Anna Speaks

An extra interview with Ms. Anna Miller.

Gas Gone Wild!

Gas prices– I hear the sighs of exasperation just typing those words. They’re ridiculously high, but how deeply are they affecting the economy? According to Dr. Michael Nieswiadomy of the UNT economics department, not as much as we all think.

“People think that because gas prices are going up, the economy is going down, and it’s simply not true. The gas prices affect less than 1% of the total GNP. There are many factors that make the economy what it is.”

He said that with the rise in demand for oil combined with the steady supply, the prices will continue to climb.

“More and more drivers around the world need the fuel for their cars. We’ll have to look for new ways to get around if we want the prices to go down anytime soon. Otherwise the demand is high and the supply is relatively low,” he said.

But it seems people have found new ways to keep the gas prices from affecting them. Students at the University of North Texas tell what they do to keep the gas from affecting them.

“It costs about $70 to fill [my truck] up. That’s a lot—but I don’t go home much. But that’s why I don’t,” said sophomore Jack Still. His family lives in Austin—more than 200 miles from his home here in Denton.

He’s not the only one. Senior Anna Miller says her fiancé drives from College Station almost every weekend to see her. What does it cost per month? I won’t make you do the math—but here are the numbers—truck=18 miles/gallon, distance= roughly 500 miles from College Station to Denton and back, gas=$3.47— it comes to a grand total of $385 every month! That’s as much as many college kids’ rent.

“We bought bikes. We try to ride them everywhere. The only time I drive is when I go to work.”

And even though both Miller and Still said they don’t shop as frequently as they used to, retail stores are doing pretty well—that’s according to the National Retail Federation. The reports show that online retailers continue to do well in this struggling economy.

“From higher shipping costs to changes in consumer shopping habits, online retailers are not immune to the current economic climate,” said Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org. “But the fact that online sales will increase substantially this year demonstrates the resilience of the channel and is a testament to the value and convenience most customers find when shopping online.”

“I don’t like to buy things anymore…unless it’s food… we try not to eat out too much. It’s just too expensive,” said Miller.

Gas is expected to go up another fifty-cents this summer—and to that, Dr. Nieswiadomy says, “Just don’t be shocked. I wouldn’t be shocked if it rose 20% overnight.”

Fi Speaks

Fiorella–my trusty channel 5 companion, speaks about how the economy is affecting her. She’s having a cow! Just watch and enjoy.

Wanna Get Away?

CNN’s got a whole SLEW of places to go if you want to budget your vaca.  I’ve been searching for places to go post graduation… and I think any one of these would be fine.  I have saved just enough for a plane ticket and mini get-away, but for me any  of these places will do the trick!

They’ve got Argentina, Bali, Costa Rica, beautiful old Mexico,  Morocco, Panama, and finally Vietnam.  The website offers details on which landmarks to visit and why the American dollar is still good there. I think Mexico is my first choice with the $2 museums–and since I live in Texas the flights couldn’t cost too much.  But I would definitely love to visit any of these locations! Has anyone ever been to these places? I would love to hear more than just CNN’s take!

The Latest Office

Why buy new episodes of The Office, when you can get it on Hulu?  Or here!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/17483/the-office-the-chairmodel#s-p1-so-i0

Interviews

So here I am, Intern Stephanie at Channel 5… decided to interview my co-worker Fiorella about gas prices.  I can’t upload it until Monday, because my cords are at my house and I’m staying with the parents this weekend.  (free food! woo!) haha, anything to save a buck, right?  Juuuuuuuust kidding.  If you want me to post your video on my site, send me a message with your url in it! I’d like videos telling me what you’re doing to save $$, or what YOU think of the economy.  And on Monday I will put up those gas/economy related videos! Thanks yall!

Who Pays for Stolen Gas?

Source

Gas prices are high in Frederick County, Maryland.  That’s not a surprise, and neither is the amount of drive-aways the town experiences.  Giovanna Cortez works at a local gas stations and says at least once a day somebody drives off without paying for their gas.  Workers at the GetGo and Lowest Gas Stations agree– they experience drive-offs about 4 or 5 times a week!  But who is paying for these people’s gas?

It’s difficult to prove a person guilty of stealing gas (without surveillance cameras), so these local stations don’t want to wrongfully acuse people.  But thieves cost these stations about $100 million a year! Most gas stations only profit about 2 cents per gallon (an average profit of $50/day), so when somebody drives off without paying, it’s like losing a days worth of work. 

Moral to the story?  We’re all suffering from high gas prices… don’t make it worse for your fellow American!

Check out my links page to find the lowest gas prices in your town and other related websites!

News Around the Globe

According to this website, OPEC raised the price of oil on Wednesday for the sixteenth time since the beginning of 2008.  That brings the price per barrel to $106.65!

Many factors attribute to the quickly rising oil prices.  The article mentions that although the demand for oil is high, OPEC will not increase its output.

Frank Schallenberger, an oil analyst from the German bank Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, said: “As long as OPEC’s output growth is insufficient to offset the demand from Asia, oil prices will continue to rise.”

OPEC blames the weakening value of the US dollar, saying, “The U.S. dollar’s weakness against major currencies inspired increased investment in the commodities market, particularly for crude oil, pushing prices to record levels.”

Whatever the reason, don’t expect a break at the pumps this summer. Analysts say that with inflation, the gas prices will only continue to increase.

Best Gas Saving Tips

I found a website where users give their own gas saving advice! If you have any to add, feel free to comment on their site or mine.