Driving less, canceling vacations, and tightening budgets: All the ways Americans are coping with soaring gas prices

The war in Iran has done what once seemed impossible: forced Americans to rethink the idea of driving everywhere.

The conflict in the Middle East itself might be teetering on a tentative ceasefire, but higher gasoline prices are likely here to stay. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline on Friday was $4.54, according to AAA, up from around $3 before the war, and the most expensive gas has been since the Ukraine War’s early days in mid-2022. 

Americans are responding to higher gasoline prices the only way they realistically can: by changing behavior and trimming budgets. In some cases, they are quietly giving up on the idea that this summer will look anything like the last one, according to a poll released last week by Ipsos, the Washington Post, and ABC News.

The poll surveyed more than 2,500 American adults at the end of April, asking how many had taken specific actions due to higher gasoline prices. It found 44% of adults say they have cut back on driving, 34% have tweaked their travel or vacation plans, and 42% have cut other household expenses in order to afford their gas.

While the rise in U.S. gasoline prices might still Read Entire Article