I wanted to share my story on how gas prices have affected my life. I'm a 35 year old Medical Assistant, single father to a 7 year old boy. I lived approx. 20 miles from where I work. After taking my son to daycare where he is bussed to school it comes out to 25 miles one way. I don't get the best gas mileage out of my van either. I lived in Kentucky  where folks pay state income tax, another burden on my finances. I had to work a second part time job to help pay for daycare. However, that job was delivering pizzas so it really didn't help out with gas prices being criminally high as they are. I know a 50 mile round trip isn't nearly as painful as a lot of other stories I've heard but this is how gas prices are affecting me.

I found a way to save about 270.00- 290.00 a month to help out a bit. I moved across the state line to Tennessee  where you don't pay a state income tax, my son can go to a daycare which is going to save me between 80.00- 100.00 a month, and I'm saving 90.00 in rent. But the best part is that I'm only 8 miles from work and my son's new daycare is on the way to my job. I'm hoping that 2009 will be a little friendlier to all Hard working Americans, more especially to us who make under 60,000.00 and are single parents without any help.

Now that my son and I have moved and will be saving I can spend a little less money at the pump and more time taking him to see a new movie or to do some of the fun things he enjoys!

Raphael Camejo

Medical Assistant

Clarksville, TN