Does owning a camper make you rich or a cheap tightwad?

[plasticmaster]

I had a 2008 Jayco TT for 8 years and now I have a 2016 Forest River Vibe TT. Through the years, I've received sentiment from opposite ends of the spectrum. Some folks think that I'm a cheap tightwad because this is how my family and I vacation. Others seam to think I'm rich because I own a camper. I'm definitely not rich. My family and I manage our money wisely. We love camping and enjoy being able to take several vacations per year instead of just one. Have any of you received similar comments? How do you respond?

[et2]

Easy, I don't care what other people think of our stuff, and I certainly don't worry about theirs. Besides, who says we don't vacation in other ways too? We'll be in Hawaii very shortly for 10 days. So what you have doesn't tell anything about you.

If my wife dies before me, I plan to spend all my money before I go, and if there's a quarter left over I'm swallowing it.

[toedtoes]

2oldman wrote:

plasticmaster wrote:
Definitely not worried about it. Just think it's interesting that I get comments from both ends of the spectrum.

Like they say about life "you just can't win."

I've been told "An RV is the biggest waste of money." I also own an MDT hauler and a tow truck driver friend of mine laughed at me because he thought it was way too much truck.

I don't know whether they're a bit envious or just mean. Either way, I shrug it off, but I do think it's weird.

I think, as with a lot of things, they say stuff like this to make themselves feel better in their lives.

Sort of a "well, you must be rich to have something like that, so that's why I don't have one" or "well, you must be a tightwad to do that, so that's why I don't do it".

In reality, they are trying to justify to themselves why they don't have it. Even if they don't want one, there's a need to justify their life to themselves.

[phillyg]

I was rich until I bought an RV; now I'm RV poor.

[Sandia_Man]

As with most who don't have a clue, I just smile broadly after a brief chuckle. We've always done things our way, not giving much thought as to what others may think whether good or bad. I guess we are too happy with all we've been blessed with to let others that obviously need to belittle or patronize to give some meaning to their existence. RVing is but one of many ways we enjoy all that life has to offer, pondering what others may think about our endeavors is purely a waste of valuable time, which we all know is limited in supply.

[2oldman]

plasticmaster wrote:
Definitely not worried about it. Just think it's interesting that I get comments from both ends of the spectrum.

Like they say about life "you just can't win."

I've been told "An RV is the biggest waste of money." I also own an MDT hauler and a tow truck driver friend of mine laughed at me because he thought it was way too much truck.

I don't know whether they're a bit envious or just mean. Either way, I shrug it off, but I do think it's weird.

[Helimech]

Live your life, not theirs.

[Bob_Shaw]

I think the answer to your question is "Yes!". Yes, you are rich for being able to buy a nice camper, and yes, you are a tightwad for wanting to spend less money on vacations. Enjoy it and laugh.

[Old-Biscuit]

If I was a cheap tightwad I wouldn't own an RV so that must make me RICH

Except, because I own an RV I'm broke due to something always breaking

[wa8yxm]

Well. I am sitting here in a house with a price tag of 100 thousand roughly when new.. Same as the highest evaluation on the house I used to live in, only this one moves.

Back when I moved into the other house,, It was a nice neighborhood but then the devil moved in next door (Drug dealers) and things went.. Downhill

This house. when the devil moves in next door... Turn the key, Push the pedal Turn the wheel and new neighborhood!!! (NICE)

Back then I paid thousands (over 3) In property taxes. Today less than 500.

I paid 150-250 a month for electricity and natural gas..

I don't use much gas. Couple tanks a year at most.. and electricity is part of my site rental

Summers that's less than 100 /month plus 120 miles of driving at 8mpg
Winters it's about 250 plus 35 miles.

IF power fails.. I"m sitting on 5500 watts
IF park water fails.. I hold 80 gallons

WHen a hurricane caught me unable to move (OK I was 3 miles into the "Not required to split" band) I had hot and cold running water, Lights, TV, everything save internet, and a short drive got me internet.

Could not do that with the sticks and bricks


So are you Rich? Well true richness means lots of friends
Financial richness means lots of $$$$$

Are you a cheapscate? NO.. I'd not say that.. Smart yes. Thrifty Yes. Not worried about who last used the room or what's under the matress YES!!!

But then I'm biased.

[NanciL]

We joke that we are "trailer trash" as we are sitting enjoying our evening margarita on our own RV lot in paradise; the Florida Keys.

Jack L

[newman_fulltime]

my ex calls us homeless be ause we dont own a sticks and bricks

[downtheroad]

We don't care what others think about what we do or don't do .

[goducks10]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Funny about this question. My family rubs me and keeps informing me "You are wasting your money having a camper!" My mother thinks I should save every last penny till I die so I can give it my kids (NOT going to happen!). My sister thinks it's a waste of money to spend on it (but it's OK for her to smoke cigarettes like there's no tomorrow and drink alcohol in extreme excess), and my other sister thinks it's just foolish (probably because she doesn't have one).

I just smile at them all and remind them, it's my life not theirs.

LOL. Back in the early 90's I was working on a job with a guy that smoked. I had recently bought a new Blue Water boat. He was giving me a hard time about having a boat payment. IIRC it was around $140 +/-.
I asked him how much he spent on cigarettes. He didn't really know so we broke it down by cartons. He was spending about the same as me a month on cigs. Know way was he giving up cigs for a boat though.

I don't feel rich owning my 28' 5th wheel.
Rich to me is the guy that pulls in next to me with a newer Tiffin DP and 4 door Jeep Rubicon. Takes a chunk of change just to maintain the Tiffin.

[gbopp]

It's actually pretty simple.

When you buy the camper, the dealer thinks you're a cheap tightwad because you didn't buy a top of the line unit and all the 'extras' they offer.

When you take it in for repairs/service, they think you're rich and charge you accordingly.

[kerrlakeRoo]

Just smile and tell them that in the course of a year , you get to wake up with a sunrise view over the Atlantic, Fall colors in the Smokeys, a couple of sunsets over the Pacific, and a few days in a different National park every summer. And you do it all for about the same cost as their annual foray to the mouse mountain of their choice.