# Are low ga/oil prices hurting or helping you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937 "2016-02-02T10:31:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/21 "2016-02-04T15:25:42Z")
I personally like the idea that I’m spending less on gasoline, but at the same time I know it’s seriously messing up things in the oil and gas industry, and know some people who have been personally affected by it- either by business downturns or layoffs. So it’s kind of a tie I guess. ---
**Author:** ![joe.russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@joe.russell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joe.russell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/22 "2016-02-04T17:44:59Z")
Fine for me. I went from 55+ hrs a week to 40 since my employer is tied to commodity prices. VPs complain, but the employees have no problem. As long as I get 40 a week im ok ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/23 "2016-02-04T18:17:18Z")
Helping me personally with cheaper fill ups. My work is in the auto industry so low gas prices always help there, too. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/24 "2016-02-04T18:32:16Z")
Until I read this thread I did not realize how many Dopers were in the same line of work as I. :eek: I work in the O&G business for one of John D. Rockefeller’s bigger progeny and in my particular niche - exploration and production - things are largely unchanged. Many projects are long term have already begun, and it is not economic nor wise to panic. From what I have heard from my colleagues stateside, staff reductions have been very limited. Managers are keenly of [The Great Crew Change](http://www.ogfj.com/articles/print/volume-12/issue-4/features/the-great-crew-change.html) and they don’t want to be short on staff when things turn around. As perhaps evidence of this, I just got an e-mail announcing the annual bonus and it looks about the same as last year. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/25 "2016-02-04T20:01:09Z")
It doesn’t affect me much but that’s primarily due to the low number of miles I drive per month. Even though I’m in Southern California I only drive 350 or so miles per month. Even though my out-of-pocket varies directly with gas prices, my the actual outlay differences with recent price spread is only $15, plus or minus. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/26 "2016-02-04T20:36:16Z")
Okay in the sense of cheaper gas, even in California - though I have a Prius, and am less affected. To the extent that low oil prices are hurting the market, bad. But I don’t need to sell anything for quite some time, so that is theoretical. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/27 "2016-02-04T21:16:44Z")
I’m loving the cheaper gas especially since I just bought a car that uses premium. It’s probably hurting my Dad’s stock portfolio right now but that’s always multifactorial anyway, I know he has invested in some energy companies and things after their prices dropped, he claims if they bounce back even a percentage of what they were he’ll make a huge profit. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937/28 "2016-02-04T21:25:56Z")
[ul] [li]Short-term - I fill my gas tank about once every six weeks. All that changes is it doesn’t cost as much now.[/li][li]Long-term - There is a great disturbance in The Force. The greater economy moves that much closer to The Abyss. And The Abyss will be worse than in 2008.[/li][/ul] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-low-ga-oil-prices-hurting-or-helping-you/744937.md?page=1)