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Old 03-10-2008, 02:06 PM   #1
Emmel
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Can you afford to travel this year?

I know some will think this should be in the tv topic, but if I can't afford to travel, I won't be setting around too many campfires this summer.
With the diesel prices reaching $3.89 a gallon here, when we go somewhere, we will have to stay there for a few more days, not the short trips we are accustomed to. If the regular gas hits $4. a gallon, that means the diesel will be aroung $4.79 a gallon. That also equals to a fill up in the $100 range every time you need fuel.
Be truthful, how will this affect your travels this year.
I know it will affect our travels and we have been thinking about a permanent site for the summer. I guess I'm thankful we got to see the Pacific last summer.
 
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Old 03-10-2008, 02:21 PM   #2
gkbutler
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I know what you are saying. We are spending over $1.50 more a gallon for diesel this year compared to last. We are leaving Florida in about a month and we are really concerned about the price of fuel. We know that we will come back down next year, but we may be staying longer than six months. Fortunately, our park does have a yearly rate.
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Old 03-10-2008, 02:30 PM   #3
Mrs. CountryGuy
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There is a distinct possibility that Tana will get parked. IN our yard.

Many people in the RGV are leaving their units here, cannot afford to haul em home and then back. Many are buying park models and selling their rigs. Can drive down in a small car, for far far far less $$. There are a number of empty campsites this year, same places for last 2 years were filled to the brim. You could have found a campsite down here in January OR February, both the high months, with very little trouble.

I envy you that you got to see the western US, the way things are looking, Al and I may never get that chance.

If you think I am negative, look at where we live, Michigan, high rates of unemployment, high rates of foreclosure, and among the highest prices on fuel. Low chance of selling your home, even for as much as you owe on it, if you owe. I don't think I am negative, I do think I am a realist.

But, question is, what will the affect of these prices of GAS (aka, 7 MPH for Big Butt) be?? Park it! Us and a whole lot of other RVers.

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Old 03-10-2008, 02:56 PM   #4
Ozzie
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As both my wife and I are members of the working crowd still, time availability plays a large part of what we can do. That along with increased costs with everything, not only fuel, severely hampers our desire to throw caution to the wind and go anyways. In the past, we have been able to make it up, but things are getting tougher and tougher. Seems everything is going up and competition for work in my field has kept income levels from following (net income dropping). The only good thing I have going is I'm able to write off expenses for my truck as I use it everyday for work.

We will not sell our RV...but longer trips will probably go the wayside until things improve. That means mostly weekend trips for us that are close to home just to get away. A campfire is enjoyable an hour away too...
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:09 PM   #5
msmoonsatx
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My DW and I are still fortunate that we can afford to travel. We try to set up our projected travels a year ahead and then set aside funds each month to cover the future trip. We did decide to make smaller trips this year in anticipation of trying to travel to Canada next year.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:18 PM   #6
exav8tr
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Well, As you may recall, Cathy and I are fulltimers and our solution is to travel less. Will stay at each location a little longer and have nixed our plans to go to Eastern Canada and New England. Will have to wait for another year. We will probably do midwest and great lakes area to end up in Goshen in the fall. Don't have any plans past Valley Verde for three weeks beginning 14 April. Currently in Tucson until after the Spring rally then heading north out of the heat. Will probably cut down on speed also. 55 -60, I'm sure that will piss a lot of folks off. These 75 MPH speed limits are WAY too high for me......

Oh Well, I'll just continue to spend my kids inheritance.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:23 PM   #7
hazmic
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And all he dose is stand there and grin and wave.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:35 PM   #8
rogue
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The DW and I are taking the position lets see what we can while we can, cause the prices are only going up. We see little chance that they will go down from here. We are on our way back to OR from TX, and are seeing prices of $4.04 - $4.15 in southern CA.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:37 PM   #9
ronstan
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We have come down to Rayne,LA for our retiree rally. So far I think it has cost around 400.-500. We will still do our state camp outs for our FCRV organization. We have a rally in PA this summer. Still planning on that one. We will stay close to home otherwise. Paid as high as 3.69 on the way down here but looks like the prices are going up here so probably will be higher on the way back.

Will he ever return his fate is still unkown.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:50 PM   #10
tbhd
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WOW!!! It sure makes you stop and think. We can carry 70 gallons of diesel fuel and it's $3.99 a gallon in our area of Michigan right now. Like everyone says---maybe not travel as far and stay longer but still going to travel. Like exav8tr says "spending our kids inheritance" that's if there is anything left after the stock market gets done playing around.
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Old 03-10-2008, 03:57 PM   #11
hazmic
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THBH That's called the SKI club. Spending Kid's Inheritance. Sure will put on lot's of wax on the truck and Monty this summer.
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Old 03-10-2008, 05:00 PM   #12
tbhd
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Hazmic

I never heard of that one but sure going to remember it. Going to be sure and pass that one on to our kids!!!
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Old 03-10-2008, 05:04 PM   #13
Parrothead
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I don't think everyone is not traveling. We could not get a site in Yuma in January except at the really high priced places. There were hundreds of thousands of RVs at Quartzsite. We tried to get reservations at a White Mountain CG for June, July, Aug. They were full. We did get reservations at another CG (more expensive). The CG we are at right now has probably 25 monthly and the rest is one or two nights. There is a constant stream of people in and out. Large MHs and Fivers equally mixed. People are still traveling, maybe staying longer in one spot, but this is what we planned to do anyway so it is okay.
Happy trails............................
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Old 03-10-2008, 05:45 PM   #14
clutch
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We do not plan to change what we are doing except that next year we will bring our Honda Civic with us to cut down on fuel expences once we get to Arizona. We don't spend a lot of time on the road as it is, just take three days to get here and another three to get back home. We have a lot on a river at home and that is where the trailer stays until fall arrives.
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Old 03-10-2008, 07:59 PM   #15
dsprik
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Sue, I think that this is just the beginning. Many are still traveling. Next month and the next six months may be radically different. Most of what I am hearing is that people are "planning on not traveling" after their current plans. I think many in in the middle of preplanned travel.

This radical rapid increase of diesel/gas prices is only about 1 week - maybe 2 weeks - old. In 30 days, many southern CGs will be empty anyway, so I think any indication of severe problems (ie drastic reduction in RV travel) in the RVing industry will be shown in the traditional summer travel CGs. Those near the Black Hills/Yellowstone/Western Nat. Parks/NE popular CGs/etc.

Of course, ALL vacation travelers will be curtailing their plans. This could well be the worst drop in tourism in this country since 9-11. Possibly much worse as 9-11 occurred after the summer travel season was basically over. This crisis (and, yes, I believe that would be the appropriate term now) is hitting right when people are in the planning process of their summer plans.

This will be interesting... This is also only my speculation
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Old 03-11-2008, 12:40 AM   #16
syplace
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We head for home March 28th and holding our breath that diesel doesn't go over 4.25 gal. Once home, we will park the rig. And if
things don't look any better by May or June we will put the truck, trailer and porta bote up for sale. Was just informed that our campground fees will increase $10 a month next winter and add propane, groceries, etc. I am afraid we just can't afford to do this anymore. Guess 10 yrs of being "snowbirds" is enough.
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Old 03-11-2008, 01:12 AM   #17
Wiarton William
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Up here the diesel is about $1.17 a litre or approx $5.25 a US gallon... retired full timers would certainly feel the crunch.. a lot snowbirds are stickhouse owners that shut down the homes for the winter and head south..the basic calculations are to compare the cost of travelling down and back add in the cost of accomodations and then compare that to the cost of staying home...as of now, with the cost of fuel as I see it above..my 2000 mile trip would cost around $1000 for fuel, double that for coming home...$2000.. accomodations for 5 months are approx $1500......so we now have a total of $3500........deduct the savings realized by not staying home and using the house for the winter..heating costs vary by occupants and method..so that amount will be way up or down ...I heat with wood and electric.. I cut my firewood myself (free, I so love the sound of that word))so lets say I spend $150. for heat and hours of free labour.my electric is a constant budgeted amount and runs all year so i dont really use it as a costing loss or savings.. Those that heat with electric or gas/oil would come out way ahead on that figure..then there is the savings realized by shutting down a majority of the appliances and services to the home...I think our total there is about $200 over the course of the winter..so, for us, the winter snowbirding costs me about $3000 for 5 months...for those that can deduct their entire heating costs it would be much cheaper.......over the broader picture, we have traveled to various locations and spent $3000 for a two week vacation... If you have ever had to endure the pain of staying in the cold cold snow and sleet and freezing rain for 4-5 months that $3000 looks puny and inconsequential...hopefully we will both be healthy enough to go south next year.....money be dammed, the SKI club awaits, the kids can have the leftovers.....
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Old 03-11-2008, 02:01 AM   #18
Glenn and Lorraine
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Well we are going into the New England states and possibly New Brunswick and Nova Scotia this summer as planned BUT we will be staying for at least a week or more in the more touristy areas.
We thought about going to the Branson Rally but I just might skip that. Instead we will leave Florida and head for Nashville for a week, than up to Gettysburg for the NE rally. From G-burg we will visit my daughter in PA for a month. (We'll set up in her front yard) Than we'll head up to northern NY, where I can earn some bucks updating websites which will make that camping basically free. By August we will set out for Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and maybe the Maritimes. From there we will head back to PA and a few days in my daughter's front yard again. From PA we will head for the Fall Rally and than back to Florida and the Avalon RV Resort by the 1st week in October. As it now stands, right now, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are the only questionable destinations.

BTW-Here at Avalon our yearly rental fee is only $280 a month but we do expect to be paying $300 next year. Not bad for an RV park just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa and Tampa Bay and about an hour and a half on I-4 from Disney. AND we have the lowest diesel prices in the state of Florida. Some 10 to 20 cents less than other parts of the state.
Another BTW-Down here do not expect to pay less at Wally World or Flying J for diesel. Right now some of the Shell stations are cheaper than Wally and FJ.
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Old 03-11-2008, 02:17 AM   #19
BB_TX
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Retiring in 3 weeks . We had planned on some long trips afterward. But now, except for our annual trip to southern Colorado, we will probable delay those for a while. Will probably be making shorter trips closer to home.
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Old 03-11-2008, 03:06 AM   #20
Ozz
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I will work more this Summer to earn Winter travel money, I'm doing RV repairs here on the island when I can, Sue will work this Summer, as well as sell her jewelry on Ebay, and we are not going to Branson this year.
All of these things are necessary due to the high costs of everything.
But no matter what we have to do, we will come back down here next November.
I will investigate the reverse mortgage, or try and sell our home, get a smaller one closer to South Padre, maybe San Antonio, or the hill country around Austin.
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