Community Forums

Bagger97 · 03-31-2009, 07:20 AM

Received an offer from GS to renew as an Lifetime Member. Is this something new? Is it worth it $299. to never pay anymore dues?
Is it worht it to even belong?

Toby · 03-31-2009, 07:43 AM

Allan

Do not know if it is a good buy, but the rate they are increasing the dues, if you want to be a member maybe it is a deal. They want $29 a year now. A couple of years ago, it was just $12. I just wish FMCA had a program to get all the campgrounds to give you a ten percent discount like GSs does and I would not belong to both of them, just FMCA, s/Toby

danes-on-tour · 03-31-2009, 08:10 AM

Hi Bagger97

Wether it is worth it must depend mainly on how many years you will continue RVing and how often you stay at parks that will give you a 10% discount.

Looking strictly at the campground savings I estimate that you will save on average $4 per night, and if you devide this into $299 it will take you 75 nights to save $299.

You will however have to take the annual fee of $29 into the equation, so without ever staying at parks that gives you the 10% discount it will take you just over 10 years to break even (assuming that the annual fee remains unchanged, which it probably won't).

There you are - everything is now clear as mud as they say in Ireland. I bet you are now confused at a much higher level

Glad to be of assistance

Gary RVRoamer · 03-31-2009, 08:12 AM

We let our GS lapse this year. About the only benefit is the 10% campground discount and we belong to other discount programs (e.g. passport America) that give more for the dollar. Good Sam still sells us theor other products, e.g. campground CDs, road service, etc. if we want them. Don't seem to have to be a member to get them.

danes-on-tour · 03-31-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary]

We let our GS lapse this year. About the only benefit is the 10% campground discount and we belong to other discount programs (e.g. passport America) that give more for the dollar. Good Sam still sells us theor other products, e.g. campground CDs, road service, etc. if we want them. Don't seem to have to be a member to get them.

Wise man this Gary - this is exactly what we are going to do.

TXiceman · 03-31-2009, 08:39 AM

We dropped our GS membership last year as well. Many of the places we frequent no longer honor the GS discount or they do only for cash. GS has been transformed to a cash cow for Affinity rather than something to help RVers in my opinion.

Ken

MtManLee · 03-31-2009, 09:36 AM

I am a life time member and do not regret it at all. I was a member of passport america some ten years ago and could hardly ever find a place to stay that was not off the beaten path, a funky park, or they said could not use it at the park for one reason or another, dropped them quick and bought lifetime with GS. It has paid for itself ten times over already.

GaryKD · 03-31-2009, 01:33 PM

Hi Alan,
I became a life member of GS years ago. For me it has been and will continue to be worth it. Like others have posted, the bottom line is do you use the service GS provides. If so, it's a good deal.

R1Kirby · 04-02-2009, 10:21 AM

I dumped off Good Sams. When I joined I got more junk mail than one can even begin to imagine. Most parks will offer discounts without the Good Sams card. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Meandering Retiree · 04-02-2009, 08:41 PM

We are life members of Good Sam. I use the discounts and the trip routing. I also have AAA, but they do not offer lifetime membership.

Gary RVRoamer · 04-03-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

GS has been transformed to a cash cow for Affinity rather than something to help RVers in my opinion.

GS has always been a profit center for Affinity. It was never about helping campers. Escapees and Passport America are also privately owned companies that are in the business of selling services to RVers.

FMCA, on the other hand, is member owned and operated.

bsavage · 04-03-2009, 10:58 PM

This is all very interesting to me, not only as an RV'r, but as an owner of a small RV Park. I am just trying to decide what programs we should be part of, so far I have no less than 10 affiliations I am considering. We are happy to offer a discount, but in addition most programs charge us (as an RV Park) for a membership or for "being listed"... I'm trying to decide what works best for the most RV'rs. So, I'll stay tuned!

Brenda, of...

zigzagrv · 04-04-2009, 11:48 AM

I have both GS (not lifetime) and KOA. I have looked at PA, HC and other similar clubs, but they have too many restrictions. When we travel, we seldom make reservations because we seldom know where we are going to be on any given day. We plan what we are going to see, but not always know how long we will stay in any given place. Very difficult to plan ahead to get into a PA or other similar club campground.

However, with GS and KOA you will always get the 10% discount without restrictions and you can almost always find a GS or KOA campground wherever you are. We easily make up the cost of membership. Make sense?

GaryKD · 04-04-2009, 12:02 PM

Hi Brenda,
Consider becoming affiliated with those organizations that charge you nothing or very little. Offer something special, above and beyond, if the customer mentions a code number you place in the listing. Keep track of the customers that mention the code number. After a year or two, you will have data that you can use to make a decision on how valuable these affiliations are to your business.