Gas prices taking their toll

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Diane Hogan said she has to plan her travel plans much more carefully these days.
The Russellville woman said her family easy spends $300 a month on fuel alone these days.
"I know my husband spends at least $200 a month in his truck and I spend about $100," Hogan said.
Hogan said the high prices has caused her to plan her trips to town more carefully and to make sure nothing is forgotten.
"I try to make sure I have everything I need before going home," she said. "But, if I forget something, I wait until I am back in town."
Hogan added that her family shops and dines out more locally now as a result of the fuel costs.
"We don't just ride to Florence just for dinner anymore," she said. "We eat here in town or at home."
Gas prices are at $3.50 per gallon locally, but in other parts of the country, customers are paying almost $4 per gallon. With the costs of fuel going up almost daily, local residents find that they are just staying at home and traveling less.
Several local residents were asked what they are doing to conserve fuel due to the high fuel costs and all of them said they did not drive unless they absolutely have to do so.
"We don't go a lot of places," John Franklin, of Russellville, said. "We do less visiting family who live out of town."
Franklin said he doesn't get to fill his tank up completely either because the cost has risen too high.
"I just get a few dollars here and there," he said. "I just get enough to get by."
Danny Vincent, of Russellville, said his family also tries to make each trip count by running errands while in town and staying home more.
But, with all this talk of fuel conservation, he's not sure if the general public is making earnest attempts to conserve energy.
"Everyone is talking about conserving fuel, but the roads are always full," Vincent said. "Everywhere you go there are a lot of people there. I'm not sure if everyone is serious about conserving fuel because of the cost."
Vincent said that he and his wife stay at home as much as possible to conserve fuel.
Wynoka Bostick, of Belmont, Miss., drives to Russellville to work everyday and she estimates that she spends around $400 per month at the pump.
While others are pitching fits and complaining, Bostick said she is taking a different approach to fuel the crunch – prayer.
"I heard on the radio about people praying at the pump when they fill up," Bostick said. "So I say a little prayer every time I fill up and I know that God will take care of us."