How are the Gas Prices Affecting Your Life?

If you are among the working class I am sure gas prices are hitting your pockets hard. I am definitely feeling the pinch, or better yet the slap from the current gas situation. My life has drastically changed and although I drive an economy car, the word "economy" is not really an applicable title for my car at this moment. It used to be an economy car when the gas was averaging $1.89 or so even $2.00 at the pump. I was still feeling like I was a part of the forward thinking save money I don't need a big fancy car to define me club.

I feel an unwelcome tightening in the pit of my stomach at the thought of going to the gas station. When my tank gets low its akin to going on a treasure hunt to find the cheapest gas in town. I know I am not the only one on this treasure hunt. I drive all over town looking for a few cents off here and there, usually only to end up paying two cents less and burning up more fuel in the process. Before gas prices soared into the stratosphere, I would chit chat throughout the day with my girlfriends about the latest fashions or who dumped who, now it's about "girl the gas station down the street has gas for $3.99 a gallon!"

Even my eating habits have changed going to the grocery store used to be a wonderful food finding adventure trying to satisfying my appetite with the best cuts of meat, cheese from the deli, and the more expensive better tasting loaf of bread, now its either buy that steak and get half a tank of gas or buy that ground beef and fill it up! I am making light commentary on this subject but in reality gas prices are affecting all income levels throughout America low income citizens getting the worst of it. More cases of gas theft are on the rise. I have heard stories of people unable to go to work because they do not have enough gas to get them to work and back home again. I find myself lending or borrowing money to and from friends for gas, not to pay a bill or rent, but to purchase petrol. Even the pawn shops are seeing a rise in business from all walks of life, from the upper echelon of society to the upper middle class and below. All in search of cash for gas.

Gas prices are indirectly affecting the cost goods we use on a daily basis. Of course we know food prices are increasing, as a direct result of transportation expenditures. If you notice an increase in clothing prices it may be a trickle down effect of gas prices. Many people are getting rid of the extra "luxuries" such as a home phone, cable, Internet also decreasing 401K contributions, and other investments in order to lessen the effect of high gas prices.

I can imagine our entire economy collapsing because of the price of gas, I know this may be the worst case scenario, but already we are seeing this crisis influence food prices, the car industry, the mortgage industry, it is a trickle down effect. Our dollars are being stretched thinner and thinner, I am learning to become more diligent in saving a dollar and trying to ride out the difficult times wishing for a yesterday when gas prices were under two bucks a gallon. Ah the good old days.