It was fun while it lasted...

iceracer wrote: Curious. Just what does Pres. Obama or any other President have to do with gas prices.

Not much, really, but presidential approval ratings have historically tracked gas prices.

Part the reason diesel prices didn't drop as much is that we don't refine enough in this country. We actually have to import diesel.

Man, I hope gas prices go back up soon. I'm tired of worrying about getting laid off.

Gearheadotaku wrote: I've been saving $20-$30 a week. That's huge for low income folks...

Sounds like the problem isn't gas prices, but the amount your going through. I got tired of filling up every 10 days, so I said berk it, and moved out of the sticks. I'm now 2 miles from work and pretty much anything else I could need. I'm a lot less stressed when prices fluctuate like they do. Plus I don't spend over an hour and a half in the car driving to work round trip, 5 minutes and I'm home.

We are all just one middle eastern "incident" away from a a huge spike in prices. Now that Jordan wants a little revenge for their pilot being executed we could be already there. Low fuel prices can't and won't last forever. It's just a matter of time. It was nice while it lasted.

jstein77 wrote:

iceracer wrote: Curious. Just what does Pres. Obama or any other President have to do with gas prices.

Not much, really, but presidential approval ratings have historically tracked gas prices.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

jstein77 wrote:

iceracer wrote: Curious. Just what does Pres. Obama or any other President have to do with gas prices.

Not much, really, but presidential approval ratings have historically tracked gas prices.

t25torx wrote: Sounds like the problem isn't gas prices, but the amount your going through. I got tired of filling up every 10 days, so I said berk it, and moved out of the sticks. I'm now 2 miles from work and pretty much anything else I could need.

Did you factor in the additional cost of moving? The usually higher cost of housing closer to where work is? I dunno if adding hundreds a month to a mortgage to save $20 a month in fuel costs is really that smart a move.

And of course for families, there is the added burden of changing schools and how the move affects the spouse's work situation.

Chris_V wrote:

t25torx wrote: Sounds like the problem isn't gas prices, but the amount your going through. I got tired of filling up every 10 days, so I said berk it, and moved out of the sticks. I'm now 2 miles from work and pretty much anything else I could need.

Did you factor in the additional cost of moving? The usually higher cost of housing closer to where work is? I dunno if adding hundreds a month to a mortgage to save $20 a month in fuel costs is really that smart a move. And of course for families, there is the added burden of changing schools and how the move affects the spouse's work situation.

So I have an 18' car trailer I moved all my stuff with. Probably used maybe $120 in diesel total to move everything. We moved from a 2200sqft to a 1600sqft, same amount of livable space as the old house. The new house cost 100k less than the house we sold, so our mortgage stayed the same because I went with a 15 year loan instead of a 30 year. The spouses job was close to mine, so her trip went form 50 minutes to 5. My son lives with my ex for the school year so his routine doesn't change.

Not everyone can do it, but I think a lot of people don't even think of moving as an option.

In the words of Mr. Wolf, "Move out of the sticks, fellas"

Here's what I got out of this thread- to save lives and marriages, we need to eat less margarine, stop importing oil from Norway, and use only Mexican limes in our margaritas. Sound logic backed by correlations, which we all know absolutely proves causation. time to start chanting "limes save lives!"

Chris_V wrote:

t25torx wrote: Sounds like the problem isn't gas prices, but the amount your going through. I got tired of filling up every 10 days, so I said berk it, and moved out of the sticks. I'm now 2 miles from work and pretty much anything else I could need.

Did you factor in the additional cost of moving? The usually higher cost of housing closer to where work is? I dunno if adding hundreds a month to a mortgage to save $20 a month in fuel costs is really that smart a move. And of course for families, there is the added burden of changing schools and how the move affects the spouse's work situation.

MMM has done the math for you (he uses the probably-extra-safe estimates of 34 cents per mile driven, $25/hour for your time, and 5% mortgage interest rate):

"In other words, a logical person should be willing to pay about $15,900 more for a house that is one mile closer to work, and $477,000 more for a house that is 30 miles closer to work. For a double-commuting couple, these numbers are $31,800 and $954,000."

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/10/06/the-true-cost-of-commuting/

The american consumer has more or less proven that low auto fuel prices just cause them to make stupendously shortsighted decisions. The only good thing about this price lull is that people are actually talking about gas taxes again, which is a nice break from the toll road talk that's been going on around me.

I am WILLING to pay for infrastructure that supports my #1 hobby (driving). I already have 50mpg cars. All i want at this point is actual road construction and LOTS of it. Since 2000 my city has grown probably 50% in population and 10% in road infrastructure. That means i enjoy life less! BUILD MORE ROADS. TAX US TO DO IT. It's better than traffic and better than toll roads.

My goal in life is to care less and less about more and more until I don't give a berkeley about anything. Gasoline prices are in the "Done" column. Not like I have the option to not put fuel in a car.

Trackmouse wrote: Ah jeez, this topic again... When will you guys learn to budget fuel under you're "fun money" tab? Lol.

What is that B word you speak of? this is MURICA!

My problem with gas prices is their unpredictability. If the powers that be recognized that fuel for you car is just as much a "utility" as the water and electricity that are piped to your house then maybe gasoline retailers would have to start justifying their prices to someone before sending the price of a gallon of unleaded up 35 cents in a day.

If the water or natural gas companies did that people would scream bloody murder but we don't seem to give a berkeley about gasoline jumping around and making it hard for lower income folks to deal with.

GameboyRMH wrote: The dip in gas prices saved me a grand total of about $10~$20.

In my case it's been well over $100/month. Paid $1.959 this morning and area stations in NJ still have diesel at $2.399.

Don49 wrote: Part the reason diesel prices didn't drop as much is that we don't refine enough in this country. We actually have to import diesel.

I've read the exact opposite, we export refined diesel since we make more than we can use. A barrel of oil generates rough quantities of various distillates, gasoline and diesel being certain percentages. The refineries have gotten better at producing more of one specific type, but the rough ratios still remain. Diesel is more popular in the rest of the world, so we sell it and that keeps our prices higher - the wonders of living in a global economy.

Also, in the winter, the increase in home heating oil (diesel) and the additional winterizing additives tend to keep the price higher as it relates to gasoline.

Owning a diesel car since 2003, I've read a lot about this subject. It comes up every Winter on the TDI forum with "Why is diesel so much more expensive in the Winter???" cries from the diesel newbies.

The only time since I bought my car in 2003 that diesel was any substantial amount cheaper the gas was right after Katrina when the shut down of coastal refineries sent the gasoline commodities market sky-rocketing, but not for diesel.

DaveEstey wrote: Unions at several large refineries are on strike. The market is reacting by making money.

Dave nailed it.

How 'bout stop the whining and pay attention to recent events? Union workers at nine(?) refineries have gone on strike; roughly ten percent of the nations capacity is affected. Local pricing for regular jumped 10cents in one day as the companies are engaging in a bit of short-term profit taking.

A few percentage points increase leaves a pretty good deal considering gas is still nearly 50 percent cheaper than a few months ago.

rcutclif wrote:

Chris_V wrote:

t25torx wrote: Sounds like the problem isn't gas prices, but the amount your going through. I got tired of filling up every 10 days, so I said berk it, and moved out of the sticks. I'm now 2 miles from work and pretty much anything else I could need.

Did you factor in the additional cost of moving? The usually higher cost of housing closer to where work is? I dunno if adding hundreds a month to a mortgage to save $20 a month in fuel costs is really that smart a move. And of course for families, there is the added burden of changing schools and how the move affects the spouse's work situation.

MMM has done the math for you (he uses the probably-extra-safe estimates of 34 cents per mile driven, $25/hour for your time, and 5% mortgage interest rate): "In other words, a logical person should be willing to pay about $15,900 more for a house that is one mile closer to work, and $477,000 more for a house that is 30 miles closer to work. For a double-commuting couple, these numbers are $31,800 and $954,000." http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/10/06/the-true-cost-of-commuting/

That's why SF rent is so crazy high. I have a few friends that moved out of the city, and once you add the cost of their commute to the cost of their new apartment, they barely come out ahead, and often loose money (and time).

In reply to t25torx:

Nicely done. Being home rather than in a car to/from work is just icing on the cake.

And this seems relevant..

Http://www.exxonmobilperspectives.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/API-US-Map.jpg

In reply to Vigo:

The american consumer has more or less proven that low auto fuel prices just cause them to make stupendously shortsighted decisions. The only good thing about this price lull is that people are actually talking about gas taxes again, which is a nice break from the toll road talk that's been going on around me. I am WILLING to pay for infrastructure that supports my #1 hobby (driving). I already have 50mpg cars. All i want at this point is actual road construction and LOTS of it. Since 2000 my city has grown probably 50% in population and 10% in road infrastructure. That means i enjoy life less! BUILD MORE ROADS. TAX US TO DO IT. It's better than traffic and better than toll roads.

There is a little box on your tax form where you are welcome to donate whatever you want for the greater good. But I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your hands out of my pockets. Besides, there is very little corelation between what you pay in taxes and the level of service you receive from the government. I should know, I live in the Republic of California. Just recently it was discovered that Cal Trans, our highway department, purposely cut back on road maintenance. Not due to lack of finding. There was an initiative on the ballot to raise taxes for road repair. They figured it had a better chance of passing if they stopped fixing the roads with the money they already had. The sad thing was when they were caught, very few were shocked or surprised. Just prior they got caught buying hundreds of new vehicles- everything from Priuses to six figure trucks and equipment. Only to let them sit on lots for years unused. Many were years old, still without plates. And they kept buying more. Because they had to use up their budget so they could increase it the next year. Here is how the government works...

1) Spend the money on things the people don't want or need.

2) Cut the budget on things people do want or need (roads, education)

3) Tell the people the crappy roads and poor educational system is their fault because they don't pay enough taxes.

4) Raise taxes

5) Spend the money on something else

6) Wait until people forget (doesn't take long).

7) Repeat.

GameboyRMH wrote:

alfadriver wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: The dip in gas prices saved me a grand total of about $10~$20.

I spent my savings at lunch- how about you?

In more gas when I (accidentally) set my Sammy to run too rich for a couple days, right before the front axle seized up leaving it in a mall parking lot where it still sits today (can't afford to call a tow truck).

as a rider on my car ins. policy I've got towing … costs a whooping $5 each 6 mo.

this is a rider on the policy … one car with full coverage, and the other 2 with just liability, comp. and towing

doesn't help in this case, but might be something to consider the next time you come up for renewal

Feedyurhed wrote: We are all just one middle eastern "incident" away from a a huge spike in prices. Now that Jordan wants a little revenge for their pilot being executed we could be already there. Low fuel prices can't and won't last forever. It's just a matter of time. It was nice while it lasted.

true …but as much dependent on the mid-east as most folk think

According to data from The Energy Information Administration (EIA) in their 2014 Early Release Overview, oil imports decreased from 12.55 million barrels per day in 2005, (60 percent of daily U.S. consumption), to 7.45 million barrels per day, (40 percent of daily U.S. consumption), in 2012.

http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=727&t=6

And yet the price of crude dropped $4 a barrel yesterday.