Are today's gas prices really making anyone go broke?

Personal Research | unpublished | Don Simmons

[Don Simmons]

OK - so now the average price of a gallon of gas is up to $1.75. If you pay attention to our beloved "media", you'd think we were all on the brink of poverty because of higher prices at the pump.

However, if you break it down, the fact is that the cost is probably very, VERY absorbable by average Joe American.

Before anyone even thinks about it - yes...I know there are people who are crunched a lot more than others. There are always exceptions - and the comparison I'm about to make can be refuted and disproven with individual examples also.

Don't bother - please take this at face value. It is a comparison -- it's not a rule of law.

OK, let's say you average driving 1,500 miles monthly. That's more than most people and less than some.

Now, let's say your car averages 20 miles per gallon. Again, more than some and less than others.

1,500 miles divided by 20 mpg equals 75 gallons.

So, on average, you use 75 gallons a month. Fair?

OK...

If the price of a gallon were back down to around $1.50, (Yeah, yeah - it should be lower. blah blah blah...it ain't, so deal with it!), I doubt we'd be hearing all this pissing, moaning and whining.

ANYWAY....that's 25 cents less per gallon multiplied by that 75 gallons.

75 X .25 = 18.75

You save $18.75 a month.

For most people -- BIG FRIGGIN' DEAL!!!!!

If that $18.75 breaks your bank, the price of gas is the least of your worries, I say.

It might not be a bad idea for you to.......(are you ready for this?).......CUT BACK!!!!!

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS!!!!! You probably spend twice that $18.75 - or more - every month swilling cheap beer.

Lord have mercy on my hard, callous soul for telling it like it is.

Am I alone in my thinking here, or can I get an "Amen"?

[motzman]

You poor man, I was in NJ just last week, near Rockaway. Way too many people there. Why don't you move?

It's a business thing, but I do have a goal to be able to get out and at least go to Penn. within the next few years. And, if you think the Rockaway area is crowded, man-o-man you'd freak if you saw the area where I live (about 30mi east of Rockaway, about 15mi from NYC)

It's hard to remember it, but this area and the areas a little west used to be all farms and suburbs just a little over a generation ago...

[Celtic Conservative]

"Isn't it funny? We all know we're dealing with cheaters but few here believe WE are being cheated."

No argument there, lewis. What upsets me is that the domestic refiners come up with the same old tired lies every peak driving season to explain the sudden rise in prices. Some refinery fire, new refining standards, etc, yada, yada, yada. SSDD

and yet most people say "what are you going to do?" and fork over the cash.

I don't think i'm being cheated, I KNOW it.

CC

[chuckwalla]

What happens when OPEC cuts production?
Your cynicism is clearly showing your lack of understanding which you blame on others.
Don't be so quick to criticize it hurts your arguement.

[motzman]

A few years ago when I was doing mortgages full time, I was refinancing a friend's condo down in Georgia. When I was running the numbers, I asked her how much the property taxes were, and she told me "around $400" and I proceeded with my calculations.

But the numbers weren't working out, because I thought she ment $400 a month, when she really ment $400 a year! Even after she assured me that the roads were paved, there weren't any chickens running around, and women weren't washing clothes in the nearby stream, I was still stupified.

The house I live in now (I don't own it, a friend does) is in Cedar Grove, which borders North Caldwell, where Tony Soprano lives, is about 3500 sq. ft., was purchased about 2 years ago for 350K (it's "worth" about $450K now) and carries a whopping $8000 per year property tax bill.

For additional perspective, the whole area is loaded with cops from every municipality and little town, and the average salary is over $100K per year. An amazing amount of people "work" for the government, and a huge chunk of them are on some sort of disabilty or another. Lots of union goons here.

Yet, every week like clockwork I get solicitations from these bums asking for money for whatever PBA type charity scam their currently running.

It's quite unbelievable to those that live in low tax states, but quite common for us that live in liberal-land. It didn't happen overnight; it was the old frog in the pot of boiling water routine. There was a time that people moved to NJ to escape the high costs of New York!

And the Republican politicians here are pretty much useless, extremely corrupt, and totally disorganized. But, it wasn't always this way-maybe things will change. But I'm not going to hold my breath!

[Mamzelle]

I remember the screams over ATM machines charging for what I think is a valuable service...the same people don't scream over ruinous taxation.

The increased costs can be handled by doing some planning ahead--besides--I don't think these prices will stay high.

[chuckwalla]

Why do you have to be so offensive?
I bet you are about 5ft 3 and weigh about 125 and think you can insult people over the internet.
Your lack of civility reflects your lack of thinking.
You are a keyboard cowboy.

[Double Tap]

What happens when OPEC cuts production?

Oil prices have gone DOWN in the last week.

Your cynicism is clearly showing your lack of understanding which you blame on others.

The only thing I'm cynical about is your ability to make rational arguements. I'm not the one blameing others, you are.

Don't be so quick to criticize it hurts your arguement.

As opposed to your inability to post any fact based opinion.

[Double Tap]

OK, whatever you want to think, that must be fact. Even if it has no real world proof to back it up.

Keyboard cowboy. Yeah sure. I rarely post. Most of the times I post is to try to correct ignorant post, such as yours.

[chuckwalla]

GAS WENT UP AFTER OPEC AGREED TO CUT PRODUCTION AND THAT IS A FACT.
CRAWL OUT FROM YOUR HOLE
Like I said your cynicism is preventing you from seeing anything other than your own limited opinion.
You name me one time when OPEC cut production and gas prices went down. Just one time cowboy.
Much of the rise in prices lately was due to speculation about OPEC cutting production and prices rising.
If this has to be explained to you then you should stick to insults for your only responses.

[Double Tap]

OPEC doesn't produce gasoline. OPEC produces crude oil. The price has gone from a high of almost $39 to $34 in the last 10 days.

Gas prices have been going up all this spring, as they always do every spring. Heres a prediction for you Einstein, gas prices will continue to climb until about September, and then they will fall some, like they do every year.

[chuckwalla]

I think you live on mars.
Are you trying to tell me that gas has not gone up 60 cents a gallon in the last two months? That that is not a fact?
that some of that was based on speculation about OPEC cutting production in April.
I'll say it again your synicism is preventing you from seeing the real world and your only response is get rude.
armchair comboy

[chuckwalla]

I didn't say OPEC produces gasoline now did I?
Did I say that?
No I didn't.
But you say I did.
You know you should check into an anger management program because anger rots the brain and prevents rational thought and has a tendency to project on to others.
Gas here was going down then when OPEC announced it's cut the price went back up. Coincidence?

[chuckwalla]

Never has gas gone up 60 cents in two months in the usual spring increase.

[goldstategop]

I have to fill up twice a month, which comes to $30 - about the cost of one dinner in a restaurant for two! And some people complain how much gas costs. Its still A LOT cheaper here in America than in Europe where gas is priced by the liter and can easily cost $4 to $5 a liter! So what are liberals bellyaching about? They really would want the rest of us to drive at twice the cost if they had their way and their whining gas prices are too high does not make a lot of sense. Remember, these are the same folks that put all kinds of fees and taxes and surcharges and what have you to the price of gas we buy and they aren't proposing to reduce or repeal them. (Which would mind you, do more than anything to reduce the price per gallon charged at the service station). So its basically a lot of hot air and they're trying to convince people they can make it cheaper by forcing the oil companies to forgo the basic laws of economics. They're dreaming.

[Double Tap]

NO, gas prices haven't gone up 60 cents in last two months. The national average was $1.55 for regular unleaded in January. It is now around $1.75.

I don't know what math you are using, but that makes it a 20 cent increase this year.

Do you know the definition of "cynical"? You are the cynic, with your "the sky is falling, all the oil companies are out to get us attitude".

I, on the other hand, understand that the sky is not falling. I'm an optimist. And I understand the facts.

[Ditto]

More money spent on fuel [or steel or aluminum or copper, or rubber, or zinc or chrome, or coal, or natural gas, or any other commodity] is less money spent on other things, which affects everyone producing, transporting or selling those things.

Fuel is simply one component of what it takes to run the world. But it's the only one the general public goes nuts over. I don't see people gnashing their teeth over the large jumps in steel prices over the last year. Those prices ripple through the economy just like gas prices do.

[iconoclast]

Well, I hate to say this but you, sir, are an idiot ..., as many posters have more gracefully pointed out to you by revealing the BIG surprise that your gas pump commercial exchanges are by no means the total effect of rising gasoline prices.

If these outrageous increases were occurring under a Dim regime there would be unprecedented howls heard on this forum.

[Double Tap]

Do you know how much of our imported oil we get from OPEC nations?

[Ditto]

So Kerry's 50 cent a gasoline tax really wasn't that big of a deal?

Just remember to add it on top of what you're paying now, not what you were paying 'then'. Gas prices always move up and down. Taxes on gas never move down.

[chuckwalla]

Gas in ca went from 1.49 to 2.09 in two months.
That is 60 cents.

I didn't say the oil companies were were out to get us did I.
Another projection of yours.

I never said the national average went up 60 cents either.
Are you dyslexic? I said never has the normal spring increase been so high.
Another projection of yours.

I never said the sky is falling.
Another projection of yours.

The sky is not falling just money transfering from us to the oil co's and oil producers.

You keep misquoting me which simply proves that you are projecting your warped anger on others.

If I was in charge of gas pricing and was listening to you I would charge over four by now and you would think it was great while I laugh all the wat to the bank.