Fast Food and Rising Gas Costs
June 16, 2008 09:27 AM EDT
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comments: 59
My family consists of my husband and I. We have no children. We usually go out a lot for lunches and things instead of staying in all the time. With gas prices rising though we thought that we should try and cut down a little bit. I mean it's ridiculuous how expensive everything is now, and we are starting to feel the pinch. So this week we stayed in a bunch more. The only trips we made were trips that we had to make anyway. We went and got stamps (and went out to lunch in the same area.) That kind of thing. I'm frustrated though. It seems that it's not making any difference. We are going to spend just about as much filling up the car this week. Our grocery bill is going to be more because we are eating more food here. It just seems that it's not making a difference. I don't see how we could have used so much gas with the few short trips we took, but I guess that's what you get when you live in a rural area and NOTHING is close. It's a sacrifice for my husband and I to stay in, and I guess I just want to see some kind of gain from it. I don't feel like we are though. Anyone else experience anything like this?
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Comments: 59
Bought toilet tissue, kleenex, cleaning supplies, batteries, light bulbs, etc., at Walmart the other night and that was $98!! This is outrageous! Just trying to live is getting to be too much. I think that we are going to start shopping at Sam's in bulk in order to get a bit more for a bit less. Maybe this will help matters some.
Its almost getting too expensive to breathe.
Remember: the more processed and/or packaged an item is, the more it costs. Whole chickens are cheaper than cut up, or boneless skinless; Shifting to "boxed" dinners is probably not going to cut your expenses that much (except, of course for the gas)! You may want to read some of the articles posted here about how to cut food costs, save on groceries, etc.
We're all feeling the pinch. It's no fun:-/
A few months ago, I posted an article about how much of a bite gas was taking out of the average person's salary every month, assuming minimum wage. Back then, I figured a 16-gallon tank of gas a week at what was then a national average of $3.60 would run $230 a month. A person making minimum wage of $5.85 an hour grosses roughly $940 a month, so that price represented nearly 25% of their pre-tax income.
Now that gas prices are another 15% higher on average ($4.12 a gallon at most gas stations near us this weekend), that 16-gallon tank of gas is costing $264.00 a month. That brings the expenditure on gas to 28.5% of a minimum-wage worker's pre-tax income.
Maybe 3% of anything doesn't sound like very much - but consider that an employee at that level is not likely to receive more than a 3% raise in a year. The gas hikes have wiped out any gain they might make in less than three months.
Angel
We had Dairy Queen (for 2) and it was $15!
Thankfully, it was just us and not the kids so ... we buy ice cream (on sale) at the supermarket for us all now. Does this make a difference, no! If we went to DQ like we used to THAT would make us broke so little by little we do our errands and combine them whenever we can. If nothing else it is a good lesson in budgeting and conservation!
Buy lunch meats and bread and condiments. And bulk snacks. Then don't keep running around burning up gas for food all the time. Get a grip on your appetite ~ lol ~ and seriously. . . .Get delivery. Give a tip ~ it costs less than driving. Less wear and tear on the car or SUV or truck.
Word of warning ~ Do not stock up on too much food that will spoil if there is a flood, or a long-term power outage. Don't buy new furnishings that will be ruined in a flood zone.
Hope I've helped a little and that you won't bop me in the head!
Blessings ~
Rene
We've cut out extra things, like a house phone. We just use our cell phones. That alone saves $50 per month. We don't use the AC unless it's really HOT. Fresh air coming through the windows and ceiling fans on helps cool things off and is usually comfortable at night. Extra spending on items we want but don't need has also been cut back.
It is getting bad everywhere and I think it's just going to get worse. There's been a rash of increase in people driving off from gas stations without paying and robberies are up.
It also makes you ride to the store more frequently, which is good.
I find that most soups are cheaper to make than most other types of meals. You can also freeze most soups for a while. (Note: Potatoes do not freeze well, if added in soup--they get grain-y.) You can eat different types of soup each day, and double cook, freeze half, and pull it out a week later.
Toasted cheese and home made tomato soup? That's a comfort meal...
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We are cutting back on certain things such as substituting Sirlion for Filet Mignon (my family loves its steak maybe every ten days we have steak),
eating less meat, more fruits and veggies (not necessarily helpful) and PLANNING TRIPS and MEALS in advance.
I have always been a savy shopper so there is not much more we can do in that arena.
We do some similar low cost activities such as Erin suggested which are very fun and inexpensive.
If you look, there are ways to help out even if they are not HUGE savings.
It is pretty terrible when it's just the two of you and still can't afford to live.
My advice is to buy some things like toilet paper in bulk and live on peanut butter sandwiches for a while if you have to.
I hate that advice myself but, that may what will have to happen for us too.
I have two boys along with my husband to feed and it's very hard to do so these days.
I hope things get better for you soon.
We went out to dinner with my parents and there were only three other occupied tables. Retail and restaurants are suffering in the current economy. We are all suffering. Eating at home is usually less expensive and healthier, because you can control the quality of your food, keeping fats and salt to a minimum.
They'll just take a sharp spike.
OTOH, you might not notice is very easily since prices on gas and food have gone up. It might take a bit more "sleuthing" to see the change in spending habits.
Staying home and rarely eating out these days.