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Entrepreneurship:  How are you dealing with the gas prices?  |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
 Posted - May 22 2007 : 4:18:58 PM
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I wasn't sure where to post this but how are you dealing with the gas prices What are you doing different? Is anyone riding their horse to work yet
Tina
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 4:22:08 PM
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| Gas prices are really high in Washington - two gas stations in our little town and they are both 3.55 a gal. I just took a trip to Wyoming to see my son and prices are much cheaper there. I work at home so I'm not riding my horse to work, but my older son rides his horse to the store now and ties it up outside - no kidding! |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 4:33:54 PM
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I heard on the radio this morning that prices in Chicago are the highest in the nation. Whatta distinction. I saw one place on the news at over $4 a gallon. I remember when gas was 29-31 cents a gallon.
Long before this began, we started taking steps to conserve. We drive fuel thrifty cars-- I drive a Ford Focus that gets 34mpg, and hubby's Prius is a hybrid car, and gets 50mpg. I do have a Chevy Z71 for hauling the horses, but I don't drive it often. We combine trips, and we don't vacation away from home. Having livestock slows that down, anyway, and riding my horses is a vacation in itself! |
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BotanicalBath
True Blue Farmgirl
1014 Posts
Elizabeth
Ohio
1014 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 4:57:52 PM
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Not well since I have an SUV and DH drives a full size pick up. This weekend we will be looking for a 4 cylinder mini van ... just because it has to be cheaper on gas. I would love to be able to get one of those smart cars. http://www.smartusa.com/
But where are the car seats going go? I wonder if DH would fit into the car?
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com
www.Botanical-Bath.com
"I do my housework in the nude. It gives me an incentive to clean the mirrors as quickly as possible." |
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 5:17:24 PM
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| Do you think the gas prices are ever going to come down? |
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kitchensqueen
True Blue Farmgirl
521 Posts
521 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 5:37:32 PM
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Prices are definitely highest in Chicago. But still cheap compared to what the rest of the world pays. This is the true cost of oil, folks. I live in the city, so neither my husband and I own cars. We take public transit or walk.
I know this isn't a real possibility for those who live in the country, but I'd like to offer a few suggestions:
- Minimize trips in the car-- run all your errands at once during the week, if possible.
- Downsize your car if you can. And no more than one vehicle per person of driving age!
- Look into the new gas/electric hybrids. They're readily available now and are cheaper in the long run.
- Carpool whenever possible (everyone in your area going to school or church? Take one car instead of three!).
- Consider getting a bike or scooter for getting around (if you're commuting to work and it's sitting all day, why not?). Even if you only use it during the warmer months, it's still a savings in gas and money.
- If you live in an urban/suburban area, consider giving up your car in favor of public transit, biking and walking. You can always join a car sharing program like Zip Car or I-Go for those times when you do need a vehicle (or get a rental car for longer car trips).
http://apartmentfarm.wordpress.com
Now Open!: http://shadetreestudios.etsy.com |
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Reepicheep
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 5:49:35 PM
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We've always combined errands so about the only thing left that we could do was cut out trips to the library. :(
http://naturalpaths.blogspot.com/
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 5:55:36 PM
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What is interesting about this is for those of us who drive very little, work from home, do not love to shop and do all errands only once a week I am still having a stroke when I filled up my Ford 150 and it cost $70.00 to do so. My sons who have moved in town to be closer to their work are riding their bikes 60 miles each day to stay away from paying the price of gas. Most of the changes we have done for many years to help our environment not our pocketbook. I remember when I was in Iceland seven years ago the cost for a gallon of gas then was $5.60 - I can not imagine what it is today. All I can say is I am going to have to train my llamas to pull a cart to get me to town. I would not ask my goats to pull this farmgal. Have a quite night at home and read a book - Maybe the new Mary Jane Book!
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larkspurfunnyfarm |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 6:14:13 PM
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I would love to ride a horse around instead of drivng my car! I would can totally see myself doing that, but I am not sure how safe that would be with Nora and I don't own a horse. Sad.
Alee |
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Mikki
True Blue Farmgirl
1510 Posts
Mikki
Austin
Indiana
USA
1510 Posts |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 7:01:43 PM
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I do everything on Fridays now. No more little trips to fabric or craft stores during the week, and I am toying with the idea of getting myself a shopping cart with wheels and walking to the grocery store. (I just won't be able to buy ice cream.  )
This week has been a go everywhere-do-everything week getting ready for graduation and a service project and I have driven all over Atlanta. Sometimes it cannot be helped. But, I feel terribly guilty using so much gasoline!! 
I talked with my sister in Florida last night and we were lamenting the fact that neither of us can afford the cost of gas to visit this summer. When you think about it, this is going to affect much more than just how much people spend to fill a gas tank. It affects our food prices, travel costs, utilities, everything! Are they trying to kill the economy? Gee whiz.
OK, off my soapbox.
Karin
Wherever you go, there you are.
Come visit me at:
www.madrekarin.etsy.com
www.madrekarin.blogspot.com |
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MariaAZ
True Blue Farmgirl
203 Posts
Phoenix
AZ
203 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 8:14:22 PM
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About 3 years ago I started working from home, so although I have my own car it sits in the carport. Hubby has an SUV he drives about 12 mi/one way to work, and he has fits whenever he fills the tank.
Since gas prices have gone up, I quit taking the car for short jaunts. I walk to Walmart (which is about 3/4 mi away)when I need to go shopping. It's not my favorite grocery store, but it's close enough that I can haul my shopping cart with me and do some pretty serious shopping and get everything home without a car.
Rumor has it in July the city will be starting a free shuttle service designed to get people in our bedroom community out of their cars and to shopping areas, and it has a stop 1/4 mi from the house. It goes within 1/2 mi of a grocery store that I enjoy shopping at. This particular store offers free bus rides home if you buy $25 worth of stuff. I'll really get a lot of use from the system.
Hubby and I used to "gallavant" about town on his days off, but we are spending a lot more time at home and holding off on trips until we can combine chores. Aside from the freebie shuttle, public transit in our city is not really very convenient. It takes Hubby about 20 minutes to drive to work. The quickest bus route, with all the transfers and waiting involved, would take over TWO HOURS. As much as I really want to be green AND save money, I just can't see spending 4 hours a day going to and from work under these circumstances. The good thing is, his employer is trying a 4 day workweek (4-10 hour days instead of the current 5-8 hour days) which should be a 20% saving on his weekly gas bill.
We are talking about getting a more fuel efficient vehicle, but we put over $4000 in repairs to the SUV less than a year ago and so can't do anything right now. Hubby's been thinking about a motorcycle, but I don't feel comfortable about that. We saw the Smart car in Europe several years ago, I'm glad to see the small Euro cars are finally hitting the American market!
Visit my blog at www.craftyfool.net |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2007 : 11:34:59 PM
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I don't think we'll ever see prices much under $2.50 ever again -- at least not on the West Coast. I paid $3.39 a gallon yesterday. It cost me $59.50 to fill my van and that will last about a week and a half of going back & forth to work IF I make no other side trips. I'm definitely driving less and combining all my errands while I'm in town. Trying to stick with businesses all in the same area. I'm definitely thinking about a smaller vehicle.
Visit my Etsy shop at http://therusticcottage.etsy.com OR www.annarosetta.com
http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - therusticcottage on May 23 2007 10:27:13 PM |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4195 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4195 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 05:15:41 AM
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| My husband bought us some good bikes. He rides his to work anytime the weather is decent. 8 miles, and we live in the Blue Hills, so pant pant, lots of hills to climb. I ride mine to check the beef that we pasture about a mile "up" the rode to my dads. We have always combined trips, and car pooled whenever possible. Wish wages and cattle prices would go up like the gas does. Michele |
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threebusybees
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Mandi
Myrtle Beach
South Carolina
222 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 05:30:24 AM
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Gas is out of control! The prices that is. The girls and I stay home most of the time. Combine errands and biking to the park and pool. There are no bike lanes here, anywhere, so nowhere to safely bike with three kids or else we'd be biking everywhere. At $3.10/gallon, tons of traffic and 90 degree heat the gas goes fast!Luckily Riley's school, the grocery, bank and post office is 3 miles up the road or I am not sure what I would do! With the drought and bad weather combined with gas prices I know good produce is going to be hard to come by for us in the South.
Mandi
"There will no longer be so many pleasant things to look at if responsible people do not do something about the unpleasant ones." Madeleine L"Engle |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 05:36:07 AM
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At least now I know that what the news stations have been reporting are false! The news keeps reporting that people are not changing their driving and gas use habits. They even went so far as to quote one guy that said, "I might change my habits when gas hits $4.00 a gallon".
I have combined my trips to town (rural area) and I think it's going to get to the point of choosing whether to eat or drive to work! I guess it's a good time to go on a diet ; )
Tina
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Reepicheep
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 09:12:50 AM
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I forgot to say in my original post that we aren't going to be able to participate in the summer library programs this year due to gas prices. The programs are 2 days a week for 8 weeks. That would be 56 miles per week for us for 8 weeks straight and we just can't afford it. I feel badly for my son since it means he won't get to particupate in the summer reading program either, but all the prizes are little cheap things that just tear up anyway. I'm trying to think of 'prizes' I can do for him here at home (like a special batch of muffins or cookies or such). He's always reading so getting him to do that won't be a problem.
I am also having to really think long and hard about whether I can afford to take him to VBS at our church. It's 5 days straight with a round trip being almost 21 miles for us. I'll have to wait until closer to time to see what gas prices are then. If I am able to take him, my little guy and I will have to wait around in town for 3 hours each day instead of driving back home because that would double my daily mileage to about 42 miles each day and that I know I cannot do. I suppose the little one and I could go hang out at the mall, JoAnn, etc. to pass the time.
I feel horrible that we've already had to cut out our weekly library trips that I mentioned in my original post. Sometimes it was two times a week due to hold items not coming in all at the same time and the crazy hold policy that our library system has in place now. I just can't run back and forth constantly to pick things up.
My hubby was hit with a pay decrease earlier this year and that has had a huge negative impact on us. Gas prices have only made things worse.
http://naturalpaths.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Reepicheep on May 23 2007 4:25:16 PM |
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Carolinagirl
True Blue Farmgirl
486 Posts
Kim
Rutherfordton
NC
USA
486 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 10:12:21 AM
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I'm keeping my eyes cast low when I fill up! LOL. It costs about $35 to fill up my minivan, and I do that on a weekly basis. I make one trip to the grocery stores each week, but I drive back and forth to school to pick up dd every day (only aout three miles though). If I want to go somewhere like the library though, I do. I'm not cutting those things out. This summer I will probably make less trips to out of town places for field trips (within 45 miles or so is "out of town").
Really, though, I have to drive to the store. I have to drive to school. I have to drive to the library. There's no public transportation and no convenience of walking to any of these (five miles each way- ha!)... so we'll pay for the gas.
Kim in NC |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 6:57:32 PM
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My Fiance and I have been taking walks around the neighborhood in the evenings instead of driving to a movie or doing something like that. Since we both are at home for the time being, we dpn't have to gas up very much, maybe a tank and a half a month. When Nora gets older I am going to try and find one of those carriages that attaches to your bike. I used to do this with one of my nieces and it was a great work out!
Alee |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 7:28:13 PM
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Hi Kim,
Does you area have a bookmobile library service? You might call your library and explain the problem and see if they can come up with any ideas to get books to your little one. I have really fond memories of going to the local library when I was a child (of course, we could walk there), but it would be a shame that your little one would miss this. Just an idea.
Tina
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 9:09:28 PM
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I should build a dog cart for Sky to pull to and from the grocery store! I had one when I was a young girl that I could actually ride in and would take my dog and cart to the library and load the cart full of books!
Alee |
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candismom
True Blue Farmgirl
560 Posts
Elizabeth
560 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2007 : 9:21:31 PM
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Well I have a different take on this. MY dh works for an oil company and we have known for a long time the reason for the high prices is supply and demand. We in American use more gas than ever. So what we have always done is drive small cars and we plan our errands. We use as little as we can. I stay home alot unless I need to go out. As long as people continue to use more and more price will continue to climb. We really haven't felt the effect. Our gas bill for a month runs about 75.00
Hugs,
Elizabeth
My shop www.theclothesline.etsy.com
I sell Crabapple Hill Studio and other Patterns. Pluse lots of other handmade items.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
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Reepicheep
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
78 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2007 : 06:02:01 AM
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Tina,
Thanks for the suggestion, but no, there isn't a bookmobile service offered by our library system. I didn't come across clearly in my post (not difficult for me with so many distractions while I'm online LOL). We won't be cutting out the library entirely. If errands take us past one and we have time to stop, we will. Gone are the days of going weekly just for fun and running back once or twice more in a week to pick up holds as they arrive (our system won't hold items for very long). It's not like he's lacking things to read either. We're a homeschooling family so books comprise most of what we own! ROFL! Thrift stores and yard sales are such a blessing in that respect.
http://naturalpaths.blogspot.com/
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2007 : 07:26:42 AM
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| Elizabeth - I haven't seen a gas bill that low since I was in high school! When my dh was working out of state, he would take our RV with him to stay in while he was gone. Last winter he was working in Las Vegas and got transferred to San Diego, then back home again to Washington. He put all his gas on the credit card to keep track for taxes. Our truck is a V-10 for pulling the big RV and got about 10 miles per gallon. This is back when gas was around 2.50 a gallon - one month, our Chevron bill was over $2000. I about had a stroke. |
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newheart
True Blue Farmgirl
471 Posts
Margie
Owings Mills
Maryland
USA
471 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2007 : 08:08:30 AM
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I agree with you about high gas prices...I/we have really cut down on "extra" driving for now...I take part in several homemaker groups and all the ladies decided instead of weekly get-togethers we would do bi-weekly to start out and car pool together..and if that don't work it will be once a month until this crazy world calms down...Gas prices here are up to $3.35 a gallon for regular and much more for hi-test....
Margie
Chocolate makes my Heart 'sing"... |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2007 : 10:22:53 AM
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I have heard an estimate that the gas could climb to $4 a gallon this summer. Yikes! As soon as the tropical storms start striking we might see a horrible spike. This really makes alternative options like Hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuel seem like the answer. I saw some really interesting articles on the Hydrogen fuel cell cars. I will have to see if I can re-find them and post them here. I think I want to understand how it works a little more before I would buy one but they are starting to let people buy them!
Alee |
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Entrepreneurship: How are you dealing with the gas prices? |
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How are you dealing with the gas prices?
