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.
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
Helping me personally with cheaper fill ups. My work is in the auto industry so low gas prices always help there, too.
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 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. 
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.
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.
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.
[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]