It’s costing a lot more to fill up your tank with gas and diesel these days as prices in many places hover around $5 a gallon. The prices are expected to stay that high, maybe even go higher, until June, after Memorial Day.
From now through June, if the high prices remain, will they affect your RV travels? Will you travel less often, or just take shorter trips? Or does the price even matter to you?
It doesn’t affect my travels because I’m a workamper. I only move the RV a few times a year, to reposition for the next job. No matter what fuel costs, I’ve gotta go. However, since I almost always live on site (an exception being Amazon Camperforce or the Sugar Beet Harvest, both of which are short term), I’m not spending gas to commute daily to a job. My annual gasoline expenses are far less than they were when I had a “normal” career.
Meanwhile on the East coast gas continues to slowly drop. $ 2.69 a gallon this morning.
I changed my plans to start my travel when prices go back down. I watched as within one week the price here suddenly went up from 2.87 to 3.37 a gallon for regular gasoline. Diesel is even higher. And its just because its summer. No thank you. I think it’s a good idea….find a park that’s cooler during the summer, enjoy life, and travel when prices suddenly drop back down.
I responded No to this poll question as I have not changed my plans for travel. I will point out that being a resident of California and owner of a diesel pusher, I am used to higher fuel prices. Usually when I approximate fuel expenses for any trips I make I use Ca prices. These prices are usually higher than the vast majority of other states save Hi. This allows me to have a surplus when my trip is complete, as fuel is cheaper almost everywhere I go (except Canada). The big Petrol companies punish Ca residents for having the audacity to regulate their formulas for cleaner air and blame it on taxes does have a silver lining. There is always a silver lining you just have to look for it.
From impavid:
[Figures are as of 4/21/2019 and subject to variables.] This is somewhat correct as to Canadian prices. Let’s take a real close look at this. As you’re from CA I googled CA prices for diesel and got an average $3.929. Saskatchewan diesel is $1.239 per litre. That makes it $1.239 X 4.54 (4.54 litres to a Canadian Imperial gallon) = $5.63 per Imperial gal. As the Imperial gallon is 25% larger than the U.S. gallon, multiply $5.63 X .8 = $4.50. We’re now almost comparing apples to apples BUT there is now the exchange on the dollar. Today the CA$ is worth 73 cents against the US$ so it takes $1.37 CA to buy one US dollar. Take $4.50 X .73 = $3.285. Final result is that to buy one US gallon in Canada, with US dollars you are paying $3.285. Another cautionary note: check around for the best exchange rate on the dollar. Most merchants do not always give a good exchange rate. You might want to exchange your US$ to CA$ before crossing the border.
Once we get out of CA the prices will seem so low to us that it won’t matter! Also have no plans for several month’s anyway.
We did 4+ months in 2008. California Redwoods to the New York Islands, and everywhere in between, North , South, East and West. Diesel was $5.00+. Survived that trip, average cost was $1000.00/week. Will still travel, but not go so far..been there done that.
Oops, I guess that was Ron who said that
We’ve been Full-timing since 05′, and went through this in 08′ or 09′, so I guess we’ll do it again. Also, I like the idea Bob had. Higher fuel costs mean more campsites !!!!!
We do the exact same travel/route every summer to spend it at our rv resort on the Oregon coast. If diesel prices rise, we will pay and add the cost to our summer budget and cut back on some of the things we do during the summer in order to make up the difference. I do feel for those that travel a lot as this will definitely cause some hardship and change of plans. But hey, look on the bright side, there should be less problems getting a spot at rv parks/campgrounds.
We travel/sightsee all over the USA in our Class B. We are currently out on the road for about 4 months. Gas prices have risen since we left home so we have no choice but to continue. We save lots of money other ways to offset higher Gas Prices. It costs us about the same to stay home or be on the road basically. We started in 2012 and have traveled nearly 100,000 miles to all 49 States and we have enjoyed every mile and every minute !
Tony said, “It costs us about the same to stay home or be on the road basically”. I totally agree. We buy food at home, and we buy food on the road (food to cook in the trailer, not food at a restaurant). Diesel fuel is the main expense. But we find places to camp (mostly boondocking), and we stay put for a while. And now, at least out west, diesel fuel is cheaper than gas. It’s about time!