I am so sick of hearing about how gas prices have increased. Yes, I know already! Let me clarify, we have felt the pinch. My husband commutes 48 miles to work every day. I'm not liking the price increase either. But chances are the increase in gas prices is not what is killing you. Not living within your means and paying interest is a whole lot worse than the gas price. People are paying interest on credit cards, cars and everything in between-you are just throwing that money away every month. My husband works with a guy who, in response to the increasing gas price, traded his PAID FOR car in for a smaller car with a 7% intrest rate. Does this make sense on any level?
While we have limited driving, there is not a whole lot we can do about the increase in gas prices. However, most other things in your budget you can control. Would you pay $1 for bottled water (which you can get water for FREE)? That is $10 a gallon. Go to Starbucks and pay $4 for a coffee? That is $32 a gallon! I don't hear people up in arms about that. In fact Starbucks stock is up this week. Someone is buying it. Now I am not against Starbucks. In fact I love it. I used to work there in college and let me tell you the amount of money people spend there is rediculous. People would come in every day and spend about $5. That is $1,800 a year! I do love Starbucks coffee but I don't get it much because of the cost so I am pretty excited to try this recipe for iced coffee-just in time for summer.
Even though gas prices are out of our control-most of your budget is within your control. Little things add up to big costs. Stop blaming the economy and start taking control of your own financial situation. You need to know where your money is going and have control over your spending.
3 comments:
Thanks for a different perspective. Great reminder too!
Its true- for many people the $ spent at the pump could easily be taken from another budget line, if only they knew what their budget really was.
48 miles to work??! That is amazing...I never realized it was that far. I agree with you though, we as a culture spend so much more on frivilous stuff (and I am guilty of it too...) than we are spending on increased gas prices. Obviously people must not care THAT much, because I still don't see a lot of bicycles on the road or a decrease in vehicular traffic!
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