by MC Williams

Created on: May 23, 2008   Last Updated: May 28, 2008

When I began writing this article it felt easy simply because the rise in gas is affecting every person with a vehicle, no matter your income bracket. We are all simply paying more for gas each day. Just because a family has more money doesn't mean they have a free ticket for cheaper gas, they just may not feel the effect as a family living paycheck to paycheck does but they still feel the effect. It isn't hard to understand that you may have paid $60 to fill up your tank before and now you are paying $130.

I started to think about how this has affected me personally and I have looked at what I have done without even realizing it, but I have. I no longer make several trips to the store in a single week for just a case of soda or a loaf of bread. I think of everything I need and I ask everyone in the house what they need and I write a list. I cal the house before I leave the store and make sure they haven't thought of anything since I left.

I no longer make separate trips to get fast food for dinner. I now get the food on my way back to the house after going to the store. We have also opted for ordering more and less going out.

If I work (I do outdoor photography part time) I have to plan an entire day from dawn till dusk. Running out in the morning to catch the sunrise and running back out for the sunset is far too expensive so I have to pick the days I go and hope my shot is out there. I also walk more when I am out there photographing instead of driving around looking for a good shot.

I have also stopped being the taxicab for my children and their friends. We went out and purchased them newer better bikes and now they peddle everywhere. I was surprised at how much they liked riding their bikes. They don't have to wait for me to get ready to take them or wait for me to get home to take them, they leave when they need to. If you are curious how we got them to do this because you don't think you can get your kids to go along with this, well we told them they get rid of their cellphones or they ride their bikes. It was a no-brainer, all they insisted then was they needed new bikes, and that was the end of it. My daughter pre[paring to drive knew it wasn't going to be much longer anyway.

We use to go to the lake every weekend, with two cars. Now one car goes and we have to plan each time we leave the house just like at home. Our daughter has been learning to drive down there and we have gotten her a car. With gas as high as it is we explained to her that she has to

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