Travel: News: Staycation

With Soaring Gas Prices, 'Stay-cation' Replaces Vacation

Survey: Many Americans Say Leisure Travel Isn't All They're Curtailing mOther Sacrifices: Dining-Out, 'Fancy Coffee Drinks.' Some Vow To Quit Smoking

Record prices at the pump are forcing frugal choices, according to a poll by ListenToAmerica.com.

The grassroots public opinion web site asked: "With the cost of gasoline - - and almost everything else -- rising lately, what are you now DOING WITHOUT? What have you stopped buying or stopped doing entirely to save money?"

Cash-strapped consumers say they're planning a stay-at-home Summer, and responses suggest that vacation isn't the only way they're trimming travel expense:

"I'm shopping online."
"I plan all my errands at once and I map out the best way."
"not visiting friends as much"
"I don't see family that lives too far from me."
"I've slowed down to 65."
"started carpooling."

2008 could be a tough Summer for restaurants:

"fast foods."
"Starbucks."
"I stopped getting my chai teas everyday. I just treat myself on weekends now."
"We eat at home more."
"I stopped ordering out."

Other cutbacks:

"movies."
"cable."
"We have cut our land line."
"No more Netflix."
"stopped buying things from amazon.com."

Tough choices: "health insurance."

"My husband and I only eat one meal a day so that there is enough food for the children."
"daycare."
"We have to choose between our bills and food. A phone for emergencies or breakfast."

Silver lining? Some cutbacks are healthy choices:

"less junk food."
"beer."
"booze."
"eating a lot of vegetables instead of meat."
"I dusted off my bike."
"I walk to work now."
"cancelled my lawn service and bought a reel mower."
"stopped smoking cigarettes."

About the staycaton survey: ListenToAmerica.com conducted an online poll of 546 adults, age 18-64, approximately 50/50 male/female, evenly-distributed across the USA. The survey was fielded May 5-11, 2008.

Related link: http://listentoamerica.com/