems, we fill up about $50 dollars in gas every Sunday or else our jobs aren't getting done. Food prices going up are not good. We go shopping once a month and spent the same amount of money for less food. If it wasn't for the econimic support we wouldn't have health insurance and I'd have to pay $90 for 60 days supplies of my meds so if that were the case I'd pretty much be unemployed because my meds keep me balanced enough that I can handle a job.

I need a diffrent job right now because the one I have is why we have to fill the car every Sunday. It'd be every two weeks if it wasn't for my job. Not a lot of people are hiring and the places that are eextremly picky. Even McDonalds is picky... if you don't have an HS diploma... well goodbye! This winter is going to be really bad, heat prices are going up. Our electric bill went from 100.00 dollars to 160.00 in just one month and we aren't doing anything diffrent. Our water bill went up $30.00 as well and we are using the same amount of water we always used. Fiancee's parents are trying to help us out and are paying for some things out of their pocket when they can.

what happens when it's 5$ then 6$?
Where does it stop & when will it get better?
Will gas ever be $2 again?

Originally posted by jfj123
What if all resturaunts doubled their menu prices?

The line I keep repeating is:
How much are people going to be willing to pay for a po-boy?

I don't believe this is a lack of Oil, but much more a devalue of the dollar... and the media pushes it the other way. its a bit of both but much much more because of our currency..

and no it hasn't really effected me, I don't own a car or buy gas for heating or cooking...

[edit on 12-7-2008 by Empath]

reply to post by whaaa


Mexican gas is two bucks I guess because they can only charge what people can afford. If America refused to pay 4 bucks for gas it would probably be a lot cheaper.

I'm Lucky, I have a company gas card. So I get to fill up all 3 of my rides for $0

I was thinking yesterday when I filled up the Spyder. Boy, I feel like I owe the boss sex after this one. $50.25

I can see where companies are going to have to start offering gas as part of their employment packages. or retirement packages.

Originally posted by Empath
I don't believe this is a lack of Oil, but much more a devalue of the dollar... and the media pushes it the other way. its a bit of both but much much more because of our currency..

and no it hasn't really effected me, I don't own a car or buy gas for heating or cooking...

[edit on 12-7-2008 by Empath]

You're most definitely right. There is no problem with the oil supply. The problem is due to unchecked speculation which is CAUSING the devaluation of the US dollar.

reply to post by jfj123

This isn't necessarily a reply to you jfj123, I just decided to post at the point of your post and so...as far as my changes. Well in terms of driving, it hasn't effected me much. I walk to work on the days I go down, and work from home on other days, When I do drive it's planned out to save trips and I try and do things like Costco where I can load up and get more on one trip. Where I am feeling the effect is on rising groceries and commodities. The only cut backs I have really made is I don't go down for cocktails at night near as much because even drink prices have skyrocketed. I already use 100% compact fluorescent lights which is more than anyone I know...why this concept of buying bulbs that last 10 times as long and use a fraction of the energy that end up paying for themselves many times over, is so hard for people to grasp and take hold of is beyond me, but anyway...here comes the really long winded part: (lol)

Back during my under-grad. years in macro & micro economics courses we talked a lot about the concept of borrowing from future generations to subsidize the current (this was back in the 90's) low prices on fuel and petroleum based products. The entire economy is based on petroleum with everything from packaging to appliances, to fertilizers and pesticides and we have been paying literally pennies on the dollar for this finite resource to live the way that we do and sustain this huge population and suburban mentality. The baby boomers and X'rs have been burning up cheep fuel like no tomorrow, and all the while in denial about the fact that they are robbing their grand kids and great grand children. Back in the 70's under Carter, we had leadership in conservation and a move towards alternate energy sources was pushed but Americans rejected that and elected Reagan who immediately pulled the solar panels that Jimmy installed off of the white house roof in a symbolic gesture that we will not change course and conserve / use alternatives, but will remain slaves to the monopolistic oil cartel, rape the planet, and cheat our children’s children to basically let the good times roll and the hell with anyone who dare get in our way.

Well guess what? The chickens are coming home to roost. I hate to say it, but this has been a long time coming, and I welcome the change in terms of adjusting to doing with less, not polluting as much, and moving toward alternative sources of energy. The USA passed peak oil back in the 70's. The middle east is near or just pass the peak, and globally many experts agree that the world passed the peak in 2006. Things are going to get worse folks!

Those of us who were pro conservation back in the day and pro alternatives and clean environment were spit on, called nasty names, given the finger, and all but completely shunned. Well here we are with Bush's multi trillion dollar deficits (do to the illegal war and occupation, as well as tax cuts for the rich in line with so called trickle down theory), a falling dollar, the absolute worst foreign policy put forth by the most incompetant administration in US history, and largest strategic blunders ever made in the United States that brought us a failing economy, and with steep climbs in the price of oil that will continue to go up as production continues to decrease, has given us a bad tasting recipe for disaster.

I hate to say it, but many on the left told you so. Now conservation, and alternatives are mainstream middle issues. First get past the denial. Second do something about it (many of us already are), third demand new policy from our representatives (god they are all so out to lunch...this should have been the central issue years and years ago!!!).

Get some seeds, grow a garden, get solar and wind mills if you can, move as close to work as possible, get to know your neighbors so you can help one another out, support your local farmer's market, get rid of your gasoline lawn mower and get a clean, quiet manual clipper, also put in other things besides useless lawn to save water and mowing - plus you free up room to grow corn, carrots, and flowers etc... We will survive this, but don't expect your great great grandchildren to talk about this and previous generations with much respect because we have been robbing them blind and they will not live as we have and that's the bottom line here. Say good bye to dirt cheep air fares from point A to B. RV's are a thing of the past. Pretty soon you won't see gas guzzling jet skiis and skii doos out on the lake...hell, you'll be lucky to see a boat. Speaking of boats, fisherman are parking theirs so look at increasing prices on sea food but then fish populations were dwindling anyway so this is a blessing in descise of sorts for the poor fish. Everything is changing folks, and it was totally predicted and it's predicted to continue to change as well, so you can ignore it now or be forced to make more shocking changes later. Also don't forget to sit down and pen that appology letter to your great great greats who will be doing without!


[edit on 12-7-2008 by skyshow]

[edit on 12-7-2008 by skyshow]