The Price of Gas

I always hated the big cars my family would drive, and stated emphatically that when I could buy my own car it would be something small. Over the past 30 years I've done just that -- Ford Mustang, Mazda GLC, Toyota Corolla, Suzuki and now a Ford Focus. The gasoline tank in each of these cars held approximately 10 gallons of gasoline.

I could fill up the Mustang and Mazda for around $5, and the Toyota and Suzuki for around $10 dollars. The increase from $5 to $10 seemed like a lot at the time, but nothing compared to what it has recently cost to fill up my tank.

The most I have spent is $31, which to people with SUV's or other large vehicles probably doesn't seem like a lot.

I don't take a lot of trips with my car, or spend a great deal of time just driving around. I use it to get to work, go to the grocery story, take my dogs to the vet, and other 'regular daily tasks.'

The price of gasoline doesn't just impact me at the gas pump, it has caused the price of my groceries to go up, the cost of vet care, and virtually every business dependent on gasoline to move their products.

As I review my budget, looking for ways to absorb these rising prices, I can't help but question the 'fairness' of major oil companies (who used the Katrina tragedy as justification for sharply increased prices) earning record profits in 2005 -- estimated at around $130 billion (with a "b").