The rapidly escalating cost of fuel has put a damper on the American public.

When it costs nearly $50 to fill the tank of a modest mid-size car with regular gasoline, folks are likely to think twice about driving very far.

And the high cost of fuel translates into across-the-board price increases. Shipping costs are up; so all kinds of goods, from food to toys to appliances to lumber, are edging up price-wise.

Everyone is beginning to feel the pinch.

The problem isn’t going to go away very soon.

And we are a long way from replacing finite energy resources with renewable ones, although that should be top on the research and government agendas.

In the meantime, consumers need to hunker down and take a very close look at their spending patterns — to cut expenses wherever they can. For many, that means a lot of "fewers" — vacations, meals out, extra trips for errands, household luxuries.

We may need to return to a simpler life, one where we find our satisfactions closer to home and where we appreciate all the good things we have instead of coveting the ones we don’t.

It’s a challenge. But maybe that’s a good thing.