I have posted before about my interest in Peak Oil and how it will impact fuel prices and the flow on effect for basically every product on the planet.
Yesterday I really FELT it!
When I was driving the 7.5 km to work I noticed that the fuel price at the United fuel station was $136.7 ( for the green fuel that I use) while across the road at the Coles Service Station it was $1.47. I suddenly remembered hearing on the ABC news the night before that fuel prices were meant to go to $1.50 for Easter and that fuel had hit a $108 US a barrel. I also remembered that this particular fuel station was often the last one to put up their prices.
I did a quick U -Turn and filled the car up, at the same time calling and texting everyone I thought would be interested to fill up before the price hike. I note that earlier in the week the price had already jumped 9 cents a litre.
So... I filled up my car ($70 gulp~!!) and hubbie filled up his ( $120 ~gulp gulp!!!). Sure enough, on the way home I noticed that it was $1.47. That is a TWENTY CENT LEAP IN SEVEN DAYS !!!!
At present, I budget $30 for my car and $20 for hubbies car a week ( just dropped hubbie's from $30) I can tell you that $20 at this rate is just JZZZZZTTTTTTT click ! ( meaning it takes NO time at all before you hit 20 bucks !
So..... what to do. I could walk or ride to work... but it's always about time. Hubbie walked to town today to pick up his new pushbike because he had ridden the other one into the ground, literally, the axel broke beyond repair and he already rebuilt it once. It took him one hour and 10 minutes. I just don't have that at the start and end of each day. In a couple of weeks it will be dark when I walk home and there are sections that are just road, with no houses and no street lights. I live in a little town, outside a bigger regional centre. He rode the bike home which took about 20 minutes ( he is much fitter than I am. It would probably take me 45mins)
I could ride my bike, something I would really aspire to do. Logistically this is messy. I am a professional. I wear suits. Can I scrunch the suit into a backpack ? Can I shower at work ? Can I cart make - up? Can I do my hair at work ? I know, I know. Dump the societal expectations and not wear make up and don't do your hair. Unfortunately, the clothes maketh the man in my game, or should I say, the suit, hair and make up maketh the woman in a man's world ! LOL
Hmmmmm...... thoughts anyone ? ?
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5 comments:
It's a really hard one isn't it? My hubby now rides his 4 days a week bike, but it's so much easier for a bloke; he just needs to shower quickly and get dressed when he gets there (he takes fresh clothes on the one day he has to drive and leaves them there). None of this hair and make-up stuff which takes so much extra time, and I know what you mean about expectations for women. As much I would have loved to ditch the make-up in particular when I was working, it was an absolute expectation that we would at least wear a minumum, and I know my sister has it written into her contract.
I gather you live out of town so there isn't a regular bus to use, but is it possible to carpool at all? I dunno, it's a tricky one...
Have you thought of trading your car on a scooter? One of the ladies where I work rides a scooter and fills it every MONTH. OK unitl it rains I suppose. I hear you about the fuel prices though - I travel 30k to work each way My husband works from home but he picks up our son every afternoon which is a 54k round trip. we live 9k from our nearest town (on a busy road with quarry trucks) so difficult for me to change to any other form of transport... sucks eh?
Is there any public transport nearby? It can sometimes take longer, but you can also use it. For example my Uncle was without a car for a couple of weeks recently. He got dropped by his wife into Blacktown on her way to work in the morning and then caught a bus to work, after buying a coffee and newspaper. As he likes his coffee and newspaper, he found this really great. Maybe this is an option for you.
Fuel prices have actually gone up.
Crude Oil is trading at $111 recently, I remember it being $98 just sometime back.
Its really not a good news for us.
I have been spending so much on my fuel and desperately need to cut on my fuel expenses.
One of my friends recently recommended this guide from http://www.save-at-the-pumps.com , they have various tips on saving on fuel and amazingly it does work.
The difference covers up for the price hike.
Perhaps share the ride and the cost?
Public transport in the country is limited and what there is is very expensive and limited. One early morning bus and a 5pm return.
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