Back in my day, you could get a tank of gas for 98 cents a gallon.

Now, we&8217;re not talking about 1938 or anything. I didn&8217;t walk four miles up a hill both ways in the snow to get to school &8212; we&8217;re talking about November 1998, and I lived in north Alabama.

I clearly remember turning 16; my dad bought me a slightly used 1985 Buick Skylark. I could fill it up for no more than $10 and drive for a week. While my current Nissan Sentra gets very good gas mileage &8212; and there was even a time when it only took about $12 to fill it up &8212; I&8217;m easily spending $30 every few days just to get to work and back.

In today&8217;s Shelby County Reporter, there is a story about a local company offering to prevent its employees from paying more than $2.85 a gallon. It&8217;s great that someone thinks enough about their employees to help them out a bit.

But, wow, I think the real issue is that any one of us might consider going to work for this man just so we don&8217;t pay more than $3 per gallon. In fact, Mr. Carrington, do you need any part-time help?

Gas prices started creeping up while I was still in college. First, I got frustrated cause it was $1.45, then furious because they dared to charge me $1.60, I&8217;m really surprised I didn&8217;t pass out at $2.

So, seriously, did someone discover you could gain eternal life from guzzling a gallon or two of regular unleaded? It seems so. Maybe you could melt down gold and use it as fuel? I&8217;m sure it&8217;s cheaper than gas anyway. I bet pawn shops would sell a lot of gold jewelry, and that would be great for the economy all around.

Just about everyone is getting desperate. A lady on a local news station the other night even traded in her Mercedes Kompressor for a Toyota Prius. Personally, I think the Prius is cute, but man that had to hurt.

Until gas prices go down, or hell freezes over, I guess I&8217;ll try saving money by tying my wet clothes to my antenna as I drive down the road, typing on my laptop by candlelight and hmmm, I wonder how bad road kill could really be if it were deep fried or covered with ketchup?

All in the name of saving a buck, so I can get to work and actually make a buck.