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I work for Nightline at ABC News and I would like to know if you live in the exurbs and are now feeling the hit of high gas prices. We are working on a story for broadcast and perhaps you could help us out. Respond here or check out the following link: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=5340956 . Thank you! (PS The folks at Work It, Mom gave me the OK to post here.)”

Asked by ElyABC on 10th July 2008 | 6 replies

6 replies so far...

I QUIT my job because of the high price of gas...and all of the other expenses going up. I was spending way too much money driving to work, back and forth to the babysitter. Once I sat down and did a budget, I realized I would only be at a slight loss to quit my job. Crazy, isn't it!!!

PS... I live on Long Island, NY

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Angela on 14th July 2008
I live in a rural area where the average person drives between 20-50 miles one way to work. I am fortunate as we own our own business and I work less than 1 mile from home - BUT in our small 3-man business we travel an average of 150 miles per day with a cube truck. We have been forced to rethink our turn around times for customers and put them off 1-2 weeks longer, so we are able to consolidate trips. I also tend to do grocery shopping coupled with job site visits or other trips - since we drive at least 15 miles one way to a "real grocery store." We buy milk, bread eggs and gas locally, we pay a bit more, but it is cheaper than driving elsewhere.
The one good thing is people are SLOWLY starting to re-discover their communities and spending money at a local business rather than immeidately heading to the cities and malls.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Pammy on 12th July 2008
Ely -
Consider posting your request here too http://www.helpareporter.com/press/
It is a free service to help reporters find experts for their stories.
I used it yesterday and was AMAZED at the response.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by on 11th July 2008
I teach school where my son who will be senoir attends. I also teach part-time and can leave at lunch. I had hoped he could drive himself and I would leave at lunch but we are having to consider riding together and I will stay at school and do paperwork. We also live about 4 hours from family and have not visited them since Christmas. We are going to see them this weekend but I think it will be about $200 and we will probably not be able to make the trip again unti at least Thanksgiving. We try not to run back and forth to the grocery store but make sure we get everything in one trip each week.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Debra on 11th July 2008
I am a physician-in-training (so, tighter budget) and have to work at different hospitals, one of which is across town (30ish miles away). We traded in my sports car for a more fuel efficient subaru outback, but the cost of gas is still prohibitive. We don't take many road trips (which use to be a family weekend escape activity) and tend to cluster errands. We go SAMS to get the cheapest gas. My husband reserved the company car for a 2-week work responsibility which will take him to that hospital across town.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by KC on 11th July 2008
I manage 6 restaurants with 20-30 employees at each restaurant. I hear often that we are missing employees who are unable to come to work because they can't afford to put gas in their car. In the last month I have transfered over 10 employees to different restaurants in the area to be closer to their homes due to gas prices.
I drive 2500 to 3000 miles per month. I have a Toyota Camry and I fill up every two days at about $60 per fill up. So that is about $180 or more per week that I spend on gas alone. That is the same amount, sometimes more that I spend on childcare and more than my mortgage.
I have stopped using my car to run errands or do my shopping. My daughters and I ride our bikes, and I have a buggy that attaches to my bike for hauling our groceries, but that impact on my gas expense is minimal.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Niki D on 10th July 2008