Are fuel prices going to affect your camping or the industry?

[Abagpiper5]

At what price of gas do you decide on parking the RV or even sell it?

I am a family of 6 and camping with our trailer is the only way we can afford to go anywhere. We pack it and go. No need to eat out since we just bring it with us. My wife is a coupon Queen so she knows how to shop for food at a minimum, but with the price of fuel and my Tow vehicle only getting 8 mpg we just don’t know what we are going to do.

I was wondering if this was a concern for anyone else, and how bad is fuel prices going to effect the industry?

 

[Disneylitch]

We travel about 1000 miles to WDW and our MH gets between 8 and 10MPG. We only eat out once during our stay and the rest of the time we eat at the MH. This really cuts costs and it's sure nicer than worrying about eating out all the time. Then your stay is scheduled around eating and not having fun. Also, we try and stay for 2 weeks since the gas is the most expensive part of the trip. We either get the 10 day pass or the Annual pass (if we know we will be able to time our next vacation during that time frame).

 

[Teamubr]

We went through this in 2008 when diesel was in the $4.50 range. It didn't effect our camping much. When I figured the actual difference in dollars, it didn't matter. Diesel around here was about $3/gallon until recently. A round trip to Disney is 2000 miles at 10 mpg that's 200 gallons. For an increase from $3.00/gal to $4.00 would only cost me an extra $200 for the round trip. Considering how much Disney is costing, $200 didn't matter much. One poster 3 years ago summed it up. "If $200 will make or break you, you probably shouldn't be going to Disney".

Local camping trips are much closer (100-300 miles). I also tow all over the midwest and east for racing. It does increase the racing budget, but it's like Disney, the increase is minimal compared to how much everything else cost.

I didn't let it effect my camping or racing, but in 2008 I did buy an older car so I didn't have to drive my truck everyday. Picked up a car for $5000 that got 25 mpg and it paid for itself in about 18 months. Still have it 3 years later and the truck sits between trips.

j

 

[Abagpiper5]

We went through this in 2008 when diesel was in the $4.50 range. It didn't effect our camping much. When I figured the actual difference in dollars, it didn't matter. Diesel around here was about $3/gallon until recently. A round trip to Disney is 2000 miles at 10 mpg that's 200 gallons. For an increase from $3.00/gal to $4.00 would only cost me an extra $200 for the round trip. Considering how much Disney is costing, $200 didn't matter much. One poster 3 years ago summed it up. "If $200 will make or break you, you probably shouldn't be going to Disney".

Local camping trips are much closer (100-300 miles). I also tow all over the midwest and east for racing. It does increase the racing budget, but it's like Disney, the increase is minimal compared to how much everything else cost.

I didn't let it effect my camping or racing, but in 2008 I did buy an older car so I didn't have to drive my truck everyday. Picked up a car for $5000 that got 25 mpg and it paid for itself in about 18 months. Still have it 3 years later and the truck sits between trips.

j

Looking at it as only a $200 difference sure does make it look like it isn’t a big deal, but you are only looking at it as one trip.

If you look at the bigger picture, it’s a lot more than $200.

I look at it like this:
Fuel goes from $3 to $4 a gallon to make it simple.
2 cars, 1 family, and the other for me to commute to work. $120 a week @ $3 a gallon. (Conservatively)
$4 a gallon is an increase of $2080.00 a year just for fuel for normal usage. That doesn’t include any increase in any everyday items a family needs. (Shipping for Food, heating, or anything else that will increase to get product to the stores.) And the Kids travel sports and Scouting events.

$2080.00 might not be a lot of money to some families , but that’s a pretty big chunk for me, and about half of what it would cost me to go to the Fort for 10 days.

This figure would double if fuel gets to $5 a gallon.

 

[Teamubr]

$4 a gallon is an increase of $2080.00 a year just for fuel for normal usage.

When you consider the annual household impact of fuel prices, I'm sure it will effect some peoples decisions. But even considering the $2080 annual increase, that is less than $175/month. I know people that $175/month is a major impact, but they don't have campers and tow vehicles and worry about 10 mpg for 2000 mile trips. Their concerns are much more everyday focused.

I'm fortunate that $175 extra each month will not alter my travel plans. I think that was your original question. As for the industry, I suspect this will have the same impact as 2008. Many people limited travel or shortened the travel distances. I have friends that own resorts in Branson, MO. A huge tourist destination. Their business actually was up over 20% in 2008 because less people traveled to Disney (or other distant destinations) and stayed closer to home. (Remember "Stay'cations"?) I also think it was a mindset in 2008. The news was constantly bombarding us with fuel prices and creating stories around the issue. Many people were scared and this effected their decisions more than the reality of the fractionally increased costs.

Bottom line for me is I have a $60,000 truck towing a $50,000 fifth wheel. Adding $200 to a once a year trip to Disney is a non-issue. As for the rest of the year, I still have my beater from 3 years ago that gets 25 mpg and I may not eat out as much as I do now. My wife and doctor both say that would be a good thing.

j

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I'm sure that fuel prices will be somewhat of a factor for our long distance trips,,but will most likely not bother us a lot for short distance.
As for the Fort, just depends on how badly the fever gets,

 

[AuntBJ]

We have two trips scheduled to the Fort this year, October & December. Depending on fuel prices, the economy and discounts, I could see perhaps switching the December trip to a value.

Since, we don't do a lot of camping locally at that time of year, I might look into storing the camper nearby after the October trip and bringing it home in December.

 

[AuntBJ]

As far as the industry, I think they might really take a hit. I think more people will hang on to what RV they have and if purchasing will look more to used than new.

 

[beagles7278]

I figured for our trip in November we will use about 300-350 gallons of gas. I was originally figuring gas at $3.00/gal figuring it would be a little higher. Now if it goes as high as $4.00 I will be looking at an additional $300-$350 for my trip. Since I am figuring the trip will cost around $5,000 that is not going to hurt too bad and I will not let it stop us.

Looking at it as only a $200 difference sure does make it look like it isn’t a big deal, but you are only looking at it as one trip.

If you look at the bigger picture, it’s a lot more than $200.

I look at it like this:
Fuel goes from $3 to $4 a gallon to make it simple.
2 cars, 1 family, and the other for me to commute to work. $120 a week @ $3 a gallon. (Conservatively)
$4 a gallon is an increase of $2080.00 a year just for fuel for normal usage. That doesn’t include any increase in any everyday items a family needs. (Shipping for Food, heating, or anything else that will increase to get product to the stores.) And the Kids travel sports and Scouting events.

$2080.00 might not be a lot of money to some families , but that’s a pretty big chunk for me, and about half of what it would cost me to go to the Fort for 10 days.

I have looked at the bigger picture also and it is ugly, I drive over 100 miles a day roundtrip to and from work, and my wife drives about 60. I don't like the big picture but they really have us by the gonads. Unless I quit work. That sounds like the best option, imagine how high I could get my post count

 

[brat]

DH would rather move full-time into the RV than give it up.

 

[thegooftroopfla]

I think it definitely will affect the industry. For example, Me and the family were planning on myrtle beach for a trip over the summer. its 800 miles one way approximately. I get 8mpg with my tow vehicle. thats 100 gallons one way. Some analyst are saying gas prices could shoot up to 5 dollars a gallon. so I assume diesel will be higher. However going with the 5 dollars a gallon it will be 100 gallons up and 100 back thats 1000 dollars in gas. So if i just go to the fort. 150 miles. thats 300 round trip. thats about 37 gallons round trip. i will save 163 gallons in gas. i will save almost 750 dollars in gas. this pays for me to go to fort wilderness instead. so i think this is a small difference but i will not be making my big trips this year. I will save them for down the road. no diesel might stop short of that number. and I havent actually mapped out how many miles it is to myrtle beach but i think it is between 700 and 800. i think people will keep camping i just think they will camp alot closer to home. cutting out overnight stays in other campgrounds along the way and their final destination. just my humble opinion

 

[beagles7278]

Some analyst are saying gas prices could shoot up to 5 dollars a gallon.

And those same analysts have been saying that for the last 3 or 4 years and have yet to be right. I can find you an analyst that will tell you it won't go any higher, but that won't make th news because people like doom and gloom. If they keep saying it maybe it will happen, but who really knows. Bottom line is nobody really knows so these so called analysts just guess.

I know that my analyst tells me I can't take it with me so while I can spend it and have fun I am all in.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

soooo, is a analysts the same thing as a butt doctor ?

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

I don't think it will change our camping plans. We will be at Topsail Hill (FL panhandle) in early June, several weekend trips and then back to WDW in December in the camper. DH's truck is a diesel and it hurts to fill it up....it was his daily commuter.....so I bought a hybrid about a month ago.
Now the truck doesn't get driven daily and it helps.

 

[starbuc71]

we have a 2 week trip planned to Gatlinburg TN during 4th of July this year. I figure with Gas at $4 per gallon by then, averageing 8-10 mpg and driving 600+ miles each way, we figure at least 5 fill ups each way at $80 a pop. Since the campsite is costing us $25 a night, it kinda justifies the $800 in gas. To drive our car and stay at a resort would cost us more

 

[4mickey2]

sure it will affect us. dh is upset already because he has to drive a ways to go to school because the program wasn't offered here in town. but, that will be over soon (semester ends in 4 weeks). then i will be the only one driving to work and that isn't far. i will take the scooter when i can.

camping trips are pretty much not going to happen for us. i would rather save that money for the october fort trip than spend it now and not have it for then. definitely going to be a home bound summer for us.

 

[mikeymouse1]

No only my business!

 

[we3peas]

It will affect our travel which is why I thank God we did our big trip out west LAST year! There are already too many storms and floods happening early this year as well.
We have 2 long trips(for us) planned and one of them might get jettisoned if the gas stays up. One is for my dd's 4H camp and we would go to that one but the other is strictly a fun trip. I live in Orlando and we can have our fun right here!

 

[jennapens]

It's definitely affecting our travel plans, but not in a huge way. We've just decided this year (if the gas prices stay high, and there's a pretty good chance that will continue), we're going to camp closer to home. We had longer distance trips planned, but we've pretty much cancelled them. I honestly think we'll only go places about 2 hours max from our house.

Plus we're still saving up for our trip to WDW in November.