From SignOn San Diego

MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010 AT 9:49 A.M.

Want to know why fewer out-of-towners are crowding the beaches or spending their time at SoCal amusement parks these days?

Saving money is a key motivator, of course.

But a poll by Monster.com - an online employment site - suggests that a lot of people are scrapping their vacation plans so they can concentrate on finding a job.

Seventy percent of the respondents of Monster's online poll said they were devoting their summer to job-hunting. That number is a bit skewed, of course, because the poll only consisted of visitors to Monster's website, meaning they're already scouting out job postings.

Even so, that does indicate a lot of skipped vacations. Eighteen percent said they'd travel for a vacation anyway, while 12 percent opted for a "staycation," allowing them to stay close to home (making it easier to continue a job search).

In a separate question, 20 percent said they fear taking a vacation or sick day because they worry about losing their jobs, while 39 percent say they feel guilty about taking vacation and sick days because their fellow workers have to cover them. The rest said they had no problem taking time off, since that's what vacation and sick days are there for.

CLICK HERE for a link to the Monster release.