Have you altered your travel plans because of the economy?
Posted at 5:00 AM on May 26, 2011
by Eric Ringham
(22 Comments)
Filed under: Economy, Transportation
Travel is going to seem expensive this year. Gas prices alone are more than a dollar per gallon higher than last Memorial Day weekend. Today's Question: Have you altered your travel plans because of the economy?
Comments (22)
Due to rising gas, lack of work, and generally no extra cash... my travel plans are as far as my two feet can carry me.
Its sad when there is a growing disconnect between the 'haves' and 'have not's' ...
98% of america is suffering while 2% rich are rolling in money.
With a winter furlough (unpaid) and no raise in 3 years (still lucky to have a paycheck), we had to change our plan for this summer to take a 10-day trip to see my sister's family down south. Gas prices climbing sealed the deal. Instead of the trip, we're using our tax return to start the long overdue remodel in the bathroom ourselves. Making the best of it, but it kinda sucks.
I have made it a point to carpool with family and take Amtrak to fill in where I can't get a ride. More people in the car equals cheaper gas bills and more time to catch up with loved ones.
Yes. We choose a cramped trip in our fuel-efficient, compact car instead of a roomy minivan (if everything fits.)
I am seriously considering a horse.
∑
DTOM
Yes, we had planned on visiting our son in Pennsylvania and seeing our granddaughter graduate from high school but gas is too high and so are plane fares. Our second son lives in Mississippi and we had planned on seeing him and his family. We haven't seen them since Hurricane Katrina hit. We will have to be content with e-mail and letters and phone calls. That is just how it is.
I traded in my gas-guzzling SUV for a Honda Civic, which gets nearly 40 MPG. The $200 monthly savings at the pump will allow my family to keep our vacation plans -- baseball road trips to follow our son's American Legion baseball team.
I'm a single father with a teenage daughter. She wanted to go to Italy. We then had a conversation about wants and needs. She then decided that a rafting trip to Idaho was a "good" second choice.
No. So far we've taken the kids on several trips this year, but the plane tickets were bought when oil wasn't hovering around $100/barrel. As of now I'm still planning on driving them out to Colorado a couple of times this summer to see Grandma and Grandpa. I budgeted for gas to be $4 per gallon in 2011, and so far it has remained lower than that, so I'm still under budget for that.
Yes. My husband was laid off last year - he is working part time, but still hasn't found a full-time job. We may take a road trip now and then, but we're not planning for any significant travel.
This is the change we can believe in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI
of course....who can afford the gas?
No. My plans were made with the assumption that gas prices would be about where they are now, which is still too low to prod the country to finally kick its addiction to imported oil.
Yeah, we're having a garage sale instead.
travel , just to travel and "see" somewhere else" is kind of an artificial need. I continue to travel to see and help family, to do research, to participate in specific events. But ... traveling ... just to travel ... that I have nearly stopped. So ... yes ... there is an impact.
No.. This year family is coming to us. We didn't plan a vacation this year but I am sure we will fit in a couple of long weekends to get away!
It played a factor but was not the only reason for my choices. I belong to a camping group that offers three major trips a summer.. I did choose the one closest to home. But I had gotten in the habit of renting a room on the way there and back if trip was past Duluth, decided I couldn't afford the room, not the gas.
We've always known gas prices would go up; it won't change where we go or what we do, it will only change the amount of money we save ahead of time for fuel.
Gas prices, along with other prices, are going up faster than our income. Adjustments will have to be made. We are much more conservative with our spending. We will still enjoy our summer, but we will think through our spending much more carefully.
No, It's only money. You can't take it with you. I would rather be broke and living my life vs. sitting on the couch every sunny weekend just to save gas money.
I will say it altered which boat I ordered this year. Instead of going with the 2100 with the 300 off shore (26 gallons per hour) I choose the 1850 with the F150 (15 gallons per hour). So I guess it did affect my purchases.
No family visits this year because flights are just too expensive.
We've waited all winter for the opportunity to get to the cabin: we are going unless gas doubles i price.
| May 2011 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||
Master Archive
Recent Entries
- Have changes to the airline passenger experience affected your willingness to fly?
- Should marijuana be available for medical use in Minnesota?
- Do the struggles of Minnesota's business icons signal trouble for the state's economy?
- Do you know whether insurance would cover your losses in a major storm?
- What kind of recycling program would you be likely to use the most?
- Would you support paying people for organ or tissue donations?
- Have personal relationships in the workplace ever presented a problem for you?
- Do you think Facebook is a passing fad?
- Will you be less likely to visit the Minnesota Zoo without its dolphins?
- Should authorities in the Twin Cities change the way they warn people about tornadoes?
Public Insight Network
The Public Insight Network draws upon your experiences to help shape our coverage.More
Categories
Services
In The Spotlight
-
Sound Learning
Looking for ways to ensure your students are doing quality research from credible sources? Sound Learning is a launching point to Minnesota Public Radio's content on the Web. -
The Current Music Blog
Your daily note for good music, news and pop culture. With attempted jokes.
- Become a Member
- Member Connect Accounts
- Leadership Circle
- Sustaining Members
- Member Discounts
- Become a Sponsor
- Tax Information
- Planned Giving
- Vehicle Donation
- Donate Stock