How Are Soaring Gas Prices Affecting You?
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These days, it seems like the cost of gas is rising by the hour. From canceling vacations to buying hybrids, skyrocketing gas prices have inspired AOL users to make a wide variety of lifestyle changes.
Click through our gallery to see the measures people have taken to save at at the pump.
· Post: Have Gas Prices Affected You?
First Up: Lose the Gas Guzzler -
Toyota
Lose the Gas Guzzler
AOL User ILOJAGM Says:
"Traded in my Toyota Tundra for a Toyota Yaris ... any difference? Yes, an extra $45.00 in my pocket with every fill-up. Don't wait. Dealers are trading in for less every day."
Next: Walk, Don't Drive -
Walk, Don't Drive
AOL User Rvarg1346 Says:
"I have resorted to filling my car once per month instead of 3 to 4 times as in the past! If I run out of gas, I park my vehicle and walk to the grocery store and go nowhere else. It's either that or go hungry! It used to cost me $32 to fill my car, and now it's close to $75 dollars, which is absurd. I cannot afford it!"
Next: Out of Business -
Out of Business
AOL User Agreg336 Says:
"Because of the high gas prices, I was forced to shut down my business. As a courier company, gas prices have a huge impact on productivity, and being able to get to customers even in nearby counties."
Next: Soccer Mom No More -
Soccer Mom No More
AOL User CrawfordSPOOKY Says:
"I am having to cut back on the sports my kids play. I can't afford running to two different practice fields and two different game schedules."
Next: Love the Car You're With -
Love the Car You're With
AOL User Polesecc Says:
"I have a 2002 Ford F150 Lariat 4x4 and paid it off last year. I did synthetic maintenance and it still runs like new after 120K miles and a few new parts. It gets 15 mpg, and I just don't use it as much as I used to because of the gas prices. I really want a new one but just can't justify it. I lowered my insurance big time since I've owned it, and I still go camping with the kids, as this is the most important thing to me."
Next: Forget the Road Trip -
Joe Cavaretta, AP
Forget the Road Trip
AOL User Souettelee Says:
"I usually fly to Vegas from Tenn., and then rent a small car to travel the Southwest -- tons of National Parks and National monuments to visit and explore. Not this year. Maybe I'll fly to Vegas (free ticket from VISA rewards) and lay around the pools. Some hotels offering nights around $30-50 because tourists are opting to stay home this summer. I'll miss hitting the mom & pop motels and diners."
Next: The Wheels on the Bus Are Cheaper -
The Wheels on the Bus Are Cheaper
AOL User VBMARCHAN Says:
"First, I bought a Hybrid car about a year ago. LOVE IT. I had to give up my parking spot at work (prices went from $13 to $30 per pay period) and as an incentive, I got a free bus pass from my employer. I've been riding the bus ever since. More and more people where I work are either carpooling or doing the same I did. If we don't lower our consumption, it's only going to get worse."
Next: Keep Your (Gas) Cool -
Keep Your (Gas) Cool
AOL User A Master Touch Says:
"I use ETHOS Gas Reformulator. I went from 27 MPG to as much as 34 MPG mixed driving. You can google it. I also make sure I keep my tires properly inflated, and ONLY get gas early in the morning when it is cool, and put it in SLOWLY, only using the first position to hold it."
Next: Stuck at Home -
Stuck at Home
AOL User Lindak411 Says:
"We will be listing our motor home for sale soon, since we can't afford the gas to put in it to go even short distances. Hopefully, we will be able to sell it, but it doesn't look good. I know in order to sell it we will have to take a big loss. We are retired, and bought an 11-year-old motor home with low mileage thinking maybe we could get away once in a while, but who knew the gas prices would go so high!!!"
Next: Brown Bagging It -
Brown Bagging It
AOL User Dominguez Fam Says:
"I have changed some habits. I no longer visit Starbucks for my morning designer coffee. I was spending about $35 a week there. I drive a Honda Civic, and that is almost a full tank of gas. This will get me to work and home for a week. I also take my lunch to work to save money. The high price of gas not only hits you at the pump, it also hits you at grocery stores, department stores and entertainment. Unfortunately, we can't go without gas."
Next: Taking It Slow -
Taking It Slow
AOL User Shirleypark7 Says:
"I have reduced my speed to 65 mph to save gas on the freeway. I have noticed others are doing the same."
Next: Cruisin' Along -
Cruisin' Along
AOL User MGSINATLANTA Says:
"I drive from Atlanta, GA to Chattanooga, Tenn. once a week to check on my parents. I set my cruise control on 68 MPH and I get 24 miles a gallon in my V8 engine Dodge Dakota. I used to drive around 75 and only got 15 miles per gallon on the highway. It certainly takes me a little longer to get there, but the savings outweigh the time."
Next: More Nap Time -
More Nap Time
AOL User Laughnow0702 Says:
"Prior to the $4.00/gallon fiasco, I had sold one of two 4-cylinder cars. Now I'm taking public transportation to work at least three days out of the five-day work week. It's frustrating, but what else is there to do? It has its benefits (nap time) and disadvantages (train broke down, had to walk about 4 blocks to catch another train then transfer to a bus)."
Next: Closer to Home -
Closer to Home
AOL User Mappingtime Says:
"I'm looking for something closer to home. I realized I was spending a huge percentage of my pay on gas for a job far away, which did not pay enough to justify the gas. So now I'm looking for anything that's closer. But I live way out in the middle of nowhere, so anywhere will take some gas."
Next: Too Many Jobs, Too Little Gas -
Too Many Job, Too Little Gas
AOL User Paneek1 Says:
"As an independent contractor, I have had to turn down jobs that are more than 50 miles from my home. I figure it would cost more to gas my work vehicles than I could make doing the job. The downside is I am not as busy as I normally am during the summer, hence I am making considerably less money."
Next: Bring Back the 1800s -
Bring Back the 1800s
AOL User CajnButyNH Says:
"Have openly discussed the possibility of going back to horse and buggy days!"
Next: Stop the Insanity -
Andrei Pungovschi, AP
Stop the Insanity
AOL User Laurell Says:
"My husband is in construction, and I am in real estate. We have to drive to make a dollar. I cannot believe it took my lifetime to go from $.35 to $1.65 and in 4 years it went up another $2.00. This is insane, our gasoline bill is now larger than our house payment."
Next: Better Mileage, More Respect -
Aaron Favila, AP
Better Mileage, More Respect
AOL User Stepdeck Trucker Says:
"Living in California, where we have the next-to-highest gas prices in the nation, I parked my gas-drinking V-10 Dodge pickup and brought out my two old Studebakers that have always gotten better gas mileage than any other vehicles I have ever owned ... People respect me more when I drive my older cars. They wave at me, and when I stop I always have people come over and make great remarks about my car and pickup."
Next: Cheap Groceries, Cheap Gas -
Getty Images
Cheap Groceries, Cheap Gas
AOL User Cdmoore757 Says:
"I purchased a BJ's membership last year with a friend and hardly used it because my family is pretty small (single mother), and I normally do not buy in bulk. I started to notice that BJ's, Sam's Club and Costco gas is about 15 cents cheaper than normal gas companies. Now I put that card to good use every time I fill up. It costs about $50 annually but it has since paid for itself after the 4th fill-up."
Next: Stranded on Land -
David Zalubowski, AP
Stranded on Land
AOL User KKBIGDOG Says:
"Well, I have made it. I have the boat that I always wanted. Oh, and don't forget the SUV to tow that boat, and then there is the wonderful Cadillac DeVille that I need because of a bad back. Well then I got cancer, lost my job, and the price of gas has gone crazy. So what is a person to do but endure it? I could not sell all of the items listed for enough money to by one Hybrid vehicle."
Next: Family Fun -
Family Fun
AOL User Cmaehl Says:
"We’ve canceled all vacation driving plans. We’ll do a STAY-cation instead. Thrifty hiking (or biking) with the family can be fun!"
Next: More From AOL -
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Recent Comments
Evasivemousey 12:07:00 PM Aug 08 2008
I cant believe there are still some people here that dont know that 70 percent of the oil from the states is shipped to other countries..Not only that, but they pay a whole lot less for it then we have to pay when we get it from somewhere else..Now tell me where thats fair to the american people who work hard to keep this country going..
Alfred schrader 05:14:24 AM Aug 08 2008
A Hotdog costs $1.99 at the stand. If you make it, is about 32 cents.It takes ab