Are gas prices fueling your pain?

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I saved .48 cents putting a bit over 16 gallons in the van using the grocery affinity card. So RUG was $3.42 instead of $3.45 (plus those pesty point 9's). I eased over the automatic cutoff a bit to round it off at $55 even.
  • pat85pat85 Member Posts: 92
    The World market is competing with us for gasoline . Both India and China are both using much more gasoline than previously. Why ?
    Because we stupidly buy Chinese goods. Dell computers and Earthlink use Indian technical support. Buick built a plant in China to supply them with cars.
    Think about why demand for gas is so high next time you buy a" Made in China "article. Or buy a Dell computer, or use Earthlink
    The US demand for gas has been fairly level for the last 5 years.
    People are trading down to smaller more fuel efficient cars from larger less fuel efficient vehicles.
    I buy Diamond Gusset jeans and Red Wing shoes. Both of which are made in the US. The last country I buy anything from is China, even though Bill Clinton gave them favored Nation status.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    If I were President, I'd give them "Least Favored Nation" trading status.
  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    This may not happen, but what are you planning now to do just in case it does?

    http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/gasoline-could-hit-7-oil/story.aspx?guid=%- 7B824E895C%2DF649%2D4526%2D89F1%2D50C198A8A0D5%7D

    Some other experts think the price of oil and gasoline is a bubble and will collapse soon to the $60-$70 range.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    From Hazleton, PA newspaper:

    More Dough for Delivery

    Pizza delivery places are also feeling the pinch from the higher gas prices.
    At Georgio’s Family Restaurant on North Laurel Street, Hazleton, the owner’s son, George Bakos Jr., had plenty to say.

    “We’re definitely feeling it, from the price of flour tripling in price to beer distributors and garbage haulers raising their prices,” Bakos said. He said his delivery people are complaining, but there’s nothing he can do about it — in order to stay competitive, they can’t raise prices.

    Francesco Valerio, owner of Brother Bruno Family Restaurant and Pizzeria on Sherman Court in the city, echoed many of those sentiments. “I did raise prices, but I had no choice — it was either that or I would be forced to shut down my business,” Valerio said. “It’s tough, but my customers understand and they love my food.” And the price of flour? “Oh my God,” Valerio exclaimed. “Gas prices are very high, and yes it is affecting my business and other pizza businesses.” Valerio said. “When the gas prices go down I think everything else will follow.”

    Family-owned businesses are not the only ones affected by the surging gas prices. Papa John’s Pizza is advertised like a national chain, but it is owned locally by Mitul Patel. “We have to charge for deliveries because of the large delivery area we serve,” Patel said. “We go to McAdoo and Eagle Rock. You have to pass some of it along to the customer.” The cost of making the dough for the pizza has risen because of very high flour prices. He said the cost of cheese went up, too.
    But nothing has gone down, according to Patel, except for profits. “It does hurt if you look at it and our lazy politicians in Washington are doing nothing about it,” Patel said. “You can quote me on that.”
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Seven dollar a gallon gasoline? Well, if we haven't had a revolution or Weimar-esque inflation hasn't raised my pay to compensate, I guess I'd be driving my cars only a few times a year to car shows, (if they'd even have them anymore). I'd definately would've quit my part-time gig as it no longer would make any sense unless they doubled or tripled my pay.

    On the good side, I'd be in excellent physical condition from walking to and from work and to the store. I'd be eating less and less astronomically overpriced junk food and subsisting on the fruits and vegetables I'd be growing in my garden which by then would cover my entire property.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    In many ways, oil has become so powerful and necessary a commodity in this world that it has BECOME politics.

    This is not something new. Oil moguls have been in charge for well over 100 years. John D Rockefeller started Standard Oil in 1870. In 2008 dollars he would be the richest man in the World according to Forbes. With a net worth of $318 Billion.

    Claiming that Chavez has raised the price of oil is also not true. He is part of OPEC. Where the basket price is currently about $10 below the market price. What OPEC does that keeps the price high is limit production. Many here feel they are maxed out. I really do not believe they are. As long as people will pay the price the oil companies would be crazy to sell for less.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Smokey Bones, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Outback, Macaroni Grill. Those aren't restaurants.

    Not the Olive Garden? My wife and I like the soup and salad special they have. We don't go to any of the others.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I blame the $9.50 price for a movie! It's insane to spend that much

    We wait for the movie to come out on DVD and come to our library. Then it is free at San Diego public libraries. I about choked the last movie we went to was $3.75 for senior matinee. Never again. $9.50 is for people with more money than brains. Add to that the price of gas to drive to the theater.... I suppose popcorn is over a dollar now also?
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    I like all those places. They are the Hondas and Toyotas of the restaurant world - you know what to expect from them.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,038
    Not the Olive Garden? My wife and I like the soup and salad special they have. We don't go to any of the others.

    Well I'm sure my roommate could tell you some horror stories from his days at OG that would make you never want to eat there again. Of course, I'm sure anybody who's ever worked in a restaurant would be able to tell you the same tales. :P

    I've only eaten at Smokey Bones once, a few years ago. I thought it was pretty good. He brought some ribs home from them the other day though, and I thought they were really good.
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Welll... I gotta admit I have "more money than brains" - and I don't have much money :) I watch quite a few movies on DVD or cable, however I do enjoy the feel and look of a movie theater - Going to the movies has always been a part of my basic list of pleasures - nothing extravagant. I don't yet qualify for the senior discount, but even with that, I'd still be over $3.75 limit, unless I move far, far away from NYC!

    On topic, I'm doing a day trip up to Boston and back tomorrow, and the goal is to do at least 350 miles on one tank... we shall see. It's possible, however I'll have to pay close attention to rolling with the speed limit, or somewhere close.
  • 1stpik1stpik Member Posts: 495
    "Some experts think the price of oil will collapse soon to the $60-$70 range."

    Hey, we ALL hope that happens. But those same "experts" said the same thing when oil actually WAS at $70 -- that it would "collapse" back to $40.

    After 5 years of price hikes, we're getting impatient.

    The only true expert I've seen is T. Boone Pickens. That guy has been in the oil business forever, and he says $125/bbl this summer.
    .
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,129
    If Asia catches a flu (economically or for real) prices might see a significant drop, but only a temporary one. The rest of the world has apparently decided that US dollars are no longer the refuge they once were, so we're probably in for more price hikes as the $ continues to drop.
  • vikes28vikes28 Member Posts: 1
    up here in canada gas is 6.00 a gallon and rising try paying that and see how far you go. It is just legal robbery.
  • delta737hdelta737h Member Posts: 626
    I'll move to a nice retirement community in a warm climate; garage my car for emergency use only and, then, buy a high end golf cart!
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    I looked up our avg transaction price for dining out and it is $35.

    My wife and I easily spend more than that on the two of us and we only order Cokes for drinks. That's at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on the original Route 66 and has been around since that time.

    For a family of 4 at an average family restaurant the only way I could see not spending over $35 would be to just order off the appetizer menu.

    The most expensive meal tab for me was around $250 at the Stratosphere revolving restaurant in Vegas for two people, no alcoholic beverages. That was in 2005 and the price has probably gone up since then.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Not the Olive Garden?

    Actually have never eaten at one (or an Outback that I recall). A big treat on our road trips was always finding the local dive where the locals went - usually a few miles off the freeway if we happened to get stuck on the interstate. A spaghetti house downtown closed a few months back when a Spaghetti Factory moved in next door. At least the named it right with the factory part. Yet that's progress eh?

    Funny link about the crude price predictions Kernick - those guys gave themselves $50 a barrel weasel room.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    I have to ask when did your co-worker go there and when does she normally go there? Time can mean everything. My wife likes to go to the olive garden (a place which I hate but my vote in these matters really doesn't count), if we go right after we get home from work we walk right in, get served and walk out when the place is really empty. If we wait about two hours we would have to wait 30 minutes to get a seat in a busy restaurant.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    We went to Cracker Barrel about 6 times this year with an avg. of $36 including tips.

    Getting to love the Cracker Barrel near me, I have eaten there twice this year and so far I have averaged $0 (not including tip). First time after I finished my breakfast I noticed that there was some stuff along the edge of the plate, nothing to much but it was obviously there from before my food was put on it. I just pointed it out to the waitress as she was picking up the plates. She returned and told us that because of that our meal was on the house.

    Last month we went back and after waiting what seemed like a long time after ordering we flagged down the manager and asked what was taking so long. The manager seemed a little miffed that we were complaining saying that the restaurant was busy and it takes time to prepare and get to food out when its so busy. He came back a couple of minutes later apologizing, apparently he checked and noticed that we had been waiting a very long time (apparently orders are time stamped) and told us that our meal was on the house.

    In both cases we left a nice tip.

    I need to go back and see if something like that happens a third time :shades:

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,129
    "I need to go back and see if something like that happens a third time"

    Time for the old cockroach in a pill bottle ploy :P
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Not sure if that would work, in that place it would be an event if there wasn't a cockroach in the food.

    Ok, thats my obscure movie reference for today.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I went to the Cracker Barrel here in Boise the first year we moved here (remember, I grew up in the Deeeeep South and know my peas and pone). Anyway I like their food but the Yankee franchise owners.... sheesh. I got a slice of lemon ice box pie. It was hard as a rock. Most of y'all just don't have any idea what an ice box is do you?

    The shipping expense probably made up half the cost of that slice too.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    No Cracker Barrel around here.

    Stopped at one years back and I liked it a lot. My then very young daughter got a little sick resulting in a little mop clean up. Immediately thereafter a waitress with a tray of food hit th wet spot which no one had marked as such. No offer of a free meal. I don't understand...
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    As some know, the NJ Turnpike Authority fuel contract stipulates that gas prices can only change once a week, Friday morning at 7. [NJ state law is a maximum of once per day.]

    The Turnpike rest area prices have been as follows since April 18 - the Turnpike is served by Sunoco:
    87 - $3.179
    89 - $3.319
    93 - $3.429
    diesel - $4.159

    The Turnpike has already announced that the price for 87 will rise 22 cents tomorrow morning to $3.399. So what does that mean for Thursday? Take a look:
    Out-of-State Drivers Line Up for Gas in New Jersey - WCBS880.com

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Yeah, I got that cheap (?) gas on the Parkway today. At that time the lines weren't bad. They were there but they weren't bad. Nice day, top down.... I read a book while on the line.

    LAst year I was coming home from the ferry at Cape May intending to buy Thursday night gas at the Cape May service area on teh Parkway. It was closed! Only one that's not 24 hours. I limped up to Atlantic City and they had upped the price even though it was still Thursday night.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • kustkust Member Posts: 4
    Did anybody hear or install the equipment to convert Your Car/Truck to BURN WATER as well as Gasoline--Double Your Mileage? It is difficult to believe, but I have read the information on the site water4gas.com. There are some customer reviews, they say it really works, but I'd like to hear somebody else. Thank you.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    For a family of 4 at an average family restaurant the only way I could see not spending over $35 would be to just order off the appetizer menu.

    We went to dinner tonight at BW3s with wife and kids. The wife ordered an appetizer plus we split 24 wings, my 5 year old had a kids wing meal, my 9 year old (doesn't like meat) had chips and conqueso, I had two 22oz beers my wife had a 22 oz plus another 16oz beer. The bill was $48, which $15 was for our beer.

    The most expensive meal tab for me was around $250 at the Stratosphere revolving restaurant in Vegas for two people, no alcoholic beverages. That was in 2005 and the price has probably gone up since then.

    About the same for us. We went to Vegas twice last year, last March, we stayed at the Wynn and ate at SW Steakhouse at the Wynn (incredible place) and left about $250 poorer. It was worth every penny.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Did anybody hear or install the equipment to convert Your Car/Truck to BURN WATER as well as Gasoline--Double Your Mileage?

    Since water doesn't like to compress, I'd say it would be a great way to bend a connecting rod.

    Actually water injection systems have been around since WW2. From what I understand they are used with methanol (water doesn't burn) to lower combustion temps to allow for running high boost in Turbo/Supercharged engines for extended periods, so basically it's primary use is for more power not economy.

    But looking at the website, looks like they try to take the hydrogen from the water, not something that from what I've read can be done efficiently. I'd say it's bogus, but I'd love to see a legitimate unbiased test to see if it really works.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Hope you know I was just funnin' with that remark. I used to like the movie theater as well. The movies for me seemed to get worse and the price got higher. I guess it is a bit like gas. How much will the market bear. There are more expensive ways to spend an evening for sure. Like the opera. And there it is hard to understand the language. Then there is golf.
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Well, I'm pretty lucky - most of the movies out these days are such crap that I save a lot.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I'll move to a nice retirement community in a warm climate

    My tax man sold his high priced condo in San Diego at the peak of the market. Bought a nice home in The Villages in Florida. Told me only takes his RX300 out of the garage about once a month. Uses the golf cart for everything. He has about 20 golf courses and a big shopping mall all accessible with the cart. Worst part was finding another good tax man.
  • 1stpik1stpik Member Posts: 495
    Oil prices to double by 2012

    Oil is likely to hit 150 dollars a barrel by 2010, and 225 dollars a barrel by 2012, a Canadian bank said Thursday.

    Analyst Jeff Rubin notes accelerating depletion rates in many of the world's largest and most mature oil fields. He estimates average daily oil production between now and 2012 rising by barely a million barrels per day.

    "It is increasingly clear that the outlook for oil supply signals a period of unprecedented scarcity," said Rubin.

    The CIBC report also notes that while production increases are at a virtual standstill, global demand continues to grow.

    A drop in demand in the United States due to higher prices and a weak economy will be more than offset by demand growth in developing nations, it says.

    Rubin cites, for example, the recent launch of Tata's 2,500 dollar car that will allow millions of households in India own automobiles.

    He also notes that car sales are up 60 percent in Russia, up 30 percent in Brazil, and up 20 percent in China.
    .
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Bernanke needs to triple the prime lending rate and call in about a $trillion dollars of the funny money they are printing and burn it. Give the dollar a little clout in the World again. Of course that will not happen. We will be using a wheelbarrow to haul enough money to buy a loaf of bread.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,129
    "I'd love to see a legitimate unbiased test to see if it really works. "

    You'll never see that test - these things are completely bogus. Think about it - an invention that would eliminate the world's energy problems, and these are the guys that have it! I think not.

    Hosts, please remove the blatant advertisement. :sick:
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Your right, its completely bogus. this is the only solution to our energy problems. And it really works. ;)

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    "Depends on the state rules..in CA and NJ it's over 8 hrs daily."

    No, in CA it's over 40 hours per week. I should know, we have 4/40 schedules available at my office. Some people like them. That's two days less out of every ten that they have to burn gas driving to work.

    My office also offers some limited telecommuting, the popularity of which has really taken off the last couple of years as gas prices rose then stayed high.

    Now their latest thing is to offer incentives of $4/week to employees who will register in a carpool, and they will even guarantee a ride home in an emergency if you have to go and it's not your week to drive.

    My officemate is one of the latest ones to take advantage of the program, and now in week 3 she and her carpool are getting to work on time and it is going very smoothly. In addition to their $4/week incentive each, they save $105-$215 per month in gas costs (one lives about 50 miles away, the other two live 20-25 miles away), and $4/day in bridge toll because carpools cross for free.

    All told, the one saving the most has $315/month in her pocket that she didn't have before!!! Even the one saving the least has an extra $200/month in her pocket. Needless to say, they are very committed to making sure things continue to go smoothly.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We check out stuff like that and it looks like a legit question to me.

    The Gas Saving Gizmos & Gadgets discussion has been quiet lately - usually when gas jumps, the Tornados come out.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    and $4/day in bridge toll because carpools cross for free.

    Then are these car pools using vans specifically for car pool use? The reason I ask is that we have those here and its easily identified as such which means that a toll collector can easily identify the van and let it pass.

    Or do they use a no revenue transponder (one that registers the vehicle buy charges no toll)?

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...the absurd is not far behind.

    I saw diesel for $4.89 last night! Unbelievable! Looks like those who bought hybrids can look at the rest of us with a sense of smug satisfaction.
  • 1stpik1stpik Member Posts: 495
    I wouldn't call it "smug," but it's definitely satisfaction. My Civic Hybrid has averaged 47 mpg over 23,000 miles.

    Regarding the miraculous invention that converts water to fuel (like Jesus made water into wine), it's another one of those sneaky ad campaigns that uses forum posts to create false "word of mouth" credibility.

    You'll see these occasionally for online gambling sites -- "this guy I know deposited $400, and cashed out $36,000 a week later!" --, or investment advice scams -- "this analyst recommended XYZ stock 6 months ago, and it's up over 500%!" Actually, that pretty well decribes CNBC.

    Anyway, with gas prices approaching $4, "free fuel" is just the latest angle to bilk money from people. We all know that if some guy really invented a device that lets cars run on water, OPEC would have already bought the patent.
    .
  • chadxchadx Member Posts: 153
    “It does hurt if you look at it and our lazy politicians in Washington are doing nothing about it,” Patel said. “You can quote me on that.”

    Once again, someone looking for a scapegoat and ignorant of the situation. Politicians aren't in a position to impact global supply and demand. It's getting tiresome hearing this diatribe in every single interview. The reporter should have followed up Patel's comment with the question of "What do you think the politicians can or should do to make gas and flour cost less?"
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,038
    Anyway, with gas prices approaching $4, "free fuel" is just the latest angle to bilk money from people. We all know that if some guy really invented a device that lets cars run on water, OPEC would have already bought the patent.

    Yeah, you'd have to be CRAAAAAZY to fall for one of those schemes. Crazy like a Fox! :P
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Politicians certainly did loads to get us into this mess - create a war in a country with huge oil supplies and have no plan for securing the oil fields, run up massive deficits weakening the dollar....

    Now waving a magic wand to fix the situation - that they can't do.

    Meanwhile, Long lines fuel anger. What a zoo.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    No they drive their own cars (trading off, doing one week at a time each) and they stop at the toll booth, where the toll collector waves them on once he/she sees there are at least three people in the car.

    It would be very cool if there were special transponders for registered carpools, so they could go through the FastTrak lanes and not have to stop. Luckily, there are rarely lines at the toll booths on the Golden Gate Bridge.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • kustkust Member Posts: 4
    "Hosts, please remove the blatant advertisement."

    I do not advertise,I just need to know if it is the blatant advertisement or it really works.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,129
    My apologies, I thought you were stating something, not asking. As you might tell from my response, this add-on is pure nonsense, in my opinion. Any claim that a minor addition to a car would double the mileage can be dismissed out of hand. Think of the competitive advantage any automaker would have it they could do this. I've checked out those sites, and there is no independent testing to back up their outrageous claims. In addition, the 'science' they use to back up the claims is also nonsense (I'm a chemical engineer).

    Sorry again for my mistake.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You do see the guerilla advertising posts around for this kind of stuff. It always seems a dumb way to try to promote something in a forum because the other posters immediately jump on it and show that it's snake oil.

    When I invent my magic gas pills, I'm going to call them Snake Oil - think of all the Google hits they'll get. :shades:
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I discovered that our employee incentive to carpool (or ride transit) isn't $4/week, it is $4 per DAY. $20/week. $80/month.

    That's a much more meaningful incentive. I wonder how many people participate. With the gas prices now, the savings from not driving will probably still add up to more than the incentive, but between the two one could potentially gain 100s of dollars a month.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    Politicians aren't in a position to impact global supply and demand. It's getting tiresome hearing this diatribe in every single interview. The reporter should have followed up Patel's comment with the question of "What do you think the politicians can or should do to make gas and flour cost less?"

    Create policies that strengthen the dollar. Reduce the deficit. Decrease spending. Stimulate the economy. Stop devaluing the dollar in the first place.
This discussion has been closed.