The Deleted Scenes - Have You Seen the Price of Gas?
My local Exxon just raised the price of regular gasoline to $3.85. I might possibly live near the most expensive gas station in Northern Virginia. Even Tysons Corner, home to two luxury malls and a Bentley/Aston Martin car dealership, has cheaper gas! The other day, I sat down and calculated what it actually costs to drive a mile, at that price. My car gets somewhere between 25 and 35 miles per gallon. Local driving—the kind I don’t really think about, and which adds up quick—costs more per gallon since it’s less fuel efficient. And a local mile costs about fifteen cents. That means a round-trip to my local Trader Joe’s costs about a dollar. A round-trip to my local Wegmans costs about two dollars. A drive to my favorite thrift store in Maryland costs over $8. Now it’s interesting. If I’m buying a can of tomato sauce, or canned beans, or some basic thing, I’ll look very closely at the price. I’m a pretty frugal shopper. At home, I’ll keep a lightly used paper towel around to wipe down the counter later. I’m conscious of all sorts of little ways to save money or make a product last longer. Yet it really has never occurred to me to ask or wonder how much it costs me to, say, drive to the cheaper store further away. My wife and I own two cars, both less than eight years old. We obviously have enough income that the price of gas is not a make-or-break expense, and in any case the car itself is a much bigger expense, even if you own it and have no car loan. (Also, working from home/not having a driving commute sure helps.) Yet at these kinds of prices, gas is not an insignificant expense. It’s interesting to me that as much as I think about not relying on cars, about walkable neighborhoods, etc., it’s still a bit of a psychological lift for me to actually grasp that I’m literally spending two dollars just by driving to Wegmans. At a high enough price, everyone gets it—I remember, at my childhood home off a state highway in New Jersey, that night traffic basically dried up in the trough of the Great Recession. But I think gas is one of the harder everyday expenses to see clearly, because driving is such a regular, almost automatic thing to do. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. However, odd as it is to really think about it that way, it helps make the expense real, and provides a motivation to drive less—and not just less, but more frugally. Connecting trips more smartly, not running out to the store for some little thing I don’t really need, etc. I like to see a challenge like this as an opportunity to be a little more responsible. For people stuck driving to work, it’s tough. For the most part they shouldn’t have to (unless they chose a long driving commute in exchange for living somewhere far off that transit cannot serve practically.) Car dependence is a massive, regressive expense. But for me, most of the driving I do is a choice, and I can make different choices. Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, and in some ways, this is the real spirit of “giving something up” for Lent. As kids, we give up chocolate or video games or something, more as a cradle Catholic custom than anything else. But as an adult, I’ve come to better understand and appreciate what it really means to give something up. It’s a low-stakes way of building a little bit of resilience, of making yourself a little unhappy in a shallow way to try to cultivate real contentment. Can you guess where this is going? Now as someone who photographs, explores, and writes about places, driving is pretty much part of my job. And I enjoy it. That kind of driving is often quite fun, actually. (Or this kind of driving.) But all the unnecessary miles I log because I didn’t make a full shopping list or because I went out of my way for some specific product I didn’t even need, aren’t so fun. For Lent, then, I won’t be complaining about gas prices. Instead, I’ll be trying to give that kind of driving up. Related Reading: Speeding and the Eucharistic Prayer Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to help support this newsletter. You’ll get a weekend subscribers-only post, plus full access to the archive of nearly 300 posts and growing. And you’ll help ensure more material like this! You’re a free subscriber to The Deleted Scenes. For the full experience, become a paid subscriber. |
Older messages
Another Look at Two New Jersey Towns
Monday, February 28, 2022
We love them, but could we built them today?
The Howard Johnson's Sign
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Being the only person to record a piece of trivia
New and Old #46
Friday, February 25, 2022
Friday roundup and commentary
Forgotten But Not Gone
Thursday, February 24, 2022
More thoughts on dead blogs
Church Shopping?
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
What Do You Think You're Looking At? #46
You Might Also Like
*This* Is How To Wear Skinny Jeans Like A Fashion Girl In 2025
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
The revival is here. The Zoe Report Daily The Zoe Report 3.11.2025 This Is How To Wear Skinny Jeans Like A Fashion Girl In 2025 (Style) This Is How To Wear Skinny Jeans Like A Fashion Girl In 2025 The
The Best Thing: March 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
The Best Thing is our weekly discussion thread where we share the one thing that we read, listened to, watched, did, or otherwise enjoyed recent… ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
The Most Groundbreaking Beauty Products Of 2025 Are...
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Brands are prioritizing innovation more than ever. The Zoe Report Beauty The Zoe Report 3.11.2025 (Beauty) The 2025 TZR Beauty Groundbreakers Awards (Your New Holy Grail Or Two) The 2025 TZR Beauty
Change Up #Legday With One of These Squat Variations
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
View in Browser Men's Health SHOP MVP EXCLUSIVES SUBSCRIBE Change Up #Legday With One of These Squat Variations Change Up #Legday With One of These Squat Variations The lower body staple is one of
Kylie Jenner Wore The Spiciest Plunging Crop Top While Kissing Timothée Chalamet
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Plus, Amanda Seyfried opens up about her busy year, your daily horoscope, and more. Mar. 11, 2025 Bustle Daily Amanda Seyfried at the Tory Burch Fall RTW 2025 fashion show as part of New York Fashion
Paris Fashion Week Is Getting Interesting Again
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Today in style, self, culture, and power. The Cut March 11, 2025 PARIS FASHION WEEK Fashion Is Getting Interesting Again Designs at Paris Fashion Week once again reflect the times with new aesthetics,
Your dinner table deserves to be lazier
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
NY delis are serving 'Bird Flu Bailout' sandwiches.
Sophie Thatcher Lets In The Light
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Plus: Chet Hanks reaches new heights on Netflix's 'Running Point.' • Mar. 11, 2025 Up Next Your complete guide to industry-shaping entertainment news, exclusive interviews with A-list
Mastering Circumstance
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
“If a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them.” ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Don't Fall for This Parking Fee Scam Text 🚨
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
How I Use the 'One in, One Out' Method for My Finances. You're not facing any fines. Not displaying correctly? View this newsletter online. TODAY'S FEATURED STORY Don't Fall for the