Thursday, December 11, 2008

High Gas Prices Means Belt Tightening For Most Of Us

You would almost have to be a hermit in this day and age not to be aware of the significant increase in gas prices in the US during the last few years. This is true even for people who don't drive or don't own their own gasoline powered vehicles because even if they haven't experienced "future shock" when they fill up their empty gas tanks, they are still feeling the ramifications of higher gasoline prices.

Because virtually all goods that are purchased at stores are distributed by trucks that haul loads from the manufacturer to distribution warehouses, and eventually to the retail stores, the soaring price of gas has affected the price of consumer goods. Even with a small resurgence in the use of the railroads to move products across the country, there is still a need for trucking to get the items to the stores.

Not only are the prices of goods on the shelves of retail stores going up to help cover higher distribution costs, but many service type costs are increasing as well, especially those that use transportation as a significant part of the service. This is very clearly seen as postage rates have escalated, as well as shipping rates charged by services such as UPS and FedEx, as well as in higher ticket prices for air and bus travel.

This means that while the higher gas prices are encouraging people to shop online more and more often, when they have their packages shipped to them, they are still paying more for the convenience of having the items delivered to their home. While shopping from home can reduce overall gasoline consumption and perhaps even reduce the dependence on fossil fuels to a small degree, the fact is that as long as there is transportation involved at all in the transaction, somehow the high gasoline prices have to be compensated for and ultimately it is the consumer who is left to pay the bill.

If you are one of the many folk sick of paying these sky high prices for your gas "Click Here"

Another ramification of the ongoing increases of gas prices is the effect that this is having on the travel industry. Air fares are also on the increase as its not just car fuel tanks that are getting expensive to fill. As a result, consumers who are already feeling the pinch at the gas station and the supermarket are finding it harder and harder to come up with extra funds to travel. When they do travel, an increasing number of people are staying closer to home and exploring the sights locally.

In addition to the housing market already being in a slump because the real estate bubble burst, home prices in suburban areas are also declining because of the high gasoline prices. People want to move closer to their work and as a result there are more homes in the suburbs available and high availability leads to lower prices. At the same time, housing in more urban areas are becoming more sought-after, so prices are either holding or rising slightly in those areas.

There is simply no question that high gas prices have started to impact people in the United States and many have started to look at transportation differently and make changes in how they drive. Industry experts predict that gasoline prices will remain high and will most likely climb even higher and this in turn will mean that many industries will continue to be in a state of fluctuation; constantly changing to keep up with new demands of an economy that is so closely tied to the price of gasoline.

Gasoline prices are on everyone's minds these days. Most people have had to double their weekly budgeted amount of money so that they can fill their car's gas tanks. That means that there is less money for groceries, medical expenses and living expenses. The gas crisis has hit everyone's pockets. Unfortunately there is not an easy solution in sight for lowering gas prices. It may be time to take matters into your own hands and rethink how you drive. You may have to turn to alternative fuel sources. You have to educate yourself if you want to keep your budget.

To find out how you can cut your gas costs: "Click Here Now"

No comments: