Fuel and fod costs

[Neox]

How badly are the rising costs of fuel and food affecting you? For me the cost to fuel up has tripled, we've changed our food buying habits and now buy %90 generic store brands dropping our grocery bill by $30+ each week. We've also cut our driving down to combining everything outside of work into a one day driving event. I've changed out all of our light bulbs years ago to cfl's and make sure that lights arent left on that arent needed.

During the past two winters we have used our fireplace to supliment our naturaul gas use and only use deadfall wood when available. Our electric bill during the previous summer was out of control due to an underpowered HVAC system that has sence been upgraded so we are hopefully lookin forward to a better performaning system that will cost less to operate. Another thing that Im about to do that will help lower our summer cooling cost will be a $40 expenditure to install two 6ft by 15 sun screen on the west side of the house where the afternoon sun heats up the brick wall and radiates into the house up to 4am. This will be the best thing for us as we had a long term heat wave last year with temps that ran 100F+ on average from late June through early september along with a severe drought.

I know that much of Europe and the same for the Asian pacific rim countries are already paying alot for fuel and have historicly paid more than us here in the states but Im curious to how you all are doing?

[Lerxst]

Makes me sleep better knowing the big Oil companies are pulling $6Billion profits per quarter. As to what we are doing? Not a whole lot. We'll eat in a few more times a month rather than going out or not buy something we want rather than need but for the most part we are stuck paying the inflated prices and will cut what we have to when we have to. We are taking this stimulous package and paying off a couple of bills finally so we'll have more money per month rather than blow it all on a few luxury items.

What gets me is all the technology in renewable energy out there but for some reason nobody has stepped up to make it affordable for your average homeowner. I've looked into solar and wind energy but who has that kind of money laying around to install it? Governments need to step up to the plate and offer incentives or find a way to make the equpment and installation more affordable. Once the equipment is in there it pays for itself over the years.