cost per trip?

[Roy in TO]

Great thought John!

We got into FG trailers so we could travel with our "large" late pup. Many a time we booked a room advising we had a dog. Upon arrival our late therapy dog (Molly) and ourselves were denied accomodation because she looked too mean. Many places charge up to $75 USD a night for "cleaning" fees. In other words, we don't want your dog here. The high end locations are much more dog friendly, yet much more cost prohibitive.

For us, we travel with our family of dogs. We don't pay cleaning fees or get turned away at the door. Not only is it more enjoyable, we don't get turned away at the door. Well, OK, I miss the occasional hot whirlpool that actually works.

In summary, I see more and enjoy more than I can do otherwise.

[Byron Kinnaman]

My cost per trip would be quite hard to calculate and vary greatly for each trip. Some trips are thousands of miles and 3 months long, others are 35 miles one way and 3 days long. Nightly fees vary from free to about $20.00 per night (rarely higher).

However as somebody said, every night in my trailer is priceless.

[steve dunham]

One thing I have never understood is people who include their grocery costs in the price of a camping trip and complain how expensive the trip was . I plan on eating whether I am camping or sitting at home so to me the cost of food is not part of the trip cost but the price you pay to live

[honda03842]

Steve,
I agree you must eat where ever you are. I posted our costs because they were surprisingly low after our long trip. I find it interesting how little we eat while travelng compared to being at home.

Maybe there's a different level of contentment.

In reality, particularly with long term travel,costs of travel are pretty low, Partially because the distances traveled on average are small on a per day basis.

[rgrugg]

Figuring the cost per...whatever puts me in mind of a trip we took with friends to Montana. The other guy is a fisherman and wanted to fish some particular river there so he spent $15 on a non-resident fishing licence. First time he fished he caught a nice one. He never caught another. I told him he should be glad he didn't catch any more because he had a $15 fish. If he had caught another, the value of his $15 fish would have been cut in half. How could a $7.50 fish possibly be as good as a $15 fish?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Steve,
I agree you must eat where ever you are. I posted our costs because they were surprisingly low after our long trip. I find it interesting how little we eat while travelng compared to being at home.

Maybe there's a different level of contentment.

In reality, particularly with long term travel,costs of travel are pretty low, Partially because the distances traveled on average are small on a per day basis.

Norm the cost of food in your post makes sense because you are listing it as living expenses . I have friends who take their kids on a weekend of camping and complain about the cost of food and beer for the trip. My question has always been "Then you and your kids normally don't eat when you stay home for the weekend?" I do not believe that food for a camping trip is an added cost above normal living expenses. You are also correct about motels , one may stay at a motel for the same cost as camping but the cost of eating out can easily add $50 to $ 70 a day to your food costs

[CeliaL]

I sold my house before getting an egg, so that really cut down living expenses. I do have a room in my daughter's household - and an in-law apartment there that's in the works - so I compare my travel expenses to what it would cost me to live at a fixed address. I eat less on the road but I've found food to be a lot more expensive; finding organic in Alabama? a Trader Joe's in west Texas? I'm also chemically sensitive so I can't stay anywhere that uses scented laundry, cleaning, or air freshening products. I've found that the cheaper the motel the stronger the scent - so when I have to use a motel it's usually $80 to $120 a night - way more expensive than even a KOA. I do stop to visit with friends and family, a week in a driveway is free :-). Highway towing the Jr. with my Subaru gets about the same gas mileage as city driving without it. I imagine that cost will go way up with my new (used) Scamp 5er and Tacoma. But camp fees will go down. Now I can stay in the National Parks without freezing, hauling ice, or using outhouses and hoses to wash up! I've found that one of my biggest expenses is my cell phone and mobile hotspot service. Verizon has the best middle of nowhere coverage but you pay for it! Since I travel alone I just grumble and pay... Completely aside from the freedom, adventure, and beauty of life on the road (priceless!), I figure I save about $15K a year. And I never have to see snow again ;-)

[Donna D.]

Let's see. For what my Scamp cost me ten years ago, what I've spent in tires, an axle, awning and assorted maintenance items... I could have taken a two-three week Class A+ cruise. But, what would I have done the other nine years?

[john warren]

well understand my concept here, every day out reduces the cost of my new scamp pers day, till i get to like 1000 days and my cost will have been $11.50per day. i am not including gas, site fee's or maint. just enjoying how every time i use my scamp it becomes an even better value.

[Roger Kimble]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

Figuring the cost per...whatever puts me in mind of a trip we took with friends to Montana. The other guy is a fisherman and wanted to fish some particular river there so he spent $15 on a non-resident fishing licence. First time he fished he caught a nice one. He never caught another. I told him he should be glad he didn't catch any more because he had a $15 fish. If he had caught another, the value of his $15 fish would have been cut in half. How could a $7.50 fish possibly be as good as a $15 fish?

You are so very right, it would not taste the same.