Gas prices take toll on family budgets

[Hellooo]

Im tired of people saying "look at all of those trucks and SUVs with only 1 person in them...."

Sorry, but when I drive to and from work, it is just me. Im not going to bring my family along, just so that I have a full vehicle to make you happy!

Take a look at all of the other vehicles that only have 1 person in them.

Also, I would rather have my BIG SUV for safety reasons.

[FED UP]

Randy Whitten wrote:

<quoted text>
Acually jeeps are not bad on gas depending on how their driven. Don't let these thin skelled people tell you what to drive or what not. You are your own person and do not need outside noses getting in your business.
All these perfect folks that know best do not have much of a clew.
Very few of them have enjoyed life and this creates the reason they point fingers and think they have the answer to everything.
Good luck to you and enjoy your jeep. You can still wave at a person in the winter time when they are stuck in a snow bank and your still moving in four wheel drive...

Our 2001 GMC Safari van will do about 20 miles a gallon on the highway. Considering it is all-wheel drive and it has 4.3 liter V-6 engine, I feel that is exeptional mileage, and the all-wheel drive is awseome in the snow! We feel much safer in our van then we would in a small cheese-box car.

[OXMGR]

First off what idiot will buy her Jeep now that gas prices are throught the roof!? People are after smaller, fuel efficient cars. Second...well this is just one of many single mother's out there who has to deal with it so, join the crowd!

[Baruch HaShem]

I believe that instead of any temporary gas tax fix, either by the State of Federal government. The government should allow all working families, individuals to claim a percentage of there expense for mileage, traveling for work. It is now allowed for many employers, and employees today, why not include something like this for the average working citizen.
This tax break would adjust annually to keep up with the cost of gas, which would help to keep up with family budgets and not be temporary.
I would really like to hear what some of you feel about this proposal and if you support it, please write your hard working representatives in Lansing or Washington. Because I would guest they get this write off.
God Bless America.

[Baruch HaShem]

Poopie wrote:

<quoted text>
Best of luck to you, times are rough.
God Bless :)

I just wnated to say keep it up Melanie your doing a great job during a hard economy, at least your working and not living totally off the system. More power to you, I understand how difficult it must be, your jeep is not worth much today because of the mileage and all. Your not alone there, many dealers are not even taking in four wheel drives anymore as trade ins. The market dropped right out of the bottom for them, they are fantastic and wonderful vehicles. However the gas mileage and people just cannot afford it. Anyway, keep it up Melanie, I applaud your can do attitude.
God Bless America.

[Walk A Mile]

Who would have known several years ago we'd be faced with gas at $4/gal? People bought the vehicles they did based on the information they had at the time as well as their needs. I'm sure if she had crystal ball she might not have purchased the same vehicle. We all do the best we can with what we have at the time. Good luck to you Melanie, you sound like a good mother and don't deserve the criticism leveled against you by anonymous trolls here.

MELANIE wrote:

OK TO EVEYONE WHO IS RAGGING ON ME ABOUT MY JEEP....... I COULD SELL IT BUT WOULD NOT GET NOTHING OUT OF IT. PLUS IF YOU ALL WANT TO START A CAR FUND DONATIO UP FOR ME GO FOR IT... OR JUST STOP RAGGING ON ME.. I AM MAKEING THE BEST OUT OF IT AND IT WAS THE NEWS THAT CALLED ME . NOT ME CALLING THEM. COME ON OVER AND RUN MY WEEK WITH ME. TILL YOU KNOW A STORY DONT HATE. THATS IS WHY THE WORLD IS THE WAY IT IS.

[MELANIE]

To all of you with positive feedback back thanks. To the ones who have smartass remarks and know everything, well wake up and read did u hear me complaining at all????? i did not think so all i said was i am limiting the activities this summer. ooooo wow big deal, like i said b4 i would not get crap out of my jeep , it have 189000 plus miles on it. it is paid for so what sense does it make for me to buy a new smaller car, make pymts,extra insurnce. i cant afford it. sorry i am not living the high life, like some of you other are,i have no debt, i dont live higher then my means. i do what has to be done and i dont complain aboit one thing. it is pretty sad that those negative ppl out there think thier crap dont stink and they have ALL the answers, well sweeties wake and smell the coffee.......easier said then done. I bust my ass being a single mother as it is and a speical needs child who has alot of needs, and i dont complain they are my children. I TELL YOU WHAT ALL YOU KNOW IT ALLS BUY MY A SMALLER CAR PAY THE INSURANCE, AND CAR PYMT I WILL DRIVE IT OTHER WISE PUT A CORK IN IT..

[Walk A Mile]

Melanie, don't waste your time or energy reading the negative comments from trolls. Hold your head high and continue doing your best for your family. For the trolls out there, I challenge you to come up with positive solutions for this family rather than negative criticism.

[Tim]

Another Mom wrote:

<quoted text>
... As a matter of fact, I went to a dealership just this past weekend to look at my options of trading in my SUV for a minivan, which is my ONLY option for a family of 6. Because I still have a payment on my SUV, there is no possible way for me to afford a trade in. They wouldn't even give me a quote so that they wouldn't insult me...

I am sorry but I do not feel bad for Melanie Stevens. I realize that people can not just switch cars like a drop of the hat. I realize that SUV's are probably not getting good money for trade-in's. But whose fault is it for waiting till $4.00 a gallon to try and sell a gas hog? If you don't want it why would anyone else?(including dealers who sell to every else) Whose fault is it is it for taking out a loan on a vehicle when the vehicle will become worth less than what you owe?(Economics 101: If you need to take a loan out on a car long enough to where the car is worth less than the loan, you can’t afford the car. Get over it.)
There is no excuse for these people. Gas has been on the rise for the past 3-4 years with no one ever saying that it would come back down. They could have chosen to sell their SUVs and Gas Guzzlers years ago but they chose not to because they were not affected all that much by the gas increases. Now it is too late and they will learn a very expensive lesson, things do not last forever. I also think it is great that people are learning supply and demand first hand on both fronts. Consider this a wake up call. gas IS a commodity and you do NOT deserve low prices on it because you are a single hard working american parent. There are millions of single hard working parents in this world that don't even have the option of cutting out driving an SUV or cutting out Mcdonalds for lunch everyday.

[mama knows]

MELANIE wrote:

To all of you with positive feedback back thanks. To the ones who have smartass remarks and know everything, well wake up and read did u hear me complaining at all????? i did not think so all i said was i am limiting the activities this summer. ooooo wow big deal, like i said b4 i would not get crap out of my jeep , it have 189000 plus miles on it. it is paid for so what sense does it make for me to buy a new smaller car, make pymts,extra insurnce. i cant afford it. sorry i am not living the high life, like some of you other are,i have no debt, i dont live higher then my means. i do what has to be done and i dont complain aboit one thing. it is pretty sad that those negative ppl out there think thier crap dont stink and they have ALL the answers, well sweeties wake and smell the coffee.......easier said then done. I bust my ass being a single mother as it is and a speical needs child who has alot of needs, and i dont complain they are my children. I TELL YOU WHAT ALL YOU KNOW IT ALLS BUY MY A SMALLER CAR PAY THE INSURANCE, AND CAR PYMT I WILL DRIVE IT OTHER WISE PUT A CORK IN IT..

Melanie, I don't know how you do it. You are doing a wonderful job. I don't know what you're son with special needs is dealing with, but we have one with asperger's(a form of autism) and depression, ADHD,and Sensory issues-I know the medical costs alone are enough to break someone.
You hang in there!! People who say crap don't have a CLUE how hard it is to be in your shoes.

[MELANIE]

Also, it is not just about me, and my family it is about eveyone else to. IT IS ABOUT GAS PRICES AND WHAT IT IS DOING TO THE ECONOMY....HELLO DID YOU ALL FORGET WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT. PSSTT.

[Tim]

Hellooo wrote:

Im tired of people saying "look at all of those trucks and SUVs with only 1 person in them...."
Sorry, but when I drive to and from work, it is just me. Im not going to bring my family along, just so that I have a full vehicle to make you happy!
Take a look at all of the other vehicles that only have 1 person in them.
Also, I would rather have my BIG SUV for safety reasons.

Great! I absolutely agree with you 100%! I do the same thing (minus the SUV but that is because I like my car). I am glad that we are allowed the option to do this, we live in America. My problem is with the people that do the same thing and then complain about gas prices. My whole point about everything is that everyone has their own choices to make so stop blaming them on other people.(GWB, Exxon Mobile, Gas station employees...)

[Tim]

Hellooo wrote:

Im tired of people saying "look at all of those trucks and SUVs with only 1 person in them...."
Sorry, but when I drive to and from work, it is just me. Im not going to bring my family along, just so that I have a full vehicle to make you happy!
Take a look at all of the other vehicles that only have 1 person in them.
Also, I would rather have my BIG SUV for safety reasons.

Great! I absolutely agree with you 100%! I do the same thing (minus the SUV but that is because I like my car). I am glad that we are allowed the option to do this, we live in America. My problem is with the people that do the same thing and then complain about gas prices. My whole point about everything is that everyone has their own choices to make so stop blaming them on other people.(GWB, Exxon Mobile, Gas station employees...)

[up north wc]

MELANIE wrote:

<quoted text>
well thank you, everyone just seems to think getting a new car is a easy thing, it's not i live on a tight budget. i work part time which is out of my control do to my son's needs. i cant afford to get a new car with full coverage/down payments. and monthly pymts. i do the best i can and i always am with my children playing and we love it so we cant go to the beach as much or do ther things we make things fun no matter were we are, you have one life live it like it was the last day. so to all you know it alls remember KARMA.......

Hang in there! I am praying things get better and soon. I am so worried about my daughters future. Will she be paying 15.00 a gallon!? Yes I notice alot of big truckes now going ungodly under the speed limit to save on gas. I would love to see the tax holiday on gas. 50-60 bucks would mean something to me.

[Walk A Mile]

Everything I've read suggests the savings from a tax holiday would amount to at most $50 spread over the summer - if you fill up once a week, you're only talking a couple of bucks a week. Buy one less Starbucks each week and put that money to repair the horrible roads in W MI.

up north wc wrote:

<quoted text> I would love to see the tax holiday on gas. 50-60 bucks would mean something to me.

[Patrick]

MELANIE wrote:

OK TO EVEYONE WHO IS RAGGING ON ME ABOUT MY JEEP....... I COULD SELL IT BUT WOULD NOT GET NOTHING OUT OF IT. PLUS IF YOU ALL WANT TO START A CAR FUND DONATIO UP FOR ME GO FOR IT... OR JUST STOP RAGGING ON ME.. I AM MAKEING THE BEST OUT OF IT AND IT WAS THE NEWS THAT CALLED ME . NOT ME CALLING THEM. COME ON OVER AND RUN MY WEEK WITH ME. TILL YOU KNOW A STORY DONT HATE. THATS IS WHY THE WORLD IS THE WAY IT IS.

Melanie- can you get on a computer? I'll help you by telling you before gas prices go up if you want... like I do for others as well. Just check out www.thegasgame.com :)

Patrick

[Tim]

MELANIE wrote:

To all of you with positive feedback back thanks. To the ones who have smartass remarks and know everything, well wake up and read did u hear me complaining at all????? i did not think so all i said was i am limiting the activities this summer. ooooo wow big deal, like i said b4 i would not get crap out of my jeep , it have 189000 plus miles on it. it is paid for so what sense does it make for me to buy a new smaller car, make pymts,extra insurnce. i cant afford it. sorry i am not living the high life, like some of you other are,i have no debt, i dont live higher then my means. i do what has to be done and i dont complain aboit one thing. it is pretty sad that those negative ppl out there think thier crap dont stink and they have ALL the answers, well sweeties wake and smell the coffee.......easier said then done. I bust my ass being a single mother as it is and a speical needs child who has alot of needs, and i dont complain they are my children. I TELL YOU WHAT ALL YOU KNOW IT ALLS BUY MY A SMALLER CAR PAY THE INSURANCE, AND CAR PYMT I WILL DRIVE IT OTHER WISE PUT A CORK IN IT..

Here is my true honest positive feedback. I work with a guy that just sold his SUV. He lives in Rockford and drives to Grand Rapids everyday for work. He just bought a brand new 4 Cylinder Malibu. The money he saves in gas/month pays for his new car payment.
My advice is to figure out how much you actually spend in gas per month.(I.E.$600/ month) Find out what your gas current gas mileage is.(I.E. 15 MPG) Now lets say you find a car that you like that can get 30 MPG. This would mean that you save $300/month in fuel. There are many newer cars with a lot less than 190,000 miles which means more reliable and more efficient that you could easily get into for $200 a month leaving room for any increase in insurance which probably won't be much. This doesn't even bring into the picture any extra money you could get out of your jeep by trading it in or selling it on your own. Also keep in mind that as gas prices continue to go up you are saving that much more money with the new vehicle.

[MELANIE]

Tim wrote:

<quoted text>
I am sorry but I do not feel bad for Melanie Stevens. I realize that people can not just switch cars like a drop of the hat. I realize that SUV's are probably not getting good money for trade-in's. But whose fault is it for waiting till $4.00 a gallon to try and sell a gas hog? If you don't want it why would anyone else?(including dealers who sell to every else) Whose fault is it is it for taking out a loan on a vehicle when the vehicle will become worth less than what you owe?(Economics 101: If you need to take a loan out on a car long enough to where the car is worth less than the loan, you can’t afford the car. Get over it.)
There is no excuse for these people. Gas has been on the rise for the past 3-4 years with no one ever saying that it would come back down. They could have chosen to sell their SUVs and Gas Guzzlers years ago but they chose not to because they were not affected all that much by the gas increases. Now it is too late and they will learn a very expensive lesson, things do not last forever. I also think it is great that people are learning supply and demand first hand on both fronts. Consider this a wake up call. gas IS a commodity and you do NOT deserve low prices on it because you are a single hard working american parent. There are millions of single hard working parents in this world that don't even have the option of cutting out driving an SUV or cutting out Mcdonalds for lunch everyday.

DID I ASK FOR U OR ANYONE ELSE TO FEEL SORRY OR BAD FOR ME??????/...NO...... I DIDNT , I ALSO SAID I WILL JUST CUT BACK ON THINGS, AND I DONT GO OUT TO EAT AND GET EXTRA'S IF I DONT NEED THEM, ALSO I BOUGHT THIS JEEP 7 YRS AGO, IT WAS USED THEN. AND AGAIN READ ALL MY POSTS...... I AM NOT COMPLAINING . I SIMPLY SAID I WILL HAVE TO CUT BACK ON THINGS IS ALL WHY DONT YOU PPL READ EVERYTHING B4 YOU POST.

[Walk A Mile]

Patrick and Tim, way to go guys! I'll add my own 2 cents worth here. Over the last several weeks I've been trying to improve my '98 Buick's fuel efficiency and have consistently seen an improvement of about 10%. I drive about 90 miles each day, primarily highway. I had been averaging about 25mpg but am now about 28mpg.

How? I finally started to practice some of the tips you hear - first, I take my time getting up to speed from a stop and I take my foot off the gas long before I reach the stop light so I'm coasting longer. Second, I cut my speed on the highway from 75 to 70 - only adds a 3-4 minutes to my drive each day. Third, I manage my cruise control better - instead of hitting the resume button after slowing for traffic in front of me, I take my time accelerating back to cruising speed instead of letting the cruise control floor it to get back to speed.

That's it and I've consistently gotten about 10% better fuel efficiency over the last few weeks. The key is to be constantly aware of my driving so that hopefully it will become habit before long. Give it a try for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference for you.

[Anonymous]

I make an extremely decent living and after gas and daycare I make sure I only eat one very small meal a day so I can afford my sons needs and the simple must haves, a house, electricity and hot water. I don't know how much longer we can do it. You just want to give up. You can't help but feel that way.