| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kydeere40744 |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 09:29:17 AM
So, Tuesday morning the prices dropped to $3.21 (were $3.25), only to find out by 1PM that they shot up to $3.35 per gallon. My husband's car cost $40 to fill up with gas and it gets about 20 miles a gallon. When my truck died about 2 years ago, I ended up getting a corolla with a lot better gas mileage (gets 30 instead of 15). This is just beyond ridiculous and I honestly think the only reason they can come up with is the fact that it is a "given" that people travel with spring break and Easter coming up. Every little holiday that involves traveling makes it tough.
I guess the "upside" to this, which is also a downside is that I'm not working right now so I'm not driving to and from work. However, it has been the worst job market I have ever seen. I've applied for over 100 jobs (no joke) over the last few months and have gotten a few interviews. However, so many people are applying and getting interviews, its just tough and frustrating. I just keep going.
Thankfully I grew up learning to not waste money on just anything. However, how much more frugal can one get if they are already frugal? It has cut down on travel for us and a lot of things.
What have you gals done when the times are tough?
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
| 22 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sunshine |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 8:51:49 PM
jessica I hope you get the job with that type of competition it would be very hard to get and keep a job. As employess would consider employee expendable becasue of teh long waiting list. Good luck getting it and keeping it. I wish you and your family well.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store http://vintagethreads.com/ |
| Ronna |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 8:27:05 PM
"when they make the dollar tree the $2 tree, you know something is wrong."
Todays dollar stores are my childhood's dime stores. It's all in relation. I could easily buy two weeks groceries for $25-30 in the mid 60's and Nevada's grocery prices have always been high due to virtually everything being trucked in to the state. When I first married in '62, Larry made $75 a week and our rent was $75 a month. When we moved back to NV the following year, the rent on the house was $50 a month, but it was owned by the company and we never paid anything for the 6 1/2 years we lived there. Only paid for our fuel oil for the heater and then for Propane when we changed to gas heat. Power was paid for and the propane for the stove and water heater until we put in a bigger tank. No wonder we had plenty of money to do what we wanted...not that we did that much, but money was not a problem.
Whole different story today, where house payments are over $1000 and utilities are in the hundreds each month. Thinking of retirement (for him) has to be scary, to leave a very high salaried job for a fixed income. Makes me realize the reason our parents saved all they could, after living through the depression and not knowing what tomorrow might bring.
I see the hours being cut for employees in the stores I call on, the mass merchandisers. Usually it's just after Christmas, but appears to be getting worse. Even the thrift shops are not so busy...those who have shopped with "extra play money", like me, are cutting back. It will hurt everyone as we all tighten the purse strings, to use a very old term. I've not been saving what I make, enjoying the luxury of not having to feed my family or pay the bills with my salary and it's not been too smart. I have many $$$'s of good stuff I can sell, but if the market is dead, who will have the money to buy? Thankfully, Larry is good at saving and has the max deducted from his check for his 401k. He said someone told him long ago that the way to save was to not spend all you make and he's right. He asked me if I spent everything I made every day and I told him, sometimes more, depended on the bargains! |
| kydeere40744 |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 8:18:45 PM
I'm getting ready to email ya back. :-)
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 8:07:58 PM
Hey Jess...did you get that link I posted about the job at UK?
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| kydeere40744 |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 8:01:24 PM
Sunshine...The job market in Kentucky is one of the top 10 worst in the nation according to MSNBC. Since December, I put in over 120 resumes, got four interviews. I totally revamped my resume and had a few folks look over it. I have a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience in administrative (accounting, payroll, reception, etc). Each job I've interviewed for all said that they have had many more applications than ever before and are conducting more interviews than usual. I did find out today that I will find out tomorrow afternoon one way or another about a job that I can start as early as next Tuesday and is local. I just pray that I can get on with it.
The gas has bumfuzzled me. I went to Frankfort and Lexington yesterday in the afternoon. It is $3.35 here...$3.19 in Frankfort...$3.30 in Lexington. It's $3.10 less than an hour from here. Funny they say that the demand went down and based on my economics classes and common sense, you would think the price would have went down. I just think the media needs to stop talking about it. It's spring break and easter time, thus more traveling.
My husband said "you know when they make the dollar tree the $2 tree, you know something is wrong." I got a giggle out of that.
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
| sunshine |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 7:02:33 PM
that is scary I applied for only 11 jobs in the location I wanted but I made each resume fit that jobs criteria emphasizing what skills that the owners or managers would like. I did that less than 12 days ago and had half of my applications become call backs out of those 3 offered jobs.One is still pending as there are three levels of call backs on that one I have passed level 1 with 3 other people so far. Is the job market that much worse in KY. Out of 100 applications I would expect at least 30 call backs if not more like 50 and at least 20 to 30 job offers.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store http://vintagethreads.com/ |
| Ronna |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 6:15:27 PM
Much of the variance in gas prices is due to the taxes, state, county and local. California has much higher taxes than here in NV. I can't complain too much, since my husband works at the head of the oil pipeline in Prudhoe Bay Alaska. I told him the price hike must have been to cover the raise he got recently. Boycotts don't help anything long term, but consolidating trips in your vehicle can help. When you live 30 miles from a city, as many of us do, we bunch a lot of errands and shopping together. I'm also fortunate to get a decent per deim from my employer for days I work and that helps. I feel for those on fixed incomes who have to make their dollars stretch to cover fuel, utilities, food and everyday necessities. I noticed one item I have bought many times at Walmart for $2.50 was now $2.98. Big jumps like that hurt all of us.
Ronna |
| catscharm74 |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 5:30:22 PM
I just filled up today and the cheapest I could find was $3.59 but I have seen it as high as $3.75 in places around here.
Cheers,
Heather
FARMGIRL #90 |
| LauraH |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 5:24:11 PM
Hi
Up here in the "North Country" our gas Prices have been about $3.35 & now are $3.39 , it costs so much to get to work & truck the kids to where they need to go.. Girl Scouts, dentist apt., extra classes.. my oldest is in a gifted & talented program here at school... it is hard to cut out unnecessary trips..
Very Frustrating!
Laura |
| CountryBorn |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 3:05:39 PM
Here it is $3.34 so far. We went just looking around at our GM dealer today, just looking at the gas mileage readings on the cars and prices. We have an Envoy now, which I have to admit I love.We only get 14.6 mpg with it. You know a lot of the cars didn't do any better in gas mileage than our SUV!!!! A small Cobalt, which isn't bad at all, got 20 or 23 country around 34 city. But you have to be careful because so many of the gas listings say in big letters 20 and 30 etc. then in small print it says most people get like 16 and 25 or less. That is just what you COULD get, not necessarily what you will likely get. The Vibe was the highest I saw today and I liked it too. But, the Malibu and the Impala weren't any better that mine. I may just lease again. With our weather up here I really do like the 4 wheel drive. But,we will look somemore and see if we can't get something with better gas milage. I wish I would of kept my 2000 Grand Am, it was excellant on gas. What was I thinking!!
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 12:09:18 PM
Well, we just figured out something pretty interesting ....even at $4.00 a gallon, taking the bus wouldn't be beneficial--it would still be only .20 higher (per gallon) than both of us taking the bus 5 days a week at $1.50 a pop, 2 people, both ways (so $6.00 a day x 5 = 30.00 a week). Our car gets 30 miles to the gallon, it's 13.75 miles from my home to both of our businesses (give or take 2 blocks) and the difference is really minimal--I was sortof bummed by that.
I guess if it was just one of us, but we carpool and drive to and from work together.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Mar 13 2008 : 11:58:36 AM
$3.45 here in Western WA. I read in the paper this morning that oil went for $112 a barrel yesterday. I only drive to work and back - run errands while I'm out - and am going to start walking more. Zan is right! Buy local, support local farmers and cottage businesses.
Handmade Olive Oil Soap, Lotion Bars, and Prim Treasures - http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
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I'm A Rusty Chick!!!
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
| catscharm74 |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 5:43:07 PM
$3.58 here in Oceanside, CA...can't wait to get to Texas!!!
Cheers,
Heather
FARMGIRL #90 |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 5:01:58 PM
Everything is going to go up, ladies. Because it costs so much to SHIP everything. I say GO LOCAL when you can, and support a small, honest farmer. Better than those huge corporations and the government who probably is cares for nothing but $$, even if they sell their souls, and ours for it (sorry about the rant, but the gas, jobs, mass production of food etc, all seem to correlate to me...and none of it is GOOD)! 
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 2:07:27 PM
Local gas is $3.59 a gallon, but at Costco (5 miles away) I paid $3.41 on Monday.
Not much in the way of public transit, wish we did. I feel like I just work to buy gas and pay bills.
What I'm doing most of right now is combine trips. Last night DD had a 4-H Club mtg, which takes us to the next town over. On the way home we stopped by Wally-mart for lay mash and more peat pots. Even though I have one bag left I still bought 4 so I don't have to make a special run. My work takes me out sometimes so I try to make quick stops when I can. Yesterday stopped to buy strawberries and veggies at a farm stand. Fortunately, I only work 2 miles from home.
Along with gas prices the cost of feed is jumping too. Last week I paid almost $19 for a bale of hay . That's one expensive lamb chop
I guess we can expect anything that is trucked in to go up too.
Wish my veggie seeds would grow faster. |
| Leezard |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 11:00:28 AM
I am sure the big oil companies have their thumb on any alternative fuel or alternative energy plans because they want to milk all the money out of that industry they can. Sick, sad people...
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
| kydeere40744 |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:45:45 AM
I saw the prices out in California and I feel for our CA farmgirl counterparts. What gets me is that the governator out there (yeah I call him that..haha) is all about "green" this and that, yet he will fly to and from home in a helicopter that is over 300 miles one way.
Living in a tiny town, we don't have public transportation and well, can't really go to the store on a bicycle because its a tad bit far away (even for a tiny town). I usually don't go to the grocery store until about once every other week.
Whatever happen to the big biofuel talk? I've heard it for years and seen a few trucks, but it has never taken off. Just makes ya wonder. The news this afternoon showed where the car lots are busy because people are trading in their SUVs and big trucks to buy smaller cars. Funny that the price of gas goes up, you see ALL kinds of zero money down, zero interest, etc car commercials.
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
| Leezard |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:15:29 AM
I'm certain it's those money hungry oil people that just can't seem to understand, or care, what their greed does to everyone else. I really wish we had public transportation here. What I loved best about my trip to Rome was the way the city was set up with food stores in every neighborhood that were so easy to walk to and the great public transportation they have there and I know that is how much of Europe is even from town to town...color me jealous!
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
| miss wilma |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:13:12 AM
Girls have you thought about this, If it drops to 3.21 every one runs to fill up , that is what those investors are wanting, they wont leave it at 3.45 but a short while, My theory is this ,fill up dont drive for a week unless its an absolute have to, IF all of us would do that it would come down, I am talking about boycotting, maybe we could get congress to do the drilling here if we all started complaining to them, I went to the grocery store this morning and it scared me to death, Crisco had shot up to 5.09 for 3 pounds, Well I sure know how to render lard. And I say we ring the phones off of every one in Washington
Farm Girl #96
http://www.picturetrail.com/misswilmasplace
http://misswilma.blogspot.com/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:07:30 AM
$3.49 here, Jess (and Heather). Jus and I spoke last night and we're going to start taking the bus into work together and home. Will free up a LOT more money, I think, for the time being. The local news said that we would be hitting $4.00 by mid Spring, so I'm just going to stop right now with all this silly extra driving. I'd rather have food for heavens sake!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| HeathersHeartfeltStitches |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:00:24 AM
It's here at 3.45 today!
My little guy's B-day is on the 26th, I was hoping to go all out but now with my DH traveling and the price of gas...sheesh, I hope I can afford to make him a cake atleast, Thank Goodness for G'ma's!!
My Etsy.com Storehttp://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5531954
http://heathersheartfeltstitches.blogspot.com/ |
| bohemiangel |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 09:31:53 AM
$3.29 here well as of last night!!!!! CRAZY. I'm all for trains and public transportation:-P I just love the thought of trains though!!!
**~~Farmgirl Sister #60~~**
"... to thine ownself be true."
http://ligonierfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://liggygirl.blogspot.com/
http://liggygirlslonggreen.blogspot.com/
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