Everyone seems to be talking about the high gas prices these days. According to this nifty tool, it looks like stations in our area are ranging from $3.85 to $4.05 a gallon.
If you've ever been to this blog before, you know that we live on a pretty tight budget, so it seems that something like this would really be a budget buster for us. But honestly? It hasn't been.
In March, we budgeted $170 for gas. Then we bought the minivan, bumping up from a sedan. Then gas prices started going up. So we adjusted the budget. I now budget $210 per month for gas. And we've had extra room in this category ever since (though we do use more gas in the winter).
Could an extra $40 a month ($480 a year) bust our budget? Sure, if we hadn't planned/accounted for it.
Though, I do have to say, as someone who remembers when $6 would fill up my tank enough to get me home from college, paying $50 at the pump is painful - and that's nothing compared to what people who drive SUVs and trucks are paying - youch! But, I always thought y'all were crazy anyway. ;)
How have gas prices affected your budget?
(Oh, and as further food for thought - check out Tread Softly and her car-free lifestyle! If we lived without a car, we would shear $331 out of our budget - and we don't even have a "real" car payment!)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
High Gas Prices?
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1 comment:
Personally, I think there is a fair amount of overreacting going on with the economy as a whole. I think the price of gas, although not peanuts, is just one more excuse to complain and point fingers. Do I want to pay $50 (or more) to fill my tank? Heck no. Is it going to keep food out of my children's mouth? Again, no.
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