GAS COSTS SQUEEZE DAILY LIFE

Gas Costs Squeeze Daily Life



Gas Costs Squeeze Daily Life

In 1990 I started driving. I was never a rich kid and I couldn't always afford to go out and do any number of the things my friends could afford to do. I didn't always have the newest shoes or the most fashionable school clothes. But when I started driving gas cost only a little over a dollar a gallon and just a few dollars could get me around on a Friday night with my buddies or my girlfriend.

Throughout my twenties I was a college student, living on my own and often broke, without much money. When the weekend rolled around I might not have much money to go to a movie or a nice restaurant but I could usually scrape up enough change to put gallon or two worth of gasoline in my car and head off to spend the day at the beach or camping on the river. That was something that was always affordable.

For a livelier weekend my friends and I would load up and head to New Orleans to see a show that wasn't appearing in my hometown or even just to enjoy the nightlife of Bourbon Street. But these days things are much different. I no longer think about that pleasant drive to the beach as an inexpensive way to spend my off day. A trip to the river isn't as financially convenient. And going out of town for the weekend, well that's the furthest thing from my mind.

I rarely go anywhere anymore because quite frankly I can't afford it. I find myself prioritizing and rationing my gas usage in ways that I never did before. If I can at all justify not driving in order to avoid the extra strain on my ...