ILLINOIS (Chambana Today) — As gas prices rise, Illinois drivers say they are approaching a financial tipping point. According to a survey by Advance America, key findings from the state include:
- Illinois ranks 15th nationwide in how close drivers are to cutting back on essentials
- Drivers say their “breaking point” is $5.07 per gallon
- Gas prices were at $4.36 at the time of the survey, leaving a 71-cent gap
What Illinoisans would cut first:
- Dining out/takeout: 41%
- Travel and leisure: 29%
- Groceries: 13%
- Savings/investments: 6%
- Utility bills: 6%
- Healthcare/medications: 3%
How drivers are adjusting:
- 40% would drive less
- 19% would combine trips or plan routes more carefully
- 17% would take on extra work or side income
- 8% would switch to public transportation
- 7% would carpool
- 5% would consider changing jobs to reduce commuting
- 5% would rely on credit or loans
Impact on daily life:
- 49% feel extremely or very stressed about gas prices
- 33% feel somewhat stressed
- 37% have relied on credit or borrowing due to fuel costs
- 43% have canceled plans with friends or family due to rising prices
The findings underscore how close many Illinois households are to making difficult financial trade-offs as fuel costs continue to rise.