Gasoline Prices Painful For 4 in 10

05-24-2011 • AZcentral.com

Overall in the poll, 71 percent said rising prices will cause some hardship for them and their family, including 41 percent who called it a "serious" hardship. Just 29 percent said rising prices are not causing a negative impact on their finances. By income, 63 percent of those with annual household incomes over $50,000 now say rising prices are causing financial hardship, up from 55 percent in March. For older Americans, it's worse. The share of seniors expressing financial hardship over gas prices hit 76 percent; it was 68 percent in March. Nettie Cash, 65, of Dallas, Ga., is cutting back on her medicine because of the cost of fueling up her Buick. Cash is still taking her heart pills but is forgoing her inhaler and ulcer medicine for now. "It's not easy," she said. "You have to do what you have to do."