Gas prices up. What are you cutting down on?

**rebecca** · 03-07-2005, 04:06 AM

Due to the price of gas going up what other things are you cutting down on? I have decided to start hanging up some of my clothes I laundry. Don't particular like doing this but with the cost of gas going sky rocket I have to cut back on something. If gas prices continue to go up I will probably take trips closer to home. What will you be cutting down if the price of gas continues?

**Mamawolf** · 03-07-2005, 08:28 AM

Not much I can really cut out, unfortunately.

DH refuses to give up sattelite and I refuse to give up the internet, we are only paying 4.95 for dial-up, and I've strongly resisted DSL and Cable... I guess I'm going to try to condense all my trips as much as possible. No more library trips since it's so far away. I need to read all the books I haven't read here, anyway.

**QuilterMom** · 03-07-2005, 08:28 AM

I honestly don't know. I've got our budget to the bare bones as it is now. I know I'll be looking for community-wide yard sales rather than individual yard sales so I can just park and walk the entire neighborhood rather than drive all over the place from sale to sale.

**jlxian** · 03-07-2005, 11:16 AM

I had been running just about every day to the flea markets in town on my lunch hour break from work. Now I think I may reduce those trips to one day a week.

I am also trying to combine trips/errands as much as possible.

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 03-07-2005, 11:18 AM

We are not cutting back on anything here. But last month, we did trade in a gashog for a new economy car.

**Mommy2five** · 03-07-2005, 11:32 AM

The only way I can think of is when the weather allows I will walk the children to school instead of drive

I like walking them but it's hard to push a stroller up the hill in the snow.

I normally don't run errands but one day a week. I have recently stopped going to the store as often to cut back on my crazy spending so that is allready down too.

My hubby works about 25 miles away thank goodness he has a little car that gas lasts in!

**KKCondrey** · 03-07-2005, 04:55 PM

Not much that we can cut back on anymore either. One good thing is there is only one of driving 30miles round trip now instead of both of us since I am not working at the moment.

Also it helps that the store is only about 2 miles from us where we live now.

Where we use to live we were about 12-15 miles from everything.

**TanyaMT** · 03-07-2005, 05:19 PM

Not specifically because of gas costs, but I'm trying to walk more for small trips as long as I'm not buying a couple gallons of milk or something to carry home! To be honest, I could use the exercise too along with the gas savings.

We are continuing to decrease eating out. That is just not necessary and has become more of a habit than a real desire and we are really saving tons on that. I never thought of it in terms of gas before but we are also saving on gas by not driving out to eat.

**rebecca** · 03-07-2005, 06:42 PM

Like the rest of you I have cut down to the bare bone and to see the gas prices go up makes me sick. Somewhere I heard on the raido that the dollar is getting stronger. Wonder what they were on!:confused?

**Mamawolf** · 03-07-2005, 06:46 PM

Ugh, I hate to do it, but it may be better now for me to walk to the local grocery store about a mile away than drive 13 miles to the Kroger/Wal-Mart, unless I'm already headed there. Only thing I hate is the prices are much higher.

**slowtypinwoman** · 03-07-2005, 07:24 PM

What a wonderful thread!

We are lucky enough to all go to the same place each day. So we will all drive together , even when Michael has something to do after school. Alex and I will wait for him. We will also try to burn the wood stove more. We had gotten lax as it was warming up. I will do laundry on a day that I can hang clothing outside or in the basement.

**Layne** · 03-08-2005, 10:50 AM

Gas prices here have gone up 22 cents a gallon in about 10 days. We are trying to cut back on running errands to only one day a week since we live about 30 miles from town. I have an older Suburban that gets terrible gas mileage, but it's paid for and DH keeps it well maintained. We figured my trip to town and back is costing me about $13.00 in gas so unless its necessary I'm staying put!

**kestrel91316** · 03-08-2005, 11:26 AM

"Ugh, I hate to do it, but it may be better now for me to walk to the local grocery store about a mile away than drive 13 miles to the Kroger/Wal-Mart, unless I'm already headed there. Only thing I hate is the prices are much higher. "

mamawolf:
This is not such a bad thing, walking................1 mile is completely do-able except in bad weather. Walking is a great way to get/stay in great physical shape, keep weight under control, save gas money, save wear-and-tear on the car, etc. Get yourself one of those wire shopping cart/basket thingies on wheels that the little old ladies have and you are in business!

Alternatively, you could bicycle to the store and either have panniers on either side for a couple bags of groceries, or get one of those bicycle trailers for hauling a lot of stuff.

I only walk to my grocery store (admittedly it's only a couple blocks away). If it were farther, I would still do it. I don't have to buy much on any given trip as I am single. I love it when people ask if I "exercise" to keep my nice figure and I say no, I just walk (a gym is unnecessary).

**Mamawolf** · 03-08-2005, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by kestrel91316
"Ugh, I hate to do it, but it may be better now for me to walk to the local grocery store about a mile away than drive 13 miles to the Kroger/Wal-Mart, unless I'm already headed there. Only thing I hate is the prices are much higher. "

mamawolf:
This is not such a bad thing, walking................1 mile is completely do-able except in bad weather. Walking is a great way to get/stay in great physical shape, keep weight under control, save gas money, save wear-and-tear on the car, etc. Get yourself one of those wire shopping cart/basket thingies on wheels that the little old ladies have and you are in business!

Alternatively, you could bicycle to the store and either have panniers on either side for a couple bags of groceries, or get one of those bicycle trailers for hauling a lot of stuff.

I only walk to my grocery store (admittedly it's only a couple blocks away). If it were farther, I would still do it. I don't have to buy much on any given trip as I am single. I love it when people ask if I "exercise" to keep my nice figure and I say no, I just walk (a gym is unnecessary).

I know, I know, it'll do me some good.

I've just gotten used to being lazy. I don't own a bicycle, though I would absolutely love one. I just got a jogging stroller for ds last time at Wal-Mart for only $9! It has a pretty large basket, so for just small weekly purchases of perishables, it would be perfect for me to take ds up there while the other two are in school. Perhaps with the gas money I save, I can buy a bike.

**kestrel91316** · 03-08-2005, 11:42 AM

Mamawolf: Well, then, it sounds like with the stroller you are good to go! Walking is so much fun, and gets easier the more you do it. I walk home from work a few times a week (3 miles )...........in the beginning I couldn't do it briskly, and was fatigued afterward. Now a year later I walk it briskly and don't feel it at all........I could turn around and go right back! And my ample derriere has flattened oh so nicely, LOL