Getting expensive

[ccbb088]

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.

[Cloud_Dancer]

At our age, we are willing to pay for all the conveniences whenever we dry camp or boondock.
Our generator is very quiet, and we can use it to run the 2 air conditoners, the micro/convection oven, the TVs,.....everything at the same time, including charging the batteries. We have big tanks, so 5 days "camping" for both of us is no problem.
The motorhome purchase price was high, plus the generator burns one gallon per hour of diesel (at full load).
RVing is expensive, any way you look at it.

In warm/hot season, whenever we overnight at a Walmart we run the generator all the time we're there. It ends up costing as much as a space at a RV Park. BUT, the total convenience and time saved makes it worth it.

[NYCgrrl]

pnichols wrote:

The you thaw them out at the campground.

When drycamping, how do you thaw stuff out in a hurry if you neglected to leave the stuff out on the counter far enough ahead of time?

Thaw for tomorrow and eat from your pantry today.

[pnichols]

Put in on the stove under very low heat and watch it closely.

We couldn't do this when out during the day rockhounding, hiking, or photographing, so we use a microwave and generator for unthawing.

[Caveman_Charlie]

pnichols wrote:

The you thaw them out at the campground.

When drycamping, how do you thaw stuff out in a hurry if you neglected to leave the stuff out on the counter far enough ahead of time?

Put in on the stove under very low heat and watch it closely. People was around before microwaves you know. They were even around before freezers.

[colliehauler]

RGar974417 wrote:
No one said you have to buy a new camper.And there are plenty of low cost campgrounds.In South Carolina,we stayed at Huntington Beach State Park for $18 a night with water and electric hookups.Other state or federal parks are good deals too.If you have the America the Beautiful pass,then it's half price at most federal campgrounds.Pa offers a senior discount too.There is a book called low cost or no cost campgrounds.Some of them have hookups.Plus you can save money by eating in the camper.My wife makes up food ahead of time like pot pie,chillie,shepard pie etc and freezes it.The you thaw them out at the campground.

BINGO! There are many ways to save money while camping.

[Us_out_West]

Leave it out and have it the next day.

[pnichols]

The you thaw them out at the campground.

When drycamping, how do you thaw stuff out in a hurry if you neglected to leave the stuff out on the counter far enough ahead of time?

[RGar974417]

No one said you have to buy a new camper.And there are plenty of low cost campgrounds.In South Carolina,we stayed at Huntington Beach State Park for $18 a night with water and electric hookups.Other state or federal parks are good deals too.If you have the America the Beautiful pass,then it's half price at most federal campgrounds.Pa offers a senior discount too.There is a book called low cost or no cost campgrounds.Some of them have hookups.Plus you can save money by eating in the camper.My wife makes up food ahead of time like pot pie,chillie,shepard pie etc and freezes it.The you thaw them out at the campground.

[RambleOnNW]

When we bought our RV, BIL said Why don't you just stay in a motel, my reply was there are no motels where we are going:



We use to rent vacation houses for a number of years and still do in the winter. RVing is much cheaper and flexible, if you don't like where you are, pick up and move.

The cost is not going up significantly, gas is now going down and the camping fees are starting from a low level.

[NYCgrrl]

peaches&cream wrote:

down home wrote:
Cost of not camping is high too. 325.00 off the bat to keep storage space.
Batteries, cleaning, some items need repair. 124,000.00 I think this year and I have 91 ceents, in my pocket.
Electric bill doubled from last year. Water bill 90.00 or so two swimming pool's worth even though I don't even have one. 600.00 a month just to mow. Gasoline 1000,00.00 month. 5 vehicles 1600,00 for tires. 1,000.00 for servicing.50.00 for natual gas. 40,000 yr mtge. 24,000.00 yr mtge on MH. 7,000.00 Insurance on everything. Paying road up hill 5,000.00, at least. Trimmers, chain saws, rakes, brooms, entrance mats, 2,000.00. Car pymt 600,00,loan to pay IRS 4,500.. a year. Direct, Verizon, AT&t 600.00 plus per month. four tires for coach 2500.00,Food 400,00 wk beans and taters and chicken an flour, sugar, washing soaps and tp and bread. Pesticides and ag sprays and so forth 200.00 month. Almost enough to drive the black caar and some clothes left.

:@

...could be sleep posting....

[peaches_cream]

down home wrote:
Cost of not camping is high too. 325.00 off the bat to keep storage space.
Batteries, cleaning, some items need repair. 124,000.00 I think this year and I have 91 ceents, in my pocket.
Electric bill doubled from last year. Water bill 90.00 or so two swimming pool's worth even though I don't even have one. 600.00 a month just to mow. Gasoline 1000,00.00 month. 5 vehicles 1600,00 for tires. 1,000.00 for servicing.50.00 for natual gas. 40,000 yr mtge. 24,000.00 yr mtge on MH. 7,000.00 Insurance on everything. Paying road up hill 5,000.00, at least. Trimmers, chain saws, rakes, brooms, entrance mats, 2,000.00. Car pymt 600,00,loan to pay IRS 4,500.. a year. Direct, Verizon, AT&t 600.00 plus per month. four tires for coach 2500.00,Food 400,00 wk beans and taters and chicken an flour, sugar, washing soaps and tp and bread. Pesticides and ag sprays and so forth 200.00 month. Almost enough to drive the black caar and some clothes left.

:@

[down_home]

sleep post

[pnichols]

Well FWIW ... camping like this isn't expensive once you figure out how to buy the RV to get there ... but it's certainly priceless:

[ktmrfs]

Is it worth it? PRICELESS. Let's us get near the places we want to go. Never did enjoy hotels or air travel. Some stuff is more, some less. I keep track of our camping expenses each year. Do it more out of curiosity than any real reason. camp 3ish months/year. over the past 4 years, our annual average daily cost has only varied a dollar or two/day. Even if costs doubled, we wouldn't change what we do anyway.

[Johno02]

Sounds like I am in the wrong thread for our lifestyle. This one is turning into "who's got the biggest ----", and I can't find mine to measure.