How to calculate the cost of RVing

Jayco-noslide wrote:
I'll use a 2003 Class C motor home purchased 7 years ago as an example because that's what we have.
I paid $23000 for it. Let's assume I sell today for $15000. OK much of this has to be estimated. So I spent $8000 (Not the price I paid for it). I estimate I've spent 75 days per year using it(525 days) so = $15 per day for "lodging". Not bad. But to the $8000 I need to add Camping fees($2000), repair, service and improvements($5000), fuel that's over and above traveling in a car for 40000 miles(that's actual)= $3600 car versus $12000 MH = $8400. Plus Misc. cost of $1000
Grand total cost = $24000 for 7 years, 40000 miles and and estimated 525 days of living in it. Averages out to $45 per day.
I can live with that. But a new MH, fewer nights use and trading soon would raise that to way more than a luxury hotel for same number of nights.
Different viewpoints or math?

You must not stay at campgrounds if you're saying your camping fees only amount to $2000 for 525 days of camping, that works out to about $4/night. My thinking would be much closer to $10,000 pretty easily. And don't forget the taxes you paid when you bought it, the taxes you pay every year to own it, and the tags and insurance to keep it on the road. Over 7 years that will amount to a pretty penny, and you'd have to figure that in the total.

To my mind, you can't compare the costs without realizing that you can stay at a hotel/motel much cheaper than buying and using a camper. Especially a large camper with the accompanying large vehicle to pull it with. And then when add in the costs of maintaining, fueling, taxes, and camping costs in general, it's a losing proposition.

Consequently I've never run the numbers and don't intend to. It's immaterial. We do it because we don't particularly care for motel/hotel rooms, and we like having "our stuff" with us.

I personally do not know any RVers who RV because they save money. It is all about the lifestyle - seeing sights, sleeping in our own bed, not hauling suitcases into hotels, having a clean bathroom onboard, having a spot to lunch in our own space, and much more. We can surround ourselves with as little or as much of our stuff as we wish. The flexibility and comfort of our own space is priceless. While we may be saving some money, it is not the driver for owning and operating an RV. Everyone has their reason for owning an RV. For us, it makes heart sense not money sense.

I always add in the cost of not knowing how clean my hotel sheets are (don't EVER shine a UV light on them). Or the cost to my mental health of potential hotel bedbugs(or worse). Or not being able to bring my dog. Or the huge differences in experiences in RVing v hoteling.

The dollars may not add up unless you RV a lot, but when you start adding in personal concerns, RVs destroy the competition for me.

That is probably a good ballpark figure. You didn't include insurance to that will add some as will storage if you have pay for that. You also have expenses that are more difficult to quantify. Take food for instance, if you didn't eat out while camping and always cooked at camp, you are likely to spend significantly less than staying in a hotel and eating out every meal.

I don't think most people RV in order to save money though.

I mismanaged mine something terrible. But, my story is too convoluted to tell.
The bottom line is that I screwed up. And now, I know whole lot about the subject, but don't have the cash to take advantage of my great RV "education".