How do you share camping expenses?

[clikrf8]

My husband and I invited my sister to go on a 2-3 week camping trip with us. We have been to many of the places she and I planned to visit but I thought it would help her readjust to being back home in the PNW. Well, I was distracted about water issues and running a small business so shined on her proposals. Besides, she yells at me and I take the path of least resistance.

Somehow, I agreed to have us pay for a site and she would pay the extra car fee. Yeah, I know, stupid. Her reasoning was that we have a full-sized truck and a pop up truck camper and she has a small SUV plus tent. Essentially, we have a similar footprint. I should have nipped that proposal right away but, I was distracted.

Toward the end of the trip, I tallied up the costs and whoa, there, we were paying 3 times as much. When I mentioned this to her, she blew up and threw money at me. She has been cold and distant since.

My take is that you pay for the site, and it is not based on the size of your RV. If a class A or a 5er or trailer can occupy a standard site (no hookups), they pay the same as anyone else. I have never really thought about the fair or unfair aspects. We are all camping no matter the size or type of RV.

Needless to say, there will be no more camping trips with her. I have learned to say no, now, more often than I used to.

What do you all do when faced with this situation?

[toedtoes]

d3500ram wrote:

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

It is like when you go with 4 people to lunch and that one person is tallying up their portion of the cost to the nickel because they only had a salad, rather than just divide by 4.

...or it is the opposite where the person ordering the least costly item gets the shaft... remember the old SNL skit where Father Guido Sarducci analyzes the bill for the last Supper?

I don't like splitting the check evenly. But I have friends at all ends of the financial spectrum, so I understand why someone will only eat a salad to save money. Forcing them to pay for everyone else's meal is rude in my opinion.

[d3500ram]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

It is like when you go with 4 people to lunch and that one person is tallying up their portion of the cost to the nickel because they only had a salad, rather than just divide by 4.

...or it is the opposite where the person ordering the least costly item gets the shaft... remember the old SNL skit where Father Guido Sarducci analyzes the bill for the last Supper?

[DarkSkySeeker]

Grit dog wrote:
Too bad a lot of folks piled on the OP, but this situation is not unique to them, or camping.
Some folks are cheap, some aren’t.

It is like when you go with 4 people to lunch and that one person is tallying up their portion of the cost to the nickel because they only had a salad, rather than just divide by 4.

[time2roll]

Last time I shared a campsite I agreed to pay in full and did. We also provided all the food and meals. When they got in a bit late to set up the tent they slept in our RV (on the hard floor) that first night. Turned out fine and all was good. Have not been since and would need more rules about sleeping next time but it was all good company and we get along good years later.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I guess my attitude would be that if I was camping by myself, I would have paid a campsite fee anyway, so having her pick up the extra car fee seems fair to me?

When we invite our kids camping, I buy the sites; then we divide each day into meals, and everyone signs up for "meals for the group". That way items don't get forgotten; we seem to have "balanced meals" - and the burden of cooking falls solely on the shoulders of whoever's meal it is. Works for us, anyway.

Lastly - camping should be enjoyable/restful/rejuvenating. No matter how much you hoped to assist your stepsister, if there's tension between the two of you, then maybe a camping trip was inviting "drama".

[imgoin4it]

We do not “share” costa. Each pays for their own site, expenses etc.

[toedtoes]

I don't think it's that everyone says "you invited her, so you pay for it".

But most everyone agrees that "you agreed to her paying the extra car fee only, so that's what she should pay."

I would never be offended if someone invited me and expected me to pay my own way. But I would be upset if they agreed on how to split the costs before the trip and then complained about it afterwards.

But this thread is really more about sharing a campsite rather than everyone getting their own. For me, that will be more about who initiated the trip - if I planned a trip for myself and then invited someone to share my site, I would only ask them to pay the extra car fee.

If someone else initiated the trip and then said "let's share one site", I would expect to pay one-half the site fee.

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting 5 page thread that really distills down to 'You asked her to come along so you pay for it'

I go camping with my good friend and fellow hunter Jimmy all the time and I never ask for anything money wise. We always have a good time and that is all that natters to me.

Camped with family too. Everybody pitches in on food and drink. No money issues there either but then we camp 95% on our own land in Northern Michigan so the only cost is the food, drinks and diesel getting there.

In good conscience I'd never ask any of them for any money. I think that pretty low.

[westernrvparkow]

K_and_I wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

K_and_I wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
The agreement prior to the trip was the sister was going to pay the extra vehicle charges and you were going to pay the site fees. How could it possibly be a surprise you paid more than she did? Only in my sweet dreams are extra vehicle charges as much as site fees. If they were, there would be another Ferrari in my garage.

So, would that be the 3rd or 4th?
🙂

I am thinking an F40 would look great sitting between a TestaRossa and 250 GTO. Go extra vehicle fees!

Just raise your daily fee to $100. People might complain, but...

You mean lower my daily fee to $100. :)(Not quite true, but they are closer to $100 than the $35 to $40 "standard rates" the thread you are referencing was about.)

[fitznj]

I go camping with friends many times per year;
Some stay in my TT others have their own tent but use my site;

I've never taken a penny for the site - I appreciate their company,
no use getting upset over a few bucks.

[toedtoes]

I agree that the sister's "outrage" was most likely caused by the OP complaining about costs AFTER the pay arrangements had been agreed to, the trip had been taken, and the sister had paid her agreed upon share of the costs. The OP then talked about how they showed the sister such a great time. While at the same time making it clear they don't really like the sister.

This was never going to end well no matter the arrangements.

[Grit_dog]

Too bad a lot of folks piled on the OP, but this situation is not unique to them, or camping.
Some folks are cheap, some aren’t. Some can afford more, some can’t. Some have issues with those that “can afford” more and some don’t.
There’s no perfect answer. We all have “those friends” or you are “those friends”.
We just choose to associate ourselves with like minded people.
Reminds me mostly of a good friend of mine and couple other good buddies. Went through school together. Best of friends and still are, but one of the 4 of us was/is cheaper than _____. After we all had families started we still took several annual boating trips. This one guy was the only one who didn’t have a boat and that was ok with us. But on top of it, while the other 3 of us spent considerably more hauling our boats there, ownership costs etc, he was the guy who’d not buy any gas all week and would bring a Costco pack of chicken thighs for food contribution and think that at the end of the week we all were square even because he bought a couple extra cases of beer.
Or the guy we were renting a house with in an out of town job. He’d figure grocery split down to the penny and then try to deduct some from the next bill if he didn’t eat his 25% of the bacon or cereal or bread. Or deduct part of his share of the utilities because he went home 1 more weekend than us and wasn’t using the heat then!
You just stop supporting those types or suck it up. Depends how important they are to you.

[lots2seeinmyrv]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

lots2seeinmyrv wrote:
She is rude and abusive, throws money at you. Wow.

Seems like she has a history of this abusive personality.

I would have never have invited that person to camp with and to put up with that abuse for 2-3 weeks would be terrible.

Don't tell her your plans in the future.

I would also let people make their own arrangements if they want to go. She can call and reserve a Tent site and pay for it.

If meals are together, then make a list who brings what or set a menu for potluck.

No one deserves to be treated that way. And sounds like she badgered you and took advantage of your good nature.

#walkaway

Nowhere in the original post is it even implied the sister didn't pay the amount they agreed to prior to taking the trip. The poster claimed he paid three times as much as the sister. He would have paid twice as much if everyone paid an equal amount since there were two people in his party and only one sister. Since he agreed to pay the site fees and sister would pay the extra vehicle fees, he had to know he was agreeing to paying more than the sister. Furthermore, that would likely have been the case even if they were making separate arrangements since tent sites are normally less than RV sites. It appears to me the guy had bad time and wants to put the blame entirely on the sister even though he has at least some blame.
On a personal level, if I had an agreement on how expenses would be shared and at the end I was told I was taking advantage of the other party even though I paid what was agreed to, I would be like the sister. I would pull out money and tell them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. I don't do business with people who don't honor their agreements and I sure don't need to socialize with them, family or not.

"Toward the end of the trip, I tallied up the costs and whoa, there, we were paying 3 times as much.

When I mentioned this to her, she blew up and threw money at me. She has been cold and distant since."

[K_and_I]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

K_and_I wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
The agreement prior to the trip was the sister was going to pay the extra vehicle charges and you were going to pay the site fees. How could it possibly be a surprise you paid more than she did? Only in my sweet dreams are extra vehicle charges as much as site fees. If they were, there would be another Ferrari in my garage.

So, would that be the 3rd or 4th?
🙂

I am thinking an F40 would look great sitting between a TestaRossa and 250 GTO. Go extra vehicle fees!

Just raise your daily fee to $100. People might complain, but...

[westernrvparkow]

K_and_I wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
The agreement prior to the trip was the sister was going to pay the extra vehicle charges and you were going to pay the site fees. How could it possibly be a surprise you paid more than she did? Only in my sweet dreams are extra vehicle charges as much as site fees. If they were, there would be another Ferrari in my garage.

So, would that be the 3rd or 4th?
🙂

I am thinking an F40 would look great sitting between a TestaRossa and 250 GTO. Go extra vehicle fees!