With gas prices south of $2 and continuing to dip, it's time to fuel up the family wagon and head to Grandma's, right?

Or maybe not. Not if the economy has you scrimping and fearful that even worse times are ahead.

And not if you're like Susan Tretter of Higginsville, Mo., who says a break at the pump now won't make her loosen the belt on tight spending. Instead, the Tretters will keep abiding by their "high gas prices plan" for a while.

"We’re going to pretend gas is still really, really high and pretty much won’t go anywhere we don't eed to go," Tretter said.

As the overall economy constricts, travel costs are one of the few bright spots for consumers. It costs less to drive than it did last summer, and airfares are starting to fall, too.

But will consumers snap up the bargains today, or hoard their cash for an uncertain tomorrow?

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