Take a family who was paying $2 a gallon for gas and making minimum wage 40 hours a week. Driving a car that  got 15 miles to a gallon and driving 12000 miles a year (epa average).

52 weeks in a year * 5 days a week * 8 hours a day=2080 work hours a year.

2080* $6.55an hour (national minimum wage)= $13,624

12000 miles a year/ 15 miles to a gallon * $2 a gallon= $1,600 a year in gas which is about 12% of there income before taxes.

When gas prices were up to $4 a a years worth of gas would cost $3,200. Which would be about 23% of there income.

Therefore gas prices greatly affect the working poor and how much money they have for food, shelter and clothing.