What's a Newbie to Join?

[OWV]

Originally Posted by Whatnobeer

I can't wait until the misses and I can buy ours. Everything is falling into place with stuff like this. You pioneer type people that are venturing forth so us late comers can enjoy these kinds of things are incredible. Thanks.

I was going to start a new thread, but your post is a perfect lead in. Thank you. I was going to title the thread, What's a Newbie to join?

Good Sam, PA, FMCA, ??? – and that doesn’t even include forums like iRV2.
The choices seem to be endless and I assume one can’t afford to join all the organizations and forums that are available to RVers. So, with that said, besides iRV2, which has been invaluable as we embark on this new chapter, thank you, what organizations would members of this group recommend, and if you don’t mind taking the time, listing some of your reasons why. Of course, the flip side of this is, which organizations would members recommend we avoid.

Regards,
OWV, Our Wandering View
Entrega Aspire, 44B, on order

[RickO]

I've moved your post into its own thread to avoid hijacking the thread it was posted in.

Rick

[pacwest]

Among others, I have Good Sam just to get the usual 10% discounts at many campgrounds.

[OWV]

Originally Posted by RickO

I've moved your post into its own thread to avoid hijacking the thread it was posted in.

Rick

Funny, that's what I was going to do in the first place. Thank you.

Regards,
OWV, Our Wandering View
Entegra Aspire 44B, on order

[brobox]

I am not a big joiner of things but I have joined the following:
Good Sam's for the 10% campground discount and I do like their GC rating system for the most part. They had the best quote I was able to get for my area on insurance. Now the discount at Camping World, but I don't shop there often.

Passport America for the 50% discount on week days. We have a few parks we stay at that are PA parks and it's nice to get the reduced rate for 4 or 5 days out of 7.

FMCA, I will finally join now that there is a TS/Entegra chapter. I have been threatening for years, I guess this is the push I need.

[Cruzer]

Forums are a great resource for information. Plus the price is right - they're free! There are a number of forums around but if you have an Entegra, this is the best place to be and will have the most pertinent first hand information from other owners who have "been there, done that".

After that I recommend joining FMCA. They put out a great monthly magazine which in itself is worth the price of membership. Plus, they offer additional benefits that you may or may not choose to use and the national conventions are a great place to see what the manufacturers have to display as well as some great seminars. In fact. Mac the Fire Guy puts on a free fire safety seminar that should really be mandatory attendance for any motorhome owner. You'll be amazed at what you didn't know but thought you did after going through his seminar.

Good Sam has changed. It's now mpore like the Good Spam Club . But many campgrounds offer a 10% discount to GS members and that can pay for the membership fees pretty quick so I join just for that reason. Camping World's President's Club is now rolled into the Good Sam Club because they are all run by the same conglomerate. Good Sam members get a 10% discount on Camping World purchases. However, shopping around at places like www.RVupgrades.com generally beats their pricing anyway so that may or may not have any value for you.

[Eldora]

I think part of the decision should involve what you want to get out of your membership. Besides the discounts some already mentioned, owners clubs and other groups have rallies and planned trips, Escapees and FMCA have mail forwarding (for a small fee), KOA and Yogi Bear and others have discounted rates and club rewards that can add up to free days; this forum is GREAT for newbies and experienced alike, the info is invaluable..... Don't forget, no membership is a life sentence. Join for a year, if you aren't getting what you expect out of it, cancel. If you like it, renew for life or several years at a time to get discounted renewal. As for me, I'm 10 years in and belong to Camping World/ Good Sam (now the same), FMCA, Escapees, KOA, Yogi (free)... There are a few others I let lapse because it was just money out the door, and even now I'm probably over-enrolled! LOL. But most importantly, have fun, enjoy your lifestyle and travel safely!

[Adam Hunter]

If you all don't mind some input from a Holiday Rambler owner surfing the forum......


Regarding the clubs to join, the biggest challenge that my wife and I have found is finding clubs that suit the needs or more respectively the interests of the younger crowd. My wife and I are just in our early forties with 2 young children and while we have had some great times with Rvers who are "older" than us it is really hard to get a local or a big organization who has a younger population. (No offence)

I think they all have something to offer. We are members of Good Sam as we get small camping discounts here in Canada at some of our fav campsites. And KOA for our quick interstate stops while we travel in the USA.

Without getting everyone all fired up I find that FMCA magazine is full of their own advertising and personally I prefer the "Motorhome" magazine over "Family Motor Coach" but thats just my opinion. Take the some 38 benefits of being a member in FMCA - I think over 2 dozen of them are at "extra" cost. Heck their tire program isn't even offered to their Canadian members!

My wife and I find we have our best camaderie and meet great people (of all ages) at local campsites or provincial parks - usually there is someone or often groups of RVers who want to put on a pot luck BBQ and a group bonfire!

Alot of the magazines are available as subscriptions even if you don't join their club.

That being said we are going to try the Holiday Ramblers Club next year......we will keep our fingers crossed??!!


Adam.

[CampDaven]

Keep it simple, me thinks.

Join them all. It aint a ton of money.

Once you "belong" you will sort out which ones to not renew.

Aye?

[flaggship1]

Adam - I'd say you're young, have a great coach, and I'm sure some great kids. Why do you need clubs? I suspect 40 somethings in your situation are scattered thinly around and local chapters are likely to skew that way as well. Just generalizing of course - but you seem to be in a position others your age would love to be in.

Look among your kids friends for families who Motorhome or camp. If there aren't any - try to get them involved. If all else fails - family vacations with a guest kid or two. Maybe you can build your own local club.

Campdaven is correct - they're all affordable - and you're correct too - many have older memberships. Perhaps that's partly due to younger RVers doing the family rather than group thing. You're also right that most clubs are selling something. But two thing ya can't buy are lost time with the kids - or a group of prepackaged friends with Motorhomes.
Steve

[CampDaven]

Steve, you are more correct than I.

Bottom line to the OP: belong to your family first. The rest will work itself out.

Dave

[Finally]

Originally Posted by Adam Hunter

If you all don't mind some input from a Holiday Rambler owner surfing the forum......


Regarding the clubs to join, the biggest challenge that my wife and I have found is finding clubs that suit the needs or more respectively the interests of the younger crowd. My wife and I are just in our early forties with 2 young children and while we have had some great times with Rvers who are "older" than us it is really hard to get a local or a big organization who has a younger population. (No offence)

I think they all have something to offer. We are members of Good Sam as we get small camping discounts here in Canada at some of our fav campsites. And KOA for our quick interstate stops while we travel in the USA.

Without getting everyone all fired up I find that FMCA magazine is full of their own advertising and personally I prefer the "Motorhome" magazine over "Family Motor Coach" but thats just my opinion. Take the some 38 benefits of being a member in FMCA - I think over 2 dozen of them are at "extra" cost. Heck their tire program isn't even offered to their Canadian members!

My wife and I find we have our best camaderie and meet great people (of all ages) at local campsites or provincial parks - usually there is someone or often groups of RVers who want to put on a pot luck BBQ and a group bonfire!

Alot of the magazines are available as subscriptions even if you don't join their club.

That being said we are going to try the Holiday Ramblers Club next year......we will keep our fingers crossed??!!


Adam.

Adam,

We are in the same boat as you, mid forties with four kids accept our youngest is 16. Most people we know are same age or a little older with young kids and they don't RV or travel. We are looking into what to join. We have Coast to Coast that we have had for years, Good Sam and looking at the Entegra Owners groups and others. The only forum we are on at the moment is IRV2. I don't have the cycles to join other forums at the moment.

We like to travel have have discount cards for just about everything. We enjoy our family.

Shawn and Donna

[Adam Hunter]

Originally Posted by Finally

Adam,

We are in the same boat as you, mid forties with four kids accept our youngest is 16. Most people we know are same age or a little older with young kids and they don't RV or travel. We are looking into what to join. We have Coast to Coast that we have had for years, Good Sam and looking at the Entegra Owners groups and others. The only forum we are on at the moment is IRV2. I don't have the cycles to join other forums at the moment.

We like to travel have have discount cards for just about everything. We enjoy our family.

Shawn and Donna

Just for the record even though it may sound like I was bashing clubs - I wasn't really.

While they all have commercial or specific agendas we continue to find that we make our "best" fun by ourselves or rather finding it by "ourselves" at this age. There will quite likely come a time/age if we are still lucky and healthy enough to make use of belonging and contributing to the bigger groups of RVers.

Again I would suggest as otherds have - keep this forum bookmarked as a reference for ALL of the get-to-thers planned in the RV community.


A

[Saltydog44]

OK - What about Pilot/Flying J Charge card. It seems to give a meaningful discount to FMCA members.

Has anyone tried it?