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  1. #1
    Member Bill2e's Avatar
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    RV vs Cabin / hotel

    So here's the deal - usd to own a camper and loved it.........want another, but can't get the math to work.


    We had had a site on the river and it stayed 24/7. Only moved for week in Disney every year.

    Sold it when the time was right.

    I have the the itch for another, but for the amount of time we can use it the $$$$ don't ad up.

    Between storage and insurance it's cheap to rent a cabin on the river.
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  2. Member
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    #2
    Don't know about Florida but around here I can stay at any of our COE or State Parks for anywhere between $20 and $25 a night with water hookup and 50amps of service. Five nights for $100 bucks? I can't do do that anywhere well at a nice hotel or cabin. Plus I can leave all my junk in there and just add clothes and food and take off. No restrictions for my dog and my wife loves to hang out at the camper and just chill while I'm out fishing in the morning and then she will join me in the boat in the afternoon. Yes I could stay a hotel many, many nights for the cost of the camper itself but unlike a lot of other folks we use are several times a year and over the course of the life of the camper it will pay for itself. My last one was 18 years old when I sold it and I've had this new one for less than a year now. As far as storage, don't know about that. We live on 3 acres so I've got plenty of parking space. I have a nice fabric cover I put on it while it's parked in the yard. It helps keep it clean and keep the rain and sun off. I want to keep this on longer than the last one so I have to take good care of it.

  3. Member bassn5150's Avatar
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    #3
    There's something to be said about hanging your clothes in "your" closet or sleeping in "your" bed, as the camper allows. Plus you can change scenery with the camper. But there is also certain upsides to cabins/motels. I'm in favor of the camper route. You can personalize it to basically be an extension of your house. Plus many campers have the creature comforts of home. Should the camper be your ultimate goal, I got a perfect 03 Cedar Creek 30RLBS 5th wheel that makes a great camping machine I'd cut loose of!

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    #4
    I would rather own a camper than stay in cabins or motels.

  5. Member Bass AHolic's Avatar
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    #5
    In reality, there is more campers than rental camper spots. wither Army Corp of Engineers, KOA's, State, Federal, even some city or small town or Privately Owned camp grounds. And during summer pre booked weekly up to a year ahead. week days most have open spots.. Then there are campers bought used a few times, then sit n rot in Back Yards.. the time or the Newness has worn off. In the west and other places some towns don't allow any campers parked at Home, and have to be put in pay to store yards. Yes there is even time share camp grounds like the condos haha. Actually can buy a new Cadillac and travel where ever and yep motels, Restaurant's etc. come up cheaper in the long run over many years, then to buy a high Dollar RV.. of course trade off of camp site, outdoor fire. skeeter bites the works. but after those very few camping days where does the rig sit? Had a high Dollar Class A, and the 3rd Travel Trailer sits in Driveway.. Had it 2 yrs and been to campground for 4 hrs, just enuff time to hook up utility's and fill and empty water to make sure everything worked. Then parked it at home. No time to use. Another one of those wife wanted another

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    #6
    We had a travel trailer for about 20 years, and really enjoyed it. But we bought a new 2015 model fifth wheel trailer which we really love. It stays in a member owned (deeded) campground in the North Georgia mountains in storage. I call them and the campground moves it on a campsite for us for $15. Total cost of our membership is $410 per year, and we can stay 14 nights for free monthly. As far as I can tell, this is the Holy Grail of inexpensive camping.

    I do have a tow vehicle, and the ability to hit the road with it. I really don't have the desire to tour long distances due to family obligations. What we use our RV for is a home away from home in a beautiful location. It's much cheaper to keep up than a mountain house. If I choose to take my boat, I've got Chatuge Lake, Lake Lanier, Lake Burton and Lake Nottley within 30 miles.

  7. Member BigSexyPhoenix's Avatar
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    #7
    We pull our camper all over the place. We stay at COE parks, branson, private campgrounds on the white river and anywhere else we decide to go. Staying in hotels sucks and I hate dragging all of my stuff up to the room and then dragging it all back down.

  8. Member SCfisher's Avatar
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    #8
    It's not really in the math or vs renting a cabin or hotel. You either love to camp and own a camper or you are a cabin/hotel person. Don't get me wrong I stayed in a motel this week in TN, but we use our camper regular and have for years. To me if your having to figure it up don't do it. If a camper sits more than use it goes to hell fast..IMO
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  9. Member Bob B's Avatar
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Bass Junkie View Post
    Don't know about Florida but around here I can stay at any of our COE or State Parks for anywhere between $20 and $25 a night with water hookup and 50amps of service. Five nights for $100 bucks? I can't do do that anywhere well at a nice hotel or cabin. Plus I can leave all my junk in there and just add clothes and food and take off. No restrictions for my dog and my wife loves to hang out at the camper and just chill while I'm out fishing in the morning and then she will join me in the boat in the afternoon. Yes I could stay a hotel many, many nights for the cost of the camper itself but unlike a lot of other folks we use are several times a year and over the course of the life of the camper it will pay for itself. My last one was 18 years old when I sold it and I've had this new one for less than a year now. As far as storage, don't know about that. We live on 3 acres so I've got plenty of parking space. I have a nice fabric cover I put on it while it's parked in the yard. It helps keep it clean and keep the rain and sun off. I want to keep this on longer than the last one so I have to take good care of it.
    Even better for us old fogies that can stay at COE campgrounds for 1/2 price.
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  10. Natalie Gulbis tdt91's Avatar
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    #10
    Rent a camper for a week, you will save a crap ton of money over buying one and using it 2 weeks out of the year.
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  11. Member
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    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob B View Post
    Even better for us old fogies that can stay at COE campgrounds for 1/2 price.
    Yes, you guys truly get a great deal. Camper slip, electric, water hookup and access to any other campground facilities for $10-13 a night, sign me up. Folks that have DAV status can get the same deal. I'm not old enough yet but when I am I will for sure take advantage of that myself.

  12. Member
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by tdt91 View Post
    Rent a camper for a week, you will save a crap ton of money over buying one and using it 2 weeks out of the year.
    Yes but it just defeats a whole lot of the purpose. I can pull mine up near the house a day or two in advance, turn on the fridge and start putting food in it, pack my clothes, run the AC to cool it down if needed and drive off whenever we get ready. If I rented one it would be a bigger hassle than a just getting a motel or cabin I think. Like someone else eluded to, you are either a camping person or you are not. If you have to struggle with the idea of buying one you probably shouldn't or maybe you need to test drive a rental a few times to see if it's really what you want to do. If you are like some of us that grew up camping and have lots of camping opportunities within reasonable driving distance it's an easy decision.

  13. Member Bill2e's Avatar
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Bamaman View Post
    We had a travel trailer for about 20 years, and really enjoyed it. But we bought a new 2015 model fifth wheel trailer which we really love. It stays in a member owned (deeded) campground in the North Georgia mountains in storage. I call them and the campground moves it on a campsite for us for $15. Total cost of our membership is $410 per year, and we can stay 14 nights for free monthly. As far as I can tell, this is the Holy Grail of inexpensive camping.

    I do have a tow vehicle, and the ability to hit the road with it. I really don't have the desire to tour long distances due to family obligations. What we use our RV for is a home away from home in a beautiful location. It's much cheaper to keep up than a mountain house. If I choose to take my boat, I've got Chatuge Lake, Lake Lanier, Lake Burton and Lake Nottley within 30 miles.

    that sounds like a great deal!
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  14. Member berudd's Avatar
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    #14
    An RV is a luxury item to if you only come at it from a financial perspective its not likely to look like a good option. Don't look at it from just a cost perspective but rather from a value perspective. If being in an RV is significantly more enjoyable than staying in a hotel then even with the higher cost, it may have significantly higher value to you.
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  15. Member Bill2e's Avatar
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    #15
    Great point Bruce
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  16. Moderator enforcer410's Avatar
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    #16
    what kind of RV are ou looking at?

  17. Member
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill2e View Post
    So here's the deal - usd to own a camper and loved it.........want another, but can't get the math to work.


    We had had a site on the river and it stayed 24/7. Only moved for week in Disney every year.

    Sold it when the time was right.

    I have the the itch for another, but for the amount of time we can use it the $$$$ don't ad up.

    Between storage and insurance it's cheap to rent a cabin on the river.
    Yes, but there is value in having your own place/bed. I chose the RV route and have had it a year this week on Guntersville. Best thing I ever did. I go every other week and fish Mon-Fri.

  18. Member
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    #18
    I fish better when I camp. For me, that trumps the math.
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  19. NOT a Pro Angler sdbrison's Avatar
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    #19
    Unless you camp a lot the math will more than likely favor the hotel. But, I agree with the others regarding the intangibles of camping, it is well worth the added cost to be outdoors with family.
    "If People Concentrated on the Really Important Things in Life, There'd be a Shortage of Fishing Poles." - Doug Larson
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    #20
    You can't get RV math to work UNLESS you spent a LOT of time in it, a WHOLE LOT of time.
    Of course, you can't get the math to work on a lot of expenditures. And that's pure fact.
    We've done the calculations over and over ... end result, hotel credit card, points and more.
    It's strictly cheaper, more trouble free, more reliable, less stressful, etc. to stay in a hotel.
    Not to mention increased privacy and guaranteed availability. RV spots are a crapshoot here.

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