Single mom Esther Guzman is used to juggling her family finances. But lately, it's gotten harder to make ends meet.
The 38-year-old mother of four's monthly gasoline bill has jumped to more than $300. Guzman, of Monmouth Junction, N.J., makes $11 an hour helping others apply for low-income energy aid, and receives $400 a month in child support.
With the recent increase in gas prices, she has been forced to cut back on extras, such as the family's traditional meal out on Saturdays, trips to the movies and even visits to see her 76-year-old father, who lives in the next town over and is dying of emphysema.
Drivers across the country are paying near-record prices for gasoline. While there's a lot of griping going on at the pump, for many Americans, higher gas costs represent a minor crimp in family budgets.
But for those living paycheck to paycheck, rising gasoline prices can mean the difference between being able to pay bills and going into debt.
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