We all knew that the recent increase in price for crude oil would affect the price of gasoline, but it’s more far-reaching effects have seemed to catch many Americans off guard. However, the price of crude oil affects nearly every single thing we purchase. From the fuel in our cars to the food on our table, we can't escape its influence on everyday American life.

This past year, crude oil prices have spiked tremendously, leaving most Americans scrambling to figure out how they are possibly going to be able to afford even getting to work. Many families with multiple cars are opting to leave the gas-guzzling SUV at home whenever it's possible in an effort to save on gas. Additionally, since gas prices began to rise at a rapid pace, the public transportation systems of many cities showed a marked increase in users.

Also, since most food in the U.S. is transported by truck, prices for food have skyrocketed as well. This is a situation that has left many Americans feeling quite desperate for fear that they may not be able to provide food for their families. As a result of the high prices, there has been a bit of a boom in home and community gardening. What was once viewed merely as a hobby for most has for many become a supplement to their diet and a cost cutting measure to help them stretch their dollars even further.

The truckers carrying the food and goods Americans depend on have also suffered greatly from the rise in crude oil and the subsequent increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline. The pay truckers receive has not been able to keep up with the rapidly rising fuel costs, and many truckers have found that after driving across the country, and spending thousands of dollars to fuel their vehicles, they are lucky to just break even.

Perhaps the hardest hit by the recent escalation of crude of prices is the American airline industry. The fallout from the huge increase in jet fuel costs has left the industry in shambles. This year has seen several smaller airlines buckle under the strain of ever increasing fuel costs. Those that have managed to hold on thus far have done so by increasing prices and implementing countless new fees, passing the cost on to consumers who are already struggling to maintain under the burden of higher prices everywhere else. In addition to hiking up their prices and fees, many airlines have had to resort to lying off thousands of workers at a time. With the airline industry being so devastated by the high cost of fuel, it's doubtful that many of these lay off workers will be able to find work elsewhere in the industry.

The rise in crude oil has increased fuel prices, which hurt Americans, but it has resulted in the price hike of nearly everything else as well. It's causing many Americans to suffer tremendously, and that in turn, is also causing the sagging economy to worsen as well.