This past weekend in Michigan we hit $4.19 a gallon for gas. Ouch! The higher prices have really been a challenge to my compacting ways. Before, I wouldn't hesitate to run to Saginaw (about 30 miles) or Mt. Pleasant (about 25 miles) to pick up something we needed from Freecycle or Craigslist. Now, not so much. Hitting up yard sales a few towns over is a thing of the past, too. In many cases the cost of gas would be more than buying the item new. Sad, when you think about it.Have the gas prices put a crimp in your compacting/thrifty ways?
(Picture from flickr)
4 comments:
I live in Michigan also. The gas prices have just been something else to worry about for everyone. We live about 1 hour away from the rest of our family. The biggest crunch that we have is that we would see our family much more frequently in the past. They would always be willing to babysit the kids for free. But now, with the gas prices, our free babysitting is very very limited because no one wants to drive back and forth! I don't blame them! We don't want to drive all over either!
Absolutely! I've passed up many things from freecycle because the were over 10 miles away. I only get about 16 miles a gallon so I figure my time and the gas money isn't worth a small free item. I can pick it up at Meijer for the same price, but new, when I head into town once a week to grocery shop! I've also cut back on garage sale-ing to only neighborhood sales, or ones that are literally on my way so I'm not driving all over tim-buck-too!
I think Gas prices have probably been a benifit for me as we just stay home more, realizing we don't really need anything else anyway.
We live in NYC, so no, we have not felt the higher gas prices. Although probably technically as food and goods prices are increasing (or is that the recession that we are supposedly not going through?). It is very strange to me-- to live in a very, very expensive city AND feel that we could not afford to live in a car-dependent community because of the costs. I hope something changes soon, how can families live, thrive and prosper in these times?
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