Gas Prices on Fun Friday
May 23, 2008 by Anne Wayman
Filed under Jobs
We in the Business Channel picked this week’s “fun” theme as gas prices. I’m not at all sure what’s fun about gas prices, unless, of course, you own an oil company. And my hunch is even typical share holders are feeling the gas price pinch.
Of course, we freelance writers, editors, translators, bloggers, etc. don’t usually feel the gas prices as much as those of you who commute. But we do feel it.
This morning the gas price in my home town, San Diego (well, really National City, next door to San Diego, but few recognize it) it an average of $4.01. That’s a huge increase… and if you’re as old as I’m, you’ll remember a time when gas pumps looked like the one in the picture. I think the lowest gas price I personally remember was .35 – yep, that’s a gas price of thirty-five cents a gallon.
Part of this increase I suppose is due to the Memorial Day Holiday this weekend. Oil companies are almost tradition bound to gouge us over this holiday. And part is due to the fall of the dollar.
From an environmental point of view, the increase should force conservation our leaders hesitate to suggest, let alone push or require. After all, Europe and other countries have been paying this much and much more for years.
In truth… are you ready for the truth? I’m feeling fairly smug about all this. I was able not to drive at all yesterday, and did a full day of work. The only reason I’m driving today is to go to the library and the gym. Not having a commute is one of the best parts of freelancing.
I’m wondering, how high is the gas price in your neighborhood?
Write well and often,
Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing – a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision – for those who want to get a book written.
Image from http://www.sxc.hu
$4.11, Alexandria VA, and rising…
yeah, San Diego hit 4.07 about an hour ago… that’s 5 cents today!
Last week, I posted about this in my blog. I am currently living in Northwest England where gasoline costs more than $2.20 a liter – that amounts to around $9 a gallon. And people here are still driving (given, not as much as most of us do in the States, but that is steep!). I am happy that my bike is my main mode of transportation.
Hi Britt… give us a link to your blog… and yes, $9 seems impossibly high to us yanks at the moment… do you happen to know how long, in miles, the typical commute is in the UK/Eu?
Workwise.co.uk reports that the typical British commute is around 8.7 miles each way and averages around 54 minutes. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but at these petrol prices, the cost of driving really adds up. And that is not even considering what monthly emissions tax can be: my husband pays around $400.
Hi Anne- this is not for posting… I forgot my blog address. It is the one above.http://brittuniainmancunia.blogspot.com/
Thx
Britt
So 16 – 17 miles total… sounds like you’ve got a bit shorter commutes that take longer than we have on the west coast… probably closer to our east coast.
Another one overseas here; in Italy a gallon is about $9.50…apparently the highest in Europe. Woohoo.
Here it’s still at $2.59 per gallon. While it has certainly increased, it is moderate, last year was at $2.54. I supose that as long as Mexico has oil, for a few more years that is, we wont have a steep increase in gas costs. Those who live in San Diego, can you cross the border to fill up your gas tank?
So bleeding, how far are typical commutes there in Italy, and what part of Italy?
L. Ortiz… do I gather your in Mexico? What part? Ever since 9/11 crossing the border has become much more difficult… time consuming… there is something called a century pass that makes it easier… it may come to that. Under $3 sounds like ages ago here.
I have no idea what a typical commute is, but I know that I live up on a mountain in rural southern Italy, so a bus runs up and down the mountain a handful of times a day, and there’s next to no work up here; I’d say 90% of people have cars because there is no other choice.
Many people from my town end up having to travel to work in the nearest city, which is 30 km away, although some surely have shorter commutes and can even walk to their family businesses, for example.
However, work commute isn’t the only consideration–supermarkets, hospitals, any kind of entertainment…all these things require driving from everywhere (just like in America) unless you live right in the city, where you probably can’t afford to keep a car anyway b/c rents are so high.
We also have some of the highest if not the highest electricity prices in Europe (cost of living is THE highest and salaries are THE lowest), so it all adds up unfortunately.
sounds like it’s not easy… would you move back to the states?
You’re right Anne, it’s not easy for many Italians, just like for many Americans, or many of most countries these days. Prices of everything, everywhere are insane and wages are stagnant. Very depressing if you think too much about it.
I’m lucky in that I work freelance and also live in a depressed area (not good for employment opportunities, but at least prices are cheaper than elsewhere) so I personally am not *as* affected by some of the economic woes here (except for the lousy dollar for my US work!). I definitely make a lot less here than I could in the US as a lawyer, but for me, the quality of life is what is most important. I moved here to my ancestors’ village, so there’s a deep emotional connection for me as well. We raise or grow most of our own food, have wonderful neighbors and sunshine most of the year…just too many positives for me to consider leaving despite some of the struggles.
I purposely left the US to get out of a corporate, rush-rush lifestyle, so no I won’t be going back…and besides, my heart (and my fiancé) is here ;)
I’ve often thought I’d love to live out of the US… have spend enough time away to know I could, but I’ve got these grandkids ;)
Hah, my mom has that issue as well (grandkids in the States)…so I’m thinking I may just have to supply some grandkids abroad too ;)
lol, that’s an interesting thought – not sure what I’d do ;)
Yeah, I like my mom to have options ;)
;) tell her “hi” from me ;)
Will do Anne! She’ll be here in less than two weeks for a visit :)
Ahem, back on subject, I just saw this on Time.com:
Think Gas is High? Try Europe
It talks about the value of the euro offsetting some of the sting, but in Italy at least the prices of just about everything have gone up while wages stayed the same (just like in America), including beloved pasta! And don’t even get the older folk, in particular, talking about how awful the change to Euro from lira has been for the economy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you ;)
Thanks for the link… of course, as freelancers we have some control over our wages… I know I’ve given myself a raise recently.