TheState.com: Stretching Your Paycheck: Travel

Boaters' guide to spending less

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:43 EDT

MAINTAINING A BOAT

Fuel: Four-stroke engines are more efficient than two-stroke. Five miles per gallon is good, but bigger boats are measured in gallons burned per hour. Prices at marinas are 50 cents to $1 a gallon higher than at service stations off the lake, so many boaters bring it in themselves. But that can be laborious — even small boats hold 10 gallons and many typical watercraft hold up to 35. To conserve, follow the same maxim as for driving — slow down.

Maintenance: Upkeep of the body and engine can be do-it-yourself. Getting a boat ready for winter storage is doable but takes a while. Emptying waste tanks must be left to experts. Some boating clubs provide repair tips. Unlike a car, you shouldn’t park a boat and walk away. Things such as flushing the motor should be done after every outing. Dealers estimate it costs an average of $50 monthly to keep a boat in good shape. Add another $100 monthly for insurance and taxes.

Storage: Keeping it in a slip at a marina can cost up to $225 monthly, but cost varies with boat size. You can buy a new trailer for as little as $1,600 for an average boat and store it at home free. But check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see if you can haul it. Launch fees at marinas typically are $5. Free landings are scattered around the 650-mile shoreline, but many are in remote spots.

Necessities: State guidelines require appropriate lifejackets or flotation devices for every-one on board, fire extinguishers in boats with motors, a bell or whistle to warn other boats and lights for sailing at night. State natural resources officials recommend a marine radio to call for emergency help and to keep abreast of weather changes. A cell phone also is helpful.

Saving money for the outdoors set

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:38 EDT

If you’re like most folks this summer, you’re looking for less expensive alternatives. Here are some tips for outdoor recreation:

--Don’t scrimp on footwear. Properly fitted shoes or boots are the most important equipment for a new hiker. And you don’t know how to fit yourself, so think twice before buying hiking boots in stores without knowledgeable staff.

--Same goes for bikes, with one caveat. A used bike might work just fine, but you still want it to fit your body. Most of the bike spe-cialty stores in the Midlands sell used bikes — either consignment or trade-ins — for as low as $100. The store staff can make sure the bike is right for you. Upgrade to $500-$1,000 bikes later if you find road cycling or mountain biking suits you.

--Novice paddlers should rent canoes and kayaks. You can rent for $35 to $50 per day, including paddles and life jackets. If you fall in love with gliding on a river or lake, expect to pay $500 to $2,000 for a new boat and full set of gear. You can save a little at Get Your Gear Out, the outdoors consign-ment shop in Five Points, or by waiting until the outfitters sell off their rental inventory each fall. Also, check online for used boats.

--Don’t sweat the small stuff. You can build a massive credit-card bill buying extra gear. Do you really need to spend $100 on trekking poles for weekend of hiking in the Carolina mountains?

Expert put brakes on myths for saving gas money

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:48 EDT

Some things will stretch gas dollars; some won’t. Steve Mazor runs the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center and put tips to the test to see whether they are myth or truth. A few major myths and a couple of tips:

MYTH: Oil companies run up prices to cash in on Sunday drivers so the best time to fill up is Wednesday. TRUTH: Just because that day is farthest from the weekend doesn’t mean drivers will save at the pump. “Really, prices are being dictated regionally so I don’t think that plays a role anymore,” Mazor said.

MYTH: Morning is the best time of day to pump gas because gas is denser when it is cooler. TRUTH: It is true that gas is denser when it’s colder, but double-walled underground gas tanks retain the temperature of the gas at the time it was pumped underground. To meet demand, tankers pump gas underground around the clock. “We sell gas so quickly that if it was hot when it went in, it will be hot when it comes out,” Mazor said. The difference may amount to “a few cents a tank.”

MYTH: A clean air filter makes a difference. TRUTH: A few cars had slightly better fuel economy when dirty air filters were replaced, but when cars were tested with blocked air filters, fuel economy “didn’t get worse, as we expected,” Mazor said. In fact, some cars slightly improved fuel economy with dirty air filters, but “you make your car a polluter for maybe 1 percent better fuel economy.”

MYTH: Gizmos or additives like acetone will save gallons. TRUTH: These products don’t help even a little bit, Mazor said. “We have tested many fuel additives and products . . . or devices that go on the battery cable, and none of them have ever shown any measurable fuel economy improvement,” Mazor said.

The hidden problems of driving on empty

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:21 EDT

High gas prices mean boom business for tow-truck drivers.

More drivers are finding themselves stranded on the side of the road without gas. The most common excuse the tow opera-tors hear is that customers thought they could make it to the next station. “It’s sad,” said Ronnie White, owner of a Youngsville, N.C., towing service, who has not seen it this bad in his 24 years in business. “They are trying to get to a station to pay 3 cents less (per gallon), and they end up paying me $50 for one gallon of gas.”

A lot of people are apparently driving on empty. AAA Carolinas, which has 1.6 million members, reported a 4 percent year-over-year increase in calls from S.C. members needing gas.

Damage control: For repeat of-fenders, the damage can be ex-pensive. Driving on low fuel can seriously damage your car.

Sediment — rust, dirt and other debris — collects at the bot-tom of the fuel tank. When you run low on gas, the sediment can clog up the fuel pump and dam-age the fuel injector and fuel filter, AAA Carolinas’ Carol Gifford said. “It can be very expensive and very hard to fix,” she said.

How to save on your summer trip

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:10 EDT

Trying for a late summer getaway despite soaring prices of gas and airline tickets

There are ways to get out of town without breaking the bank. We asked travel experts and dug through savvy sources to uncover ways to save, whether it's a grand tour of Europe or a road trip to Grandma's house.

HOTELS —Check rates with hotel Hotel-booking Web sites such as Hotels.com aren't always your best option. Sometimes you can get a better deal by going to the hotel's site or calling the hotel directly.

—Shun the 800 number Don't call a hotel's 800 number to make a reservation; you'll likely be directed to the national center. Call the hotel directly and ask for the manager on duty, who is motivated to fill rooms, and begin negotiating for a discount.

—Beware of special deals That "third night free" offer could be more expensive than a regular booking, for instance.

Before you buy, read the fine print about fees

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:46 EDT

Travelers have to be more strategic to avoid some airline fees. Before you buy tickets, read the airlines' contracts of carriage so you know what kind of fees you may encounter. Read the section on baggage if you plan to check more than one piece, and look at the prices for changing tickets.

United recently began charging $25 for a second piece of checked luggage for coach-class customers on domestic flights. US Airways, Delta, Continental, Northwest and Air Canada have joined United in charging this fee. On most of these carriers, if you have elite frequent-flier status, you can avoid the charge.

These fees apply to luggage that meets normal size restrictions. If your bags are overweight or oversize, plan to pay more. On United, for example, if a bag exceeds 62 linear inches, you will be charged $100 extra per bag. If a bag weighs more than 50 pounds, you'll pay $100 per piece. If a bag is overweight and oversize, the fees will be combined. The carrier will not accept bags more than 115 linear inches and-or more than 100 pounds.

You'll also pay if you are checking bags beyond the second bag.

On US Airways, your third through ninth bags are $100 each for luggage weighing 50 pounds or less, $150 each for bags weighing 51-70 pounds and $200 each for bags weighing 71-100 pounds. On Delta's domestic flights, the airline charges $25 for the second bag, $80 each for bags three, four and five, $110 each for bags six, seven and eight, and $180 each for bags nine and 10.

Do cheap flights still exist?

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:39 EDT

On her blog called the Travel Gal, Cindy Carlsson of St. Paul, Minn., shares stories and photos from trips to Botswana, Ecuador, Cambodia and Thailand, but it was the expense of a potential trip to Berlin this summer that finally put the brakes on her wanderlust.

"We looked at the cost of the air tickets and the exchange rate and decided we couldn't do it," she said.

Fuel surcharges and increasing demand have steadily pushed the cost of tickets up. Travelocity estimates that prices rose on average by 7 percent last year; on some flights, the rise was much higher than that. Ticket price is only one measure of the increased cost of flying; passengers also paid extra for their box lunches, their exit row and aisle seats, and on United at least, their second checked bags.

There are ways to fight back.

Carlsson is a good case in point. After giving up on Berlin, she patiently monitored airfares. When Northwest, promoting its direct flights to Paris, offered a $2,100 deal on a weeklong hotel-air package for two, Carlsson snagged it. She and her husband, Lane Phillips, are going to France in May.

Before you check bags, check your airline's baggage policy

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:40 EST

Before you take your next flight, check the baggage policy of your airline. Recent changes could cost you if you don't know the rules.

United has announced that it will begin charging $25 each way to check a second bag. The fee goes into effect May 5 and applies to those who purchase nonrefundable domes-tic economy tickets. The fee will not apply to elite Mileage Plus members, and because business travelers rarely check two bags, the policy will hit leisure travelers the hardest.

United is not the only airline making baggage-policy changes. Spirit has been charging $5 each way for checked bags and will increase the fee Wednesday. Passengers who re-serve checked luggage online will pay $10 each way per bag, and those who do not will be charged $20 per bag each way. Spirit describes the fee as environmentally friendly because the aircraft will be lighter and use less fuel if fewer bags are checked.

Southwest long had offered three free checked bags, but, in late January, it began charging for a third checked bag. People have complained about the fee, but at $25 each way it is what other carriers charge.

These days there are few blankets and pillows, and the magazine racks are empty, be-cause every bit of weight eats fuel.