Community Forums

RickO · 03-08-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozarkan

What did this tell me? I need to use my boat more and bring the cost down.

I tried that money saving strategy with my boat. Never could figure out where all of my "savings" was going though.

Lorna · 03-08-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66

Scott posted he wasn't lamenting about the money, but he was just reporting the facts.

No he was reporting HIS costs. If he had not paid as much, paid cash (no monthly payments) stayed in public parks, etc then the so called "costs" would have been lower. Now others will look at his post and think that is "normal".

We bought a vintage RV for $2K and invested $1K. We have no house anymore. We stay in public parks when we can. We have never paid more than $400 for a site per month and never more than $35 per night. The Class C gets 6 to 8 mpg (and the skoolie gets double that!). I bought the tow bar and brackets USED for the Jeep.

Superslif · 03-08-2011, 02:48 PM

Have owned our TT. 6 seasons now. Figured we camped close to 320 nights in her. Stay mostly at state parks for about $25 a night. Usually take 5 - 6 week long trips during the summer. Where else can you see nature up close and have your own kitchen, shower and toilet....Could never hotel it for the cost of RVing as we do. My one ski trip to the Rockies each year costs as much as 50-60 nights of camping do. Because of the ever rising cost of airfare, skiing will be delayed to every other year.....or maybe longer....

edj · 03-08-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superslif

Have owned our TT. 6 seasons now. Figured we camped close to 320 nights in her. Stay mostly at state parks for about $25 a night. Usually take 5 - 6 week long trips during the summer. Where else can you see nature up close and have your own kitchen, shower and toilet....Could never hotel it for the cost of RVing as we do. My one ski trip to the Rockies each year costs as much as 50-60 nights of camping do. Because of the ever rising cost of airfare, skiing will be delayed to every other year.....or maybe longer....

It sounds like you are not including the depreciation cost of the RV. If one buys a 'good' upscale RV, the depreciation will be the biggest cost to you on a yearly basis. When I wrote the spreadsheet to compare costs, I just divided the cost of the RV by 15 to give a yearly cost (loss of value) just to keep it simple. I figured that after 15 years, most any RV does not have all that much value anymore. I did not put financing costs as a separate line. That cost should just be added into the initial cost of the RV.

Everyone will have their own results depending on how much the RV costs and how much it is used. The longer the RV is used each year, the cheaper it is compared to the same time spent in a hotel. The spreadsheet compares ONLY FINANCIAL considerations. There is no value placed on other aspects of RVing such as sitting around the campfire, sleeping in your own bed, etc... Each person has to place their own value on that to decide if that is more important than the financial loss each year.

I tried to attach my Excel spreadsheet to this post, but it will not work. The forum will not allow a ".xls" file to be uploaded.

RickO · 03-08-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorna

Now others will look at his post and think that is "normal".

I don't believe anyone is going to look at the OP's post and believe that those costs are typical or normal. Java was pretty clear on the way they traveled and the types of parks they stayed in.

Rick

beaverjim · 03-08-2011, 05:43 PM

we lived in south fl from 97 thru 2002 on the water with a 38 ft scarab offshore boat. we could run the boat 2 and 1/2 times to our favorite hangout for a burger and a beer on approx 185 gal. mid grade gas. bought a dp in 2000, our first trip back to my home town in mi i burned approx 200 gal diesel fuel in 1600 mi. i thought we won the lottery and upon returning to fla. sold the boat. i do have to say scotts thread was an eye opener!

jimsue

B Bob · 03-08-2011, 09:48 PM

JavaJelly - It could have been worse. I bought our coach 18 months ago. The original buyer paid 546,000 after discount new. I paid 137,000 18 months ago. That works out to 400,000 in depreciation in about 7 1/2 years. Sorry to hear about your loss though, I am sure the coach was like a family member. I have always missed my previous coach that I sold 2 years ago.

RickO · 03-08-2011, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaverjim

we lived in south fl from 97 thru 2002 on the water with a 38 ft scarab offshore boat. we could run the boat 2 and 1/2 times to our favorite hangout for a burger and a beer on approx 185 gal. mid grade gas.jimsue

Yeah, but you lived on the water with a 38' Scarab!!!

I'll bet you have a lot of memories per gallon.

Rick

beaverjim · 03-09-2011, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

Yeah, but you lived on the water with a 38' Scarab!!!

I'll bet you have a lot of memories per gallon.

Rick

we sure do, about 35 gal. per hr. in memories

jimsue

Brigadoon · 03-09-2011, 02:05 PM

Boat owners and former boat owners always make me feel better about my rv!

Thanks!

paintman607 · 03-09-2011, 05:03 PM

Do any of you hunt? I didn't take time to read all the posts here cause I don't feel like being sick to my stomach. Do I like camping, yes. Can I afford it ,yes Are we selling our house to go full time yes. If any of you hunt now you see where I am going. Buy a gun, a license take time off work, get your kill processed for meat. Are you at 20.00 a lb or more. But no problems with that. It is all in what one likes to do and can afford. Some of us should just go fishing and catch and release. I have been away from this forum cause I was beginning to think that I am going to have nothing but problems with my coach Now I take one day at a time. I come on here. cause there is a wealth of good info here but If you read all of it you will go nuts. Now we have the gas situation and the price for diesel OMG where will it stop.

AFChap · 03-09-2011, 05:13 PM

Interesting ...I have looked at costs for some categories per year (fuel, maintenance, campgrounds, food, etc) but never at the TOTAL cost/year. (We spend CONSIDERABLY less/night than the OP did for RV parks). As fulltimers, our MH is our home, and our TOTAL cost is whatever it takes us to live. We did buy a new coach apx 2 yr before I retired, but didn't spend any more (less probably) than we would have on a stick house ...at least we can drive this house to a new town when we get bored where we are!!

Triker56 · 03-09-2011, 09:05 PM

My cost for the MH only 24/365 in 2010 was $5,694.28 or $15.60 a day. All my other expenses was another $33,145.08

I don't count depreciation as I paid cash for it back in 2002 and plan for this to be the last one I will need. It was 3 years old at the time. With all the bugs taken care of.

The above cost includes the below and all $$$$ from Quicken.
Add Ons
Campgrounds
Fuel
Insurance
LP
Registration
Repairs
Replace worn out
Service
Supplys

2009 $4,819.64
2008 $5,048.53

I don't stay in $70 a night campgrounds. My Passport America card gets used some and free a lot.
The stix & brick I use to own before the MH cost a lot more a year to operate.
And it also was paid for.

Would you let us know where to get that 7% return at.
I got a 7% 10 year annuity in 2000 that ended 9/10.
I think that was the last year I seen any 7% returns.
Very hard to even get 2% today.

B Bob · 03-09-2011, 09:24 PM

The key to an expensive large motor home is using it. The more days you spend in it the more your costs are spread out. If you full time I think living in a motor home is low cost and not expensive.

By the way, we used to have a 45' boat that we used all the time and only went through 100 gallons a year. It was a Herreshoff Ketch though. The other expenses were very high though. If you want to think a DP is cheap, own a 45' boat before.