Jun 15, 2008 - 04:06:16 CDT
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PRINCETON, N.J. - Low-income and middle-income households are dealing with higher energy bills in similar fashion these days - lowering the thermostat, eating out less, buying cheaper versions of products they need, spending less on clothes and medicine, and even changing their plans for education.
Fuel-oil prices have increased more than 40 percent in the past year and gasoline prices increased by over a third, leaving many low- and middle-income households struggling to pay their energy bills, according to a new survey by the National Energy Assistance Director's Association released Wednesday.
A majority of households surveyed (57 percent) said energy bills are higher today than they were a year ago. While the impacts of steadily increasing energy costs are being felt hardest by low-income families - a family of four making less than $33,300 a year - plenty of families making between $33,300 and $77,000 say they are feeling the pinch and changing what they buy and how they heat and cool their homes.
More lower-income households reported that their energy bills had increased (63 percent) than any other economic group. Roughly 60 percent of low-income households, 49 percent of moderate-income households, and 42 percent of middle-income households said it is more difficult for them to pay these bills this year, according to the study.
Gasoline prices hit household budgets the hardest, according to the study. Nearly three-quarters of low-income, 70 percent of moderate-income, and 61 percent of middle-income respondents said that increased gasoline costs had a large impact on their budgets.
The two biggest cutbacks across all households are scaled-back purchases of basic household necessities (43 percent) and smaller food bills (43 percent).
- McClatchy Newspapers
Fuel-oil prices have increased more than 40 percent in the past year and gasoline prices increased by over a third, leaving many low- and middle-income households struggling to pay their energy bills, according to a new survey by the National Energy Assistance Director's Association released Wednesday.
A majority of households surveyed (57 percent) said energy bills are higher today than they were a year ago. While the impacts of steadily increasing energy costs are being felt hardest by low-income families - a family of four making less than $33,300 a year - plenty of families making between $33,300 and $77,000 say they are feeling the pinch and changing what they buy and how they heat and cool their homes.
More lower-income households reported that their energy bills had increased (63 percent) than any other economic group. Roughly 60 percent of low-income households, 49 percent of moderate-income households, and 42 percent of middle-income households said it is more difficult for them to pay these bills this year, according to the study.
Gasoline prices hit household budgets the hardest, according to the study. Nearly three-quarters of low-income, 70 percent of moderate-income, and 61 percent of middle-income respondents said that increased gasoline costs had a large impact on their budgets.
The two biggest cutbacks across all households are scaled-back purchases of basic household necessities (43 percent) and smaller food bills (43 percent).
- McClatchy Newspapers
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