The real cost of camping vs not

[Flapper]

We just had our 5th totaled by the Ins. co. due to a roof tear that happened unnoticed during the season last season, causing 3 of the walls to delaminate. Big bummer for something that had only seen 4 summers.

So the question came up, how much does a camping trip actually cost? Should we just take the money and do more conventional travel?

I won't get into all the nitty gritty, as everyone's actual use and numbers vary by a huge amount. But for us (2 people), camping generally meant long road trips, for weeks at a time. Not worrying about being frugal on campsites (we did a lot of KOA's, for example). Taking the dogs. Eating out when we felt like it. Doing some tourist tours/attractions.

Non-camping meant 2 week trips, some with airfare, some driving, dogs in a kennel. We did not have to pay for hotel/motel at our destinations (stayed with family, etc.) We never rented a car. Very few admissions/fees to see things. We did, however have to dine out a LOT more.

The only thing not counted in either were groceries - we'd do that even if we just stayed home!

So comparing all up expenses for the two types of travel, including the front loaded loss on the camper due to depreciation (and maint. and storage, etc.) we averaged $242 per day for 126 days of the lifestyle.

For non-RV, we averaged $298 per day over 42 days. Throw in an extra at least $100 per day if we had to pay for lodging, let alone car rental, and it seems pretty clear which way is more cost effective.

Of course if we could have used the 5th for it's full depreciation life, the cost of ownership per camping day would have dropped. And there are lots of ways to economize that we didn't worry about - so it is easy to come in under our amount. Probably by a LOT.

But given what appears to be the low side number for conventional travel, and how it only can get more complex/costly to see many of the same places it is easy to go camping at.....

Looks like we are making the reinvestment in a new RV!

[Jbrowland]

The real cost of not camping?

My daughter writing that she wants to be a Ranger when she grows up = priceless 😉

If we didn't own an RV, we wouldn't go camping half as much as we do.

[atwowheelguy]

I never figured buying an RV could SAVE money. If there are hotels at your normal destinations, I think it would not be economical to incur the constant expense of taxes, depreciation and maintenance for occasional use. I bought mine for comfort and convenience. I would never go into debt to finance a toy, but many do, so there could also be interest to pay. If it's financed, it also must be insured. The price of my camper was small enough that I don't insure it. A loss that size wouldn't bankrupt me. I go to dirt bike events that are typically 20-30 miles from the nearest hotel. Usually there is not even a campground with utilities, just a field. I don't want to sleep on the ground, so it's the camper for me. Plus it hauls my motorcycles! A car and a hotel just won't get the job done for me.

[colliehauler]

Take a 90 day vacation to Alaska and stay in motels every night and eat at restaurant's keep your receipts and compare what a used RV and truck would cost along with camping receipts and grocery store receipts. The used truck and RV can be sold after the trip.

I would be willing to bet that the RV trip will be less.

[mx727]

So, three weeks in the Keys would cost ~$7500 at a Courtyard for one king room.

Very nice campground cost $2500.

I'd drive either way. Tolls and fuel increases about $1000 RT with the camper.

Kids and family can come down for a few days. I don't have to pay for another room with the camper.

Food is cheaper.

The difference in just lodging pays the payment for the brand new rig, so I'm going to break even on the first trip. Last year, I was money ahead.

We do this trip twice a year. There is no way that it would be cheaper to take both trips without the camper.

The intangibles of being in your own "home" and sitting outside with friends and family are just a wonderful bonus.

[Lumpty]

My friends all make fun of me for my "racer math", but given how we use our Class C it absolutely makes financial sense, staying in it about 40 nights a year at pro and club track events as much as 1000 miles from home. Any further than that, we do fly and hotel it. An example was our last big trip back in September-October. Left Thursday night from NJ headed to Auburn, AL where both kids are students. Wal-Mart'ed for a nap in Staunton, VA. Tailgated until Sunday at Auburn for the LSU game. Spent Sunday night at a Georgia State Park (FDR) near Pine Mountain, then drove up to Road Atlanta for Petit LeMans week on Monday where the big kid was driving in one of the support series. Stayed there through Sunday morning then home in one long drive that day. Cash out of pocket? 2000 miles of fuel at 8mpg was $575, the overnight in the State Park was $30, my competitor RV pass at the track was $200. We ate and drank well, so let's say $200 in groceries. Total? $1,005.

If I had driven my Golf Sportwagen, sure, gas would have been significantly cheaper, that 2000 miles/40 mpg = $112. But then, 10 nights in hotels, at at least $150 a night on average, because both these were high profile events, so $1500, then food at a minimum of $100 a day, so another $1000. Over $2,600.

Making this a fly-drive would have been even more. Plane tickets at even $250 each for my wife and I would have been $500. Rental car about $500. One night of hotel and a day of food saved would still be $2150. Way over $3,000.

We do trips like that 4-5 times a year. I've calculated that owning the RV over the 10-12 years I plan to keep this one (we're halfway through) will cost me in depreciation, insurance, maintenance and repairs about $5,000 annually. While all the travel and having the motorhome is discretionary spending, if we are going to do what we do, the RV easily "saves" the money spent on it.

[ncrowley]

We have done the math and RVing does not save us money over other types of travel in almost all cases. However, we travel for a week to a month at a time and will not put the dog in a kennel for more than a few days. Also, we would not travel so much if we had to stay in hotels and eat out all the time. We know that without the RV, we would not travel very much and would not see all the things we have seen. Therefore, for us, the extra cost of traveling with the RV is well worth it.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

We are now doing what I call "Hybrid camping" - if it's too hot, too cold, too tired, too stormy, etc, we stay at LaQuintas. Our 2 dogs are welcomed there, the rooms are clean and nice. But when we get to areas that are scenic, or we wish to explore more closely - camping is the way to go! The one thing that most hotels can't offer: you step out the door into the forest (or desert or seashore, etc). Our last epic sightseing trip was the Pacific NW, and we used a pop-up truck camper that I have $1000 invested in. Getting the better mpg (compared to our old Class C) and minimal investment levels that "which is cheaper" playing field real fast. But in our case, camping allows us to experience the best places, firsthand.

[IdaD]

RPreeb wrote:
For us, the trailer is for camping. We don't "RV" in the way the many on this forum do it - we go camping in the national forests and parks. We go to mostly hang out in nature.

When we do destination travel, we generally leave the trailer at home, even if driving, because we have other reasons for making the trip that don't involve "camping". There is generally less hassle involved in checking into a hotel, going in and out from a location close to or right at the activity we are there for, No worries about using water or battery or LP. No decisions on whether it's time to disturb the campground by firing up the generator to recharge.

So we see it both ways. We live at home in a fixed, immovable house, but we trip out away from there both ways as necessary.

We mostly use it as a camper too, but the trailer worked surprisingly well on a vacation to Disney in California last summer. It made the travel part easier since we had a bathroom and our kitchen in tow, and once we were down there it was not only cheaper than a hotel but with young kids it actually worked better since they were in a familiar environment versus bouncing off the walls at a Hyatt or whatever. It kind of opened our eyes and with as much as we use it my wife and I have decided that it's going to be worth investing in a nicer toy hauler within the next few years. It is more work in some ways but I do like the greater independence and being able to pack what we want. With a family of five and a big dog vacations via air travel aren't going to be very practical in the foreseeable future, and frankly I fly enough for work to more than get my fill of all that noise.

[RPreeb]

For us, the trailer is for camping. We don't "RV" in the way the many on this forum do it - we go camping in the national forests and parks. We go to mostly hang out in nature.

When we do destination travel, we generally leave the trailer at home, even if driving, because we have other reasons for making the trip that don't involve "camping". There is generally less hassle involved in checking into a hotel, going in and out from a location close to or right at the activity we are there for, No worries about using water or battery or LP. No decisions on whether it's time to disturb the campground by firing up the generator to recharge.

So we see it both ways. We live at home in a fixed, immovable house, but we trip out away from there both ways as necessary.

[colliehauler]

Crowe wrote:
JMO. but I think you're comparing apples to oranges. Each style of travel should stand on it's own merits irrespective of cost ... RV simply because you enjoy it, no other reason.

Exactly. I have no idea why people feel the need to justify their choices.

Crowe I agree completely. Short trips I use a motel, longer trips I usually take the RV.

There is a famous quote by Oscar Wilde Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

[goducks10]

We also have used or trailers as motels on wheels. Many times we go somewhere to visit and make a 2 night trip out of it. We've parked it out in the street in front of the BIL's house while visiting for family things. We've used it to stay in while we are in a city just wanting to check out the area and have fun. We used it as a motel last year while we were refurbiing ny moms condo getting it ready to sell. Several years ago we had a sewer line installed and used it in the driveway while the new line was getting installed. It's more than just a tent on wheels for us. I don't think I could ever give up owning some type of self contained RV unless I'm just too physically disabled to be able to use it. I also have a Interagency Senior Pass that allows us to camp for $9.00 a night in most FS campgrounds in Oregon. hard to beat that.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

The places I like to go are meant for camping, not hotels. (Someone pointed this out).

I have great memories of many campgrounds or campsites but only a couple of great hotel stays and those were in cities where I will still choose hotel.

The cost per night on a camper goes down the more you use it. I mitigate that as a working man by keeping the price down on the camper. In retirement when I can use it more, I'll bump up. We had a pop-up for the last ten years. Looking to move up to a. TT in $15k used range

I echo the many who said not having to pack/unpack is a major convenience of camping.

Last, don't eat out much when traveling regardless of mode but an RV makes it easier with more options.

[winnietrey]

I tend to be a bit of an introvert, who is in the "people business" go figure.
I get burned out on people, and I find camping brings me an opportunity to have less people contact. As I do get burned out from people contact in my job.

So I get recharged from camping in a way I would never get from a hotel vacation. So to me, it is money very well spent. If it costs more or less, is not a concern, versus the benefit of less people contact time.

[blofgren]

Lantley wrote:
There is no calculation for enjoyment. I RV because I enjoy the lifestyle.
No need to calculate any further.
I don't do it because it's economical or that it is more cost effective or for any financially based reason.
I do it for the fun. As long as I have fun doing it I will continue to enjoy RV'ing. When it stops being fun I will have to reconsider.
THe only way to get value out of your RV is to use it. THe more you use it the more value you will get out of it. My value thoughts apply to all years,makes, models,price and types of RV's

My thoughts exactly.