Home for the Holiday, Thanks To the Economy
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A long weekend is stretching in front of me: no work, no BlackBerry, no high heels . . . and no money.
We're staying put this holiday and telling our out-of-town friends to come to us. With the economy refusing to perk up (see the news story about record unemployment), more folks are choosing to spend the weekend in the comfort of their own homes, according to AAA.
The group this week forecast that about 16 percent of Washington area residents, or 859,000 people, will travel 50 miles or more from home, a 2.2 percent drop from last year.
Nationally, AAA projected that the number of Americans traveling for the holiday weekend will fall 1.9 percent, to 37.1 million. It expects a 2.6 percent decline in auto trips this year, to 32.6 million. That's due in part to the increase in gas prices. The national average has gone from $2.49 per gallon a month ago to more than $2.60 a gallon, though prices came down this week.
Conversely, the number of air travelers this weekend is expected to be 6 percent higher than a year ago.
So, what to do if you're staying put? You don't have to be slumped on the couch watching old episodes of "Sex and the City" and pining for better economic times.
Consumer Reports has compiled tips to help you get through your "staycation." The Web site Dogster even has ideas to keep your pup occupied. And since you're home anyway, the Traveling the Green Way site suggests that you stop procrastinating and switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs already.
-- Ylan Q. Mui
