Understanding the Locals

[debtdude]

I just returned from a family vacation in Englewood, Florida. It's between Fort Myers and Tampa. While I was there, I looked through an "About Englewood" guide. This guide happened to have the demographics for the city and surrounding areas.

My big surprise was that 90% of the citizens were over the age of 45. 75% of them were over the age of 65.

THE PRICES IN STORES REFLECT THAT. If you're vacationing in a high tourist area, you'd expect higher prices in everything from restaurants to groceries to gifts.

Not so in this area. The reason is the businesses understand the demograhics of the area. With such a high "older" population, you have a majority group who is on fixed income (retired) and isn't going to spend any extra money on the basics such as food. It also means the beer aisle has been turned into the wine aisle in the grocery store.

What does this mean for those of us considering a vacation - GO VISIT THE ELDERLY? Almost. Stay away from the tourist spots unless you have a lot of extra money. Visit areas high in beauty and low in younger demographics.

What else does this mean? It means I had a great vacation in a condo on the beach and eating out and buying gifts didn't cost me an arm and a leg.

[markio26]

debtdude:
do tell more...interesting and true concept, i am sure...off season saves alot of money too.

[cmarvmommy02]

wow thats interesting!

[debtdude]

Off season saves a lot in condo rental fees...1900 versus 1450 depending on the time.

The more and more I thought about this concept, the more ideas came out. First off, I asked the condo manager where to eat. She listed a seafood restaurant I'd eaten at before ( a known great place to eat) and then she listed a few places that didn't sound like much. One of which was a pizza place that turned out to not only server the best pizza I'd ever had, but it was so affordable.

Using the locals as a goldmine of information, we ate at the right places, avoided the wrong places, and had no regrets.

The demographics does play into other areas as I'd mentioned. For example, after 9pm, NOTHING was open. If you wanted a bottle of rum to "stop scurvy and boost moral" you had only one store that was open until 10pm. After that, you were out of luck. So plan accordingly. Rent movies, take some favorite dvd's, some board games, whatever.

[markio26]

i know i used to watch the rachael ray travels.. she ate on thirty bucks a day... or something like that... i can eat on $4 a day... but, i have to plan it really well.............my pal
ro, uses effieceny rooms at motels... she said she gets great rates and shirley said she goes on those gambling boats off of the ky shore... great deals.. she always goes once a year. must be off season or something or they are heavily booked.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

We've travelled with thie kids ever since they were babies. One time when in a town with a mall in the middle of a rural area of one of the US's poorer states, we needed to get something to entertain the kids with in the car, so we went into the toystore. The prices were great, compared to what I was accustomd to. Same company as in the malls back home, but considerably cheaper. I remember buying a nice box of wooden blocks for half what it cost at home.