Gas Prices - My 2 Cents - Stop Whining!!

[Midnight]

The gas prices in 2004/2004 was a lot cheaper that today. How many of you all would have bought the same car you have now today now with the gas prices as high as they are?

I dont think its whinning. Everything around us is going up on a regular basis, however the pay checks are not doing the same.

Whomever is not feeling it now, I am sure they will sooner or later.

Thats my two cents and I have just spent it.

Midnight

[PureEnjoyment]

Originally Posted by kevenj

Am I living beyond my means? Lets see....

I make $31,000 a year (probably a small fracton of your income and most other on this forum) and yet:
-I own my own home valued at about $160,000 (2 years ago it would have brought $200K plus) and my mortgage balance is $46,000
-my cars are my cars, not the bank's. I'm 44 years old and never had anything close to a 'new' car until the 300C.
-I have absolutely no debt (except my mortgage).
-I have well in excess of your "6 months" living expenses in cash in the bank, plus 2 brokerage accounts (one is an IRA).

I'll admit I've had some very good luck in the past and have made some money in the stock market (due to my dad's financial wisdom that I at least had sense enough to listen to) but I think it's fair to say that I do manage my money extremely well; I am not living beyond my means and yes, gas prices are really starting to hurt me. So far it's just annoying that I worked hard and was able to buy a really nice car and truck that I can no longer afford to drive regularly. But the ripple effect of higher prices for fuel is just beginning to be noticed. The price of fuel effects farmer's costs, and then there's the obvious cost to truckers, who deliver virtually everything we consume. EVERYTHING is going to skyrocket, and it's going to affect all of us, not just the stupid people who do truly live beyond their means.

I guess in a not-so-funny way your are right though; but it's not that my living standard has increased; rather it is my "means" that have decreased, due to our ever more worthless dollar (which is the real root of the problem and the reason, along with the debacle in Iraq, for the price of oil today).

I'm not looking for horn tooters........like I said if gas prices hurt you .........you're living out of your means........I'm just saying......people cant buy a car thinking they can "get by". I mean i'm not going out and buying a $100k sportscar.....

[PureEnjoyment]

Originally Posted by NVmyC

Well I myself am not one to whine about the gas prices because of the car I own but you do have to understand that it was only a short while ago that gas was less then $2.50 a gallon so in reality this gas hike affects everything that we might do on a normal basis. If someone puts on 1500 miles on there car each month and he/she has to pay .50, .75 or even $1.00 more per gallon then they did last year then tell me where that extra money comes from? How much of a raise does your employer give you annually? I'm sure the normal raise isn't enough to cover the cost of the raised gas prices. Your parents must've been wealthy cause I don't know any people that could just lose there job and have money for all there bills including gas for there car for the next 6 months while they are out of work. You are entitled to your own opinion about the whiners out there bitching about gas prices but I think that you should keep an open mind as to why this is upsetting these people. I'm sure that there are a number of rich people that have done without driving a certain vehicle just because of gas price. IMO you must work for Exxon or Chervon cause you sound kind of like a politician.

My parents started their lives together with $0 to their name. My mom never worked and my dad never made more than $50k/year and worked in a factory his whole life..........and he raised 4 kids

They were not rich by any means....i think their last tax return showed their retired income at under $15k/year. I paid/am still paying for my own college and started my job with $300 in my bank account 3 years ago.......I dont think what i've stated is a big stretch. I am in no way affiliated with an oil company....lol

[Moose]

Originally Posted by kevenj

Am I living beyond my means? Lets see....

I make $31,000 a year (probably a small fracton of your income and most other on this forum) and yet:
-I own my own home valued at about $160,000 (2 years ago it would have brought $200K plus) and my mortgage balance is $46,000
-my cars are my cars, not the bank's. I'm 44 years old and never had anything close to a 'new' car until the 300C.
-I have absolutely no debt (except my mortgage).
-I have well in excess of your "6 months" living expenses in cash in the bank, plus 2 brokerage accounts (one is an IRA).

I'll admit I've had some very good luck in the past and have made some money in the stock market (due to my dad's financial wisdom that I at least had sense enough to listen to) but I think it's fair to say that I do manage my money extremely well; I am not living beyond my means and yes, gas prices are really starting to hurt me. So far it's just annoying that I worked hard and was able to buy a really nice car and truck that I can no longer afford to drive regularly. But the ripple effect of higher prices for fuel is just beginning to be noticed. The price of fuel effects farmer's costs, and then there's the obvious cost to truckers, who deliver virtually everything we consume. EVERYTHING is going to skyrocket, and it's going to affect all of us, not just the stupid people who do truly live beyond their means.

I guess in a not-so-funny way your are right though; but it's not that my living standard has increased; rather it is my "means" that have decreased, due to our ever more worthless dollar (which is the real root of the problem and the reason, along with the debacle in Iraq, for the price of oil today).

Hey, KevenJ - I read your posts and always agree with them. It doesn't surprise me to read what you've done with what you are against. Great job!!

[PureEnjoyment]

Originally Posted by Moose

Hey, KevenJ - I read your posts and always agree with them. It doesn't surprise me to read what you've done with what you are against. Great job!!

I dont mean to come across as an ass and i'm sorry if I did. It obviously sounds like Keven is a hard worker. I'm just saying that If people are considering purchasing a new car and the question pops into their mind, "can I still afford this if fuel costs rise?".......and they are unsure.....that's a clear indicator that people should rethink what they are getting into.

[badger]

All I can say is this - I wish my petrol was as cheap as yours is in America, some people just don't know when they are well off. Current UK price is £1.12 a litre and rising rapidly!!!! (That's about $US2.20 a litre, or to put it another way, not far off $9.00 per US gallon!!!!) That's why my Hemi is converted to run on LPG at $1.16 per litre.
Now, before anyone shoots me down, I have NO debts whatsoever (paid off the mortgage), all the vehicles we own are bought and paid for, and yes I do have money in the bank to survive if we have to. Even with an income of roughly $50k per annum, the rapidly rising fuel costs are hitting hard in this country, so why not compare the cost of fuel as a percentage of average earnings then do the same for us poor souls in the UK?

[Flossin22s]

personally its not the price it self but the fact that companies were making record quarterly profits.........that right there is what bugs me since i've seen people not being able to afford to go to work..........what about the people like my aunt who bought their suv when gas was 1.70 and the go to 3.99 in just three years.


now im really glad i have a v6.....driving 50 miles to work a day, 6 days a week would suck if i had a hemi

[Midnight]

Its a blessing that my 300 has been paid in full for the past 4 years. So yes I can afford the gas prices for right now. Am I going to want to pay $5.50per gallon when it gets that high? Hell to the no, but I will because I have to if I want to drive.

We should be worried about the food as well! Yep, they are starting to cut back on how much of certain items one can buy.

To be honest, it all sucks.

[gfrost]

Originally Posted by PureEnjoyment

I'm sorry, but I can't stand to read these forum posts about people b!tching about the gas prices. Honestly, if gas price hikes are affecting your budget......then you bought a car that was too much of a car for your pocketbook.

I'm sorry, but someone had to say this. I wouldnt go out an buy a hemi if all I could afford was a sebring....that's just common sense. People need to know their limits and come back to reality.

My parents always used to tell me that if you were to lose your job TODAY that you should have enough money in your bank account for the next 6 months to live off of "just in case" to pay every single one of your bills. If slight gas price increases are causing people THIS much harm then they need to re-evaluate what they are doing with their hard earned money because it sound like they arent living within their current budget.

Dude, I dont think you get it! Even if you can afford to pay $20.00 a gallon doesn't mean you have to like it.

Hard working people are getting robbed by the oil companies and all you have to say is "stop b*tching"?!?!?!

Wow!

[Midnight]

Gforst, I agree with you a 100% It affects all of us, rich, middle class or poor. PureEnjoyment is really enjoying himself right now and I hope he will continue to.

Please, we should not take any of our back and forth seriously, its just our thoughts and how we feel about the state of this great nation.

Peace to all,
Midnight