My handy-dandy converter tells me that U.S. $5.00/gallon = CAN $1.32/litre ..... I can tell you that $1.30 +/litre is not uncharted territory - in recent months we have topped over $1.40/litre here in Northwestern Ontario - last summer on our Alaska trip we paid $1.72/litre in Dawson City, Yukon (I took a picture of the gas pumps) - that equates to $6.51/U.S. gallon. So welcome to the club - we'll enjoy the company .....
In response to your question - our around town driving habits have changed quite a bit - but our vacation habits have not.
We no longer take a run uptown at the drop of a hat - we keep a list on a whiteboard in the kitchen and fill it every second day (instead of a couple of times a day). I used to take the dog out of town every day for her run - now its 3 days a week instead of 7 - and I walk her around the neighbourhood for the remaining 4 days a week. These two simple changes have been in place for several months and we've dropped our average monthly gas bill by 1/3.
Jay
2002 Bambi 19' - the "Toaster"
2009 Nissan Pathfinder - the "Buggy"
mobilefleet wrote: life is too short to let gas prices control what happiness camping brings. Get out there and do it
Well said,
Camp on I say. If you do not have the money for gas just cut back you expenses in other areas.
Exactly.
Gas is holding at 3.659 in my area.
Last year we budgeted for $4.00/gallon and saw nothing above 3.889 (in West Yellowstone.) We did a 3 week trip for 2 people for a little over $3000. No way to do that staying in hotels, for sure. If I wanted to I could dig out the exact numbers we spent on gas.
This year we will budget for whatever the going rate is, plus a margin, for our shorter trips.
For a longer trip out west, with longer term planning, we will budget for $5/gallon. I doubt we will see that but it is a generous margin.
People have an irrational fear of gas prices and are buying into all the media hype of how it's making things too expensive to travel, including a lot of it here. Well most people really DON'T KNOW how much they spend on gas, and other items, because they don't keep track of it. And I am willing to be that MOST people could reduce their spending in other areas enough to make up for higher gas prices, if they would pay attention to their spending and economize in other areas.
We save money by shopping for groceries at home before we go and taking a good stash of non-perishables with us. While traveling we buy only fresh meat and produce. We limit our eating out, especially in high-priced areas. We always take a cooler with drinks and snacks for our day trips. We never eat more than one meal a day out, either lunch or dinner. We also stay mainly at USFS campgrounds, which are relatively inexpensive, and use a Golden Age pass there. Along the road we will do a free overnite at WM, or at low-priced city or county parks. Our normal site costs us $20 max, usually much less, and sometimes free. We almost never buy souveniers--but we take a lot of photos.
Now I realize all of this would be much harder with children--but I wouldn't be doing huge long trips with young children anyway. There are still plenty of ways to economize and have a good time, without just staying home.
2006 Toyota Sienna
Single empty-nester in Middle TN
Four trips planned and all within 100 miles of home. Yeah, we're going, nothing better than getting away to do some swimming / snorkeling/ biking / grilling / campfires/ beer & wine !
See ya out there !
2010 Flagstaff 26RLS
2012 Ford F-150 Screw Ecoboost H/D 3.73
2006 Toyota Tundra D/C (sold)
2001 Bantam B-19,(sold)
2003 Harley Road King
The whole family,
Cold ones in the cooler, good times ahead.
We like to roam the country. We did it in 2008 when diesel fuel was very near $5. We'll continue to roam the country if gas gets there. We now have a very aerodynamic Egg Camper molded fiberglass trailer for roaming which we now tow with a Chevy 1500 and get around 17 mpg towing (the trailer weighs under 2500# loaded). DW and I are in our 70s. If we don't spend our money, the kids will get it. We earned it, we're gonna spend it. Kids are doing fine on their own. I realize that might not be possible for younger people with kids, mortgages, etc.
RRUGG
2009 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ 1500 4x4 5.3L
2011 Kodiak 281RLGS travel trailer
2011 Egg Camper
2010 Chrysler Town & Country
Good Sam life members
Bob & Grace professional retirees
Last year we drove MH a total of 18033 miles from Florida to Alaska and a lot of ground in between - Avg gas overall price, (canadian price converted to gallons) was $4.45/gal ..... This year we have a new rig, Deisel power, 1/3 better mileage, and planning to stay in lower US - half the miles - Even if Deisel gets to $6.00 we will spend less than last year - We're Going!
2012 3055RL Big Horn - Dexter 7000 lb axles - G rated LT Tires
MorRyde, Genset, Dual Panes, 2 A/C, Yeti Package
2013 F350 DRW 4x4 Crew King Ranch
We're going to Utah next month to visit some National Parks, and I've had to rebudget the trip in light of the spike in prices. We've just cut the budget elsewhere to still take the trip. The gasoline is now more than 50% of the total trip price.
We will continue on. We usually go about every other weekend from june until October. Depending on where we go I may get as many as three trips on a single tank. We are not taking the MH to FL this year, but that is only because we have free use of a condo near the beach. Will be taking the car and that will save us about $1,000.00 in gas money. If not for the free place to stay we would be going with the MH.
I would ssay that most of us here are pretty lucky and the price of gas has a marginal affect on our life styles. It's the people wo have to spend an extra $50.00 a week to get to work and have to sacrifice money from their food budgets, etc. that really get hurt. Retired folks on fixed incomes as well.
I will sacrifice a lot of other stuff before I give up the traveling.
2007 Damon Daybreak 3276
2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Even Brake
XM Radio
Direct TV crank up dish
Firestone air bags
Blue Ox Alladin tow bar
Hankook Tires
I wonder if those for sale signs are a reflection of the general economy, with gas prices just added to the mix. We may not be planning a trip to Disney world, but will not be making any excuses not to go campin.
Next year I turn 65 and bingo I get a free Provincial park pass. I'll stay in their overflow camping areas because I prefer them. It should be a great way to cut down on fuel costs and get to know my home Province a bit better.
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