The last couple of weeks, we've been paying around $4.59 per gallon. It's painful, but, it hasn't reduced our amount of driving as we split our time between PA and NY—unfortunately, it's just something that we need to deal with each week.
Gas Prices: What Are You Paying? Does it Change Your Driving Habits?
- Thread starter scloyd
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Our normal driving hasn't changed much, we are seeing ~$5/gal for premium and $5.50 for diesel. We have significantly reduced our boat and motorhome use though due to fuel prices.
As I said in my original post, the gas prices really hasn't changed our driving habits. Being retired, I don't have to drive everyday. I spent 30 years working for an electric utility and some of those years I commuted 110 miles a day. That would definitely make a dent in a person budget.
true karam
I have a friend who works for the local council on rubbish collection.his pay 450 euros a month.
many peoples pensions are around this amount too.My health insurance together with my wife 3800 euros a year
I am lucky having a company pension and when I reach 67 also an English state pension.
It may be expensive but i love it here,i wouldnt return to the UK
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@karam im surprised Greece is expensive like that, there is a common misconception the southern European countries are saved all the time by the northern EU members (no offense @JOHN72 and @Ag®o haha ?) by sending big bags of money and you guys still retire at 50 on a comfortable state retirementfund. Again, only misconceptions.
The 800 euros a month for electricity and gas is for the people that get a new offer from their utilities or that don't have a contract with a supplier. Our present government had big mouths "look at us being generous" about the small cut in tax they gave, 400 euros over the whole year is nothing against the present energy prices. We have had cases where suppliers of energy could not offer their contractual price anymore and went bankrupt.
But again not complaining, I'm fortunate I live in a well isolated house, have solar panels which produce enough to heat my house and my gas use went down 85% because I heat and cool my house with a AC unit. For the rest of the 15% I'll have to invest 25K+ into my present house which isn't feesable.
The 800 euros a month for electricity and gas is for the people that get a new offer from their utilities or that don't have a contract with a supplier. Our present government had big mouths "look at us being generous" about the small cut in tax they gave, 400 euros over the whole year is nothing against the present energy prices. We have had cases where suppliers of energy could not offer their contractual price anymore and went bankrupt.
But again not complaining, I'm fortunate I live in a well isolated house, have solar panels which produce enough to heat my house and my gas use went down 85% because I heat and cool my house with a AC unit. For the rest of the 15% I'll have to invest 25K+ into my present house which isn't feesable.
This is perhaps the only benefit of being housebound.
Three months ago I watch my beloved Skoda Fabia 1.4 being loaded onto a trailer after sitting in my carpark for nigh on 3 years doing nothing.
Petrol over here is absolutely raging....£1:70 per litre at last count (about £6:40 UK gallon, or ~$8 US gallon).
Of course everyone suffers eventually with high fuel costs but at least for me, buying petrol is no longer one of my worries.
Regards,
Jay.
Three months ago I watch my beloved Skoda Fabia 1.4 being loaded onto a trailer after sitting in my carpark for nigh on 3 years doing nothing.
Petrol over here is absolutely raging....£1:70 per litre at last count (about £6:40 UK gallon, or ~$8 US gallon).
Of course everyone suffers eventually with high fuel costs but at least for me, buying petrol is no longer one of my worries.
Regards,
Jay.
With my wife's family in the South of Spain, I sympathize.
At the same time, every time I go to Europe, I marvel at the metros, the bus systems, the trains, the street cars, and the cities and even relatively small towns where it is possible to get where you need to go on foot. Yes, gas is cheap in the U.S.A.--even now with prices higher than usual. But in Europe there is at least a fairly realistic alternative to buying, insuring, maintaining, and yes, putting gas into a car. Personally, I would prefer a great public transportation system and towns designed for pedestrians, if given a choice. But that's just it: here, outside of a few major cities, there isn't a choice.
Long trips, forget it, my ride on lawn mower cost me $16 to fill. Remember this in Nov.
Not to mention taking a lot of shine off driving! My only car commute was on weekends to Eastern L.I. -2-5 hours; dreadful, but worth it. And when I worked in Corte Madera, drove from So. Forty Dock in Sausalito- all of 12 minutes. So, I still enjoy driving most of the time.
Can't complain about prices in the U.S. Here in KC it's about $4.50 a gallon. I only drive 400 miles a month so it isn't too serious to me.
I just left São Paulo a couple weeks ago and was paying about the same, maybe even more in places.
When I filled up for the first time after being out of the country for a long while, the price was somewhere north of R$400. I did a double take to make sure the pump was correct and the guy wasn't messing with me. I've never come anywhere close to that in the past. That used to be the cost of a night in a very nice pousada not too long ago!
But, with the exchange being so good, it didn't affect me and we drove many thousands of kilometres for various things. Really stinks for Brazilians making money in reals though. It's been a steep climb there. Many of my friends have adjusted somewhat because of it, especially those on retirement income.
And, now you have to be extra careful about those gas stations cutting the fuel with cheap alcohol. It was bad before, but now it's like a lottery to pick a good station.
Now in Germany, I just filled up at a little over $2 euro a litre. I drive a small VW here, so it's not bad, but it still adds to the expenses, for sure. However, you can now buy a train ticket valid for a whole month that is just $9 euro to go anywhere on regional trains. I think it will last until September. I expect we will take advantage of that over driving when it is convenient. It doesn't work on the faster long distance trains though. I think it's an excellent response from the government to reduce the gas consumption. Would be awesome if it stayed that way.
Fuel used to be subsidised in the past but the trend was to move to global price equalisation and subsidies stopped around 2004. Gov't is now looking at re-introducing subsidies (they were re-introduced as a short term measure in 2018 for a few months in response to a national truckers strike).
As you say, for people being paid in Reals it is expensive.
I’m weird about the UK, absolutely love the place, it somehow fits me 100%, including the weather. But overall my plan is to indeed return to Greece, on a Swiss pension and with all money over here. Since Syriza I am not keeping a single euro anywhere near Greeks.
@DanWil84 can’t talk Spain or Portugal, but the retire at 50 was indeed a reality for some public sector people until recently, as well as thr not paying taxes bit. Not for all, but for enough people to be a problem. Plus corruption, nepotism, theocracy…
I just got gas today -$6.05/gal - $82.00 to fill up my Honda Accord. An all time high for me. California has alway had higher gas prices than most if the US…
It won’t effect my driving - I’m in education and working from home is not an option. However, if I say away from “sport” mode and don’t spool up the turbo, I can get 300+ miles a tank which will last me a couple of weeks - just in time for prices to tick up a few more cents/gallon.
It won’t effect my driving - I’m in education and working from home is not an option. However, if I say away from “sport” mode and don’t spool up the turbo, I can get 300+ miles a tank which will last me a couple of weeks - just in time for prices to tick up a few more cents/gallon.
The increased cost to fuel your car is the tip of the iceberg.
Increased energy costs increase the cost of virtually everything else you buy regardless of what or how much you drive.
Increased energy costs increase the cost of virtually everything else you buy regardless of what or how much you drive.
Here in Spain, retirement is already at 67 years of age. At 50 years of age it will be the politicians and senior civil servants. Then we have a huge expense in illegal immigration. The Moroccan government uses its population, manipulates it and facilitates its massive entry into Spain. Creating a social, health and economic chaos in general. We have been suffering from this since the famous Green March. The plan consisted of transporting 300,000 civilians with armed military units camouflaged among them. But it is true that the Nordic countries have been more responsible and somewhat less corrupt.
LOL reminds me of the old old old Simpsons (when it was still funny so about 35 yrs ago) when Ed Begley drove by in the vehicle powered by his own sense of self worth.
in the neighborhood of $5. Yes,its changed my driving quite a bit. I`m retired so at least I dont have the drive to work anymore. I also quit eating out to compensate for gas prices
In N.C., recently the price came down a little from $4.69 to $4.39, if I remember correctly. I drive a Mazda-3, am retired, and don't drive distances or commute on any regular basis, so I'm doing OK. I admit, I've never been able to put $40 worth of gas in a fill-up before. For families with two or more cars, larger vehicles, with two or more commuters in the family, even N.C.'s prices are too high. Fifty or eighty dollar fill-ups are just par.