Gas Watch

Pain At The Pump

 Tell Us How The 'Pain At The Pump' Is Affecting You!

 GAS WATCH: Find The Cheapest Gas In Your Area

We know that high gas prices are causing a major "pain at the pump" for many Southlanders! So we asked you to tell us how it's affecting your lives. Here are some of your responses. 

We spend $800.00 per month on gas alone. I am going to school and my husband is the only one working. We are not keeping up with the bills. We are in a horrible situation. I thank God we at least have a home to live in but if gas prices continue to soar, I'm afraid we will no longer have a home and might have to quit school becuase of the long drive. 

-Y.M., Riverside


I started riding a motorcycle about a year ago. Right before we all started feeling the high gas prices. I used to be able to fill up my gas tank with $7 and ride around for two weeks, now it takes about $13. It was a good idea to invest in a motorcycle. It saves money, it's fun to ride and most of all, motorcycle riders are a lot friendlier to each other. We don't have that "road-rage" mentality as car drivers.

-Efren C., Pomona


Family has eliminated movies, daughter's karate lessons, son's tennis lessons, coupon savings are not effective, trips to COSTCO are not helping, and now taking motorcycle to work daily. Some co-workers are eliminating a meal a day in order to feed their kids.

-Mark, Anaheim


I have to say that sure, I feel sorry for you guys with your high prices, but here in Australia it's much higher and you're actually pretty lucky overall.

-Angie, Australia


I'm a single mom making little more than mimimum wage. Usually my son plays sports in the summer, but with the cost of gasoline, I've had to choose between paying the fees to keep him on his teams or paying bills. I can't do both. The cost is getting so high that I may not be able to afford to stay in California. It's just getting to expensive.

-Victoria B., Pasadena


I'm staying home a lot more. Even though I ride a motorcycle and get about 50 mpg, I still feel the pain of paying so much for gas. As a job-seeker, the gas prices aren't really making it any easier on me, either.

-Tomas, Anaheim


I work for a courier service and pay for my own gas. I can't even afford to work a whole day because the gas is so high, It cost me more to fill up and takes up most of my profits.

-Michael M., Fullerton


I normally go to school about 30 minutes away from me, but due to the high gas prices I can't afford to drive out to school everyday for summer session. I'm going to have to take classes at another campus where I can take the bus. When I transfer it will end up being cheaper to rent next to the campus than to commute those 20 minutes.

-Kristina, Glendale


I used to drive 25,000 miles a year and bought a new car every four years. Now I drive less than 9,000 and bought a Honda Accord. Not planning on replacing it for at least ten years. I have a chronic health problem and fixed income. I'm buying 30% less food, increased my Health Ins. deductible to 5K and I'm still going in the hole on housing costs and gas costs.

-Val, Santa Ynez


No driving vacation this year.It's the price we pay for ignoring +we've had a serious problem since the late 70's, and have done nothing about it.

-Fred C., Whittier


I don't understand why government is not talking more about a recession; the price of everything is going up due to the price of gasoline; I also have cut back on spending and feel depressed about the high cost of gas, travel, food, etc.

-Linda, Long Beach


The high prices are hard on everyone but will affect single parents and people on fixed incomes the most. My son may not be able to participate in cross country practice during the summer if prices continue to rise. This could affect his chances when he fills out his college applications. At present we are eating out less and staying home more often.

-Mary C., San Bernardino


I own a hybrid and drive very little, but the hit at the pump has prompted me to purchase only necessities. I was going to take my son on a road trip out East and maybe see Montreal or New York, but now I think we'll stay home. I thought about flying to Hawaii, but not now that flights are cancelled, bags are an extra charge... it's just too much extra pain to deal with... We'll stay home and BBQ.

-Ann K., Lancaster


I've been trying to save money to get out of debt. Last month I saved almost $500 that was supposed to go to credit card debt. Instead, I had to spend that money on gas! I was also planning a trip to Greece this coming November. I finally realized that I just won't be able to go because that savings will need to be used for gas. Lastly, my friend and I are traveling to Oakland at the end of this month. We spent several hours searching for reasonable fares. The cheapest ticket is $177.00!!! We are thinking of canceling our trip.

-Brinetta, Paramount


I drive a Prius and it still kills me to pay the high price for gas. My car has a 10 gallon tank and it cost me 42 bucks to fill it yesterday! Unlike most people I cant get on a bike due to the fact i am pregnant with twins and have a three year old in tow. The prius for now it great even though the mpg i am getting is not great 38mpg :(. But i am noticing less traffic which is great for me!

-Kate, Newport Beach


I am currently a job seeker and without any source of income, the astronomically high gas prices are making this ordeal very, very, very costly. I wish I could consolidate all of my job interviews into one day just to save gas. This is just too much!

-Mark, Altadena


Gas prices are soo high, i cant afford to go to the doctors, pick up prescriptions. Also as a student i had to take time off school because gas cut into my book and supplies money. With all that theres no more money left for food or any other nessecities. Its gone too far!!

-Samantha B., Eaglerock


We are retired people. Fewer trips to see great grandchildren. We try to attend all nine of their birthday parties. All but two live more than a hundred miles from us. No recreational trips are made. We paid 4.39 in Visalia on Sunday. It is more than that in Lancaster.

-Mary B., Lancaster


The president should be ashamed to have oil companies making billions in record profits at the cost of Americans losing homes, and trying to figure which bill to skip paying to put gas in their cars and food on their tables. Why are the companies that came up with all the predatory loans being bailed out while the average family gets a few hundred dollars and are expected to spend that on something other than bills or necessities? Does any one really believe that the president cares about the needs of the middle class families?

-Jay, Riverside


We have had to cut back on family trips, only doing about 1 family outing a month and trying to take turns with our kids extracurricular activites with other parents.

-Shana, Lancaster


I don't have to worry about the price at the pump because i have taken the bus for over 12 years, and no matter how high the gas prices go, it's always cheaper to take the bus.

-Robert P., Anaheim


High gas prices are affecting not only my lifestyle, but also my education. I was enrolled in 4 classes at CSULA and had to drop 2 because I'd run out of gas mid-week and didn't always have money for extra gas. It's also affecting my daughter because I can't afford to drive my daughter to her gymnastics classes anymore. How are the oil executives able to sleep at night knowing that they are changing the culture of this country to feed their greed?

-Monica, Los Angeles


I bought a Smart car - went to the mountains last week and got almost 40mpg. We take our bike for short errands. It isn't the end of the world, and you can get a little exercise.

-Ruth, Northridge


I'm disabled and on a fixed income and with the gas so high I can't afford to go to the Dr for my therapy. Between the co-payment for the DR and the gas to get there it's an expensive day. Between health care costs and fuel prices it takes my monthly income to try and get healthily.

Marty, Burbank


I work as a product demonstrator in markets. I just accept work within a 10 mile radius now since gas is so high. This reduces my income tremendously.

-Phyllis, Southern California


The Senate has been holding inquiries about our national oil crisis with top economic experts and know the truth for the "Out Of Control Rising Cost Of A Barrell Of Oil"! The truth live on the news, might stir-up the Senate to move faster and fix the problem. Instead of reporting the reason for the rise in oil is because the production of more deisel which is hog wash. Report the truth about the rise in oil by the loop hole in the commities futures markets driving up the price being regulated by a foreign country, Dubei. This makes sence and the congress needs to fix the problem before another ENRON happens.

-Robert, West L.A.


It's hitting me big time! I can't really enjoy life anymore. I was planning to buy Coldplay tickets, but since I paid $25 for only 5 gallons for half a tank, I decided not to. Also, me and my friends can't really go out on roadtrips to the beach or other cities. We might end up spending the summer indoors :(

-Roxanne, Pasadena


First I have a motor home that I'm not using as much this year. With a 150 gal diesel tank, it takes between 7 to 8 hundred dollars to fill it up! At between 5 to 6 miles to the gallon, it's staying parked a lot more this year! Also, why do the service stations react so quickly to the rise in the cost of a barrel of oil?? I gassed up my vehicle's today because tomorrow the price will be 25 to 30 cents higher because of the rise in the cost of a barrel of oil TODAY?? When in fact, that higher priced oil won't reach our local station for many months?? How does that work anyway??

-R. F., Hemet


Last labor Day our 5 year daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer. Since then and as the gasoline prices have gone up, up, up, we are unable to make the regular and often daily trips from Big Bear to CHOC in Orange, CA. Chemo, Radiation, Cat Scans; admissions for high fevers. Gasoline up here is nearly $4.70 a gallon! We cannot afford to stay down there and few public resources exist for families with medical insurance - ironic. We eat smaller meals and face foreclosure daily. Our other kids go without. But we don't give up.

-Bob R., Big Bear


As a single parent I have to decide how to divide money for gas for the week to get to work and putting adequate meals on the table with rising food cost.

-Theresa, Cypress


I am a single mom of 4 who finally bought her first car. 1 yr later the gas prices went up so much that I cannot afford the payment of the car and the gas. Buying gas is like having another bill and paying it 2 x a month. It is taking the extra money used for food, milk, etc. I wish I bought a moped. Thank you.

-Teri M., Upland Ontario area


My husband is in school and work and becuase of the distance has no one to car pool with. He cant even come home every night. He stays at my parents house because it is next to his school. So we dont get to see daddy during the week because of the gas prices.

-Jennie, Hemet


The high gas prices are out of control. I take care of my grandmother that live in santa ana and i live in garden grove. I think it torrible that our goverment allows this to happen to us, when the gas companys are still pulling in billions of dollars.

-William N., Orange County


I work for a service based business. We no longer give free estimates due to the gas prices.

-Cheryl, Redlands


I don't think this is right how can it be that we are paying so much for gas, but the wages we are getting paid are not being raised. How do the expert expect our economy to improve?

-Lucy R., Victorville


It's affecting that it's made me buy a smaller 4 cylinder car. But the upswing is: it's nice to drive again, because there's not as much cars on the frwys. and the roads.

-JR, West Covina


I drive a 1976 Porsche 912 that still gets 30+ miles per gallon. Maybe American car builders need to research 30 year old German technology!

-William H., Hemet


I had to get a second job just for gas to get to my main job, I don't leave the house if I don't absolutly have too, been watching a lot more kcal only good thing to come out of this mess, and don't pick up my daughter from school, I have to have her father bring her home and as a teacher, whole other bag of issues, and sometimes she's there for hours after school is out. I wonder who's regulating this? How are we not freaking out in mass panic? Its only going to get worse, and before we know it 4 plus a gallon will just be normal! This isn't right! Somebody has to do something for us the consumer!

-Mikki, Van Nuys


I am living on a fixed income and everything is going up except my income. I am unable to go out because I need the gas when I have to go to a doctor's appointment.

-Alan W., Barstow


Being a homecare RN Social worker for the developmentally disabled, i find it hard to ive the A+ kind of care and support i would like to give. Instead of personally driving my patients to appointments and delivering their medications to them, i have to either meet them at their appts or not go with them at all. they also have to go pick up their own medications themselves which can be quite a challenge for the developmentally disabled. The gas prices are really hurting my clients in a BIG way!

-Rick P., Torrance


I drive on average 80-270 miles a day for work and with these gas and fuel prices I have to conduct my business only 3 days a week rather than 5 days. This is in turn cause my income to go down due to limited production and then tha added price of gas and fuel is killing me. I do not dirve a diesel vehicle but I want to know why Diesel fuel costs more for it is cheaper to produce, it is a fuel that is refined to a lesser extent than gasoline and jet fuels?

-Chris, Valencia


I am a part time barista at starbucks. I barly make enough to pay my bills. When that is all said and done, I have about 10.00 for gas during the week. It has made a drastic impact on my life, more less a hard commute to work everyday. i have to drive extra slow to make it last until the next pay day. I hope soon the prices let up after it hits the 5.00 a gal mark.

- Gina, Norwalk


Just going to school and to pay bills in this small town of ours is really taking a big bite of the already small income I already have.

-Veronica V., Barstow


Currently, as a teacher that returned to California, the gas prices have made it almost impossible to attend interviews. Even more, will I be able pay for gas, rent, and other expenditures. 

-Joyce, Riverside


I'm scaling back on my Starbucks visits...one Venti Raspberry Mocha is about the same price as a gallon of gas. I can't believe it's come to this!

-Karen, Ventura


I can't take my dog who is studio trained, to as many audtions as I used to! The auditions are all over the LA area, and I have to be selective now, VERY sad!

-Judy, Hermosa Beach


When I first got my car it cost me $40 to fill up my tank, it is now $75 and i need to fill my tank once a week. I go to Mt. Sac in Walnut and Work in glendora five days a week. I am constantly driving around and the gas prices have stopped me from going out and having fun. It seems as if i am going to work only to pay for gas.

-NancyEllen A., La Verne

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