The Gas dribble

Is it gloom and doom to think ahead, or see what comes round the bend? Maybe, maybe not. I never believe it's gloom and doom to be prepared.

Let's talk about gas. The price of gas has skyrocketed to prices we never thought we'd see...but here they are, over $4 a gallon in most places. Staggering isn't it? (funny how gas and milk always seem to run about the same!)
I've read many blogs and forums where people are having a hard time dealing with these prices They are having to give up this or that in order to be able to fill their tanks to get to work! It's kinda scary.

So let's discuss some realities. I hear a lot of people screaming 'go green' so that it will lower our prices. I have nothing against going green...I was green when green wasn't cool..not to the 'enth degree' by any means. I do small stuff that suits our lifestyle. Green is not where it's at to reduce gas prices.
Will gas prices reduce?? Ask yourself why should it? If we as a society are willing to pay for it at these rates now, why would the gas companies reduce the rate? They won't. Face that fact, gas is never going to go down to what we'd all like to see it as.

Diesel...let's talk diesel. Just who uses diesel. Companies. Shipping and Trucking companies to be more specific. They are paying out the nose to run their trucks. What do those trucks do for us?
They bring all the supplies we use. ALL of them, from concrete to groceries.
In order to recoup their loss at the tanks, what are these companies going to do? Well, raise prices that's what.
Long haul or short haul trucks will never go green. They will never go 'electric' (at least not ANYTIME soon enough), so they will continue to have to pay the enormous diesel rates at the tanks. And in turn, you will pay for it at any counter where you purchase items. So here you are now paying more for your gas to get to work, and more for the stuff that you buy!

I don't even think we've seen the total fallback on the rising gas prices yet. I know I've noticed an increase in grocery prices for sure, but I don't think it's hit us as hard as it's going to yet.

We can sell the big cars we own and buy more economical cars, sure, but we'll still end up paying for someones gas elsewhere.
Have you thought about all the places the rising costs are going to show up?
Grocery stores (the cost to get the food to the store has doubled)
Restaurants (they face the same delimas you do with the grocery prices)
Shipping (Postal/trucking rates)
Taxes (the state has to pay for gas to fix roads, run the police force, school buses, etc)
Travel (all travel from cars to planes to trains)

This is a short list, but I'm sure you get the idea. You can add to it on your own and see how the higher gas prices are going to affect you.

Here's what I've noticed at the register:
The prices on all food has gone up. Fresh food has doubled since last years crop and corn has taken a leap due to the new 'biofuels' made with corn.
At the local restaurants, prices have risen or the portions have shrunk (not that this is a bad thing necessarily)
The postal rates continue to climb, and heaven forbid if you want to ship something to another country!
Taxes haven't hit yet, but they will. The state and counties HAVE to pay for things that specifically use GAS.. police cars, school buses, road upkeep, expansion just to name a few.

It's already expensive to travel, whether you do it by plane or by car because of the gas prices. Add in the extra expense now at restaurants and any 'counter' and you'll find that this years trip to visit the grandkids costs you twice as much as it did the year before

So what can you do to reduce your final costs, because in the end, this is where it will hit our pocket book the most. The key is learning to not use the things listed above.
We can't avoid the taxes of course not.
Buy local from the farmers, or grown your own.
Learn to put up food that you grow or gather from the farmers so that you can avoid the grocery store as much as possible. BUY ON SALE
Use email and avoid small shipments of anything, double them up and send more at once.
Avoid eating out.

It may be wise to consider "how" to create your own of everything now, from food to clothes!
Learn all you can, grow things, can things, freeze things, reduce your costs as much as possible.
Lower your thermostate by 5 degrees
Don't be afraid to hang your clothes on a clothes line, your grandmother and great grandmother did it, they didn't suffer and made it! (they didn't eat at McDonalds either!)

Each individual family will have to change some, how you choose to do it is of course, up to you, or maybe it'll be up to the gas compaines!

Good luck, and may your tank always be full!