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CCH® HR MANAGEMENT - 7/22/08

Nearly half of workers sacrificed something to buy gas to get to work, survey says

The impact of escalating fuel costs has taken its toll on American commuters. Of the 89 percent of workers who said they drive to work, nearly half (47 percent) reported they had to give up something in order to afford the gas needed for their commute. This is according to CareerBuilder.com's latest survey completed in June 2008 of more than 8,700 workers nationwide.

When asked to identify what they had to forego in order to accommodate higher fuel prices, workers reported they: ate out less (35 percent); spent less money on entertainment (31 percent); bought less expensive groceries (27 percent); went shopping for clothes less (24 percent); did not go on vacation (21 percent); eliminated cable, magazine subscriptions, etc. (11 percent); did not attend a function where they would be expected to bring a gift (nine percent); and cut back on their child's extracurricular activities (four percent).

Given the cost of gas today, 60 percent of workers said they would be willing to drive up to 20 miles to the office. Twenty-nine percent would only drive up to 10 miles while 10 percent would only drive up to five miles.

"Today's workers have had to modify personal budgets, spending choices and commuting habits to manage the adverse effects today's gas prices have had on their pocketbooks," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of HR at CareerBuilder.com. "One-in-ten workers said they would take a pay cut for a job with a shorter commute."

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