Traveling During the Holidays
by George Runkle ([email protected])
December 3, 1997

As Fools, we try to keep our finances under control. Certain occasions (such as the death of a car) and times of year (right now) tend to torpedo any gains we make. There are zillions of books written about how to control these events, but not much of the advice in them is practical. I can give you one little piece of practical advice for lowering expenses this time of year. Don't travel to visit relatives -- see them during a less busy time of year, instead.

About 5 years ago, after moving to Pittsburgh, my wife and I decided to travel -- first to the Washington D.C. area to see my family, then up to Philadelphia to see hers. My sister, who once lived in Pittsburgh, was rather skeptical. The weather in the Allegheny Mountains can be severe in winter. The morning we left, I heard weather forecasts of freezing rain in the mountains, but outside it was only a bit rainy. Besides, we had relatives expecting us. They would be very upset if we didn't make it. The trip was fine... until we got into the mountains in western Maryland. There, we hit freezing rain that turned the roads into sheet ice. A five-hour trip took us eight hours. Worse than the length of the trip was the scare of driving over icy mountain roads.

Since that trip, we decided it's more Foolish to stay home over the holidays. If you think about it, isn't this the worst time of year to make a trip? In much of the country, the weather can be very hostile. You may be driving over unfamiliar areas, unready for nasty surprises, which makes travel more difficult and dangerous. That is what occurred to us five years ago on Interstate 68. I had no idea how bad the weather could be near Cumberland, Maryland, at that time of year. There are options, of course. You could fly -- that spares you the icy roads and allows you to get stranded in an airport. We have a nice one here in Pittsburgh. If you get snowed in, you can enjoy the food court and shopping while you wait for the Allegheny County Department of Aviation to clear the runways. However, you probably have other places you'd rather be.

Speaking of being snowed in, you should also consider the time invested in travel. A trip to far-off relatives' homes can take days away from an already busy schedule. If you go visit your mother for four days over Christmas, that is four days you can't use for shopping, decorating the house, or even just relaxing. In addition, the time spent getting there and back home is time you can't use for anything, either visiting or running errands.

Aside from timing and safety conditions, there's the issue of how much it costs to travel. If you drive, there are toll charges, gasoline expenses, meals (which tend to be more expensive at the side of the road), and wear on the car. To travel from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia (where my in-laws live) costs about $100 round-trip just for the gas, tolls, and meals. Going by plane, you pay for airline tickets and either a taxi or parking and gasoline. That doesn't even take into account what you will be spending over the holidays whether or not you travel. Gifts, cards, decorations, food, and miscellaneous items can quickly add up. A trip doesn't help the financial picture that develops at this time of year. It's an expense you might be able to do without.

There are non-monetary reasons for traveling to visit relatives over this season. It is a time to catch up with family and to remember times gone by. Since everybody is at one place at the same time, it may give us a chance to see relatives we may not get to be with otherwise. However, for myself, these benefits do not outweigh the hassle or cost. I find it more Foolish to stay home over the holidays and visit my family at other times of the year.

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