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Across the Fence:  Habit changing petro  |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
 Posted - May 23 2008 : 2:47:20 PM
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How has the increase in petro changed your habits?
If it goes to say $10/gal what else will you change?
I have cut out all trips other than going to work. (18 miles round-trip) I have also stopped running here and there on my lunch break, those small trips add up.
I plan my grocery shopping for one evening after work at the least amount of stores, in the same area. It has reduced some of my extra spending...unfortunately the price of petro and food is eating away those savings.
I am trying to think of what else I can do, I been playing with the idea of a bike or moped, but then there are rainy days....I'll get back too you on the last question.
PS. Gas in my area is $4.09/Gallon
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Sagewood
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
South Carolina
106 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 3:38:01 PM
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Hubby has just decided to start taking my car to work instead of his truck.(my car, a mazda, gets better gas milage then his truck) The gas isn't as high as your area YET (key word yet!), but even so, at 3.89, we've got to do something too! I stay home as much as I can, don't go if I don't have to and take only one trip about every 2 or 3 weeks to the store.
Sage,
The Hedgewife
Are you a Hedgewife?
http://hedgewife.blogspot.com/
Hiding in the broom closet.
http://sagewoodfarm.blogspot.com/
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 3:38:36 PM
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We never had a lot of extra trips, but I have had to cut out 99% of my fun trips to go visit friends. If it does continue to go up, we will have to draw out our 401k so that we can buy our farm earlier than planned. The only way I can imagine surviving higher costs is either having severe cost of living raises or raising all of our own food that we can. I plan on doing that anyway, but I would hate to jeopardize our future just to survive the present.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:05:26 PM
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I agree Alee, Unfortunately most businesses and jobs are feeling the pinch. I work for a multi million dollar company and they have put a "hold" on all raises and non-essential purchases. In the last 2 months they have made major job cuts and even reduced some peoples wages. I really doubt a cost of living increase will be anyplace in the near future. Right now most people including myself are just thankful they have a job to go to. This company is one of the largest in our area. It is sorta scary, however I would be fine if it came down to it. Everything I have is paid for, and I have enough to pay basics for quite a few months.
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:12:18 PM
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Well besides doing everything that is already mentioned, we really are planning on becoming self efficient. We are downsizing and putting everything we can into cutting debt and maximizing retirement. I still have my fun money but that stops come June. It is scary but do-able. I really like to stay home anywho.
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:37:18 PM
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I had a friend say she wants to buy a rickshaw like bike so she can take her kiddo to the bus stop a couple of miles away and back again. I think that's a great idea. I am certainly going to buy a bike cart for Nora that is a bit lighter than the one we have. I know that will save us a lot on gas if we can pop to the store and back with out needing to drive the car. I am really lucky that the city we are moving to has public transit!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:45:36 PM
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You know, that is another thing that irks me. Why aren't kids using the school buses more? I see half empty buses all the time. I know it is hip to drive your kid to school and uncool to be on the bus, but people have got to start thinking. I am seriously thinking of being a bus stop parent, offering my babysitting to the kids who now get driven. I will stand at the bus stop with them so their parents don't waste gas driving to school.
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:56:22 PM
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When I was a kid I always longed for the days when there was a school stable and all the kids either walked or rode a horse to school! I would be happy if they brought those days back! I would park the car unless we had to go somewhere long distance! Lets bring back the horse days! :D
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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BarefootGoatGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1495 Posts
Corrine
North Carolina
USA
1495 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 5:56:31 PM
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i usualy only move the truck twice a week these days. last week i bought a wagon so the kids and i can walk down to the farmers market and grocery store on saterday mornings. if i ever move to a place with public bus service, i will utilize it as much as i can.
What we write today slipped into our souls some other day when we were alone and doing nothing.
-Brenda Ueland
http://quilandneedle.blogspot.com/
http://musingandmuttering.blogspot.com |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 6:26:56 PM
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I agree about kids riding the bus. Even the olders ones. But when I mention it to friends with kids they say that the kids (older ones) have sports and such so it is easier for them to drive to school and the event and then come home than to have to drive back to the event. However 3/4 the time the parent goes to the event so the kid could just ride back home with them. It doesn't make sense to me, but then again I don't have kids. I was lucky when I was a kid I walked to school. If we lived in a rural area I would have just been told "NO" to sports. My parents are very "old school" and would have not been wasting gas on that.
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 6:43:26 PM
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Ok, I was in sports. I went to study hall after school or hung out in the cafeteria or went and worked out. I had to drag all my gear to school on the bus and then my parents came for the game or after practice. Ok...you may now return to your hip lifestyles... : )
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2899 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2899 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 6:55:11 PM
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Corrine!! I am so glad to see you back!!!
Gas is killing us. We live in the country & hubby drives to Cinci for work(1 1/2 hr each way) & I am a real estate appraiser(I drive everywhere)...SOOO right now we are spending about $800 a month in gas. It has caused a major shift in everything we do down to me not going to bible study(church is 15 miles away), to not going to see nephews soccer games(they live about 50 miles away).. Right now , I am hoping to justify a trip to miss wilma's in July(4 hrs away...YIKES)
We just got 6 chickens, have 2 dairy goats, & have planted a huge garden, but still.. Can you say BROKE!
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GaiasRose
True Blue Farmgirl
2552 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
Minnesota
2552 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 7:49:15 PM
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i got a gasless mower...you know the kind that has rotating blades that cut as you push....the swingset that I got on Freecycle, so now we don't have to drive to the park, the bicycles for our jaunts into town, the gardens to cut back on food bought at the grocery that is overpriced due to fuel costs, hunting and fishing and foraging for the same reasons, the clothes line, looking for an old wood burning kitchen stove and putting in a fireplace, looking for a crank clothes washer...all to cut off our useage of petro products. ROb bought our off road diesel fuel for the tractors, spending $800 last month. had he not gotten it then, the cost has gone up sooo much that even off road would have cost us near $1200 for the same amount!! He is going to get gasoline next, since they are talking $7 by the end of Summer. I really want to get a horse and cart for in the cold months so we don't have to drive even then...when we can't bike.
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Farmgirl Sister #88
Blogs:
http://frugalwitch.wordpress.com/
http://youtube.com/profile?user=GaiasRose
Homepage:
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
"Joyful chaos, working in tune with the seasons, telling itme by the sun, variety, change and self-direction; all this wwas replaced with a brutal, standardized work culture, the effects of which we are still suffering from today." - Tom Hodgkinson in 'How To Be Idle' |
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Across the Fence: Habit changing petro |
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Habit changing petro
