Well,I guess it just shows how low on the economic scale I am,because an increase of $7 a day in gas expense DOES affect my life.$140 a month isn’t just a pizza and beer.Nor does incurring a $200 car payment(plus higher insurance ,plus taxes) for a new tiny car that will save me POSSIBLY $120 in gas and be less survivable than my current paid-for car seem like a solution.Especially since I have been through TWO head-on collisions in my life;both times it was completely the other driver’s fault and both times I was in a mid-size vehicle.Might not live through a collision in a pop can on wheels!
I'm 100% in agreement with you on this. Oddly enough most people can't do the math the way you did and blithly go off and sign on the dotted line and wonder where the money went.
The rest is none of my business, but the last time things were that tight for me was when I was in graduate school paying my tuition and fees and living expenses out of the lousy salary I got for part time teaching assistant.
But you're better off than my friend. I have a friend whom I will call Bill (because that's his name) who whenever he's really depressed about his financial situation goes out and charges an expensive gadget (new tractor, flat screen, etc) to cheer himself up. I could never understand the logic behind that behavior.