Getting expensive

I would like to know what ever happened to those "gas wars" we use to have. We could fill up our Cheve's for $3.00

noplace2 wrote:

Cloud Dancer wrote:
I was at Walgreens this morning. A package of 2 Tweenkies is $1.79

Yes Willie, I've looked at your posts for years. Was a private pilot for a very long time and am a bit envious of your years as an AP but never regretted not going there. Flew where I wanted and with whom I wanted. OK, didn't make the $$ you did.

BUT, if you amortize the cost of your "coach" over the times you've spent in it on the road over the past 11 years including site fees, fuel, insurance etc, I'm willing to bet that you've outspent me big time. And we've done this 24/7/365 X 13.3 years.

Not accusing you of anything. Just saying that there are far less expensive ways of doing this. Hopefully the OP has gotten some insight.

And BTW Willie, I understand that you are Hispanic, but Twinkies are still not "Tweenkies" LOL

If I were to explain where/how/why I have spent money, most people would properly not understand. I always wanted to have more than my share of fun. No question about it, I tend to err on the side of selfishness. Except, my wife and kids had a lot of fun as well.

Tweenkies is funny. The thing is I know that sometimes I pronounce the i in a kinda Hispanic way, but never realized that someday I would spell it that way also. Thanks

BTW I miss my airplanes.

We have found that a good solution for us is volunteering at places. 2-3 months usually FHU, in exchange for just being a friendly person for 2-4 days per week. Get to enjoy the area sights the rest of the time, or just like other campgrounds, just sit and think or just sit. Food, medicines, and necessities are about the same as if we were at out home base, weather is weather whatever, and we reduce our house expenses, water, heat, AC, by a lot while we are gone. Telephone, internet access sometimes iffy, but usually available. Television, depends on location. Good books to read, always plenty available at very low cost. Gas cost just or the single trip and back, nothing while parked, Gas for toad, just about the same as usual. Longer than 3 months or so gets to be too much like work, and we quit that.

Cloud Dancer wrote:
I was at Walgreens this morning. A package of 2 Tweenkies is $1.79

Yes Willie, I've looked at your posts for years. Was a private pilot for a very long time and am a bit envious of your years as an AP but never regretted not going there. Flew where I wanted and with whom I wanted. OK, didn't make the $$ you did.

BUT, if you amortize the cost of your "coach" over the times you've spent in it on the road over the past 11 years including site fees, fuel, insurance etc, I'm willing to bet that you've outspent me big time. And we've done this 24/7/365 X 13.3 years.

Not accusing you of anything. Just saying that there are far less expensive ways of doing this. Hopefully the OP has gotten some insight.

And BTW Willie, I understand that you are Hispanic, but Twinkies are still not "Tweenkies" LOL

I was at Walgreens this morning. A package of 2 Tweenkies is $1.79 (or 2 for $3.00). I was tempted, but..........

Also, I recall how happy we were when we first took delivery of our special-ordered first diesel pusher (we still have it). The price of diesel was $1.45,.....we could afford to go anywhere. Today, short trips is the new normality.

Well said, kcmoedoe.

I was in corporate marketing so I know the motel room, find a place to eat, etc. routine.

And even with DW vacationing while working and in retirement.

Your last sentence about put me on the floor with laughter. :-)

John&Joey wrote:

kcmoedoe wrote:

John&Joey wrote:

ccbb088 wrote:
Do you think the overall price of camping is starting to get to high? The price of campgrounds, diesel to get it there, camper payment if you have one. Etc. Just wanted to get some thoughts and opinions.

Yes, for us it seemed like it. When a campground is charging $30/night and I can get a nice hotel for $55/night and in the morning walk away from all the liability ??????

When I can drive my Highlander and get 24mpg vs my Class A at 6-10 mpg ??????

The only time my Class A made sense in traveling was when I turned the key off and stayed in one location for more then 4 days before moving onto the next location. Then an RV made sense for us as a means of traveling the country.

On what planet are nice hotel rooms $55.00 a night? A Best Western, a Holiday Inn Express or a Fairfield Inn all are generally $100 a night or more depending upon location and no one mistakes them for truly nice hotels...

Listen to you, big talker. You just need to get up to speed.

Join the clubs and learn the websites. Also take advantage of casino hotels. Yes it takes some work, but so does finding good campgrounds. Just because you fail at finding good hotels at the 50-70 dollar range doesn't mean we all do.

My mistake, great one. I neglected to consider that you can find discounted rooms at $55.00 if you are willing to travel where people don't want to be at the times they don't want to be there. But then again, the comparison will become those $55.00 rooms against that $9.50 RV site a poster mentioned a few posts back. Now the smart people are paying nearly 6 times as much for their hotel room as the RVer, hardly a bargain.
I promise you I am as you say "Up to speed" and probably have spent many times the number of nights in hotel and motel rooms than you. And no matter what clubs you belong to and how many sites you use, you won't be finding $55.00 rooms in desirable locations during prime seasons. But if Mitchell South Dakota, in the dead of winter, is your vacation destination, you might find that great room at a great price.

I agree it is more costly than 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago and I don't even like to think of what it will be in 5-10 more years....however, I have over the last could of months had to stay at a couple of different hotels on trips and let me tell you those price are crazy. I think the average was about $250 a night. That was $149+ for the room that is smaller then the square footage of my MH and then with breakfast (not included at any of the hotels) and lunch and diner for the 2 of us another $100 for something besides fast food, that is expensive. Camping the food is in the MH, the site is paid for for less than $100 so it is less than hotel stays.

We have traveled part time for 16 years - out 2-3, sometimes a little more, nights a year. I log everything - my engineering mentality I guess! :-) We stay at FHU places, about 98% private rv parks. In the last 3 years we have averaged about $36 / night. And nearly all meals are done at our rolling condo. We don't eat out much - but we don't eat out much when at home.

And - very important - OUR place. Our bed, our sitting area, our kitchen, our shower and even our toilet, etc. Our "home". Our peace of mind. Hard to put a price on the comfort of all that.

We just spent 68 days on the road back up to - mainly - the OR Coast again. From south of Tucson. Stayed on in FHU private RV parks. Average cost of $37.22 including 5 nights at a great place between Bend and Sisters, OR at $52 per night. Meals? Not much greater cost than at home (except food prices along the 395 corridor in CA).

Bottom line - will do it as long as we can.

Love it.

About 10 years ago DW got freaked out about hotels watching some show that used a black light. Then we started bringing our own sheets and comforter. Now we are looking for a bigger TC. Expensive yes, but sleeping in your own bed priceless. Happy wife happy life.