Gas price increase affecting your travel plans

[D W]

Originally Posted by largom

Prices are usually whatever the traffic will bare! When the public stops buying the price will come down.

Sadly, with inflation, that's not the way it works. We went through this in the late '70's. High interest rates, inflation, hyper-inflation, and then stag-flation. Once we hit stag-flation the jobs started to disappear due to lay-offs. When the dust settled in 1982, interest rates started to drop, but none of the prices came back down.

[NJKris]

Remember all those homemade looking commercials in the 70's advertising "Inflation Buster" pricing? Usually involved a giant boxing glove smashing prices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJwBT1sgshk

[NJKris]

A month ago, raw chicken wings were around 5 bucks a lb. For a bunch of skin and bones that used to be considered garbage. Throw out the bones and skin and you're paying steak prices for a couple bites of chicken. nuts.

[Jfkmk]

Originally Posted by aircommuter

Maybe I missed it but when was the last time the government gave out so much free money?

No such thing as free money.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Jfkmk

The spins are ridiculous. So, we’re better off because we couldn’t do anything for two years? Yeah, maybe we couldn’t go out and spend our money, but what about the small businesses that went under because no one could go out and spend their money?

If everyone goes our and spends all that saved money to satisfy their pent up demand that alone will drive up prices. Demand always drives down supply.

When Covid hit my Son had to lay off employees, one at a time, until he was down to one. He is now the sole "employee". Strange thing though. He is busy and found he's making a lot more money for himself now. Fewer vehicles on the road, less insurance costs, lower payroll taxes, and best of all, less stress. His prices are competitive, his margins the same, but he gets to keep more from his labors.

Unfortunately his prices to customers have gone up as he's been getting notices of price increases almost weekly from his two primary suppliers of product. Product that now has lead times of months instead of days in the pre-Covid era.

Those who have built up their savings and now feel compelled to spend them would be better served to use restraint. They may wish they still had some of that money in the not so distant future just for essentials.

As for those who think that government will fix this anytime soon, good luck. You've got a better chance of going out for your morning newspaper and finding a Unicorn eating the Petunias in your flowerbed.

[bob213]

Went out last night and nearest gas station had diesel for $6.19 a gallon. That's a $1.50 increase in 10 days! I'm too old to wait for it to go down so we still plan to travel. May have to lay the maid and butler off though.

[NJKris]

May have to lay the maid and butler off though.

Perish the thought!

[D W]

Since Friday afternoon, all fuel prices here in Anchorage have gone up about 35¢/GL. We've finally hit $4+ territory. I wonder when they'll start reporting the "Misery Index" on the nightly news like they did in the 70's

[Domer1972]

Welcome to 2022! Now that gas prices are above $4.00 per gallon and rising, how might this affect your travel plans this year. $5 - $6 per gallon or more already exist in some states. At an average of 8-9 miles per gallon for most Class A motorhomes, diesel or gas, travel costs could be double what they were in 2021. Just curious about what our fellow RVer's are thinking.

[cc102bob]

We are currently doing the seasonal thing, but I'm planning on retiring in a few years and travelling a bit. I can say that if I was retired and travelling now, the rise in gas prices would certainly affect my thinking. I don't know that I would NOT go out because of it, but I likely wouldn't travel as far or as often.

We are currently trying to decide what kind of setup we would want for our retirement travels and I can say that if gas prices remain high, that will certainly affect our decision making.

[NJKris]

I've only crunched the numbers for one trip so far, the Goshen IN FROG rally. Not looking pretty, looking like a round trip from NJ to IN will be about a thousand dollars in gas and tolls, and that's just towing a little 20' trailer. Then of course you have site fees/rally fees/etc. Will end up being 2,000 bucks for one week.

[Homebrew]

Higher gas prices equals more cancellations which equals more sites being available.

We were on several waiting lists and now people are canceling there plans, we received several notifications of openings.

[todalake]

Anybody cutting back on travel because of fuel prices? Expect gas to go over $5/gal and diesel $6/gal or higher.

[NJKris]

I am LOVING these relentless gas price threads! Quick answer, yes.

[Homebrew]

No

[Rhumblefish]

It's the cost of doing business, I'm afraid. I'll just take the costs as they come, and make sure to enjoy, rather than getting angry at the pump while doing something that's supposed to be one of the "good parts."

[Steeljag]

Keeping a eye on it , and probably staying closer to home ! Over four dollars a gal here in central Fl !

[upflying]

Spoke to my neighbor yesterday about his diesel pusher RV travel plans. He figures his 9000 mile trip in June will run him about a $1 per mile.
Well ok then.

[KevK]

Well, at $4/gallon of gas and more for diesel, I may be changing my plans. I'm located in the midwest but have a cabin in the mountains out west and was going to take my time with my truck and trailer. Now I'm just thinking a mad dash in my car which gets about twice the mpg or more. How about you? Are you changing your travel plans?

[largom]

We have a new 2022 motorhome that we have only made 3 trips in. Was planning a 5000 mile trip thru the western states that we may cancel due to upcoming medical expenses but still planning to spend the winter in Florida unless bad stuff happens.