by Cray Sellars

Created on: June 19, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

The increase in oil prices in oil prices in North Carolina has been terrible. It has caused a steady increase of gas prices. Regular unleaded gas is almost four dollars a gallon and deisel fuel is over four dollars a gallon. Most people that I have talked to don't fill up their gas tanks every trip to gas station. They simply don't want to spend fifty or sixty dollars on gas. People need their transportation to get to and from work and they have to have gas. We might as well get used to outrageous prices at the gas pumps.

Everthing comes into North Carolina on tractor-trailer trucks. The owner-operators have to spend more money on deisel fuel which causes the prices of food to increase. The supermarkets have to make money so the customers have to pay more money for things like milk,bread and cheese. In my opinion, prices have even increased at fast-food restaraunts. Restaurants also have their food transported on tractor-trailers, so it makes sense for them to increase their prices. However, I have noticed an increase in specials at fast-food restaurants because of these tough economic conditions.

People have started to carpool to and from work. All people talk about nowadays is the ridiculous price of gas and how are they going to pay their bills. The cost of products and services are going up, but there are not any new jobs being created in North Carolina. The unemployment rate in North Carolina is at an all-time high. The amount of foreclosures in this area is unbelievable.

The interest rates on cars and homes are low, but no one can afford to buy them. Some people are getting rid of their SUV's and pick-ups for smaller vehicles that het better gas mileage. People are buying hybrid vehicles that are suposed to get better gas mileage. Some people have started filling up with gas and driving off without paying. Some people are ciphering gas from other people's vehicles. The local news suggested people purchase locking gas caps.

Some people have parked their cars and began walking or taking the bus to wherever they need to go. A lot of people are now riding bikes to work to save money. Some companies have went to a four-day work week to save their workers gas money. Most people have been forced to cut down on social activities because of the increase in the price of gas. People are changing their oil filters are checking the pressure in their tires to get better gas mileage.

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