# Gas Prices



## BBQ Mikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Heard on the news in Pittsburgh PA that gas prices would be going up 75 cents in the next week.

Currently the average is about 3.31/gallon regular unleaded.


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## Barbara L (Mar 26, 2008)

My daughter only had $10 to put in her car yesterday, and it made me sick that it didn't even buy 3 gallons.  It is around $3.60 here (I'm visiting in North San Diego County), but James said it is still around $3.20 at home (South Carolina).  Diesel is up to $4.15 here in California (at least it was late last week--who knows what it is up to now).

Barbara


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## suziquzie (Mar 26, 2008)

we are at 2.99 here but that was yesterday. 
3.09 last week. 
I wont even start on how i feel about it, but i may be looking for more 2 ingredient meals that last 3 weeks pretty soon.....


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## pdswife (Mar 26, 2008)

No kidding.. if it goes up any more I 
won't be able to afford to drive to work.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 26, 2008)

75 cents in one week?  What on earth did the report refer to for justification?  I'm off to fill up the car (it's $3.249 here)


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 26, 2008)

Sounds like the oil execs need to upgrade their jets and yatchs and want some more summer homes...


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## VeraBlue (Mar 26, 2008)

Shortly after the Katrina devastation, gas prices rocketed to 3.15 per gallon almost overnight.  It made no sense, considering the excuse the management (and I use that term lightly) used was that the rigs in the gulf were damaged.  Was there not a drop in reserve, or are we pulling it out of the ground and directly into our cars?  If that were the case, then sure, 3.15 overnight would make sense.  Were the rigs in the gulf the only places we get our gas from?  All our gas is produced in the gulf?  If that's the case, should we not build a big bubble like dome over the gulf, to protect those rigs?   What actually happened was management floated a test balloon.  Let's see what happens if we use a natural disaster to loonishly raise the price of gas per gallon.  If I remember correctly, gas was in the middle $2 range at the time.  It skyrocketed before the second week of September.  No one said boo.  No one cried foul.  People just continued to fill up, paying whatever it took.  Management was happy.  The test balloon was a huge success and reports were produced accordingly.  Sure, they lowered it again, and boy, were they not the heros of the day for doing that?  

People can bandy about the words supply and demand, but a point was proven.  The market could and would withstand exorbitant prices and inflation.  Then, slowly, it's been creeping back towards the $3 range, and passed it, a couple of weeks ago.  Tbone Pickens (or whatever his name is) assured us, just this morning, that crude oil will never drop below the three digit marker for the remainder of 2008.  Gee, considering this is only the third month of 2008, he just told us we've got another 9 months of this, at least.  Can anyone say $4.50 with me?  Do I hear $5?

What will it take for people to wake up and protest this?  What will it take for more fuel efficient vehicles to be created?  What will it take to get people who drive gas guzzlers to realize the party is over?  When will the air of entitlement end?   Where, for the love of peace, is the hue and cry????

With all the sincerity and in all frankness I ask, how can we sleep while our beds are burning?


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## suziquzie (Mar 26, 2008)

i work 20 miles away from work.... i am seriously considering walking....
but i could get eaten by a bear on the way. 
i think over the length of a year however, the hospital bill would be cheaper than driving.... and my car gets 30 mpg.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 26, 2008)

I wanna know who lit my bed on fire and why? What did my bed do to them?

Seriously,
What kills me are all the Hummers and full size SUV's being driven around town... with only one person in them....what the??? And the huge 4x4's, exactly what do they think they are going to encounter in suburbia during the average day that they will need that to get thru??
I know we have a lot of pot holes out here... but that seems like overkill there....


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## AMSeccia (Mar 26, 2008)

Guilty!  We have a Tahoe, but we have a boat to pull.  It started out as a fishing boat, but has turned into a summer cottage on the water.  It's not a status thing for us.  A vehicle is a tool, and in our case we need a heavy duty tool.  The mid-size SUVs don't offer any fuel efficiencies over the full size, by the way.  We travel from here to UP very often and I can't say there's an inch of extra space when we have the kids and our stuff packed up, not to mention pets.  And yes, we have literally gotten stuck in the snow, unable to move, when we traveled in cars.  If you haven't been to Michigan's UP, it really is the Great White North!  Look at a map of Michigan ... my parents are very Eastern Central ... 26 miles from Lake Superior shoreline and 40 miles from Lake Michigan.  You can imagine when two storms collide ... you NEED 4x4, trust me!

But we do try to use the car for the majority of our commuting outside of those trips, as it gets MUCH better gas mileage!  I really don't our vehicle choices are about "entitlement" but if I work two jobs and choose to haul a boat all summer instead of spending a week or two in the Carribean, at least my vacation dollars stay here in the USA!  (I was trying to find a bright spot in my argument).


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 26, 2008)

But the thing is AMSeccia, you have a reason for owning an SUV, a legitimate use for it. Its the ones that live in Chicago and suburbs, dont haul anything with em, and dont go into snow areas that bug me...


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## Steamboater (Mar 26, 2008)

I don't even have a car but feel so sorry for those working on minimum wage when we have some politicians who were and are against rasing the minimum wage yet vote to give themselves raises. How can minimum wage workers deal with this and afford to drive to work? Even the middle class is having a hard time. The answerI suppose is to have a president who gives a you-know-what and really does something about this. We'll never see gas prices go below $3.00 again though and now the summer is upon us and prices will go even higher. It always does in spring and summer. 
     Politicians who support the gas companies more than they support Americans suffering under these prices are more concerned with the monies they get for their political campaigns from these companies and those associated with them. The crunch has nothing to do with so-called entitlements either. We're in a war, a reckless war that should have never been fought with billions spent every month for a hopeless cause and it goes on and on like the Energizer battery. All that money poured into a dark endless pit.


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## Llamaso (Mar 26, 2008)

Just remember when gas is 6.00 a gallon you will remember the good ol' days of now.


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## Steamboater (Mar 26, 2008)

When? Like next month?


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 27, 2008)

Llamaso said:


> Just remember when gas is 6.00 a gallon you will remember the good ol' days of now.


 
I remember when the average price was 19.9 cents/gallon and during a "price war" you could get it for as cheap as 11.9 (1960's).

I don't have to wait for gas to get to $6/gal to remember the good old days.


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## sattie (Mar 27, 2008)

It's our dependence on gas that is making it so high. We need it, they know they can hike the price and we will still buy it. I really like luxury cars and what not, but for me, it has come to what is best for the environment and how can I reduce my dependence on gas. I work from home 2 to 4 days a week. To save gas, to help cut emissions, and to reduce my dependence on gas. I know there are jobs that your physical presence is required. But even then, there are options. Lots of them.

I don't get the large gas guzzling vehicles that most feel that they need to have. I know some folks have a valid need for them. But even then I would have to re evaluate what I really need and what I can do without.

I can go on on about this... gas, debt (I truly think folks need to live within their means instead of running up CC debt.) 

I guess my thought is stop complaining about it and do something. I don't think the price of gas is going to get better.

Apologies to anyone I may have teed off, that is not the intent.


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## Dave Hutchins (Mar 27, 2008)

I live on ssi which is not much as most all ready know and I drive  small Nissan truck and for it's age get 25mpg.  That being said I can barely afford to go get grocerys when needed.  Some thing has got to give, when you can't afford to drive to the store for supplys


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## VeraBlue (Mar 27, 2008)

Just wanted to clarify what I mean when I say entitlement.  With the exception of the limited energy crisis of the 70s, Americans have not been asked to sacrifice anything at all since WWII.  Prior to that, it was the Depression of the 30s.  My point is entire generations have grown up not knowing what it means to save a little something for the next guy or for a rainy day.  There are resources in the world that, as a nation, for the most part, we feel belong to us.  Statistically, we are the biggest consumers of just about everything on the planet.   
Like others have said, some people really do need to drive an SUV.  Those people are in the minority, however.   Most drive them because they want to.


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## suziquzie (Mar 27, 2008)

VeraBlue said:


> Just wanted to clarify what I mean when I say entitlement. With the exception of the limited energy crisis of the 70s, Americans have not been asked to sacrifice anything at all since WWII. Prior to that, it was the Depression of the 30s. My point is entire generations have grown up not knowing what it means to save a little something for the next guy or for a rainy day. There are resources in the world that, as a nation, for the most part, we feel belong to us. Statistically, we are the biggest consumers of just about everything on the planet.
> Like others have said, some people really do need to drive an SUV. Those people are in the minority, however. Most drive them because they want to.


 
well said. the "me generation" has become "me world".


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## Adillo303 (Mar 27, 2008)

There are some things that you can do. I am sorry that I do not yet have enough posts to allow me to post URL'S, but, go to www. gasbuddy. com and you can find the least expensive places in your area to buy fuel. Sign up on the site and participate. Reward those that charge us less.

Try to work at least some mass transit into your life, if it is available.

Most of all vote. Whoever is in must go out. They are not working. If the leaders really fealt accountable to the people, they would act.

Our continued apathy allows this to happen.

BTW, we are still paying less than the world price for gas.


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## Bilby (Mar 27, 2008)

I paid A$1.47/L the other day and it had just dropped by 1c/L. It always goes up over Easter here.  Not sure what that equates to in US$/gallon.  Our price is based on the Singapore market, and yet, when something happens in the US or in the Middle East, our prices go up as well - immediately.  In WA, we have a program called FuelWatch run through our Ministry of Fair Trading (DOCEP) which limits petrol stations changing their prices within a 24-hour period. They have to advise DOCEP what their price will be the next day and stick to it.  It has put a stop to the ridiculous fuel wars that did nothing for anyone really, or at least only a few customers before the fuel sold out.  Service stations proprietors certainly didn't profit from it.


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## simplicity (Mar 27, 2008)

Gas at my local Houston station was $3.20 yesterday for regular unleaded.

For 30 years we have been told to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Few listened.

As Pogo said  "We have met the enemy and he is us."


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## Steamboater (Mar 27, 2008)

VeraBlu; I absolutley agree. The difference between now and the 1930's is that we're bombarded with things to buy. There's no quiet spaces any more. You can't even pull up at a gas station without music blaring, an attempt to sell recordings and those who make them. Walk into a Walmart and thousands of items are spilling off the shelves. Everyone is trying to sell something so we get a society overwhelmed with products and one that fills their lives up with THINGS. 
     These SUVS have become dinosaurs and the automobile industry finally has gotten the message I think, so maybe that's the only thing that's good that's come out of this gas price crisis. Still, if gas went below $3.00 a gallon tommorow (fat chance), who knows?
     It's infuriating that we have a president who like another president--Herbert Hoover--mouths something akin to "Prosperity is just around the corner"; it's the same tact he's taken with this war in Iraq with victory is just around the corner. Apply that victory to the current recession (and we are in one) and we're in deep doo doo.


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## Steamboater (Mar 27, 2008)

Bilby: There's an old saying, "When America coughs, the rest of the world gets a cold." In this case, we're have the cold and it just might be pneumonia for everyone else. That law in your country requiring a 24 hour notice of price change is a good one but the bottom line is still, the price goes up.


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## Adillo303 (Mar 27, 2008)

On another website, I read a fairly detailed discussion of gas pricing. While it used to be supply and demand, blah, blah, blah. Now it is more the commodities market. Fuel is made and then sold on the comodities market. The producers, shippers and refiners are now out of the picture. The commodities traiders / companies in some, or many, cases still own the fuel after it is delivered to the station. They can then control the price on a daily basis. Even to the loss of the fuel station operator. Here is the pertinant date:

This is a long story but i will make it short,The fuel prices are changed daily by the brokers that are holding the paper on the fuel in the stations tanks(hopefully the little guy has not paid for his upon delivery), they do this around 4:00 pm daily( most stations make .03 to .07 per gallon), As for price , gas / fuel to make it to 2.96 per gallon at the pump you need $98.00 crude, have we seen that no. There are to many people trading in oil paper creating a false demand,You can also blame a lot of the Shortages on the electronic chalk boards that these comodities are traded on , no records are saved on these and you can buy your own oil and run up the price and it is never recorded. also watch the supply chain as they move the oil around the country it causes a shortage because it is not here anymore it is over there.The inventories never change it just shows up the next week when it has stopped moving around.In short the oil is here , they need to stop playing games and let this country get back on it's feet.
Check out this site every Wed. about 12:30 EST.


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## Bilby (Mar 29, 2008)

Steamboater said:


> Bilby: There's an old saying, "When America coughs, the rest of the world gets a cold." In this case, we're have the cold and it just might be pneumonia for everyone else. That law in your country requiring a 24 hour notice of price change is a good one but the bottom line is still, the price goes up.


Haha!! Tell me about it!! I keep on getting sent letters from my bank telling me that my mortgage has gone up and would I like to change my direct debit, but before I have had a chance to evaluate, sign the form and send it back they have sent me another one telling of another rate rise!!  And why is this happening? Cos the US bank's mortgage scheme problems - not ours!!! With this last rise, I will be spening about 44% of my net income on my mortgage each week.

All I can say is would you guys take some cough medicine!!!


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## AMSeccia (Mar 29, 2008)

Bilby, I genuinely feel for you and your mortgage pains.  And for the person on SSI, I also feel for you ... if it's any consolation I have invested a fortune in SSI and it probably won't even be there when I need it (like many others).  

I am not convinced it's just American gas consumption that is affecting our prices, either domestic or worldwide.  Everything seems to be made or packaged from petroleum products.   And it's not just Americans, that argument is getting old and almost offensive.  Many of us DO care, and DO teach our offspring about preservation for future generations.  How much CRAP comes from overseas is made from plastic derived from petroleum products.  Did you realize that adhesives and silicones to make labels contains those products?  So does your toilet paper and paper toweling ... it's is essentially adhesive additives that give those products their strength.

My point is that there is more to this than the obvious urban yuppie driving a hummer down I-94.


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## Steamboater (Mar 29, 2008)

Bilby: I got a flu shot and that still still didn't help. That's terrible about what's happening to you and others. Thankfully, I rent but who knows? My landlord could lose his morgtage and then I'd have to look for another apartment. Here in Sacramento, California so many people have lost their homes and are moving into aprtments so the rentals have gone sky high. I could almost live in San Francisco for what one bedrooms and studios are going for here now.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 29, 2008)

That was in the paper yesterday, I think. DW was reading about banks foreclosing on rental apartments then raising the rent way up. They wanted to recoup their money but instead they end up with a vacant building which drives local house prices down which means in turn they end up with even less money...
If this is their idea of turning things around, then I think they need to change their hiring practices and hire someone with a wee bit more brain power. They even have banks here saying they would rather foreclose than give the mortgage holder a break on the interest so they can hold onto the house.
How dumb is that???


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## Bilby (Mar 30, 2008)

Everything being said here is identical to what's said here.  The general feeling here is irrespective of who is in power, politicians and head honchos of banks etc, have no idea how the average person is suffering financially. Last weekend there was a story of middle-income earners having to get food from the soup kitchens to feed their families while still going to work in the city in a suit.

Perth, in particular, has recently undergone an economic boom due to the mining in the North-West.  Everything has gone up here. We became the most expensive Australian city to live in, esp for housing and rent. Only thing is, unless you are directly involved with the mining boom, you haven't got any extra money, only bigger bills.  Sucks!


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## AmericaWestCMH (Mar 30, 2008)

Up to $3.38 in central Illinois for 87.

US gas consumption is actually down >1%, but declining inventories are propping the price up.  

The solution won't be making everyone buy a Prius, that is only delaying the inevitable.   Car-dependent suburban living is not sustainable no matter what you drive.  Mass transit isn't even the answer to current lifestyles, since it just isn't practical in low-density exurbs.

So what's the appeal in spending hours in a car everyday just to come home to a cookie-cutter community with no access (except by car) to basic services?




> As for price , gas / fuel to make it to 2.96 per gallon at the pump you need $98.00 crude, have we seen that no.



Actually, we have (it was $112 less than 2 weeks ago).  Oil has risen dramatically while refined gasoline has remained relatively cheap.  Gasoline refiners have been getting killed with $100+ oil and market gasoline prices well under $2.50 until the past couple of weeks.

If you think gas is going to $4/gallon, buy some refiner stocks.  Many are near their 52-week lows going into driving season.


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## CharlieD (Mar 30, 2008)

The gas went up in price again. It was $3.15 on Friday. Suzie, I also drive 20 miles to work and in the morning I have to make 10 mile detour to drop kids of in school and the day care. I don’t know about bears, but we’d for sure freeze if we decided to walk to work.  Speaking of sacrifices. I don’t even remember when I bought any close for my self, or kids or even my wife for that matter. Thank G-d for my in-laws, for every birthday they pay for close shopping, and they have been very generous. For the last 5 years I’ve been gradually making less and less money. It’s not normal, with everything going up in price.


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## TanyaK (Jun 4, 2008)

Diesel went up AGAIN last night - we're now paying $5.51/gallon - around 30% more than it was at the beginning of the year. Has it gone up that much where you live?(I see the last post was end March)
(Apparently we're going to really see the effects on the food prices in the next 2-4 months - as if it hasn't already gone up enough:-(


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## suziquzie (Jun 4, 2008)

Gas here is $4 a gallon, diesel $4.50 something I think, maybe higher. 
Ouch.


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## Andy M. (Jun 4, 2008)

I filled up the other day and paid $4.10 for a total over $64.00! That's for a car, not an SUV or truck.


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## suziquzie (Jun 4, 2008)

My husband drives a semi..... he's never been so glad about his decision to sell his and drive for a big company again. 
He filled up last night, it was $650!!! It was costing about $400 about the time he sold his. I can guarantee you we would have been living in it if he had kept it. Rates have not gone up at all.


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## LadyCook61 (Jun 4, 2008)

gas prices here are $4.06 a gallon.


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## GB (Jun 4, 2008)

I do not know what I am going to do. I work an hour away and DW works about 30 minutes away. We both transport kids during out commute so we can not entertain a scooter or motorcycle option. There is no public transportation that would work for us either. We can't even carpool because of having to transport the kids, not that that is even an option anyway.

Right now we are spening about $130 in gas each week.


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## Adillo303 (Jun 4, 2008)

I don't know if anyone will find this helpful or not, but, GasBuddy.com - Find Low Gas Prices in the USA and Canada is a site from which you can pick your state and see the lowest gas prices. You can also join and report prices. It may not be enough to make a big difference, but, if those that charge a little less get more business than those that charge a lot they may see a message. 

BTW if you can take the shock, they also show the highest prices, to help you know who to avoid.

AC


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## GB (Jun 4, 2008)

We have been trying to fill up on Sundays. There are two stations down the road that have $.05 off per gallon each Sunday. It is not a huge savings, but it is something.


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## middie (Jun 4, 2008)

The prices very here from station to staion.
One station has it at 3.93.
Another one has ir for 3.99.


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## AMSeccia (Jun 4, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> My husband drives a semi..... he's never been so glad about his decision to sell his and drive for a big company again.
> He filled up last night, it was $650!!! It was costing about $400 about the time he sold his. I can guarantee you we would have been living in it if he had kept it. Rates have not gone up at all.


 
Well, if the carrier's aren't increasing their rates, where are my fuel surcharges going?  I buy industrial chemicals in bulk tankers, and the fuel surcharges are as much as 35%!


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## AMSeccia (Jun 4, 2008)

p.s.  Regular unleaded here is $3.94 to $3.99, didn't notice what diesel was getting.  It'll go up this afternoon after that lightning strike in TX, just watch!


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## suziquzie (Jun 4, 2008)

not everyone charges a fuel surcharge.


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## pugger (Jun 4, 2008)

*4.59 - 4.79 Here*



suziquzie said:


> Gas here is $4 a gallon, diesel $4.50 something I think, maybe higher.
> Ouch.



I've seen Diesel from 4.59 to 4.79 here for the last week. It got so bad we bought a Honda Accord Monday. I had the diesel truck washed at lunch - it will spend most of its time now in the garage. 

This is really awful.


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## bananafeller (Jun 4, 2008)

wow you guys have it good here in montreal it just went to 5.50$can/gal which is about the same 5.40$ us/gal. of course we sell it by litres so it 1.45/L here which is still cheap compared to europe where it is ~2.10us$/L


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## MexicoKaren (Jun 4, 2008)

The oil industry here in Mexico has been nationalized since 1938, and Mexico does not import any oil - it is energy self-sufficient. We pay the equivalent of $2.20 USD per gallon of gas. Guess we landed in a good place.........I feel so bad for people who can barely afford to drive to work, let alone take family vacations this summer.


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## Nige (Jun 4, 2008)

Ha ha ha i wish i could pay your 'inflated prices'  over here in the UK its a heck of a lot higher.  It's nearly £6 a gallon for deisel so thats 11.73US$  per imp gallon (4.54 litres)

I guess one good thing is that it will help clear the old gas guzzling monsters off the road that screw up the environment :s

Nige


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## Saphellae (Jun 4, 2008)

> wow you guys have it good here in montreal it just went to 5.50$can/gal which is about the same 5.40$ us/gal. of course we sell it by litres so it 1.45/L here which is still cheap compared to europe where it is ~2.10us$/L



Exactly Banana.. it STINKS!  In Ontario it's $1.25 (I just did a trip for a job interview).  Cross the border here into Quebec and it jumps up 20 cents.  

BLEH!!  I am driving 8 hours tomorrow to Chibougamau and 8 hours back on Sunday and man its going to be expensive on gas!!!!!


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## suziquzie (Jun 4, 2008)

You know what Nige.....
Higher is higher no matter where you are. Nobody is used to it.
To tell someone that their gas is $1 less a gallon so they shouldn't complain is just not nice. 
Everyone is hurting, everyone is doing what they can to offset the monetary issues affecting thier livelihood. 
Some have to cut more than others can imagine, they do what's needed and they just don't whine about it.


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## Saphellae (Jun 4, 2008)

Well said Suzi.. prices are going up everywhere.


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## MexicoKaren (Jun 4, 2008)

We have some friends who sold their house and everything else when they retired and bought a very deluxe motor home, intending to travel all over the US and Mexico. Well, you can imagine, at 6 miles per gallon, where they are going these days. Nowhere. Plus, most of the money they had left to live on was invested in the stock market and they have lost about half of it. Very depressing, and not at all the retirement they worked and planned for.


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## mikki (Jun 5, 2008)

It's 4.12 a gal here. it's getting real bad for everyone. And for the people making minimum wage they wont have a choice about working if the prices keep going up it will be cheaper to stay home and not work.


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## Cath4420 (Jun 5, 2008)

OK so on my calculations and given that 1 gallon equals 4.54609 litres here, and we are paying $1.65 AUD per litre so $7.49 AUD per gallon then convert AUD to US dollars, $7.20 per gallon.

Yep, yep, yep.

It is happening everywhere, we can jump by 15c in some places in one day and we don't even get an excuse!!

Our food prices are skyrocketing too, up by 30% in the past 12 months.


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## middie (Jun 5, 2008)

Same here Cath. No reasons for the price hikes. They just happen.
And it's getting way outta hand !


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## Nige (Jun 5, 2008)

middie said:


> Same here Cath. No reasons for the price hikes. They just happen.
> And it's getting way outta hand !



No reason.....

The areas like parts of India and China that were previously very poor are now growing.  Meat is becoming more of a staple in thier diets, I read that it takes 8 times the grain to raise the meat than what they were eating previously.  So the grain price goes up because demand is higher vs supply.  Furthermore, they are buying more consumables which need to be transported and manufactured, add in the cars for more direct oil usage....

I'm afraid the days of relatively cheap food, clothing and transport are on the way out.  You cannot legislate against it,  you shouldn't even moan about it really (sorry about my previous post!) because someone somewhere is now scraping enough together to buy some meat and a 'fridge.   

So in summary, sorry but there are plenty of reasons, it's world economy the very poorest are getting slightly less poor and wanting some of what we have, ergo because of supply and demand prices rise.

*This is in no way intended as any slur or is it aimed at any individual*


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## middie (Jun 5, 2008)

well okay so at least YOU gave a reason unlike other people. Namely the company I work for.


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