Cheap Gas

Who would have thunk that we'd see gas under $2.00? So did anybody out there make some decisions when gas was $4.00 that they now regret? I'm thinking about the family of 5 who are shoe horned into a Honda Fit. Or conversely are you feeling good about something you did? Maybe a family of 5 buying a Nissan Titan at 1/2 price in July?

We have a Honda Odyssey and a Ford Taurus which we think both offer a good combination of room and mileage. It's pretty darn nice being able to fill up again for under $30!

I would rather have $4 gas and the other half of my 401K back.

I'm wondering at the people who bought a vehicle with that $2.99 gas guarantee. Think they feel good about that now?

I agree that I would rather have the other 1/2 of my 401K back.

However, I did buy a nice Land Rover on the cheap due to it's 14 MPG. Although it's still expensive to drive at $2 per gallon, given the low purchase price the total cost of ownership is pretty good. Now we'll see if repairs get me.

I also expect gas to go back up once the economy straightens out in 6-18 months. Hopefully we'll see a 30-40% increase in the market to get back some of what was lost in the last couple months.

my dad pays for my gas

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Originally Posted by erikbj

I would rather have $4 gas and the other half of my 401K back.

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Just think, you are buying twice as many shares right now! Once the fundamentals of the company return, the stock prices will follow.

I'm super happy with the price of gas right now; I love being able to fill up the Dakota for under $30. I don't contribute to 401k yet, so that doesn't bother me at all.

I don't see where people who bought a vehicle with the gas guarentee would have a problem with cheap gas; they get a new vehicle and WHEN gas goes back up, they are still covered...

Gas will be like $5+ next summer. just wait. It always happens.

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Originally Posted by brianhos

Just think, you are buying twice as many shares right now! Once the fundamentals of the company return, the stock prices will follow.

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Great point and very good time to be buying. I think I read somewhere that the average price to earnings ratio is like 3 and normally it's 7 to 10. Think about it, 3 years of earning pays for the stock.:smile: Just don't buy the Big 3 auto stock and related industries. If they file for Chapter 11, it will get ugly..

I dollar cost average and put in every month and have not stopped...

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Originally Posted by isucyclone4

Gas will be like $5+ next summer. just wait. It always happens.

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When has gas been $5+ before? :confused:

Do I like paying less for gas? Yes.

But this drastic decrease in price has only delayed the push for advancement in other methods to power vehicles. And, sheep are flocking back out now to buy SUVs, when prices will only spike again in a year or two - and they'll be whining again.

Yes, we have an SUV - but we didn't buy it because of low gas prices at the time - nor do we gripe when it costs $70 to fill it.

Gas prices don't really affect me all that much.

I'd actually prefer that gas was at 3-4 dollars a gallon. It forces change that will happen inevitably at some point in the future. If nothing else, it's forced the Big 3 to the edge of bankruptcy, which will probably not be avoided unless the gov't bails them out, and with the plan to spend that money will come the requirement to invest in vehicles that get reasonable fuel economy.

I still support a gas tax that would make gasoline around $4 a gallon. The revenue should be used for alternative fuels development, the key would be for it to be used wisely (Yes, I know some of you don't think any tax money is used wisely). I would also like it to be an adjustable tax based on price so that gas prices were held at a more constant rate(ie prices stay between $4 and $4.50 consistently). Two benefits would be the incentive for us to use less petroleum, just like what happened when prices got high over the summer, and all these people that let an increase in gas prices break their budget wouldn't be as exposed to change in fuel prices because future prices would be more known.

For those that throw out that prices will go up for no concrete reason. The main factors that have led to the decrease in price are the stronger value of the dollar and a decrease in demand in developing countries because of the weaker world economy. Could these change and cause a large increase, absolutely, but if we cut our demand it won't have nearly as large of an impact.

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Originally Posted by HGPuck

I still support a gas tax that would make gasoline around $4 a gallon. The revenue should be used for alternative fuels development, the key would be for it to be used wisely (Yes, I know some of you don't think any tax money is used wisely). I would also like it to be an adjustable tax based on price so that gas prices were held at a more constant rate(ie prices stay between $4 and $4.50 consistently). Two benefits would be the incentive for us to use less petroleum, just like what happened when prices got high over the summer, and all these people that let an increase in gas prices break there budget wouldn't be as exposed to change in fuel prices because future prices would be more known.

For those that throw out that prices will go up for no concrete reason. The main factors that have led to the decrease in price are the stronger value of the dollar and a decrease in demand in developing countries because of the weaker world economy. Could these change and cause a large increase, absolutely, but if we cut our demand it won't have nearly as large of an impact.

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Not me. Supply and demand ususally solve most pricing problems and that's exactly what is occuring now. Price controls do not tend to be efficient and usually artifically keep demand and supplly at levels they normally would not be.

There are plenty of incentives for alternative fuels.

Well, in hindsight...

That wildcat well I've been digging in my backyard might have been a waste of time.

I should probably go back to Nebraska and get my kids.

Investing my life savings in Amish room heaters may not have been a good idea.