[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Gas is teh Ch34P!! (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 5/24/2007 4:16:37 PM EDT
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I'm confused. I've done extensive analysis (Quicken) over the last twelve months and I just don't get what the hype is. I have 1 wife, 3 boys, a dog and a cat. We have two cars a mortgage. We drive to baseball practice, school, work, church etc. We typically drive both cars everyday. we RARELY eat at restaurants. So, we are your "typical" family of 5. looking at quicken I spend less on gas then I do on: -Dining: we spend $450 more/year on dining than we do on gas. no one complains that the Restaurant cartels are recording record profits. -Clothes: we spend ~$100 more/year on clothes than we do on gas. No on complains that clothing companies are making "record profits" -Gifts: we spend ~$1000 more/year on gifts that we give to other people than we do on gas  no one complains that this Christmas thing is a Republican conspiracy to take our money.-In an average month, we donate more to charity than we spend on gas. -Medical expenses (dentist, eye doctor, medicine, doctor visits, ER) are on par with our gas expense. -Gas expenses are on par with the interest we pay for our mortgage, car, and school loans COMBINED! Those banks aren't even working for that profit!!! -I pay more in TAXES then I do for gas! and Taxes won't get me to work on time!!! so someone please tell me, what is the big frigging deal with gas prices? it is dirt cheap compared to everything else I pay for! /rant off |
So he WAS your troll account!!  People gripe about gas prices not because of the percentage of their money they pay towards it, but because it's gone up so much in a short period of time after several years of little change. People were used to it taking X dollars to fill their tanks, and within just a couple of years, it's now 2-3X for the same gas. If milk were at $6/gallon, people would be spending a lot of time bitching about it. Of course, you can always cut out milk easier than you can cut out gas. |
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great post, thank you. the average person drives about 10,000 miles a year. At 20 mpg, that's 500 gallons of gas. At $3.25/gal, that's $1625. Gasoline costs are only a small fraction of most people's budget, unless they commute 200 miles every day or run a business that uses a lot of fuel or something like that. |
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You guys are all apologist morons. www.nytimes.com/2007/05/24/business/24refinery.html?ei=5065&en=88a4750c6b8de113&ex=1180584000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print These gas companies are about the only companies that can have their cake and eat it too. |
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There's nothing wrong with competition in a capitalist economy. What are the oil companies going to do, be forced to raise prices more, which would drive more people away and spur more research and innovation into alternate powerplants? Darn. |
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Wow, I didnt realize Arfcom had so many fucktards. Well, I did. Ok, I confess. I did know that. I didnt know they were so blatant about it. YOUR budget is hardly representative of everyones budget in the country. I know, I know. I'm terribly sorry to shatter your bubble of holier then thou and oh so fucking smart but alas, its true. Not everyone has your level of income. Not everyone has your level of discretionary income. This may come as a shock, so if you need a moment I understand. 
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+100 For a minute I was thinking I was the only one that didn't have money! |
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I can't believe you guys can really sit hear and think that a resource that runs our entire country and is controlled by non-american countries/org's and then in turn only run by a hand full of corperations is just fucking business as usual. BUSINESS AS FRIGGIN USUAL. For example is a mass transit SYSTEM something that is built by competing private companies? Is the fresh water that comes to your house controlled by a country in the middle east or south america? This is a joke. Actually fuck it, please raise gas to $5 so we can just get this over with. |
so, what do you propose the gov't should do about it?? |
Do I look like I'm in a position to HONESTLY know all the dynamics of the situation? Are you saying that because I'm pointing out something so obvious about the situation that I should have a friggin answer to the magical question? Look I understand where your getting at, don't complain if you don't have a solution, I used to feel the same way about things. But I've grown up a bit since then and I realize that just because I, mr John Doe average american, don't have a professional answer to a professional situation doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on the situation. After all, I am the consumer. For the record I've logged over 1000 miles on my mountain bike since August. That's a 1000 miles I didn't put on my 90 Accord 4 banger. WTF have YOU done? Do you drive a smaller car to help with the cause? Do you take mass transit or burn YOUR OWN fuel to get you around? |
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Hmmm.....For starters, how about not taxing the ever loving shit out of it? How about allowing new refineries to be built? New wells to be drilled? Allow tax incentives for fuel efficient vehicles? Reduce and freeze smog emissions for diesels? Not raise taxes on energy companies, as those will ultimately get passed on to the consumer? Push for meaningful alternative energy programs such as solar, hydro, wind and ethanol? How about subsidize upgrades or expansions on mass transit systems for high density areas? How about offer tax incentives to use those mass transit systems in areas where they exist but still have many who drive to encourage their use? How about stop funding farmers to NOT grow crops in order to meet the ethanol demand? How about developing coal technology? How about subsidizing and advertising safe clean nuclear power? That might be a good start. Sure, no plan is foolproof or perfect. I will be the first to admit that. But that doesnt mean we shouldnt take steps NOW instead of waiting till gas is $8 a gallon. |
No money here either  And YES , weekly gasoline expenditure going from $25 to $50 is a VERY big deal to me. Cuts into my meager guns & ammo budget , and it really sucks.  ETA - I'm not even going to pretend to know all the dynamics of the gas/oil situation , and I don't have a magic solution for high prices , but the fact of having to spend more and more for the same quantity of fuel while my income fails to magically increase is kind of annoying.
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| everything isn't business as usual. Check the RBOB Crack Spread (yes, thats what it is called). Its the profit margin between a barrel of crude and a barrel of RBOB gasoline. The higher the spread the higher the profit margin, also the higher the spread the less efficient the market is working. The spread is near all time highs, this means that it isn't crude that is driving the price of gas up, its the refineries. |
That cant be right at all. John there just showed you that your lying, because you must have the same budget as him. |
O but NOW they don't want to invest the money cause of the concerns about crude oil not being the main source of fuel in the next 20 years. I wonder what there line was in the 80's and 90's I was too young. I understand some of you want to stick up for these oil companies like you're fighting the stripes and stars vs. the hammer and sickle battle but your NOT doing that IMO. |
Do I smell closet socialists?
Closer to the truth: Not everyone is smart enough to choose a lifestyle they can afford - i.e., one that doesn't put them at the brink of bankruptcy every time prices rise. |
great post, I agree with all of it except for the ethanol part. Unfortunately, congress and the general public would prefer to whine about "record profits" and nonexistent "price gouging". I fear that we may return to price controls leading to shortages, rationing, and gas lines. It'll be the 1970s all over again. |
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Geez. If you want to discuss the societal impact or business impact of higher gas prices, we can. I thought that was the point. But if you want to hear me complain about having less money than I already do, okay. I only have 6 more weeks in school, and I'm hanging on by my fingernails. Many times in the past 18 months, I've made the choice to go to work hungry with no way to get food, so I can put enough gas in the truck to get to work so I can make just enough money to ALMOST pay the bills and harbor the dream of eating normal food again on a normal schedule. Is THAT what you want? OTOH, I'd rather tell you about the couple of plans I have for a minature turboshaft-electric hybrid. I'm not sure how I can get a steady supply of kerosene, though. |
What kind of tard ass logic are you runnin on over there man?? Your telling me EVERYONE has the EXACT same budget as ole John there??  If you really believe that I honestly cant even start having a conversation with you about it. |
I'm incredibly worried about price fixing leading to shortages and rationing. That shit would SUCK, and I'd get a real good fucking I'm afraid because I have a gas hungry SUV and as fuel efficient diesel. The gas I do get wont get me far in the truck and I'll be lucky to get diesel cause its going to go to the industry needs. Course the good news in all of that is theres a few fast food places where I could probably get some cooking oil. And you get bet your ass if I start hearing of intermittent shortages I'll be hop skippity jumpin right on down there too! |
WTF! I think the smell might be sitting in front of the screen. 
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"I must've hit it real close to the mark to get her all riled up like this, huh kid" -Han Solo keep it coming, your reasoning is astounding! |
You guys need to really get the idea out of your head that just because some of use are not happy with outlook of the current oil situation that we are not conservatives. That's like saying just because I ride a bike when I can that I'm a hippie, far from it. |
careful, i recall reading an article a few months back about an elderly couple who tried the cooking oil diesel thing but got in trouble with the law because they weren't paying "fuel tax" on the oil or some such bullshit
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I remember that. |
Not as astounding as your stupidity!! "Well, *I* can afford it so everyone can!" Do you even realize just how fucking stupid you sound saying that? Lemme put it in perspective for you Oh Wise One. "*I* dont need a gun, so no one does!" Dont worry, I can give you a few minutes to digest this profound wisdom I've bestowed on you "John". Yeah, just cause YOU wear the shoe doesnt mean everyone does. And for the record, I honestly couldnt tell you what gas is right now. I do know diesel is cheaper then gas only because my wife told me. Its gas. I need it. Simple as that. I dont spend much money on toys regardless so the price of gas really isnt much of an issue to me. So your post only "hits real close to home" because it reminds me of all the fucktard people I see screaming about how expensive it is, except this is the exact opposite because your saying "Well *I* can afford it so everyone can!" Dont worry, I honestly dont expect you to see it. But that doesnt mean I wont comment on it because I'm SO tired of all the stupidity surrounding the whole energy issue. |
Oh yeah , you're right. Must have blown all my other income on hookers and blow ETA - Oh , and a response to the remark about "choosing a lifestyle they can afford" or some such , check this out............ The simple fact that some people have less money to spend and are therefore more greatly affected by rising fuel prices DOES NOT automatically mean we have less money because we are irresponsible or we live beyond our means. Guess what it does mean...... We start out with less money on payday than some here do  |
OMG U 2!?!? 
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chill spec, I just asked what the big deal was. so far 1 person has responded that they've chosen between starving and buying gas.  another is disappointed that their ammo budget is smaller ok ok this is a gun forum I'll give it a If anyone responds that they couldn't' afford their Xbox game due to the gas gouging I'm gonna puke! |
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So dining out... has the cost of feeding your family one meal at a decent restaurant DOUBLED over the last four years? Not likely. Just figured I'd shoot you down on that. What single item that you REQUIRE to live/survive, has more than doubled in price since, this time in 2003? I'm seriously asking that last question. I bet a gallon of milk doesn't cost double what it did. A loaf of bread? Your electric/utility bill? |
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I'd love to see the people's budgets who complain about gas. Don't eat out for one week and you've saved big money. Simple tips to live cheap: Don't have cable T.V. Don't eat out. Don't drink coffee and tea or even buy it. Stop buying soda. Don't smoke or drink. Generic label food is sometimes just as good if not better than name brand food. Don't shop at name brand clothing outlets, Walmart is just as good! Buy a car for under 8 grand and don't worry about car payments. Buy things with cash. Don't play the credit card game with trying to make payments. You may have to hold off on gun and ammo purchases for a while, I have and I'm 100% okay. Ohhh wait. Nevermind. I'm only 20 and don't know WTF I'm talking about. I remember how the other gas thread turned out. I'm sooo foolish in the world and don't understand money! |
You see it when you make a point to research it. Scientific American, Popular Sci/Mech, Discover. I really want to understand the engineering aspects of the problem, so I research it with a real, market-viable solution in mind. And did you miss where I mentioned a turboshaft-electric hybrid? Which are you, pot or kettle? |
Ok. I'm sorry. I apologize, but I'm just so tired of hearing it. I admit, its usually how expensive it is and how SOMETHING has to be DONE. But I will agree with one of the posters above. Many times its people living beyond their budget, and the smallest bump really throws a wrench in the works. Its just been a shit ass week. I've been on call and have been paged out every frickin night this week. I need sleep! And cheap gas.
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Milk is up to $4 / gallon. I remember when it was $2. damn milk conglomerates! |
Can I be the one with a handle? |
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Power in my area has gone up very close to that. My family keeps all bills and receipts for 7 years and I happened to clean out a lot of those a few weeks ago. They had power bills of only $70, now it's close to $200 for the same amount of power. |