Just because gas prices are lower doesn't mean that everybody's paycheck has caught up to that price yet. It will be several years before people adjust to the higher hit in their monthly budgets. And that is assuming that the percentage of that budget does not continue to climb every year.

GAS PRICES SHOT UP HIGHLY - because of this - At 8 AM EST - Gustav is a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of around 120 miles per hour. At 8 a.m., the eye of Gustav was located at 24.7 north, 85.5 west or about 375 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Gustav is moving to the northwest near 16 mph. This general motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days. The center of the storm will reach the northern Gulf on Monday. Gulf Coast states are watching the storm carefully. Mayor Ray Nagin has issued a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. Gustav hit Jamaica yesterday as a tropical storm, drenching the island with heavy rain that triggered landslides and flooding. Gustav earlier caused 67 deaths in Hispaniola. Forecasters caution that a storm's exact track and strength are difficult to predict days in advance.

In west centeral FL we are feeling the effects, heavy rain, twisters, rain bands, high waves and storm surge. HIGH WATERS. I have seen BIG STORMS stop, turn, head right at us as well, this could still happen.