KOTA Territory NewsGas vs. Hotel: Which is your biggest worry?

Gas vs. Hotel: Which is your biggest worry?

Cindy Davis

When it comes to filling up the tank, we want to get every drop for our money.  When prices rise before that summer road trip, it becomes one of the most important things in a budget.

Reporter: "When you travel, what's your biggest worry?"

"Oh, definitely gas prices," Kade Kanago said while filling up.

Reporter: "What's your biggest worry?"

"Gasoline," said Wayne Gehrtz of Rapid City.

According to a new survey in USA Today, more people are worried about the gasoline bill than their hotel tab.

AAA Branch Manager Rhonda Keller says it only makes sense.

"Gas prices aren't always the same. You can't say, okay, in May we're starting our vacation. Gas prices are at $2.43. Now it's September and we want to go on vacation, gas prices are $3.00. You had so much budgeted, now it's going to be less. Where are you going to cut? hotel."

Not everyone agrees with that logic.

"In the realm of things, I think gas isn't as important of an issue as the cost of hotels, said Norby Reuer who is visiting from Faulkton, South Dakota." "If I was traveling with my family, you're looking at $100 to $120 a night. It's hard to spend that much on gas."

But Keller says it's the biggest variable on a vacation.

"You're going to drive a shorter vacation or you're going to cut you hotel stay, but somewhere something's got to be cut if you're on a budget."

Reuer will take the small price fluctuation at the pump this season over a hefty hotel bill any day.

"$4.00 is out of line, but I think $2.00or $2.50 is fine. They've been a lot higher for a lot longer than this."