By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-994931.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Some are holding potluck dinners instead of springing for the entire feast. Others are staying home rather than flying. And a few are skipping the turkey altogether. James Call reports, this is the fourth Thanksgiving since the economy sank and prices for everything from airline flights to groceries are up.
Forty two and a half million people are expected to travel during the Holiday weekend the highest number since the start of the recession. Many will be at the mercy of the weather; forecasters warned of rain and scattered thunderstorms in much of the Northeast. Mountainous areas could see 4 to 8 inches of snow.
Travelers are also navigating higher prices. Thanksgiving airfares are up 20 percent this year, and the average price of a gallon of gas has risen almost 20 percent, according to AAA. Amtrak tickets are up 2 to 5 percent.
Those who choose to stay home and cook for themselves will also spending more. A 16-pound turkey and all the trimmings will cost an average of $49.20, a 13 percent jump from last year, or about $5.73 more, according to the American Farm Bureau
Federation.