Author Topic: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?  (Read 14651 times)

Offline CHEWIE

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Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« on: August 28, 2005, 10:13 PM »
Just wondering, with that terrible Hurrican Katrina getting ready to hit, Fox News just said that gas prices are expected to go up to around $3.00 a gallon.

How does this affect your toy runs?  I think it's going to start effecting me now some... I decided to quit wasting gas and time looking for the Clone Evolution set, so I ordered it online.

 :P

Offline Ben

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2005, 10:17 PM »
I was going to go for a late-night run to the local WMs last night, but in the interest of conserving gas, I didn't go. That and I knew the hunt would be fruitless. I'm only missing four figures (plus the repainted Clones) and the Evolutions sets, which I really can't afford right now anyway.
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Offline DoctorPadawan

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2005, 10:25 PM »
The gas prices have affected my toy runs in that I don't make as many "special" trips for toys these days.  There was a time when I would do a 40 mile round trip nearly every single day to look for SW stuff, but the rising gas prices occurring at the same time as my rising frustration at coming home empty handed put a stop to that.

Now that I'm making the toy runs more of an incidental thing (just stopping by if I'm going in that direction), I've actually found more stuff than if I had been going specifically to look for toys.  Go figure.  :-\

Offline TheBlackDog65

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2005, 11:16 PM »
Two items. First, I know my stores patterns so I hit 2 local Walmarts at night or early a.m. and that seems to help conserve my runs. Also, we have a very good network here in Utah so people can put things on layaway at Wally, or hide at Target or TRU. That is how I scored my Sith Evolutions over the weekend. If gas goes to $3 a gallon, then I won't be hunting as much, just Friday, Saturday's and days when I know TRU gets a shipment.

On a side note, as gas prices go up, eventually figure prices will increase as well as cost for shipping and development increase. Man, I wish we would develop another fuel source!
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Offline Darby

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2005, 11:27 PM »
I take the bus, but since we're not getting in anything new at all anyway... still I would hate to have to own a car in this situation, and I feel for everybody.

Offline jokabofe

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2005, 11:30 PM »
Just wondering, with that terrible Hurrican Katrina getting ready to hit, Fox News just said that gas prices are expected to go up to around $3.00 a gallon.

You mean it's not in that price range in your area already? It's been near the $3 mark for a while here... most gas stations have it at $2.79/$2.89/$2.99 for Reg/Plus/Super.

But yeah, it's affected me for alot more than just toy runs. I've actually been thinking about either walking or riding the bike to work lately. My only issue is that I have a bad back, and it's about a 20 minute walk. Wouldn't be bad walking to work, but after being on my feet for 6 - 8 hours, I don't know if I could walk back home  :-\

Offline bobafett14

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2005, 11:35 PM »
Haven;t affected me one bit.

I haven't been doing too many dedicated toy runs lately.  I've just been hitting the stores on my normal times I'm out and about, so I;m not going out of my way to begin with, besides, a few cents increase is still minimal when compared to all my normal daily,weekly, monthly expenses.

Too much of a big deal is made out of gas prices.

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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2005, 12:10 AM »
I can't say it hasn't affected me.  I know my trips have decreased, but I'm not sure that it was a conscious decision on my part or just that I'm more busy than I have been for a while.  If I was making as many trips as I had been, it probably would impact me more, but I'm lucky to get one a week in right now, maybe two, and often I try to tie it to other things (home items or whanot...  I know I'm doing some house work right now as far as improvements go and so I try to tie it to a trip to the Lowe's store to save some).

My gf had to pick up her dishwear lay-away at WM the other night so I tied a toy run onto that. :)

I know when I am filling up though I tend to NOT fill all the way.  I put a set ammount in that gets me above 3/4 tank or so.  I can usually put in $17 once I'm around 1/4 tank and that gets me above 3/4 tank.  It's not that I do any better though obviously, it just is a help in my own mind that I'm not putting $25 in to fill it to the brim like I would need to.  I also think I subconciously base my trips on how much gasoline I have.

I know I'm taking advantage of fuel perks as much as I possibly can locally.  When I have them saved up I have a couple gas cans I fill along with my car (which I usuallly run to E before the fill-up).  That way I figure I'm maximizing my dollar.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2005, 12:30 AM »
I agree that people do make too big of a deal of gas prices.  They really haven't "changed my life" - I'm just spending an extra $40.00 or so a month now.  But it does seem to make a difference if I'm going to make big 40-50 mile round trips now.  Those are starting to cut down now.

Right now, gas is about $2.49 and has stayed about that for a bit.  We did get down to $2.19 a couple weeks ago though...

 :P

Offline Jediknight760071

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2005, 04:00 AM »
I drive 2 minutes to get to work (Michaels) which is conveniently located next to Target and Walmart is a minute away (lunch break aisle check) down the plaza, so no. I got lucky though. If I were still living in an apt 1 city over, I wouldn't be able to check for figures on a regular basis.

Offline DarthAcroyear

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2005, 04:37 AM »
I have several stores close by so I can hit all of them while using a small amount of petro.
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Offline evenflow

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #11 on: August 29, 2005, 10:06 AM »
It has affected me, i only stop when i am going in that direction already. Damn SUVs!
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Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2005, 11:42 AM »
My gas consumption is definitely hurting my toy runs.

Before I would try to hit at least three Targets, four WalMarts and two Toys R Us stores at least 1 - 3 times a week.

Now I've boiled my hunting down only to stores that are slightly off the beaten path of where I NEED to go. So the only TRU I go to is the one right around the corner from my job. I also hit a WalMart and Target that is right off the highway on my way to work. So basically it's M-F morning and/or night when hitting these three stores.

The only stores I will go out specifically to go on a toy run to are the KMart and WalMart that are right around the corner from my house - less than 5 minutes away. Thankfully the news just came out that we are getting a Target within a year so I could probably reduce my toy shopping to those three local stores every night before they close and only hitting TRU during my lunchbreak at work.

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Offline Mister Skeezler

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2005, 02:36 PM »
Well, I take the subway to and from work, and most of the time I go out. I drive my car when I'm heading out of the city, but I have a Jetta, so it doesn't suck down much gas at all...except when I run the AC, but even then its not bad.
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Offline Jeff

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Re: Toy Runs affected by Gas Prices?
« Reply #14 on: August 29, 2005, 05:35 PM »
It wasn't something I really used to consider, but nowadays, it's becoming more of a thought in my mind.  Why should I bother wasting gas/time to find figures for $6.50 (with tax) at Target, when I can order a case of 12 for $7.50 each (with shipping) from EE.

Sure, it's $12 over retail, but that's only like 4-5 gallons of gas or about 80-100 miles of toy shopping (which is probably about my average in a week).

The only wrinkle to on-line ordering though is you still have to go to the stores to hunt the damn exclusives (exclusives = the bitching target of the day I guess  ;)).

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