How do CALIFORNIANS COPE WITH HIGH GAS PRICES

[Youthanasia]

Originally Posted by Charles

Quiz: Why are California gas prices so high? - latimes.com

LOL what do you know, it's taxes we love taxes here in California.

[Fontucky]

Currently $3.69 here in 92335land

[Hard8]

I sold my car a few months ago and take public transit exclusively now. Although, even the brief period of time I had a car here I barely used it. It helps that I live in the Bay Area (SF) though. Between MUNI and BART and all the other local systems, and considering they all can accept clipper card, its pretty easy to get around without a car.

[pch1013]

I ride a motorcycle. 54 mpg and no parking problems ever. For errands requiring a car, I grab a Zipcar.

[Leonard64]

Originally Posted by Armagnac

Just pay for it. How big is the difference?

I just got back from Minnesota (where I used to live). I filled up the rental car on Friday in Bloomington (biggest suburb in the Twin Cities), $3.60/gallon. Today I paid $3.79/gallon in Fontana. The difference is $0.19/gallon. Let's say my wife and I buy 2000 gallons of gas a year (we don't, but let's make it a high estimate). That's an extra $380/year, or $32/month.

But also consider, my wife and I make more here than we did back in Minnesota. And the difference is considerably more than $32/month. My wife's an elementary school teacher - the average wages for an elementary school teacher is $57k/year; in Minnesota it's $46k/year (a difference of $11k/year). Now, she just got her degree a year and a half ago, so she did not see a wage increase of $11k when we moved a year ago. But she did see a wage increase that is a good fraction of that. I saw a nice increase in my wage as well.

Even without the increase, coping with a $32/month difference in price is hardly insurmountable. Our lives are filled with movies and pizzas, evenings out for dinner and trips to the zoo, CDs and DVDs and all sorts of things we just don't really need.

There would be all sorts of ways to make up that difference but, as I pointed out, we don't have to do so.

$3.11 here in East TN. Biggest difference? TAX and of course the "special" blend for CA only. Last trip out of CA, before moving the minute I bought gas in AZ, it was not only cheaper but I got better gas mileage.

[ambient]

The gas prices are the least of our concerns. Try renting or buying a house in my neck of the woods.

[Snort]

It's having the right attire that attracts the man of chivalry to help pay for your gas. We call it "Pumps for pumps" here. Although you may have to deal with another kind of pump to actually score free gas.
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[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Snort

It's having the right attire that attracts the man of chivalry to help pay for your gas. We call it "Pumps for pumps" here. Although you may have to deal with another kind of pump to actually score free gas.

Aah CA, you gotta love it.

The shoes are the best part.

Really.