Gas prices forcing us to make changes

$3.75 a gallon.

That's a lot no matter how fast you say it. Unfortunately, I expect it to get higher.

If one spends a little time thinking about the price per gallon we pay at the pump, and work the supply trail backward, it doesn't take long to understand why our general mood in this country tends to be so gray at best, and griping at the local station owner or employee is not fair to them.

The person or company that owns the station where we get our gas is a customer also and has a small margin of profit in a highly competitive business.  He pays a regional company for the gas that he sells me. That company bought it from some refinery. The refinery bought it from some national, or maybe international, company. And finally everyone ends up getting it in the form of crude oil from someone, and unfortunately that "someone" tends to be someone in the Middle East who really is only interested in their own bottom line.

Not a month goes by that I don't see some photo of an angry gas consumer, or read some plan to make a statement by boycotting this gas company or that one. Let me suggest that the person who has the power to make the most changes is the one staring back in the mirror. More on that in just a little.

There have been recent reports that consumer confidence has now equaled its previous low. My guess is that $3.50+ a gallon plus negative campaign ads has lots to do with that. A recent observation said that the economic incentive money that families will be receiving soon will buy a tank of gas rather than a week's groceries. The only thing cheap right now is political promises, and they're a dime a dozen.
The tourism industry is predicting that this summer we'll see fewer families taking vacations to distant theme parks. Big ticket item purchasing is down. It is harder to qualify for credit to buy a home now.

In short, economic times for families are tight.

I am convinced we do control our destiny and can have immediate and long-term significant, positive impact on our personal and local economy. Some of the things we can do we read about and sort of snicker. But when the price at the pump reads $4 a gallon and we're forced to make changes, we won't snicker - we'll do these things.

Shorter hot showers. Most laundry in cold water. Fewer trips to the store. More coupons. Turn off lights. Dial back the A/C. Cook more food at once and refrigerate for later. Carpooling, biking or walking. Saving instead of spending. Smarter shopping.

In fact, not wanting to sound like Little Miss Mary Sunshine here, but our local economy may actually have a benefit opportunity from our smarter shopping. As the cost of driving to Greenwood, Indy or Louisville to shop gets higher, we'll do more shopping with our local retailers. There are very few things that we can't get here already.

Big plasma TVs? Several chamber members sell them and have free delivery and setup. Granted, we don't have a Bed, Bath and Beyond, but we have several stores that sell similar or complementary items. And during these tighter times, good local merchants are going to be having sales to keep inventory moving and they're going to be emphasizing service to get our business.

When that happens, who benefits? Why, both the store and the customer.

Can't go out to eat as much? A $12 grill, 50 cents worth of charcoal, some meat bought less per pound, some local veggies bought at the downtown farmers market and grilled, a $3 rented movie - a whole family meal and event all right at home for less than $30 - and no $3.75 a gallon gas used.
Change is upon us. It will not go away. But we can turn these issues into opportunities to benefit our local economy and our quality of life. Think creatively and positively, and we'll come out of this not just OK, but better in the long run.

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Bill Bailey is president of the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce.