America's Money: Gas crunch hits home

Office manager, 41, Miami, Fla.

I live about 12 miles from where I work, but the public transportation here in Miami sometimes isn't very convenient for some people.

I don't live where I can easily get to the metro-rail. I'd have to drive there. If I did take the rail, I'd still have to take a bus, then walk several blocks to my job. It would wind up costing me about the same as gas so I just drive.

I have however changed my way of doing errands. Anything I need to buy, such as groceries, I'll get on the way home. If I forget to stop somewhere, I leave it for the following day. I'm lucky to have a pharmacy across the street from where I live so that makes it easy.

I literally don't go anywhere on the weekends, as driving anywhere wastes gas, so basically I go from home to work and work to home. I've canceled my home phone and only use my cell phone. I've also changed my health insurance policy to a lower benefit plan just to save myself $80 a month. I'm hoping that will cover some of my cost for gas as well as groceries, as the cost of food is getting higher on a daily basis.

I've told my boss that if gas gets to $6 a gallon, I'm working from home at least one or two days a week! He even suggested we make our work week a four-day one. Something's got to give!

NEXT: Steve Pratt: Carpool connection