Is the current economic status preventing your family from traveling?

[HappyLawyer]

For us, yes this year at least, i am hopful next year will be much better.

 

[Todd&Copper]

For us, it is DH's decision to go back to school that is preventing us from traveling, not the economy. He just can't take the time for a nice vacation right now.

 

[punkin]

I voted yes, but that's not strictly true. It's the way we travel that has been affected. We usually take two vacations a year with some long weekends sprinkled in. We used to fly a lot to distant places. Well this year we drove to Niagara Falls and the finger lakes for our vacation and have not taken any weekend trips that did not end at a relative's or friend's house.

Our big winter trip this year looks like a weekend in Kansas City for DN's 10th birthday. That's a far cry from the cruise we were able to swing last year.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

I voted yes because this particular week is when we travel and we can't do that right now We do need to do something for next year, but I'm nervous to book and then have school start early (next year Labor day is late....)

 

[TheRatPack]

We're still going to take our annual vacation to Disney, but the economy is keeping us from traveling much around town. We stay home and only run errands when absolutely necessary and try to do the majority of it on one day if we can. We did notice it was a lot harder to come up with the vacation fund this year though....so we'll have to cut back more next year if we want to take the vacation.

 

[DawnM]

Well, DH got a promotion and a raise over the summer, so, it hasn't effected us, BUT, we have always traveled fairly cheap, so we will continue to do things frugally.

Dawn

 

[Disneyfan1977]

For us, we were a little hesistant to keep our plans to Disney this last June but when we thought about it we decided that most of it was paid for already and we just didn't want to disappoint the kids. We did cut back on our usual weekend beach trip because we couldn't get an affordable place to stay for the weekend. We did end up going to the beach but only for a day.

 

[kwhite1022]

Unfortunetly the answer for us is a big YES. We usually go visit family up north twice a year, and wont even make it once this year. We also were tentatively looking to go back to Disney in early 2010, but have given up that pipe dream I also have stopped shopping in the biggest area around here for deals, because its 45 minutes away and the gas outweighs any money I save with coupons and deals. I will say Im trying to find some friends to go shop with, to defray the cost of gas, so I may be doing that again in the near future. I also took on a part time job, and although that will help, Im in full on squirrel mode....gathering nuts for the winter! I dont know whats up ahead for this nation, and with an election that could go either way looming, Im not ready to put my family at risk. We had several house projects we had to do this summer, and used all cash to accomplish those goals, so now its time to fill the coffers once again.

 

[powellrj]

We were only able to take a long weekend together as a family this year but its not because of the economy. It's been family dramas. Weddings, illnesses and deaths. Hopefully next year will be better!

I guess I should add the wedding wasn't a family drama, just a large expense!

 

[christa112]

It isn't effecting us either. My DH has been working tons of OT which give us extra money. We are traveling to WDW during value season and during Free Dining, so we are saving around $800 there alone. We got a great deal on SW airline tickets and Ding sale and then a coupon code, 7 of us are flying for $1500. We also save by not doing Park Hoppers, but have added on Water Park option this time around.

We only vacation once a year and this is it.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I chose "usure". The price of everything is going up and income hasn't. And I also have a child in college. In 2010, we will have 2 in college. I'm just not comfortable spending what amounts to half a semester's tuition on the kind of vacation we used to take. So instead, we will probably scale back the vacations, both in length and locale.

 

[java]

I voted unsure.
We did go to Disney and we will go someplace of Christmas.

But all the other weekend trips we used to do we cut out. For example dh wanted to head to Boston this weekend and I nixed it. (With 4 kids 2 dogs it isn't cheap)

So we still do our 2 week long trips just eliminated the weekend type of trips. Less traveling overall.

 

[Harvest02]

I voted yes. We did take a few long weekend trips, but otherwise stayed home. We are also not traveling for Labor Day weekend either. The cost of gas is just too much right now. My DH works part time for the Indy Racing League and we usually go to a couple of races, but only went to 1 this year besides the Indy 500. The cash is just disappearing faster this year due to the rising cost of everything. It is so depressing to me!!!

 

[ocalla]

Yes for us. We have finally gotten debt payed off, and raises at work and were so excited to take a Thanksgiving or Christmas vacation to Orlando, but then the higher than expected flights have suddenly changed our plans.

Just too far for us to drive anymore, guess we will see if the flights drop some for next year.

 

[2manypets]

Yes for us too. We have the money, but we've chosen to become debt free this year instead of splurging on a very fun, very missed vacation to WDW. Next year will be our island vacation (because it's more affordable) then back to WDW in 2010.

 

[campingdude]

It isn't effecting us yet. We live rather frugally so the current state of the economy isn't hurting us yet. I feel that vacation time with family is worth the sacrafice of giving up other things that we many need or want if it comes to that. I can buy "stuff" I want when the kid is grown and away.

 

[missmun52]

I voted yes. I was planning a trip for jan and DH said he does not see that happening. We could not go this summer also but that was in part to Dh getting tired of Disney as well as the added expence of everything. We took our trip to Bush Gardens and Baltimore this summer instead; it is far but close enough to drive from NY which saved us airfare.

We will probably do another road trip next summer, so unless there is some great deal and airfare I am not sure about another Disney trip happening soon.

 

[bookgirl]

Yes we usually do 4 small (3 to 4 days) trips then multiple day trips. Mostly driving and 1 or 2 flying. Plus there is usually one big "family" trip. We've done the one family trip (driving out to Santa Fe) and two flying trips (NM and Vegas) for 4 day trips. That's it, and we have cut down on the day trips, only doing those really close by. We have an overnight to Dallas to see King Tut and we may do a flying trip to Laughlin over Thanksgiving. So we have cut down maybe 25%-30%. Not a lot but some. Mostly due to gas prices on the driving trips.

 

[Deffenm]

No, but it helped that I bought a small used car (paid cash) that only cost me about $30 to fill up and will last 300 miles. We used to have 2 SUV's. Now we only use the Big SUV for our family trips, and my DH uses it to run local errands (he is a stay at home dad). The SUV cost $90 - $100 to fill up.

We camp a lot in our pop up camper and our favorite campground is only 2.5 hours away. So that also helps. We are getting ready for our 4th trip there for the year this weekend.

 

[bdcp]

No. The economy hasn't affected us at all. We have more disposable income and are better off than we were last year and the year before and so on. I'm just curious, out of all the posters who say the economy is affecting their vacations, how many are actually affected by food and fuel prices and how many are affected by other things, such as changing jobs, moving, other purchases?

I would never buy a vehicle I could barely afford to fill up at $3/gallon which is what a lot of people did when fuel prices were lower. I have an SUV, but I wouldn't have bought it unless I knew it wouldn't break the bank to fill it.

We also did not take a vacation every year (or feel entitled to one) when our kids were small. There were plenty of things we couldn't afford to do when we and they were younger (the economy had nothing to do with it) and we waited til we could. A few days at the beach are remembered as fondly as the two trips we took to WDW because it wasn't about where we went but the fact that we were together making memories, even inexpensive ones.