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Old 07-29-2014, 05:45 PM   #61
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Very best of luck on your trips, hope it all goes well for you.

rob

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Originally Posted by Scouter Dave View Post
I will leave home on August 12th. for seven weeks on the road. It will be the shake down cruise for the Trillium 4500 that found its way back to me after several years. The next major trek will start in December for four months in the sunny south. It will be a bittersweet journey but I need to do it, just to see if I can. It is an itch that needs scratching. If I survive I will have to have a serious look at spending more time on the road.

Thanks for opening up this thread. There has been some wonderful responses, feedback and advice. Full-timing may not be for everyone but it always drums up some interest. SD.
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Old 07-29-2014, 06:30 PM   #62
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I think what it costs is a valid conversation, and on a topic often neglected. How many "project" campers come on the market because someone finds they can't really afford the cost of finishing it, or isn't using it enough to justify keeping it, especially if there is a larger expense (axle or appliances come to mind).

Considering how much one will use a camper is an important aspect of how much one would reasonably spend on owning one. It's as easy to over buy as it is to over pack.

Then there is the years of use to consider, I have owned two campers in 25 years, still own both of them. Lot of years to amortize the cost over. My sister has owned about 6 in 20 years, likes to trade up. But if it fits in their budget it works for them. They have 5 big trips planned now that they have retired so having the features and amenities they desire is important to their enjoyment, after the trips they will sell the 5th Wheel and TV. My estate will sell mine and then only if they can pry my dead fingers off the back bumper. I'm sure my carcass would hurt the resale value, not to mention handling and fuel economy.

I have camped since I was a small child (as has my sister) and throughout my adult life. I have had checklists for car, canoe, backpack and motorhome camping because the gear we would take depended on what type of camping we were doing and we did them all often enough that it was worth printing those check lists off. (anyone else remember dot matrix printers?)

The reason I camp is I enjoy it, have gone alone in the winter with a tent, with kids, with kids as adults, with adult kids and grandkids and with just my wife. That last is why I consider owning a camper a good investment. At home we work together, sometimes shop together (tip for husbands if your going to be outside a dressing room holding a purse make sure your belt and shoes go with the purse color. Black purse and brown belt and shoes? People look at you with such pity!) Do chores and take care of business.

We get some recreation in from time to time, going out to eat or to a movie, maybe to the park with the dog, or to see the grandkids in their activities. But much of our routine is "doing stuff". Camping together is time to just be together, enjoy each others company, discover something together, snack or make a gourmet meal. Ignore the news and tv, talk about the books we are reading. Sing Jimmy Buffet songs as we travel to the destination. Loudly and in my case off key (who cares as long as it doesn't make the dog howl)

One of our favorite destinations is middle of nowhere national forest. Bunch of woods and fields, no lakes (beaver pond you can hike to) no river, water, electric or scenic views. Unless you count looking up and seeing enough stars to make a teenage grandson say "WOW" when he steps away from the campfire and looks up. Or picking wild blue berries for breakfast pancakes only to change our mind and eat them all for dessert before dinner. What it offers that is especially precious is it is just us, or just family spending a few days just being with each other.

We don't go camping nearly as often as we would like, and can't with work schedule and obligations so it would make no sense for us to spend $20k on a camper or the expense of a heavy duty TV so we don't.

A small FGRV just works for us, cost used was decent, small size makes it so it's not a big deal to store and does not require a massive TV or fuel expense to get out and go. But does have something in common with being homeless, don't really haul around anything we don't need, but unlike most homeless we do have everything we require to be comfortable.

Sometimes it's good to remember how little it takes to be happy. A book of verses underneath the bough, A jug of wine, a loaf of bread -- and thou beside me singing in the wilderness. That is as close to heaven as I'm likely to get without a pardon. Works for me!
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Old 07-29-2014, 06:39 PM   #63
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"Sometimes it's good to remember how little it takes to be happy."
RogerDat

Nice post. I agree, one of the great lessons we've learned RVing is how little it takes to be happy. I don't know if I've ever been more satisfied.
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Old 07-29-2014, 06:41 PM   #64
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Yes, it it absolutely worth it!

Yes, it it absolutely worth it!

My wife and I decided to get a trailer when we were on a 6,000 mile motorcycle trip, 2-up, (we love the outdoors!) traveling through Yellowstone for the second time on that trip and decided that we wanted a way while traveling to just call, "That Spot" ours for the next several days and just enjoy the outdoors. After a lot of discussions and research we decided to get an Escape 19'. This was in 2010 and although I still work full time we have camping with it almost 3 dozen times, mostly boondocking. We do not like crowds so we look for remote or non-hookup locations. For us, the whole idea is to get away from it all.

Was it worth it? The trailer was expensive but it is getting used regularly. We love to explore and have been miles off-road in the desert and have hiked and fished alpine lakes in the mountains, had many, many hikes, skinny dipped where you shouldn't, camped and canoed many lakes, fly fished in the rivers, lakes and pacific ocean, caught scores of fish and have witnessed extraordinary wildlife. Since we bought our trailer we have shared numerous memorable experiences together, strengthening our relationship, sharing great times with someone we love. Was it worth it??....ABSOLUTELY!!
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Old 07-29-2014, 07:57 PM   #65
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RogerDat, hotfishtacos, both very good post… and thoughts. Thanks for sharing and contributing.

rob
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Old 07-29-2014, 08:17 PM   #66
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OMG. My new 5er is less than a month old. I've spent 11 days out camping since pickup up on July 3rd. I figure my nights so far have cost me about $2700 a NIGHT and that doesn't take into account fuel, site fees or the new TUG I bought (57 more payments and it's MINE). The ONE thing I've gained is MEMORIES and those are priceless and NO ONE and NOTHING can take those away from me.

Priceless doesn't even come close to the description I feel when thinking about what I have already experienced and what the future may hold. YMMV
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Old 07-29-2014, 08:32 PM   #67
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$2700 a NIGHT..........................????

Why, that's a bargain.........
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Old 07-29-2014, 08:41 PM   #68
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Yep Carl, $2700 a night. I took what I paid for Ten Forward and divided it by the 11 nights I've been out... so far. I wouldn't trade anything for my experiences... absolutely NOTHING.

What the future holds, no one knows...
But forward we look
And forward we go!
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Old 07-29-2014, 08:43 PM   #69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
Yep Carl, $2700 a night. I took what I paid for Ten Forward and divided it by the 11 nights I've been out... so far. I wouldn't trade anything for my experiences... absolutely NOTHING.

What the future holds, no one knows...
But forward we look
And forward we go!
If you put it that way, it is now paid for and every night out camping from now on is a freebee.
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Old 07-29-2014, 08:58 PM   #70
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Yeah, Ten Forward is paid for. I had a choice to make. Take out a loan and pay for the trailer, or take out a loan and pay for the tug. Couldn't financially do both.

Some say.. why not pay for the tug and take out the loan on the trailer (THAT interest you can take off your taxes). Yep I knew that. But if the world goes to !@#% I will always have a place to live... no "under the bridge" for me. And, yes it's a bit more complicated than that and only YOU can decide what works best for you. I made MY decision and am happy with it.

And more than THAT.. I have ZERO regrets about the decision to purchase a new, bigger, WONDERFUL Escape trailer... SWOON!
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Old 07-29-2014, 09:36 PM   #71
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You've asked a great question in that it has generated so much conversation.

Financially I have about $5000 in on my '93 13ft Scamp. That is purchase price plus rehab and upgrades.

We took it out West (UT & AZ) for two of the most glorious weeks of my life. family of 6. 4500 miles. 6 National Parks. 3 State Parks. 2 National Monuments. Turn after glorious turn. Star after glorious star. Rock formation after glorious rock formation. Memory after glorious memory.

Keeping the math simple and paying attention to only the Scamp cost... Divided by our 11 nights in it... Then each night cost $454 and change.

I can be discouraged by that number or....

I can drive it down with years of trips to come - as I/we intend to. And I can recall that the quality of time I enjoyed with my wife and children was not simply better or more than I can have when we hotel it. No, it was of a kind and quality wholly different.

I've had NICE hotel stays but they've never suffered from being SUBLIME - a now common (and 'priceless' as they say) result of our time as a family, in rather wild places, together with our egg.


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Old 07-29-2014, 09:50 PM   #72
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David, you have the right mind-set. SUBLIME....is perfect!

Pics, did you say you were going to post pics?
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Old 07-29-2014, 10:05 PM   #73
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Donna, I'm on it!


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Old 07-30-2014, 04:10 AM   #74
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Donna, Harley can chime in on this one...

When we bought our motor home we took a loan against the house and used it to purchase the motor home and CRV, deducting the interest.

As to interest deductions, these days interest rates are pretty low and it may not be an issue but that will change.
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Old 07-30-2014, 04:27 AM   #75
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More nights

Donna,

Obviously more nights will take care of your cost issue. We've had our Scamp for 3 or 4 years and have camped in it for about 1000 nights dropping the cost to about $6 per night assuming it has zero value today. Similarly the CRV cost was in the same range or less than the trailer.

We have kept detailed records of our costs to live for the last 14 years and with all costs including gifts to others, taxes, medical insurance, RV travel, RV and tow vehicle purchase, ....just everything, our yearly costs is about $50,000 a year. That includes about 240 days of travel a year, the owner ship of an RV, a tow vehicle and a small home in NH.

Financially our NH home, for people who travels as much as we do, was a mistake to keep and maintain though it has no mortgage.

Some ballpark numbers for us.... I admit they could be less. There are a number of areas where we could reduce our expenses by changing what we spend or how we travel. However, regardless of our personal financial choices, I would not change our RV life for any other form of living.
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Old 07-30-2014, 05:16 AM   #76
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Is it worth it?

Hi: All... We bought our first fiberglass trailer, while I was awaiting Pacemaker surgery. It was just "What the Dr. ordered".
We're now on our 3rd fiberglass trailer, and I'm still on my first pacemaker. The batteries don't usually last this long!!! Was it worth it? I'll say it was.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 07-30-2014, 06:39 AM   #77
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Hi all, my first camping experiences were in a Volkswagon camper when I was a kid. There were 4 adults and eight kids and I would not trade that experience for anything. I remember having to get out and help push the V.W. up some hills. When I got out of the service and got married we got our first popup. We have had many campers over the years but my favorite is our Casita. We try to go camping every other week for four days. I love to be able to take off and if we want to stop at a place with a nice view and eat lunch and then continue to our destination we do. We do not rush to get get there but if we see something along the way that interests us then we stop and visit. I remember when I was younger I would rush to get to the destination and get worked up if we got stuck in traffic. I learned it was much more enjoyable to take your time and stay calm and if you had car or camper troubles to make the best of the situation and just move on. These experiences are what you get to talk and laugh about at the campfires. I would rather spend my money doing something that we both enjoy then working 2 jobs trying to afford a large house and not being able to go anywhere because all the money goes to pay the mortgage. We have been married and camping for 38 years.
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Old 07-30-2014, 06:48 AM   #78
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In the “same thing only different” category I recently bought a 15ga cordless air nailer. In excess of $300. I estimate I’ve driven about 10 nails with it so far. The sales clerk wondered aloud whether someone needed such an expensive tool. Certainly there are less expensive nailers out there and I’m unlikely to be mistook for a construction professional. My response was that, technically, all I “needed” was a rock to drive a nail. Much more than that and we’re talking “style”, a highly subjective characteristic. Heck, I’m sure there is an attitude out there that says I should have paid $30 to each of 10 jobless people to each come and pound one nail each rather than the act of conspicuous consumption that I engaged in. In the meantime, I need to start nailing the heck out of everything I see.

But, more on point, I could sleep on the ground under a layer of leaves. But I distain the purists who seem to hold that they’re somewhat closer to the camping spirit. They don’t chase their meals down with flint tipped spears, their trailers are made from a petroleum based fiberglass, they avail themselves of the benefits of civilization such as food and fuel distribution networks, they want ready access to health and safety systems if needed and they tow with a sophisticated and complicated vehicle. I believe even the most rustic camper of today is still skewed way towards civilization and what we’re discussing is only a matter of degrees near the edge of the curve.

Like most things, it’s worth what you’re willing to pay for it. And of course, your mileage may vary.
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Old 07-30-2014, 07:32 AM   #79
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Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
OMG. My new 5er is less than a month old. I've spent 11 days out camping since pickup up on July 3rd. I figure my nights so far have cost me about $2700 a NIGHT and that doesn't take into account fuel, site fees or the new TUG I bought (57 more payments and it's MINE). The ONE thing I've gained is MEMORIES and those are priceless and NO ONE and NOTHING can take those away from me.

Priceless doesn't even come close to the description I feel when thinking about what I have already experienced and what the future may hold. YMMV
Donna,
The MEMORIES you can take with you! But, you can NOT take the money with you! So, please make lots of memories! Enjoy everyday of life that you can!

Thanks,
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If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else! Yogi Berra
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Old 07-30-2014, 08:17 AM   #80
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My wife and I met back in the early 70's with a love of hiking and climbing. We honeymooned in the Rocky Mountain National Park back in the late summer of '74, and never looked back. We brought our 3 sons up camping in tents every year, from when they were we babies and onward. Now the baby is 30, and we still get together as a family camping, just they're in tents.

We tent camped for 40 years, and just can't sleep on the ground anymore. Also, we so love camping, we plan to do like what Norm & Ginny have done when we retire a few years down the road. We already owned two fine tow vehicles, so you can't include those in the cost of our camping. The ParkLiner we bought was used, but still pricey, but that's okay. I would much prefer to camp that sleeping in a motel or hotel bed, and the ParkLiner is very comfortable to hang out in.

Each to their own is my motto. YMMV.

Frank
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