Revenge Travel? OKkk..

[dryheat]

bars, hotels and restaurants say the era of post-pandemic splurging by US consumers has likely drawn to a close. That includes ?revenge travel? ? a phenomenon in which consumers spent big on dining out and travel to make up for lost time during pandemic-era shutdowns.

The prediction came as part of the regular ?Beige Book? economic snapshot from the Federal Reserve released Wednesday. Several of the Fed?s 12 regional districts reported peaking or even slowing tourism activity ? a sign that US consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of US economic output, could be shifting in the coming months.

You mean Arizona won't be swamped with Canadians and other vacationers and cold weather babies? We get a batch of seasonal crosswalk beggars too. They're not stupid.

[Mark in Ottawa]

I don't know about Arizona but this Canadian just signed a lease for a condo in Florida for the winter. Given our age, my physical limitations walking on ice and the fact that Ottawa is the coldest national capital in the world, we really don't want to spend the winter here any more. It has become very expensive but we figure that it is still value for money

[Allen]

I don't know about Arizona but this Canadian just signed a lease for a condo in Florida for the winter. Given our age, my physical limitations walking on ice and the fact that Ottawa is the coldest national capital in the world, we really don't want to spend the winter here any more. It has become very expensive but we figure that it is still value for money

While in FL I would search for a condo owner that would give you a good rate and reserve the condo for a repeat renter (unless you like the variety of a different location every year). They should be plentiful during the winter months as most want them during the summer, near the water, near events held during the summer and so forth.

It must be rough winterizing your home. I assume you run the heater some (set low?), have no pets or take them with you and certainly don't own any indoor plants unless you have someone come in and take care of things in your absence.

Just wondering. I've never been in a situation like this.

[Mark in Ottawa]

While in FL I would search for a condo owner that would give you a good rate and reserve the condo for a repeat renter (unless you like the variety of a different location every year). They should be plentiful during the winter months as most want them during the summer, near the water, near events held during the summer and so forth.

It must be rough winterizing your home. I assume you run the heater some (set low?), have no pets or take them with you and certainly don't own any indoor plants unless you have someone come in and take care of things in your absence.

Just wondering. I've never been in a situation like this.

Actually we have been renting from the same owner for 9 years and while the place is expensive, it is also spacious and in reasonably good condition. The owner lives in New York and doesn't get to Florida too often. The last time that he did, we found that he and his wife were unhappy with some of the furnishings and replaced the refrigerator, the couch and all the bedding. My sense is that he tries to be the best of all possible landlords and in our case, we try to be the best of all possible tenants. It has been a good relationship.

My understanding is that it is becoming much more difficult to find a winter rental in Florida as the baby-boomers retire and want to either live in Florida or spend the winter there. Do note that in a typical year, there are in the order of 1 million visits to Florida by Canadians alone. In fact a lot of Canadians joke that Florida is our 11th province

As far as our home is concerned, we leave the heat on at a moderate temperature, drain the water pipes in case there is a power failure and leave a couple of lights on that are connected to timers. We also pay a lady who we know to come in and check things every couple of days. That is a fairly standard insurance requirement. We also have a plowing service that clears the driveway and the sidewalk. I would also note that in late January and early February, the wind chill temperature in Ottawa has been know to hit minus 40, the point at which Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same.

[Allen]

We also pay a lady who we know to come in and check things every couple of days.

Thanks. I figured someone had to check on things. It would really be bad to come home to find a window had gotten broken, a fire, or something else, without you being aware of it.

Glad things are working out for you in FL.