Oil, will it be the last straw for America?

Okie
I hear what you're saying and when the time comes, I may not have any other choice than to go with a car a few years old, but my whole point here was that it's just not right for these oil companies to double the prices within a few weeks whenever they feel like it, because it devistates everyone who already lives from pay check to pay check.
Ok, we covered the gas, but what about heating oil?
People can downsize their cars, carpool and what not, but what do folks do when the winter rolls around and they don't have enough money to heat their homes?
Do they sell their homes and move into a shack with a wood stove? At the rate it's going, that's where all the blue collar workers are going to end up.

If you are technically oriented, then this works for you, but I am far from technically oriented as far as cars are concerned and since I've only been in Canada for 6 years, I don't know any mechanics well enough to trust as far as large investments go. This obviously makes me an open target for anyone wanting to sell me their lemon.
The reason why I want to go with a new one is because I take very good care of my cars and the next car I buy, I want it to be the last one I buy for another 20 years or more.
If I can land the job I want, I'll never have to worry about the gas prices again because my work will only be 5 minutes away, but it's going to be a major struggle for me when the lobster season slows down and I'm working only 4-5 hours a day, taking home $150 paychecks for a few weeks here and there. If it cost's me $130 in gas to get to work, I'm left with $20. Wow!
This is a huge problem for some people.

The problem is that for the majority of the people in North American gas is still taking less of a percentage out of their pay check than it was 25 years ago. For most people the price run up has yet to bite, so there is not a groundswell of discontent.

Higher gas prices only affects those that are living from paycheck to paycheck and people barely eeking out a living from their fixed income.

However, there are also those that have purchased homes during the past several years that pay a higher portion of their income for their mortgage that have no savings, and the higher cost of fuel will impact them even though their incomes are above average. Most have not planned for higher fuel prices in their budgets.

One of these days I'm gonna get so fed up, go out and buy an electric car and wood furnace.

Screw the oil companies.

The high personal debt load is a factor here particularly if the interest is tied to movement of the prime rate. Up until now the US government, particularly under the direction of Alan Greenspan, has been very accommodating in that area. It may not be able to much longer.

Higher fuel and interest rates will exacerbate the economy in a negative way of this country; the government did a fair job in the past, but they never planned well for the future. The damage is too deep now for the government to control inflation or the progress in our economic engine.

Oil consumers, producers talk but do they listen? By Peg Mackey and Janet McBride
44 minutes ago



DOHA (Reuters) - The world's oil producers and consumers agreed on Sunday record $75-a-barrel crude was a danger to everyone, but appeared further apart than ever in their quest to bring prices down.


"The two are moving in parallel but there is no meeting point," OPEC President Edmund Daukoru told reporters on the second day of global energy talks here.

Oil raced to an all-time high last week as Iran continued to defy world pressure to halt its nuclear program, a quarter of Nigeria's output lay idle after rebel attacks and Iraq's once considerable oil industry was mired in crisis.

Consuming nations -- from top energy user the United States to poor African nations -- are afraid high energy costs will damage their economies. Europe's Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said today's oil prices were destroying EU growth.

Producers fear a disastrous collapse in oil demand.

But there are splits over how to pull prices away from their inflation-adjusted high of above $80, touched in 1980, the year after the Iranian revolution.

Montana quote:

Now, theres the spirit I like. That is what made America great. Its called taking personal responsibility, a "can do" attitude, and a competitive spirit.

You mean that's what made Canada better than the US

Sorry, I forgot Montana was in Canada. Not much difference really. The same attitude works in Canada, or about anywhere for that matter, if the government allows it.

Cost me $4.80 a gal at the pump today.

Yep, I'm going to show those greedy bastards that I don't need them ;-)

Screw me once, shame on them! Screw me twice, shame on me

I'm determined now to get the oil and gas companies out of my life!

Have you seen my new heating system thread?

The Toyota Camry that I like so much also comes in a Hybrid :-D

Linky to that home heating thread, Montana?

btw, I am very, very interested in this subject and would love to help in any way I can with ideas or plans for saving you some money this year.

Cycloptichorn

Sorry, I should have added the link http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=73376&highlight=


I've cut costs everywhere possible other than my car and heating system and those are the only 2 things that are causing me this financial burden. I have a lousy heating system and am driving a 20 year old V-8, but replacing my car with a newer car would cost me just as much, if not more than my present car does now and this is my problem at the moment.
I have some long time investments that will be paying off in the next few years, which is when I plan on buying a new car and heating system, among other things. In the mean time, all I can do is keep on truckin and hope that the gas prices don't get as high as people are saying.

Montana, How come gas prices in Canada is so much higher than the US? Even with the difference in currency conversion, the 'premium' seems awfully high since Canada produces oil.

Beats the heck out of me, CI. Your guess is as good as mine.


I know our taxes are higher, which must have something to do with it.

Does Canada still use "Imperial Gallons" instead of the smaller version of gallon we use in the US?

engineer, Good q.

Actually, I think Canada sells everything in liters and Montana is translating for us luddites who can't seem to get with the metric system.