Higher prices at the pump are making Avarisse Crawford rethink her spending. The 33-year-old has started scaling back her “fun budget,” meaning fewer steak dinners and happy hours with coworkers — instead she’s seeking out free activities, like going to the park.
“I’m making sure to cut open bottles to finish all of my products,” said the Philadelphia resident. Driving less is not an option for Crawford, who commutes five days a week to the office of the nonprofit where she works. She also makes twice-a-month road trips to visit a sick relative.