# Thinking Of Getting Out Of Camping??



## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

Been a member of this forum for about 3 years now, and Im thinking what a better place to ask this.

We have been camping for about 14 years now, started out with a little 12 foot, and now on our 4th trailer, an Outback 25RSS. And will probably downsize after the kids are gone.

Anyway, We do love camping, as well as the kids. In fact our 18 year old son who graduates high school still wants to camp with us. Which to me is a great thing.

But the last couple summers, I look and see we really only camp 2-3 weeks of the year. We used to be able to go for a month or more, but my current job doesn't have the flexibility as my old one. We always say we will go in the fall, but once school starts and that busy routine, we never do.

So I look, and see our camper sit 11 to 11 and a half months of the year. Which gets me to thinking, is it worth it to have a camper sit. Would renting one be better and cheaper in the long run. NO insurance, no maintenance, no repairs. Sure its not yours, but you take it back and are done with it.

We have been throwing out the idea of a seasonal campsite, but we like to try different places.

Plus, it seems that's what are vacations always are, is camping. I tell my wife, since we put away each month to afford the summer trip, that we cant do that and also afford to go on other trips. Cant do camping and then Mexico as an example, its either one or the other.

Anyone else ever think this. Our trailer is paid for, but its just a shame to see something sit and not be used.

If we didn't camp, we would have money to do other vacations, but our finances cant afford both. The one year we had to go to Halifax, we didn't camp at all as that's where oru money went, so our trailer sat doing nothing for 21 months


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

The budget can control a lot of things but I am positive I can camp many more days and be far more relaxed then a trip to Mexico for a vacation.

Weekend getaways are great and do not have to be far to make them worthwhile. Not knowing where you are from makes it difficult to give suggestions but every trip does not have to be a major destination.


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

CamperAndy said:


> The budget can control a lot of things but I am positive I can camp many more days and be far more relaxed then a trip to Mexico for a vacation.
> 
> Weekend getaways are great and do not have to be far to make them worthwhile. Not knowing where you are from makes it difficult to give suggestions but every trip does not have to be a major destination.


That's true, and we do get away here and there the odd weekend. And I guess cost wise it is cheaper than to take 5 to Mexico

More or less its to me to see something sit for so long and use it for only a few weeks a year. If I could I would go the entire summer, but unfortunately not the way it goes.

Not worried about depreciation, but everytime you turn around its another thing to fix, Weekends of reparing instead of relazing

And to go camping for a weekend here and there isn't for me. Leave Friday after work to come back Sunday afternoon.


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## Paul (May 14, 2008)

spidey said:


> Been a member of this forum for about 3 years now, and Im thinking what a better place to ask this.
> 
> We have been camping for about 14 years now, started out with a little 12 foot, and now on our 4th trailer, an Outback 25RSS. And will probably downsize after the kids are gone.
> 
> ...


It is an easy solution... If you want to go camping for a every summer vacation RENT an RV. They are normally well maintained and reasonably affordable. Frees up the funds to go to Mexico when you elect to. No more looking out in the driveway and seeing your camping sitting there. If I only went out a couple of times a year that is what I would.


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

Paul said:


> Been a member of this forum for about 3 years now, and Im thinking what a better place to ask this.
> 
> We have been camping for about 14 years now, started out with a little 12 foot, and now on our 4th trailer, an Outback 25RSS. And will probably downsize after the kids are gone.
> 
> ...


It is an easy solution... If you want to go camping for a every summer vacation RENT an RV. They are normally well maintained and reasonably affordable. Frees up the funds to go to Mexico when you elect to. No more looking out in the driveway and seeing your camping sitting there. If I only went out a couple of times a year that is what I would.
[/quote]

We have been debating it. More or less the subject comes up when an entire weekend is eaten up of mine getting the trailer ready for the camping season, and then of course the usual "oh this is broke" and expense and time to fix it.

Guess we will talk more after we camp this summer. We plan on staying at a closer campsite in August so I can drive out at night and go to work straight from the camper. Be the first time we would do that, but worth a shot to get out money out of the trailer.

Renting does have its advantages, no more maintenance and repairs


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## CaptFX4 (Jan 20, 2012)

Looks like you've already made up your mind. Just haven't pulled the trigger yet.

But I have to agree with CamperAndy. You can take your camper anywhere anytime. I'm sure the cost of ins, etc is cheaper than a trip to (insert destination here).


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

CaptFX4 said:


> Looks like you've already made up your mind. Just haven't pulled the trigger yet.
> 
> But I have to agree with CamperAndy. You can take your camper anywhere anytime. I'm sure the cost of ins, etc is cheaper than a trip to (insert destination here).


Looked for fun yesterday at a rental, and that made up my mind not to do that. Example: This summer for two weeks would be about $2000 to rent. So way more expensive than I thought it would be.

Maybe I just need a vacation, which is in 6 days to go camping. We are looking to see what places are close to just park the trailer for a week at a time, and then just drive there. My wife is a teacher so she has the summers off, so she would have no problem camping while I am at work and then I just come after work.

Will see, but defintly want to use it more. I really enjoy camping once we are there, love leaving it all behind


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## Bernzacamping (Apr 27, 2015)

Wow...2k to rent a camper for 2 weeks. I've had the same issues over the years where for whatever reason the camper doesn't move for a couple years. But for me, to know it is there ready to go at a moments notice is comforting.

But also, we are primarily weekend, long weekend campers, and the "Ultimate" 2 week get a way's are the exception and not the rule, but hopefully that will change as the kids get older...and we have already told both our kids that after the youngest graduates out of HS in 2 years, that following September while they are both away at college, we are hooking up the camper and going someplace (or multiple places) for two weeks, the weather will still be great, and the nightly and weekly rates reduced after labor day.

For me, I think we'll stop camping when it becomes to much of a burden to us due to age, infirmity or death









You already said yourself, you don't care about depreciation...that 25RSS (I have the same) will take care of you as well as you take care of it!


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

Bernzacamping said:


> Wow...2k to rent a camper for 2 weeks. I've had the same issues over the years where for whatever reason the camper doesn't move for a couple years. But for me, to know it is there ready to go at a moments notice is comforting.
> 
> But also, we are primarily weekend, long weekend campers, and the "Ultimate" 2 week get a way's are the exception and not the rule, but hopefully that will change as the kids get older...and we have already told both our kids that after the youngest graduates out of HS in 2 years, that following September while they are both away at college, we are hooking up the camper and going someplace (or multiple places) for two weeks, the weather will still be great, and the nightly and weekly rates reduced after labor day.
> 
> ...


Yes, plus some add ons on top of that. So way to expensive to think about doing that.

Us, we are the opposite, I hate weekend camping, just because its not enough time to really get into relax mode. Leave after work Friday, rush to get there, setup, etc. Have Saturday to kinda get into it, and then pack up Sunday morning. We have done it in the past, but don't anymore due to that.

We used to camp a month at a time at my old job, and wish we could get that back. No agenda, see lots of friends and family, truly be away from it all.

Kids still enjoy it a lot, so to me, that makes it worth while after thinking about it. Our oldest just graduated HS and still wants to come, so that makes it worth the time and effort.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

We sold our truck and trailer about 4 years ago and haven't looked back. We went out for a weekend trip in the fall and while we had a great time we got to talking about how it wasn't as much fun as it used to be and seemed like more work than we wanted to be bothered with. The getting everything ready to go and then the unpacking when we got home and putting the trailer away was more than we wanted to be bothered with, it used to be fun but it changed. Not to mention it's one more thing to maintain along with house, yard, cars, etc........ A few weeks later we sold the trailer on craigslist, traded in the truck and that was that.

We miss camping from time to time and will go back to it but where we are right now in our lives a condo rental at the beach hits the spot for us. As a family we really enjoyed camping for many years, week long trips and plenty of weekends to a lot of great places. We have lots of great memories and pictures of all the trips we took. Now our daughters have grown up and started careers and our vacation time is spent differently.

Mike


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## ArmyVet (Jul 12, 2015)

We actually take a 7 day cruise once a year and camp many times throughout the year but it definitely takes planning in advance. I can camp as much as I want during the spring/summer/fall seasons and get nowhere near the cost of the cruise/vacation for the family but we like to change it up. Our children are both grown so a cruise is a chance to spend time with our kids and their families and camping is for the Wife and I and if the kids come join us a weekend or 2 it's a bonus.

My recommendation is don't sale the camper if it is paid for, you can take a family vacation and still go on numerous camping trips with proper planning


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

ArmyVet said:


> We actually take a 7 day cruise once a year and camp many times throughout the year but it definitely takes planning in advance. I can camp as much as I want during the spring/summer/fall seasons and get nowhere near the cost of the cruise/vacation for the family but we like to change it up. Our children are both grown so a cruise is a chance to spend time with our kids and their families and camping is for the Wife and I and if the kids come join us a weekend or 2 it's a bonus.
> 
> My recommendation is don't sale the camper if it is paid for, you can take a family vacation and still go on numerous camping trips with proper planning


We had a two week stint this summer in the same spot and made us realize why we like camping. Hope to have another week in August, but it looks like maybe not now.

Will be the last year all 5 of us camp together. The oldest graduated high school and will be working full time and then school next fall. Doesn't mean he wont camp with us ever again Im sure, but wont be planning around his time off, etc.

Our youngest is 13 right now, and if they still like camping, gives us another 5 years of family camping. After that will see if we still want to just as a couple. If we do, will defintly be downsizing from the 25 foot to something smaller to tow for just the two of us, easier on gas, to park and setup.

Time will tell, just wish we could get more use out of it, but with schedules and just life in general, hard to get out on the weekends.


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## spidey (Aug 8, 2012)

camping479 said:


> We sold our truck and trailer about 4 years ago and haven't looked back. We went out for a weekend trip in the fall and while we had a great time we got to talking about how it wasn't as much fun as it used to be and seemed like more work than we wanted to be bothered with. The getting everything ready to go and then the unpacking when we got home and putting the trailer away was more than we wanted to be bothered with, it used to be fun but it changed. Not to mention it's one more thing to maintain along with house, yard, cars, etc........ A few weeks later we sold the trailer on craigslist, traded in the truck and that was that.
> 
> We miss camping from time to time and will go back to it but where we are right now in our lives a condo rental at the beach hits the spot for us. As a family we really enjoyed camping for many years, week long trips and plenty of weekends to a lot of great places. We have lots of great memories and pictures of all the trips we took. Now our daughters have grown up and started careers and our vacation time is spent differently.
> 
> Mike


I know I would never sell my truck, just because we live on an acreage and I use my truck for more than just camping. Time will tell if we quit as the kids get older. We camp in many different places and sometimes the long drives are hard, but then worth it when you get there.

I do agree with the maintenance aspect, as I get older, just want to lessen the stuff I have so I don't have to spend the time and money to maintain and fix.


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## TheMillers (Aug 8, 2005)

Spidey,

I hope you are still around. I am just following up on your post to see if you are still camping a couple years after your post. We are in the same position as you were a couple years ago. We have 1 daughter in college and another daughter in high school. We've used our trailer twice in the last 2 years. Our trailer 21rs is 11 years old and needs some maintenance (new tires, new water pump, etc). I'm debating if its worth fixing up the trailer or selling it. It is paid off. We do love camping, but it seems we just don't have the time anymore. I'm thinking we could get something later when our kids have their own lives and we have more free time.

Anyway, I'd love to hear an update if you are still on the website!

Regards

Bruce


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