I don't know about you folks, but I'm really feeling the pinch from these rising gas prices. I'm back working full-time, which is great news, but the office is in Auburn, which is a 60 mile round trip from my home in West Seattle, five days a week.That's 300 miles a week, or a tank of gas. So, at the current prices it is costing me about $240 a month just to drive back and forth to the office. There are no bus or rail lines that come close to the office, so drive I must. Fortunately, there are grocery stores, pharmacies, and even a budget theatre within walking distance of my house. Even the kids' school is only four blocks away, so my car stays parked whenever possible.
This has really affected my willingness to go out and see bands play. I really think about it before driving across town (or farther) to see even my favorite bands play. I can just imagine how gas prices are affecting the cash flow for both bands and nightclubs. Bands' wages haven't changed much since the '70s, but the price of gas has tripled, so the math is pretty simple. And, I can't be the only person that is thinking twice before spending money on a night out at a club, so I'll bet that attendance at shows has to be falling off too. I wonder if we will be seeing more clubs closing because of this?
What do you think? How have rising gas prices, just one aspect of our sagging economy, been a affecting your life?
What do you think? How have rising gas prices, just one aspect of our sagging economy, been a affecting your life?
2 comments:
Gas prices have been affecting my life BADLY - influencing decisions in exactly the way your post describes. You have to figure the gas cost in to your entertainment budget! Jaysus, just what we all need. . . Of course, we have been spoiled so long compared to the rest of the world re gas prices. It's one of the ways the gov't has kept us compliant till now - by keeping gas cheap. In Congo two commodities were government subsidized: gas and beer. That pretty much says it all . . .
Susan
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