WASHINGTON (AP) -- Most of us are feeling the budget squeeze because of soaring gasoline prices.

Nine in 10 people in a new Associated Press-Yahoo News poll expect the ballooning costs to bite them financially over the next six months. Nearly half think the hardship will be serious.

To cope, most are driving less, easing off the air conditioning and heating at home and cutting corners elsewhere. Half are scaling back vacation plans; nearly as many are considering buying cars that burn less gas.

Two-thirds now consider gas prices an extremely important issue, edging the economy and outpacing health care and Iraq as the country's most distressing problem. In November, when gas cost about $1 a gallon less than today, just under half rated it extremely important.

AAA says the average price today is $4.09 a gallon. Oil has hit another record.