I cringed this past week as the price for a gallon of gasoline climbed to more than $4.

Having moved to this beautiful rainy area from the relatively cold snowy place called Idaho, our family has two four-wheel drive sports utility vehicles. Both our SUVs get 18 to 20 miles to the gallon on the highway — which was OK when we bought them and gas was just a little more than $1 a gallon.

Now, every time I fill up my tank, I ask myself why didn’t I buy another Honda Accord when my former one wore out? Then I remember I needed to be able to drive up in the mountains to cover fires in the summer and be safe when driving 30 or 40 miles in snowy weather to talk with sources in the winter. A 4-wheel drive was a necessity when I bought it as a reporter in Idaho.

Now, that necessity seems to be a liability.

I would consider trading one of the vehicles in, but they’re paid for. I’d rather pay a little more a month for gas right now than have another $300 per month car payment.

So, we’re trying to be creative — just like thousands of other folks who are feeling the crunch of higher fuel costs.

My commute is relatively short. I live about three miles from my office and day care is on the way. I make a loop each day and try to call sources instead of driving to meet them.

When I have meetings outside of Sedro-Woolley, I try to make sure they are all on the same day so I don’t have to make more than one trip.

My husband works in Mount Vernon, so if there’s something we need he tries to pick it up on his way home instead of making a special trip.

We have already started talking about carpooling to work together once our company’s new building is complete. This will probably work at least three or four days a week if we think outside the box and plan accordingly.



More than fuel

I’ve always been a list maker, and now that’s really paying off. Through the week I make a list of grocery items we need so we don’t have to make an extra trip to Burlington after our weekly shopping trip.

And since those weekly groceries are costing us more money because of the rising fuel, I’m also clipping coupons with a vengeance and keeping my eyes open for sales.

Grocery store clerks mention how much money I save and we always end up talking about why more people don’t take advantage of sales and coupons. When I save my family $10 to $20 a week by spending 10 minutes clipping coupons, I consider that money saved for filling up our tanks.

We’re also trying to figure out local places to vacation. Usually we drive over the North Cascades Highway to Winthrop.

This summer, we’re probably going to stay closer to home so we don’t spend all our vacation money on getting there.

There are so many beautiful places in Skagit County, this won’t be a hardship. One of my friends at Ovenell’s Heritage Inn & Log Cabins in Concrete mentioned that more and more people seem to be thinking that way. She mentioned a term I hadn’t heard before — a “stay-cation.” Apparently this term has sprouted because so many people are taking a vacation closer to home.

This hopefully will add up to a successful season for many of our local inns and hotels, which might otherwise be losing out-of-town dollars.

I think of all the destination places in our valley, and consider our residents blessed to have such an array of choices.

We’re fortunate to have the North Cascades National Park right down the road. If it’s hiking or camping in the forest you’re looking for, most locals know they can drive less than 50 miles to reach several great spots.

If residents are looking to take a beach vacation, there are several great options on the west side of the county. Bay View State Park is probably going to be even busier than usual this summer with stay-cationers.

For those looking to really feel like they’re getting away, there’s always the San Juan Islands just a ferry ride away.

Higher fuel costs has resulted in tightening our belts, but it doesn’t have to mean a bland diet.



n Richardson is the editor of the Courier-Times. She can be reached at 360-855-1641 or via e-mail at .