Future Money Trends provides an excellent video below discussing the "breaking point" for our economy in terms of rising energy prices. The video is overly dramatic (as they usually are) but it provides a good reminder that everyone should make simple decisions today based on higher energy costs tomorrow. Specifically where you live in proximity to where you work, dine, shop, and what kind of car you drive to get there. Living somewhere you can walk (or take public transportation) to restaurants, stores, and your office will help tremendously if and when we hit the coming energy shock. If you are planning on purchasing a home, think about how higher energy costs will negatively or positively affect future buyers looking at your home in relation to how far they will have to drive.
Just as with everything else on I discuss on this site, higher energy costs are not "the end of the world," they just provide a different world. Similar to the changing economy, simple decisions you make today (before a crisis hits) will have you ahead of 99% of the rest of the world. If I am wrong and oil falls back down to $30 and stays there forever (like many who blame current prices on "speculators" believe) where does that leave you? With an energy efficient car and a home that is close to your office. Not that big of a disaster.
