Lainey

Working for gas

This is killing people! I just figured out what a 30 minute commute 5-6 days/week in a car that gets decent mileage will cost us, vs what we spend now Our son and daughter in law both have at least a 30 minute commute each day, six days/week, in cars that get decent mileage. With the current cost of gas, which is expected to rise even more, no wonder so many people are struggling!

This is a SERIOUS problem for many people. They literally are working for gas.

CAMDEN, Ala. (CNNMoney.com) -- Corey Carter spends a quarter of his paycheck on gas.

The 30-year old Carter, who earns $7 an hour making car parts for a Hyundai factory near Montgomery, Ala., spends $65 a week on gas, double what it cost just a few years ago.

Paying $30 more for gas out of a $240 paycheck makes a big difference.

"Going out to eat, going to the movies, you can't do stuff like that," says Carter, filling up his Firebird at a BP station in Camden, a quiet southern town 80 miles southwest of Montgomery. "You're working for gas now."

Click the link above to read the rest.

BTW, please don't turn this into the "They need to go to college and earn more $ thread."

Tadashi

I often feel like I am working for gas, car payment and insurance I have to skip eating out, going to movies and buying new clothes for myself. But if I didn't have the fun car I'd have no motivation to work at all, so I guess it's a fair trade

I won't comment on the low wage the poor guy gets but I will say a nasty word against Hyundai for paying such crappy wages. I guarantee you that even the people sweeping the floor at Honda in Ohio, probably make twice that much, much less the people assembling parts and cars.

Tadashi

And on another note: a Firebird is HARDLY a fuel efficient car My guess is that it gets far less than the S2000 for gas mileage.

I'm NOT saying anything bad about that, only that he COULD drive a Civic and continue to pay only $30 a week for gas

30 miles x 2 way commute x 5 days = 300 mileage = 1 tank in a Civic. 8 gallons in the tank x $3.50/gallon = $28.00 / week.

CTMechE

Well, common sense is free. Driving 80 miles each way, every day, in a Firebird? Not too bright. For $7 an hour, I'd try to find a job closer to home. Even if it was McDonalds or something. I had one when I was in high school, before I even had a car. When I couldn't bum a ride, I took the bus. But it was also in the center of town. (Consequently, while it wasn't McDonalds, it was counting out nuts and bolts for car armrest kits... almost anyone would be qualified.) I got $6 an hour, and that was 12 years ago. I even paid OASDI/Medicare out of that, too.

Gas is definitely is a crappy situation for everyone, especially those who were already very close to the line when it comes to budget hiccups. But there's nothing you can do about the price of gas besides find a way not to buy it. Which in itself is a no brainer, and probably why news reports on the subject aren't news anymore, nor do they solve anything.

zzziippyyy

Thats how they sell cheap cars! By not paying for labor. cheap cars = cheap labor

Triple-H

I totally get it, beleive me...

On average I'm spending over $300 per month on gas. I have 100% eliminated going out to lunch Mon-Friday, as well as 98% of my Saturday night dinners at restaurants and 99% of my Saturday morning diner trips. I can safely say, gas has clearly effected my financial contribution to the restaurant community where I live.

Lainey

Ellen you choose to keep your car, though you have to struggle to do so, but the entertainment/social thing means something to you. That's more of a choice thing.

I doubt many of these people who are struggling would even dream of buying a 30K car, and some of them aren't necessarily earning low wages. I know people who earn a decent wage, but with the increase in the cost of getting to work, heating their homes, and buying food, they start living paycheck to paycheck. They weren't doing this just two years ago.

They are working harder and hoping for more OT just to makes ends meet.

Tadashi

I know Dave. Sadly for me I owned an 89 Hyundai. I traded it in on an 86 Accord and the rest is history

I wouldn't talk bad about a company that I did not know anything about

kenta

Wait.. math time.

He spends: 65 dollars a week.
Average cost of gas is maybe 3 dollars per gallon (give or take)

65 / 3 = ~21.67 Gallons a week used.

~21.6 Gallons / 5 days in a week = ~4.33 gallons used a day

A respectable commuter car get like 25 mpg let's say. Heck my S2k gets 25 mpg if I do all highway, better if I don't do jack rabbit starts.

4.33 gallons * 25 mpg = 108.25 Miles.


My Conclusion: 30-year old Carter shouldn't be driving 54 miles each way to a job that pays minimum wage. He should instead, quit his crappy job and get another crappy job within a 10 mile radius of his home.

Additionally he can ride a bicycle to save an additional ~12 dollars a day + wear and tear on his car.

Tadashi

I know what it's like to have to live on minimum wage I did for a number of years. I did not have a car, I took public transportation and/or moved to an apartment that was close enough to walk.

I was skinny as a rail until I bought my first car

And I still live paycheck to paycheck. Other than credit cards (or giving up and moving in with my mom) I could be living in my car