America's Money: In their own words

Oracle applications database administrator, 45, Grafton, Wisc.

Both my wife and I have good paying jobs - and neither of us has noticed a slowdown in our workplace. In fact, I keep seeing new employees starting almost every Monday morning.

Even with (what I consider) good paying jobs, we still consider ourselves in the lower middle class in America. But gas prices are beginning to hit us - even with a very negligible commute. What used to take $30 to fill now takes about $50. We see construction all around us - and wonder how this construction can go on with the general state of the economy.

I can't but help wonder how far away we are from being unemployed or when the gas prices are going to hit us hard enough (as they are hitting so many others) so that we clamp down on travel/driving etc.

NEXT: Eric Butterfield: Fortunate, but worried