Here come the gas bills, there goes the "recovery"

[frank frankly]

The media/government are going to tell us to shop til we drop until we drop. That is clear. I remember the commercial Dubya did after 9/11 telling all us to be patriotic and keep blowing our money.

I think most Americans are going to pull out their #5 credit card (the only one that ain't maxed out) and blow their last wiggle room on holiday presents. The idea of skipping a holiday, at least the presents aspect, is a horror to most people. Spending this holiday season may be an act of conservative defiance. The economy is great--just look at me!!!

And then the gas bills will kick in. Here in PA, they have gone up 30% both of the last two years. Man, that hurts...so bad that I stopped renting a beautiful cheap house (b/c the utilities were getting more and more expensive) and opted for a NON-beautiful cheap apartment (with utilities included). And I am still tightening the belt because I have no wiggle room.

And that's the point. I don't think many of us have wiggle room. Which means if the gas bills go up another $50-75 a month, the extra cash isn't there. It just isn't there.

I just look at most people and their shopping and I don't get it. I really think we are an age of the leased SUV. Borrow and spend it, much faster than you could ever make it, and hey you don't even own it. I can't see how anyone making under $50,000/year (at a minimum) can possiby afford to keep up.

I think this year it people are going to go to the well and find it dry. And if they can't afford their heat, it will be cold, too.

[Liberal Veteran]

1. I have a wood stove....

...and rarely use my gas furnace. I burn dry clean wood and a cord will last me the entire winter and heat the house comfortably.

[frank frankly]

2. nice work

that is quite excellent!

:hi:

[stopbush]

3. Move out to Las Vegas

where the utilities are relatively cheap.

Back in NJ, we typically spent anywhere from $300-450 per month in the winter for gas, even when keeping the thermostat down and wearing sweaters in the house (4 bdr). With the extremely humid summers, our electric bills often ran into the $200-300 range, and that was with staying out of the house with the AC off as much as possible in the early afternoons. Water was also ridiculously high.

I'm amazed at what we don't spend here in utilities. First off, with the dry heat in the summer, we typically don't even run the AC in the house until after 2PM - and that's during unrelenting periods of triple-digit temps. The homes are also well-designed to let heat travel unimpeded to the top floor so the ground floor stays relatively cool. Our water bill rarely tops $30 a month, and that's with an automated sprinkler/drip system going 4 days per week in the summer. Back in NJ, $50-100 a month was the norm. I don't know how we'll do on gas this winter, but with the daytime temps currently running in the 50s-70s, we only run the heat after 6PM (and I know some relocated Easterners who almost never run the furnace out here).

But, yeah, if you live up in that snow belt, there's hell to pay when it comes to utilities.

[bearfartinthewoods]

4. I can't see how anyone making under $50,000/year

we have never made more than 30,000. live in PA. own a home and 12 acres. two used cars which we trade up about every four years or when we have saved enough cash to do it. have a boat and pay 1000 per year for a campsite and docking rights. it can be done.