America's Money: Gas crunch hits home

CNNMoney.com said:
I took a job that paid 35% less, and my law school was located 135 miles away. That's a round trip of 270 miles a day.

That was costing me $200 a week -- which hurt -- but I could afford it. Now I'm paying $500 a week, and I am 75% completed with my classes.

I either have to choose to quit law school in my third year and owe $35,000 in student loans with nothing to show for it, or lose my home and much of my life and complete law school, hoping to get a good paying legal job in 18 months and recoup my losses in the long term.

These are your only options? How easy is this? $2,000 a month for gas, or rent a low rent apartment or bedroom close to school for the 25% time left to finish his degree. These people in these series drive me up a wall.

I would hit craigslist to be someones roommate near where I was going, That would severely limit his gas. He may not be spending as much time with his wife/girlfriend during the week but with a 113 mile commute one way I don't see him doing much of that now anyways.

avengerki said:I would hit craigslist to be someones roommate near where I was going, That would severely limit his gas. He may not be spending as much time with his wife/girlfriend during the week but with a 113 mile commute one way I don't see him doing much of that now anyways.
It's actually 135 miles each way!
If he rented a place, he could get a part time job for the 5 hours a day he's currently driving.
What kind of car does he drive anyway? At the national ave px, he's getting 11 mpg!

The poor man is probably so tired from his commute that he can't think straight.

This is borderline stupid / insane. I mean, who commutes 135 miles each way? Even if gas was 98 cents, that's a minimum of 2.5 hours per day each way. Or 5 hours per day roundtrip. Times 5, thats like a part time job. One that does not pay.

Don't blame the gas prices, blame the piss-poor planning, man.

Here is another smart solution:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/news/0805/gallery.real_people_gas/12.html

In short, company allows employees to work only 4 hours a day during the summer (at least), and in the fall, she is going to start commuting.

C'mon people, get creative about cutting gas costs, and expenditures.

#13

It used to be that we could pack up the SUV and surely not forget a thing while traveling at an affordable fare that barely hurt the bank account. Now, after downsizing vehicles to save gas, we can't bring everything -- and mommy is cramped in the back seat with Mikey while our dog Chopper rides shotgun.

So if they were fine driving a 15mpg SUV at $2/gal, how is their situation dire now that they have an (assuming) 30mpg car at $4/gal?

tbyehl said:I liked #33, Bruce White:

My girlfriend and I are both 24 years old and our cars are paid for, but we still struggle. I bet that we spend as much on gas as we do on food, and our commute is less than 5 miles.
How can I eat that cheap?
Maybe they should stop firing up the powerboat?

Betelgeuse said:These people in these series drive me up a wall.Seriously. "Trips to the beach and visiting college friends are pretty much out of the question. The gas crisis is not only draining our wallets, but sucking the joy out of our 20s as well." Why not recapture some joy by being melodramatic about everything? These chiefs make my head hurt.

You know, I kind of sympathize for some of these people, but most of them are in their situation because they don't take the chance to change.

For me, I took the chance on taking a new job opportunity and moving to a new area. With this great decision, my wife and I got better jobs, ability to buy a house, and ultimately have a higher income.

If you aren't satisfied with where you are, take the initiative people and move up!