'I see a lot of Kraft Dinner in our future': Here's how people are feeling as gas passes $2 a litre in N.L.

Fuel prices are up again in Newfoundland and Labrador, likely leaving Deb Bellows with the same unpleasant shock as when she checked her latest heating oil receipt.

On Thursday, gas rose 9.5 cents per litre across the province, while the cost of some other fuels went up even higher.

The cost of fuel to heat Bellows' downtown St. John's home ran her $1,196.47 this week — about a $350 increase from her last bill in January.

"I couldn't believe it when I looked at it. I actually had to do the math myself," Bellows said.

Bellows, who runs the TomCats Women's Hockey League, says she hopes the oil tank will last her two months. On average, she's burning through it every six weeks.

If prices continue to climb, as they have across Newfoundland and Labrador for months, she's not sure where she'll start making cuts.

"I see a lot of Kraft Dinner in our future. Kraft Dinner and hotdogs. It can't be Kraft Dinner and bologna, because that bologna costs a fortune," she said with a laugh.

But it's a dark humour that Bellows relies on to manage the constant uptick in bills. She wonders how people on low or fixed incomes have managed to stay warm this winter, and said she may have to consider taking one of the family's cars off the road.

Bellows is just one resident feeling the fuel-price squeeze after gas and heating oil jumped by about 18.5 and 24 cents respectively last week alone.

Thursday's increase of 9.5 cents per litre puts the price of gas at more than $2 per litre across most of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Prices for a litre of unleaded, self-serve vary across the province, ranging from $2.01 on the Avalon Peninsula, $2.03 in central Newfoundland, $2.02 on the island's west coast, $2.07 in western Labrador and a provincial high of $2.13 in Ramea.

The price of diesel is also up more than nine cents per litre on the island, and 7.3 cents per litre in Labrador.

The constant hikes have left Gary Browne eyeing electric cars.

"it's hard to keep up with it all, that's for sure," Browne said Wednesday afternoon, leaning on his Chevy Silverado.

These days, filling up the tank sets him back about $180. He's driving the truck less and less, he says.

"Eventually, we're definitely going to be one of those people who go to electric. We're big on the idea."

It's not just gas and food forcing people to dig deeper into their pockets. Scott Hubley, manager of Hubley's Plumbing and Heating, says some customers have started calling to see where they can cut corners on the cost of oil.

He's seen an increase in calls about switching to electric hot water tanks, he said — but even then, the rising cost of materials still leads to bigger bills for his customers.

The price per litre of furnace oil went up 9.53 cents on Thursday, along with an increase of more than 13 cents per litre to the price of stove oil in Newfoundland. The price of stove oil rose 6.3 cents in Labrador.

Propane also rose by 1.2 cents per litre.

Hubley said the company's trying its best to manage ballooning input costs without raising their rates.

"We've been trying to avoid it, trying to find other ways to save money," he said. "But eventually it's going to come to a point where we're going to have to."

While she forgoes vegetables and second vehicles, Bellows is at a loss about how the province should tackle the increasing cost of living.

But she thinks dropping at least some taxes on oil, for now, could give residents a much-needed break.

"People are hurting everywhere," she said. 

"The government's going to have to do something for us."

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