Community Forums

dagray · 05-11-2011, 02:38 PM

I don't know about everyone else but I have decided not to travel a long distance this year. Mostly because of the price of gasoline. I also think that a lot of other people will not travel as far this year. That includes by car, train, plane or motor home and that is a great loss to the economy. The price of fuel will also bring the economy down in every business. Lets face it, I believe many motorhome dealers and companies will shut down or downsize.

That's my opinion and I will change it when the price of fuel goes down.

dsbike · 05-12-2011, 07:36 AM

dagray, I don't disagree with you on most points, however the traveling by plane I think you are wrong. I work for a major airline & we have seen very full airplanes. We did lose a lot of money this past quarter due to fuel prices. But if we increase prices the media gets extremely upset. If you were to compare the price of an airline ticket today with the price 30 years ago & add in the cost of living difference, the price of a seat is extremely low. I would agree we have found other ways to make up the loss, but charging for baggage, snacks or blankets is accepted, but most people are not very happy about it.

dvmweb · 05-12-2011, 01:41 PM

Right now, as we are still employed/working, we don't do very long trips. However, we do go relatively short distances to see kids and go to Michign's State campgrounds. Usually less than 150 - 200 miles. So, if you figure in the costs you don't have: meals, and motel rooms it is a savings for us over all. I do use the MH for one annual hunting jaunt to North Dakota, 2300 miles or so round trip. But we are a group of about 5 and split the fuel cost between us.

Renipladlo · 05-12-2011, 05:35 PM

All - first I won't get on an airline period, and it’s not because I don't want to fly, it's because they want 5 bucks for the air I Breathe and that draconian security the government has implemented. And I know a little about the industry, as my uncle and C. E. Wolman started Delta Air Lines after WW-II.

Currently oil is trading a little under 100 dollars a barrel, which is nice but as stated above real price reductions need to take place to save the fragile uptick in the economy. Personally we don't go out to eat as much, and don't make unnecessary trips to anyplace or for anything. We try to keep out grocery shopping to once a week, and don't buy as many junk items we used to.

Wal-Mart announced today 54% of the items in their inventory are made in the USA that is reflected in food sales and so they even see the handwriting on the wall, bring those jobs home. Fuel prices in Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA are around 3.85-4.10 gal for gas, and over that for diesel.

We have very small and short distance trips planned this summer, and if prices stay up, we will have to weigh the costs of leaving for the winter south versus how much it will cost to stay home this winter.

We cut out CG costs by being Passport America members, check it out, and having a Thousand Trails Membership. Our maintenance dues are 600 a year, so if we stay 100 nights in the system our overnight costs are 6.00 each night; we spent over that many days this past winter, so we know what those costs are. Western Horizons and some other campground companies are selling their resorts to TT, so those memberships won’t have any value much longer. However, if prices go up too much, people will just quit camping at all, then there will not be an RV industry.

And please don’t tell me how many young people are out camping, because many of them make way less income than I did when I was working and it costs money to feed and clothes kids. I see the foot traffic in Goodwill and other donation type stores is way up, and the cars in the parking lot are highline vehicles, everyone is trying to pinch pennies. We found that used books are a much better deal in thrift stores in CA, so we hang on to our books we want to get rid of, and try to trade them one for one. We are trying to cut our expenses any way we can because daily I see things going up, that is except my retirement money. I always ask if there is a senior citizens discount, or join restaurant frequent dining coupon lists. We try to keep our meal costs down to less than 15-20 dollars, so we eat lunch out instead of dinner since its less cost. Our biggest two expenses are food and fuel, as we have to have a roof over our heads regardless.

Billieg · 05-12-2011, 06:19 PM

I agree with you. Most of us are cutting back but there is only so much you can do before it's over. We are just sitting here hoping and praying it gets better but there is something you can do now to make things better.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f64/help-...ate-91729.html

If there is a future for our kids and grand kids we need to do something now.

jackstep · 05-13-2011, 06:05 AM

they are going to be costlier..

Billieg · 05-13-2011, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackstep

they are going to be costlier..

The highest price we will pay is when this country falls to it's knees because we bought "Cheap" goods from overseas and now there are no jobs and our money is worth nothing. I'm sure the Chinese will be kind overlords to our kids and grand kids and they will have grandpa and grandma to thank....

donald.bradl · 05-17-2011, 11:48 PM

Yes I agree it is going to be costlier to have an RV. Bullocks, horses are a good way to save money

mythplaced · 05-18-2011, 06:19 PM

Back to the FUTURE baby!

vanstone · 05-21-2011, 09:42 AM

I first started seling RV's in the late 70's. Gas was about $1 a gallon and the most expensive RV we sold was about $60,000. I was told by the "experts" that when motor homes neared $100,000 the industry would die. Now fast forward 33 years; gas is now about 4 bucks a gallon and the most expensive RV we sell is about $800,000. The business continues.