<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=09uA7c_1Gz6aX3P00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=09uA7c_1Gz6aX3P00" width="1200" height="675" >Affordability was front and center in the midterm election, and one everyday expense costs drivers more than it did a year ago.On Wednesday, AAA said the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Texas was $3.41. The same gallon of gas cost $2.61 a year ago. Our NBC 5 consumer team asked if rising costs are changing how you live in North Texas. We received more than 1,000 responses to our nonscientific affordability audience survey.Read on for more on the results and how North Texans are stretching their dollars.‘A LOT OF US ARE JUST STUMPED’Chris Harper of Fort Worth said he’s hanging onto what he has, including his vehicle.“I’ve had it for about 100,000 miles,” Harper said. “It’s bought and paid for.”Harper said he commutes 200 miles a week to work.“I'm an old car person,” said Harper. “That's what I did through college: work on cars. I'm going to make them efficient and run well. I take very, very good care of them.”It’s not just cars. Harper said he’s stretching every resource.“I'm filling up and buying groceries and trying not to waste my food, you know, like all that kind of stuff. That's really just been a change in my life. I've never been a meal prepper and I am now,” Harper said. Harper told us he considers himself financially stable, but said it’s been harder to get ahead.“I think a lot of us are just stumped. You can save, you can cut out certain things, but if you have an emergency or you have something happen, it doesn't really matter,” said Harper.EMERGENCY EXPENSE CUSHIONHarper is talking about a cushion for a major emergency. When NBC 5 asked our audience about affordability, 43% of respondents said they couldn’t cover an unexpected $500 expense without borrowing money or missing another payment.The survey takers said they are already cutting back to save money: 76 percent said they’re dining out less, 60 percent said they’re spending less on entertainment, 52 percent said they’ve trimmed back on groceries.“We're definitely at a time when consumers are pinched. It's not something we're imagining. Prices are higher,” said Kimberly Palmer, personal finance expert for NerdWallet.Palmer said if you’re looking for meaningful savings, dig into where most of your money is already going.“Housing, transportation, and food. Those are the three main categories that make up most of our spending, about two-thirds of our spending every month. That’s a good place to start if you can think of big ways to cut back on spending in those areas,” Palmer said.Harper said he can pay his bills, but he is trying to make sure there’s more left after he does.“I’m just using everything I can till the bitter end,” said Harper. Our Affording America series continues all week. NBC 5 Responds takes a closer look at what you’ve told us about everything from the price of housing to healthcare.</div></body>

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Affordability was front and center in the midterm election, and one everyday expense costs drivers more than it did a year ago. On Wednesday, AAA said the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Texas was $3.41. The same gallon of gas cost $2.61 a year ago. Our...

Savings and spending squeezed: survey

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Affordability was front and center in the midterm election, and one everyday expense costs drivers more than it did a year ago. On Wednesday, AAA said the 

Savings and spending squeezed: survey

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