Gas Companies and Us

I paid a $1.40 a gallon today at Kroger. I love Kroger, especially our new one with the sushi bar and 50 different flavors and brands of salsa and a whole aisle dedicated to international food like specifically Thai food is one of my favorites................I do at least buy my gas from Kroger as with every $100 I spend, I can get 10 cents of a gallon and the sign price is usually less expensive than the other gas stations in the area.

Since the gas shot up to $4 around here I stopped driving anymore than I had to when I could drive, remember I wasn't driving much in 2008, but even what I did do, I did less. Even now, I don't like to leave the house unless it is for a list of things to do and I try to do my errands in relation to picking up J. from school. I drive the golf cart to the post office or wait until I am already leaving to drive by the post office to drop off a package to be mailed. I flat out do not trust the gas companies. I realize there is more to it than gas prices being high getting us into this mess, but it is one huge factor that greatly impacts those of us who did not buy houses we could not afford in the first place. I blame the gas companies first and foremost. They got greedy and with no means to control them or regulate them, then they will continue to do just what they want and charge what they want. So, I may not be able to change them, but I can change me. I shop online, I limit my driving, I drive slower, I do whatever I can do that will lower the amount of money that the gas companies get from me. Oftentimes it is easier and less expensive to buy online anyway - between free shipping, online sales, comparison shopping with several websites pulled up, and even with shipping as long as it is reasonable, then I fare better to stay at home, off my foot that hurts, and shop from home. If I could have my groceries delivered to me from Kroger, then I'd only have to go into the city to pick up J. from school. Even to go see a relative, I try to schedule it around doing other things, running errands etc. I am as obssessive about not giving the gas company any more of my money than absolutely necessary as I am about having germ-x and papertowels in the car.

At the same time I didn't want to leave the house I found Etsy. I LOVE the idea of supporting individual families by buying their handmade arts and crafts. Folks, support your local artisans and crafters - you are our stimulus check, as a matter of a fact, you are our check period. How are we the people going to get out of this hole our country is in???? We must support one another as individuals. Buy from private shop owners, shop Etsy, buy from moms selling their kids secondhand clothes on Ebay. Hey, I bought J.'s school clothes on Ebay last summer and for $91, including shipping, I got the equivalence of $1500 of namebrand and boutique clothes for him - I had to put a stitch in one of the Polo's. The box was 3 ft. by 3 ft. and slam full. After saving all that money, then I bought him namebrand jeans from Nautica and Macy's - yes, online, onsale, and with a shipping discount. :) Of course, we shop the outlet mall, so I don't do full price anyway. :) I went out North to the regular mall a few years ago in search of a new denim jacket and a namebrand denim jacket from several different shops I checked would have ran me anywhere from $80 to $140. I bought a namebrand denim jacket at the Gap Outlet for $22. Speaking of which, if you don't support your favorite outlet shops, then some are going to have to close due to lack of business.

I even started a second Etsy shop for vintage and supply items. We have to get creative and use what we have and we can change the world - our world - the way we live - how we choose to spend our money - we can choose not to give the gas companies any more than we have to as they are not in the business to help us, they are in the business to make money - i.e. they want our money.

It was a soapbox moment...........

Mignon