How has the economy affected your summer vacation plans?

I am a single mom who makes under 40k, and I travel many times a year with my daughter. I am a top notch travel planner and I always go where the deals are... which is why I have already taken two vacations this year, with four more to round out the year.

What I do is choose places where I know people, first off. Most times they have connections to someone in the hospitality / travel industry, which can help me with deals. I got a 5 star hotel in mid-town Manhattan for $109 / night thanks to an employee discount there. Second off, I also drive almost everywhere. It's so much easier and MUCH cheaper than flying, and it's an adventure. I almost never fly anywhere, but if I'm forced to, I fly standby. Find someone you know who's an airline employee and ask for a companion pass. It's so much cheaper than paying full fare, even though yes, you have to have more flexibility and patience.

I also look for people to travel with. My next trip is to a beach 5 hours away. I asked my cousin if she wanted to go with me to split costs. We share the hotel and gas cost, so now I can have a long weekend at a beachfront resort for myself, my daughter and my cousin for under $300 for the entire trip. Can't beat it with a stick!

I totally understand why people are cutting back on vacations - they get to be ridiculously expensive, and the larger the family, the larger the cost. But with creativity, networking and persistence, you'd be shocked at the deals you can get.

It's frustrating to have to cancel a vacation. I've seen friends have to do it thanks to layoffs and other circumstances, and it's disheartening all around.

What has the economy done for me?

No raise!, No bonus!, No vacation!

On the bright side, I still have my job.

Being in the travel business in Hawaii...I know first hand how it has hurt our overall economy...but we still have 6 + million viistors coming this year and those who do have money to spend....and we have to make adjustments to get into their pocketbooks. It is the best time to travel here as there are vacation progams the likes of which have not been seen in 10 years. Come on over and I will buy you a Mai Tai or two to say Mahalo for visitng us.

I'm taking several trips to Mexico. The prices are right, there are great deals on hotels, the climate is great and contrary to some media reports, the tourist areas of Mexico are safer than most US cities.

3 years ago I was in Europe for two weeks. This year I'm taking a couple of long weekends within 4 hours of home. The rest of my "vacation" will be local. But I will still enjoy that. We are planning trips to museums, plays (that we always say we will go to but never do) and whole days of doing nothing or some hobby I really enjoy.

I think it is really sad when people say "Well, at least I still have a job". 8% of the population doesn't and I feel very bad for them. But the other 92% of us should not have to feel guilty OR grateful just because we have a job. My whole life I have been grateful that I have had a job that allowed me to support my family. I have also been grateful that I have enjoyed my job (most of the time). I really hate it when I am being made to feel guilty just because I have a job! I know companies are hurting and need to cut back so that they can stay in business and keep people like me employed. I hope that companies are not jumping on this just to cut expense and change the mindset where we are all afraid of losing our jobs. It's a fine line between "I'm so worried that I work 24/7" and "Who cares how hard I work because your are going to let me go anyway".

Just as soon as we can push work aside, we going to explore some place new to us, old and interesting. Hopefully before summer vacations start, so we don't need to plan to hard and there are still some good deals available.

We're retired and going to our favorite place, Disneyworld, our favorite place being "Epcot"! No worries, just fun!

I haven't really taken a vacation for years since I always combine my professional travel with little mini-vacations throughout the year.

But, I'm a baby-boomer, and I can't take what little I have left with me. I am very healthy and the air deals are too good to pass up. I'm going to NYC, I'm going to a Broadway play, I'm going to a nice, really nice restaurant, and I'm staying in a 4-star hotel. So there!

Since we are a family of 5, vacations expenses can add up quickly. For the last 10 years we have limited our vacation plans to travelling to our farm to work and fortunate enough to have Table Rock Lake within an hours drive. This has been our "MO" for the last 10 years and spent little to really no dollars to speak of. Did squeeze in Lallaplooza one year for the teens. This year we are taking our teens to Kauai, HI for 7 days and found great private places to stay right on the beach. Couldn't find a travel agent anywhere who could book us anything equally as nice for the prices that WE found online ourselves! This is our year to splurge with all the bells and whistles on activities.

It's so bad I may go back to work after being retired for 13 years!  Wow! 

When we got married a decade ago, I told my new husband that the only way I could remain in Ohio was to leave for two weeks each February, destination equator. Until this year, we did that and took at least another week to some other more adventurous location every year, too. Now, we're homebound. We survived a round of layoffs in December. Now we're facing pay cuts and/or layoffs June 1. We're luckier than most, I know. But I miss travel. I miss dinners out. But more than anything, I miss feeling safe and able to plan for our future.

Everything costing MORE, and no raise for 6 years, I havent spent my childrens, childrens money to Vacation like Obuma has.

As a small biz owner, I have way to many customers that want things but don't want to pay for them! Cancelled one trip already and really need to cancel a second one. Being a small biz owner right now stinks.

Things are not getting better...

Things are still getting worse....

Did anyone notice that the bank pressure test - was an evaluation to see if they would survive if things got much worse than they are now...... Hmmm... why check for that if things are getting better?

We canceled a trip to Scotland back in December when all were wringing their hands about the economy. I am sorry we did.

I was worried because I'm a small business owner and thought I vulnerable to the recession. Ha! I ended last year with a record year and so far, 2009 is 32% ahead of 2008! I'm so tired now I REALLY wish I had that trip to Scotland on my schedule. Now it will be a few days away in the US here and there.

Staying home this year..not exotic but he budget is right. Seattle sure is pretty in the Summer :)

America, the land of the rich and famous, we all wish them a good time, what is this about the French revolution I hear... we can only tread water for so long kids!

Maybe Oblabla could take a few worthy people on some of his wothless trips

Use to take about 7 trips, 3 nights 4 days, a year to the Gult coast area. This year it will
only be three.
Some camping trips in state, these are cheap trips.
Will do the one week family trip to New Orelans this summer if the room prices do not go
crazy.

unfortunately i'm one of the people whose job in information technology was sent to India. so no vacations this year... maybe someday i'll be able to take a vacation in iraq.. hope to see that everything was worth it..