I stick to my stance that we are paying what we shoudl be paying for gas. The problem is that we got so used to our wages going up and gas prices staying teh same, we started budgeting that money for other things. Now that gas prices have caught up to inflation in one big jump, we are feeling the pinch. Yes it *****, but it was just a matter of time before printing money to buy oil cheaper than teh rest of the world caught up with us.

1981..Median Income 19,000...Today its approx. $50000 (most recent was 2009 at $49777) That is an increase of 160%

1981 Average New Home Price was $83000, today it is over the 2006 data of $305,000.... that is an increase of 270%

1981 Gas was $1.38/gal (national average...i remember paying the same price in teh late 90's)... Todays gas price nationwide is an average 3.55/gal.. an increase of 157%
http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redi....com/index.asp


Seems like its just keeping up with inflation to me. Yeah it *****, but that is the reality. We are not spending any higher a percentage of our income on fuel than my parents did 30 years ago when I was born.