Comments on: The Poor Get Poorer Still http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/ Tips for squeezing the most out of your limited finances Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:36:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: 15 Real Ways to Save Money on Gasoline | Life on a Shoestring Budget http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-536 15 Real Ways to Save Money on Gasoline | Life on a Shoestring Budget Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:03:10 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-536 [...] you live 5-20 miles from your work and can’t regularly carpool or ride mass transit, consider purchasing a motor scooter. There are some really nice ones on offer these days, can be had for not too much money if you can [...] [...] you live 5-20 miles from your work and can’t regularly carpool or ride mass transit, consider purchasing a motor scooter. There are some really nice ones on offer these days, can be had for not too much money if you can [...]

]]> By: Aileen http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-535 Aileen Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:28:42 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-535 Hi, Scooter, thanks for the comment! I hear you - my Mother-In-Law (love her very much) till drives her big Mercury 3 blocks to the Senior Center for lunch every day. Which would be okay (she's 85) except that she's going blind and shouldn't be driving at all. Why, back in the '70s she'd drive the single across-the-street and 1 parking lot to my Bro-In-Law's shop! It's a dinky rural town with not a single traffic light and she lives a block off Main. Drives to church too, though it's just across the back yard not a whole block away. That always seemed incredibly weird to me, but then, I'd always rather walk than drive if I can, and that can work out to miles where I live. Also have 19 holes of "challenging" mountain disc golf right here on the property, play daily, no gasoline 4-wheeler carts, either! It's a mindset, conditioned by history and a bad attitude toward physical fitness. She owns oil and gas wells, I can remember when gasoline was 17.9 cents a gallon in Oklahoma. Now it's $4+, owning the well doesn't make it cheaper. Very weird. Hi, Scooter, thanks for the comment! I hear you – my Mother-In-Law (love her very much) till drives her big Mercury 3 blocks to the Senior Center for lunch every day. Which would be okay (she’s 85) except that she’s going blind and shouldn’t be driving at all. Why, back in the ’70s she’d drive the single across-the-street and 1 parking lot to my Bro-In-Law’s shop!

It’s a dinky rural town with not a single traffic light and she lives a block off Main. Drives to church too, though it’s just across the back yard not a whole block away. That always seemed incredibly weird to me, but then, I’d always rather walk than drive if I can, and that can work out to miles where I live. Also have 19 holes of “challenging” mountain disc golf right here on the property, play daily, no gasoline 4-wheeler carts, either!

It’s a mindset, conditioned by history and a bad attitude toward physical fitness. She owns oil and gas wells, I can remember when gasoline was 17.9 cents a gallon in Oklahoma. Now it’s $4+, owning the well doesn’t make it cheaper. Very weird.

]]> By: Scooter http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-533 Scooter Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:21:09 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-533 "How about a donkey and cart? I figure that if America wants to be a Third World country (parts of it already qualify), we might as well look like one." This line is priceless! I have family in rural Indiana and Nebraska - what do they drive? A F150 and Suburban respectively. Not only that but they're older vehicles from the mid 90's so they can't be gas efficient. I once asked why don't they get a Honda, they're response - people out here don't drive Hondas. Ironic but most third world countries in Asia are sprawling with Honda. “How about a donkey and cart? I figure that if America wants to be a Third World country (parts of it already qualify), we might as well look like one.”

This line is priceless!

I have family in rural Indiana and Nebraska – what do they drive? A F150 and Suburban respectively. Not only that but they’re older vehicles from the mid 90′s so they can’t be gas efficient. I once asked why don’t they get a Honda, they’re response – people out here don’t drive Hondas. Ironic but most third world countries in Asia are sprawling with Honda.

]]> By: Is Bankruptcy ‘The End Of All Things’?* | Life on a Shoestring Budget http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-532 Is Bankruptcy ‘The End Of All Things’?* | Life on a Shoestring Budget Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:00:23 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-532 [...] there doesn’t look to be any break in the recession cloud this year, with indicators that it may well descend all the way into depression by election day in [...] [...] there doesn’t look to be any break in the recession cloud this year, with indicators that it may well descend all the way into depression by election day in [...]

]]> By: Aileen http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-531 Aileen Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:51:24 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-531 Hi, Catherine! For medical transportation there are the County Vans, so people out here can get to doctors' appointments and scheduled tests or treatments. Grocery store, not so much. I've found that my neighbors can be handy for that, if you get together and plan for the weekly trip and split the fuel cost, everybody wins! Hi, Catherine! For medical transportation there are the County Vans, so people out here can get to doctors’ appointments and scheduled tests or treatments. Grocery store, not so much. I’ve found that my neighbors can be handy for that, if you get together and plan for the weekly trip and split the fuel cost, everybody wins!

]]> By: Aileen http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Aileen Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:51:01 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-530 Hi, Dylan. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I agree wholeheartedly that living in the country is a lifestyle choice. I live 5 miles from the nearest town, very much on purpose. And it's a constant work in progress to make the trade-offs the choice requires. On the other hand, if things get really rough, it's the rural dwellers who will more easily survive. We'll just travel slower than we used to, and less often. We can still walk, ride a bike, hop a train, get a mule or ride a horse. There was a world before "addiction to oil," there will be one when oil becomes unaffordable. Understanding the issues and examining alternatives is a good idea, whether you're in the city or the country. Hi, Dylan. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I agree wholeheartedly that living in the country is a lifestyle choice. I live 5 miles from the nearest town, very much on purpose. And it’s a constant work in progress to make the trade-offs the choice requires.

On the other hand, if things get really rough, it’s the rural dwellers who will more easily survive. We’ll just travel slower than we used to, and less often. We can still walk, ride a bike, hop a train, get a mule or ride a horse. There was a world before “addiction to oil,” there will be one when oil becomes unaffordable. Understanding the issues and examining alternatives is a good idea, whether you’re in the city or the country.

]]> By: Catherine http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-526 Catherine Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:00:22 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-526 Excellent! You state so clearly what I know to be true. We are rural, 70 miles to the grocery store and doctors. Thanks for a great, informative read. Excellent! You state so clearly what I know to be true. We are rural, 70 miles to the grocery store and doctors. Thanks for a great, informative read.

]]> By: Dylan http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/comment-page-1/#comment-521 Dylan Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:22:34 +0000 http://www.shoestringbudget.org/the-poor-get-poorer-still/#comment-521 One of the things that really bug me about this article (and about these kind of narrative articles about economic impact on rural areas) is often that the author does not present the situation as a lifestyle choice they are actively making. For example, in the article alternatives available in cities are mentioned as well as a statement of: "..some dingy city we’ll hate" While I understand that when gas was $1/gallon living out in the country far from work was a viable proposition for almost everyone, it was one that was never sustainable. You see that throughout the history of the U.S.A. people that lived far in the country away from cities were small self contained communities, the wealthy and agricultural ventures (which were either self supporting or had cash flow to support their distance from resources). As a city dweller I have come to realize that it is a luxury to live in the country. The sooner I think people remember that fact the sooner people can make a more informed choice on their lifestyle and if their income can support it. One of the things that really bug me about this article (and about these kind of narrative articles about economic impact on rural areas) is often that the author does not present the situation as a lifestyle choice they are actively making. For example, in the article alternatives available in cities are mentioned as well as a statement of:

“..some dingy city we’ll hate”

While I understand that when gas was $1/gallon living out in the country far from work was a viable proposition for almost everyone, it was one that was never sustainable. You see that throughout the history of the U.S.A. people that lived far in the country away from cities were small self contained communities, the wealthy and agricultural ventures (which were either self supporting or had cash flow to support their distance from resources).

As a city dweller I have come to realize that it is a luxury to live in the country. The sooner I think people remember that fact the sooner people can make a more informed choice on their lifestyle and if their income can support it.

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