Bluerauder
09-02-2005, 11:07 AM
FICTION
The Price of Gasoline Hits $10.00 per gallon
So, I have been listening to all of the discussions about the rising price of gas …. Let’s fast forward a little … so bear with me.
Maybe this is where this is all heading. Remember the “Good Ole Days” when 93 Octane was only $2.79 a gallon? That was back in August 2005. Seems like only a couple months ago. Back then, driving my Marauder to and from work only cost me about $44.64 per week. That’s a hair over $2,320 per year. Now at the current price of $10.00 per gallon, that works out to be some $8,320 per year or about $160.00 per week. Geeeeees, that’s 50% more than the monthly payment on my Marauder. So, here’s what I have done to adjust to the outrageous prices of fuel.
My company is rather employee oriented, so they have agreed to let most of us work from home one day per week. I guess I am lucky that my business lends itself to that kinda perk. Still that leaves 4 days of commutes and has only cut my gasoline bill back by 20% to $128.00 a week.
There are some folks at my office who live close-by or reasonably so. I never carpooled with them before because of our staggered hours. Some of them like to get in to the office early. I prefer to come in later. Actually, I prefer not to come in at all --- but …. you know how that is. Anyway, I figured that I could drag my butt out of bed early and try to carpool on at least 2 days. So, now I am only driving in to the office 2 days per week, that cuts another $68.00 off the gas bill. Now, I am down to paying about $60.00 per week. The bad part is that I have to ride in a Honda CRV or Toyota Corolla the other two days. It just doesn’t feel right … but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I can probably make up the difference between the old days price and the current price by cutting out some of the premium channels on the cable system. Heck, I don’t even watch them and probably won’t miss them anyway. Now, if they start charging for TCM and AMC, I’ll be screwed. Oh I forgot, the oil companies are already doing that. Everyone else has to stand in line.
Maybe I could trade cars with my son for a couple days to save a little more …… naaaah – that’ll just cause more issues. The wife’s van is worse on gas than the Marauder so that isn’t even an option. Cutting back on drinking beer won’t work either ‘cause I probably don’t have more than a dozen bottles all year. Just in case you were wondering … that includes cans, mugs and glasses too !!
I could more than make up the difference if I could find a way to quit smoking. If only I could pretend that I was in the Marauder all the time where I do not smoke. But, I don’t have the willpower (yet) to quit completely on that nasty habit.
So, now that gas is $10.00 a gallon, I am only driving the Marauder 2 days per week and some on the weekends. I really enjoy those days when I get to carpool with my car. My co-workers seem to really like the Marauder. I really hate Corolla days. The CRV days ain’t much better. I guess we all have to sacrifice some.
Is this gonna happen ??? I don’t know. But I’ll adjust as best as I can. What worries me is the impact that $10.00 gas will have on all the rest of the areas of our lives. Prices of everything from food to electronic goods will rise to offset the cost of fuel and transportation. Taxes will rise to cover the cost of government fuel and their purchases of goods and services.
I’ll cope with the rising cost of gasoline for now. But personally I am getting a little tired of the hourly price changes and the constant updates.
Hope you all are coping with this situation ………… but I ain’t considering selling my MM. I enjoy driving it too much.
END FICTION (except for that last couple of sentences above)
The Price of Gasoline Hits $10.00 per gallon
So, I have been listening to all of the discussions about the rising price of gas …. Let’s fast forward a little … so bear with me.
Maybe this is where this is all heading. Remember the “Good Ole Days” when 93 Octane was only $2.79 a gallon? That was back in August 2005. Seems like only a couple months ago. Back then, driving my Marauder to and from work only cost me about $44.64 per week. That’s a hair over $2,320 per year. Now at the current price of $10.00 per gallon, that works out to be some $8,320 per year or about $160.00 per week. Geeeeees, that’s 50% more than the monthly payment on my Marauder. So, here’s what I have done to adjust to the outrageous prices of fuel.
My company is rather employee oriented, so they have agreed to let most of us work from home one day per week. I guess I am lucky that my business lends itself to that kinda perk. Still that leaves 4 days of commutes and has only cut my gasoline bill back by 20% to $128.00 a week.
There are some folks at my office who live close-by or reasonably so. I never carpooled with them before because of our staggered hours. Some of them like to get in to the office early. I prefer to come in later. Actually, I prefer not to come in at all --- but …. you know how that is. Anyway, I figured that I could drag my butt out of bed early and try to carpool on at least 2 days. So, now I am only driving in to the office 2 days per week, that cuts another $68.00 off the gas bill. Now, I am down to paying about $60.00 per week. The bad part is that I have to ride in a Honda CRV or Toyota Corolla the other two days. It just doesn’t feel right … but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I can probably make up the difference between the old days price and the current price by cutting out some of the premium channels on the cable system. Heck, I don’t even watch them and probably won’t miss them anyway. Now, if they start charging for TCM and AMC, I’ll be screwed. Oh I forgot, the oil companies are already doing that. Everyone else has to stand in line.
Maybe I could trade cars with my son for a couple days to save a little more …… naaaah – that’ll just cause more issues. The wife’s van is worse on gas than the Marauder so that isn’t even an option. Cutting back on drinking beer won’t work either ‘cause I probably don’t have more than a dozen bottles all year. Just in case you were wondering … that includes cans, mugs and glasses too !!
I could more than make up the difference if I could find a way to quit smoking. If only I could pretend that I was in the Marauder all the time where I do not smoke. But, I don’t have the willpower (yet) to quit completely on that nasty habit.
So, now that gas is $10.00 a gallon, I am only driving the Marauder 2 days per week and some on the weekends. I really enjoy those days when I get to carpool with my car. My co-workers seem to really like the Marauder. I really hate Corolla days. The CRV days ain’t much better. I guess we all have to sacrifice some.
Is this gonna happen ??? I don’t know. But I’ll adjust as best as I can. What worries me is the impact that $10.00 gas will have on all the rest of the areas of our lives. Prices of everything from food to electronic goods will rise to offset the cost of fuel and transportation. Taxes will rise to cover the cost of government fuel and their purchases of goods and services.
I’ll cope with the rising cost of gasoline for now. But personally I am getting a little tired of the hourly price changes and the constant updates.
Hope you all are coping with this situation ………… but I ain’t considering selling my MM. I enjoy driving it too much.
END FICTION (except for that last couple of sentences above)