Will rising gas/fuel prices impact your travel plans?

Given that gas prices have remained relatively stable and low over the recent past, the cost of gas may be something that many have simply taken for granted with respect to their travel plans. But the recent price spike and suggestions that prices could even go a lot higher are a bit sobering. I know they are for us when considering our first purchase and anticipated extensive travel plans.

If gas does go up to something like $5/gal + would that have a significant impact on your travel? I know there's been numerous dire warnings in the past about sky high prices and not that long ago when prices spiked drivers were scrambling to dump their gas gusslers  in favor of a more economical ride. Complacency can come back to bite you!

I don't worry too much about it, though last time fuel prices spiked in 2009 I bought a used diesel Ford F250 for $6,500, I still have it and use it to haul stuff on the weekends, etc. 

The price is what the price is i will cut back on other things before i worry  ie i will stay at a walmart instead of a campsite when traveling, besides certain parts of the economy both canadian and american stall when prices get too high and certain leaders have made it known that OPEC s control over oil prices and inflating them upsets them and they dont like that and for good reason, IF there is a large increase it wont last North American economies are too dependant on fuel costs. Look back to 2008

We're nowhere near the $4+ prices we saw in the 2008 era here in the east, but back then all we did was travel less and stay longer at parks to keep our fuel costs within the budget. We would do the same thing now if prices go high enough to warrant it. At 8 mpg, a $1/gallon price increase adds $125 to 1000 mile trip. I'd certainly rather not pay the extra money, but it's not even close to enough to take us off the road.

I just recalculated our trip expenses for our upcoming vacation and used a target average of $3.00/gal. It took my fuel bills, including what I'll use for the generator and toad, up an extra $300. So we'll cut back on some incidentals to make up for it.

What I really worry about is the trip we're planning for next year - a 6600 mile trip to Jasper, Alberta and back home to Florida. If the prices continue to rise as they predict and we see $4.00/gal gas, that'll make a pretty big impact on our overall expenses when we're getting 6.5 mpg.

We have been paying just under $4 per gallon in the UK for diesel for over a year now. We don't travel the distances you guys do though. I hope you don't get the fuel increases!

Hi jymbee and all,

Figuring if gas prices go up to $3.00 this year, for a hypothetical 4500 mile trip it would cost just an extra $300 or $400 from past prices the last year. Since you have an investment in your RV, it would probably cost more to not use it than to use it. Now a $5.00 per gallon would be serious and cost about twice of what it cost in 2017. Still We are still only talking about double the price in 2017. For the $300 - $400 dollars you could boondock 10 days and off set the cost of fuel.

As others have said cut back on some things so you can travel. Stay longer at places, and only travel 200 or 300 miles a day or stay a couple of days at a campground you like. Campground cost compared to fuel cost is much cheaper. Not going on as big of a trip is a possibility and simply enjoying some of the more local areas around you can offer a cheaper solution and enjoyment of something you might be taking for granted or have not made an effort to see. Sooner or later prices will go lower and you can do the longer trips then.

On a trip I did a year and a half ago, spent $11 on fuel per day. Even if that goes up to $15 or $20 it would still be worth a trip and in my case I could compinstate by staying longer to knock the price down to a reasonable level.

If I can quote SeilerBird, most people travel about 5% of the time or so, and camp or live in their RV 95%. When camping the fuel cost isn't a factor. Happy travels!

I will have to keep an eye on this for next year as I will be renting an RV and will be a doing a 3000 mile road trip with it.

Still alot cheaper than here in UK though at around the $7 a gallon for regular petrol/gas

jymbee said:

Given that gas prices have remained relatively stable and low over the recent past, the cost of gas may be something that many have simply taken for granted with respect to their travel plans. But the recent price spike and suggestions that prices could even go a lot higher are a bit sobering. I know they are for us when considering our first purchase and anticipated extensive travel plans.

If gas does go up to something like $5/gal + would that have a significant impact on your travel? I know there's been numerous dire warnings in the past about sky high prices and not that long ago when prices spiked drivers were scrambling to dump their gas gusslers  in favor of a more economical ride. Complacency can come back to bite you!

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Short answer, no.
I'll stop eating first!

No, higher fuel prices wouldn't impact our travel plans much. Our motorhome cost way too much to not enjoy it. Life's short. I have to chuckle though, when I read comments about the possibility of gas prices hitting $3.00 per gallon. The cheap stuff here in San Diego is $3.52 a gallon, and over $4.00 at many stations near freeways. I don't even remember when gas prices were below $3.00 a gallon.

Our "summer blend" is basically rot-gut quality, so the old saying, "You get what you pay for." doesn't apply either. Diesel prices are about the same, which is why I fill up in Arizona when returning home. It's often nearly a dollar a gallon cheaper in Yuma than in San Diego.

Kev

On our way home the other day, had to stop in PA for fuel. Diesel was $3.85 at a FJ. Drove about 100 miles and stopped in NY to top off so I could make it home on the last tank full. It cost us $3.05. Got home and found that diesel was  $2.85. Quite a difference. 

PA recently raised their fuel tax, Rene. When we're running I-81 now, we try to hold out for the Flying J just over the VA state line in Winchester when going south, and stop there to top off when going north. If we absolutely have to stop in PA for fuel, I'll add just enough to get out of the state...

Fuel costs are only a portion of the cost of a trip. Even though the fuel might go up 25 percent, the overall cost extra to the trip might only be 10 percent. If you were planning on spending $5000 dollars, thats only $500 extra. You cant rv when you are dead. If the time is right, you are still going to go regardless. Most rvers who are on that tight of a budget dont travel often anyway. The ones who travel a lot, are generally on less of a budget, and are going to go anyway. We have travelled 20,000 miles in the last two winters as snowbirds. Having to pay more for fuel would not have changed our plans. We would have grumbled, but paid it anyway.

If I was still working and only had a 2-3 week vacation, and had planned a 4000 mile trip, I would probably change my plans and make a shorter trip.  Probably something like 1000-1500 miles if fuel went to the $4 range.

Being retired, our 4000-5000 mile trips take us 5-6 months.  So no we would not change our plans.  In fact I would not have changed our plans, because of fuel costs, for our 13,500 mile trip from Texas to Oregon to Alaska, back to Oregon and then home to Texas.  This trip took us 9 months.  Some of the long duration was multi week stays with family while still in the lower 48 states.

NY_Dutch said:

PA recently raised their fuel tax, Rene. When we're running I-81 now, we try to hold out for the Flying J just over the VA state line in Winchester when going south, and stop there to top off when going north. If we absolutely have to stop in PA for fuel, I'll add just enough to get out of the state...

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I live in PA and have bought exact 1/2 tank of fuel in the state since the major tax increase 16 months ago.  As for travel plans, I will camp in another state or near enough to the border to buy fuel in another state. 

PA....... You're Fired!

I remember just a couple years ago gas below 2.00/gallon in S.E. Georgia
Today the best price here in Eastern Lower MI is 2.95.. and the Refinery is an hour's drive from here.

I do know why the price went up. but would rather not discuss it here.

Before the conspiracy theories start:

"Five Reasons Why Gasoline Prices Go Up At This Time Every Year"

Kevin Means said:

I have to chuckle though, when I read comments about the possibility of gas prices hitting $3.00 per gallon. The cheap stuff here in San Diego is $3.52 a gallon, and over $4.00 at many stations near freeways. I don't even remember when gas prices were below $3.00 a gallon.
Kev

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Kevin - I feel your pain. Living in Florida, I have become used to gas prices being $.30/gal higher than St. Louis, where I used to live. They have some of the cheapest prices in the country and my friend who lives there told me they just saw prices go over $2.00/gal recently. He's complaining about having to pay $2.15 at his local Costco. But we have our reasons for wanting to live in Florida, just like you have your reasons to want to live in San Diego. Gasoline simply isn't one of them.

For general gas pricing in posting, I'm using the national average, since the state to state prices vary so much. The current average as of this post is $2.754. Here in NY the average is $2.873, although my area of upstate NY is running closer to the national average.

Diesel was already in the $4 per gallon range in Needles California when we were there this winter. After 10000 miles of travel this winter, I would say the average we paid was about $2.75 per gallon. Low was around $2.35. High was as stated, around $4.