Gas Prices and the Middle Class in the USA

[munch]

I know I'm probably supposed to avoid anything even bordering on political but its so frustrating.

 

If you are middle class, or lower economic class without any government assistance, its a struggle to come out even these days. Forget about saving. Gas prices are increasing, cost of food increasing, in the NY/NJ area tolls increasing- and not spending anything frivilous, saving is impossible. And if something unexpected comes up and a sum of money is needed to pay for it i.e. car repairs, broken appliances, plumbing issues, etc- Suddenly, its looking like debt.

 

In this society as it is, it is working is only worthwhile if youa re making over a certain amount or under a certain amount and on government assistance. Since many of us can only do so much to get to that upper middle class mark, society and prices as it is now is encouraging a countrproductive, failing society. It doesn't pay for the middle class to work.

 

Getting a job closer to home is not an option because most jobs (here at least) are near a metropolitian area and thus higher prices for rent/buying. So you move further away and spend more on gas, which was a fair option before gas prices began climbing as they do adn tolls keep increasing. Sure, we pass less than Europe and other countries, but we travel further for work. States are the size of countries, and the country is the size of Europe.

 

Sorry to rant but as a couple of two full time + working spouses with a combined almost 100 hour work week (98), we barely come out even - what's to happen as gas and food keep increasing?

[thenabrd]

you're not alone in these thoughts and feelings. last week our gas prices jumped 40 cents a gallon over night, bananas went up 9 cents in under 7 days and it just continues to happen! i could direct you to sites where you can vent about this and learn a lot if you're interested. we're a bunch of people from around the country, concerned with what's happening. let me know and i'll pm you the info.

 

i'm currently on short term medical from my job and i see the dr. this week. i need him to write up any permanent restrictions for me to see if my employer will work with me on them. if they can't or won't, i'll probably be joining the ranks of the unemployed in a few days!

 

hang in there as best as you can! i know i'll have to modify what food i get our birds and even ourselves, but that's just the reality of life right now. please believe me, you really are not alone!!!

[Shelly Yokum]

I feel the same way. My husband is a truck driver, and about this time year before last he took a huge pay cut to keep his job. We had our pay cut in over half. They closed terminals so we had to move over 400 miles so that he could keep his job of 10 years. In the move our rent doubled, and everything went on the rise.

Every time I go the store, I look at the prices and think, the pay is getting smaller, and everything else is getting higher. I don't see how we are suppose to eat with this world, the way it is. Our savings is gone, my child is wearing worn out hand me downs. My car has needed a tune up for quit sometime.

 

I have often thought about getting a job, but for minimum wage, I would only being paying for gas, food, and daycare, and putting us in a higher tax bracket. So what are we to do???

[judygram]

This is a subject that touches on us all and really impacts the people who can least afford it but doesn't it just burn you up when gas keeps going up and so do the profits the oil companies are making, hello something is wrong with this picture!!

[Tagtastic]

I feel your pain. We are moving from our luxury home in a upper class neighborhood (we are not upper class but we got a good lease deal and wanted the kids in top schools) to a much smaller older home (luckily still in the same area so the kids don't have to change schools) so we can save approximately $495 a month. Gas is killing us because we both travel quite a distance to work everyday. My husband has a hybrid but I have a hemi Dodge Durango aka Gas Guzzler!! I have to fill up weekly and it is about $69-73 dollars each time and is only going to get worse. My husband is planning on getting a motorcycle for him to drive and I will be driving the civic hybrid.....well at least most of the time. I can't imagine he is going to want to ride a motorcycle when it gets 100+ here or when it is raining, so we'll see. What's worse is we have 2 kids of driving age (15(permit) 16(license)) and they are going to want a car! So alas, that is why we made the family decision to move. The boys even agreed even though they will be sharing a bedroom. Hopefully we won't regret the move! I will miss my big bathtub!!!

[Butttaxi]

I think it's good to vent from time to time and I doubt anyone will disagree with this topic since most people are feeling the same way.

It isn't any better here in Canada, the price of gas and food keeps going up, as well as electricity and oil for heating

I am actually lucky that I don't drive and it's only about a 20 minute walk to work so I am not affected in the gas department but I have to heat my home and we gotta eat.

my electricity bill is INSANE because I have electric heating...Canadian winters = cold!!!! I think I am more excited about summer this year because I know my bill will reduce several hundred dollars.