RV vs. Motel: Not cheaper!

[NO3putt]

what we like about having a RV:

Not hauling suitcases in to hotel
Own bed, bath & kitchen
Getting snack in middle of night
Not eating out every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner

it may or may not cost more to have a RV, depends on how often you use it. less than 30 days a year, might be better in hotel.

[Auto4]

I agree that Rv'ing may be more expensive then the hotel route. However, I consider my TT like a time share. I pay for it year round for the right to use it several weeks a year. This allows me to spread the cost of Rv'ing over the entire year vs the big upfront cost of staying in a hotel. This allows us to go on more trips during the year.

I'll use our "big" trip of the year as an example. We go to York Me every summer for one week. We spend $62.00 a night to stay at the campground. Times that by 7 nights equals $434.00.

Our friends comes with us but they stay in a hotel (The Anchorag). They pay $225.00 a night for one room. So lodging alone cost them $1575. 00.

But here's where things would get very expensive if we chose that route. We normally bring between 3 and 4 children. 3 of our own and usually at least 1 friend. Therefore we would be forced to get two hotel rooms instead of one.

If we had to spend that much money on one trip we could not do any more throughout the year. So by spreading the cost out I get to spend more quality time with my family.

[SKnight]

It depends on how you do your math also. I already own the camper and just consider that part of the household budget, so subtract that from the equation when planning a vacation.

When we went to Disney in 2010 I spent $400 in fuel towing the camper round trip vs. about $175 for the car, but saved a bit over $2,000 by using camp wilderness, so $1,600 profit. When I hit my favorite cg it's $300 in fuel round trip but it's $20 a night vs. $100+ for a hotel.

If you split the physical cost or ownership away from what a trip costs, depending on where you go and distance traveled, it can be cheaper. But it's value?

I don't think you can put a number on that.

[Iwannacamp]

Having a TT is expensive..or the way most people use them. This is my first, but not my last. I started buying 3/4 ton trucks in the middle 90's in the plans to buy...I finally got a TT last year. So far I am happy. I bought a new 4-wheeler in 95. I could east justify buying it because my old POC had to worked on continually...literally. I had to be pulled back more times than not.
The TT has to be worked on and it isn't raggedy...but it's still worth it to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Salmon Hunter]

It is easier setting up than hauling stuff in and out of hotel rooms and you can not compare the view. I also hate having to pay extra for our dogs.

[Red Wolf]

We no longer camp, we take our apartment sight-seeing with us. That is what my brother says of our RVacations, at any rate.

Adding more the the cost of the hotel is that there generally aren't any where we want to go, so we are staying further away. We like the hinterlands, places without crowds. There is usually a campground nearby! but rarely a good hotel.


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

-Red

Big Bad Wolf - '02 Dodge Ram 2500HD 5.9 CTD / Prodigy / Putnam Class V / Reese 15k Pro
Wolf Den 3 - '14 Rockwood Signature Ultra Light 8280WS

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Salmon Hunter

It is easier setting up than hauling stuff in and out of hotel rooms and you can not compare the view. I also hate having to pay extra for our dogs.

I understand some CG do this if you have a larger dog or more than a couple small ones.
Have you ran into this?

[Salmon Hunter]

Not yet and I have always asked.
We have and Airedale and a Welsh terrier .

[Aca651]

My thought is this. The cost of my camper for the year is about equal to a weeks stay at a nice hotel. My twins are now 9 and in our early potty training days, while traveling I preferred them using our bathroom rather than that of a public roadside rest area. As babies, and toddlers, bed time was 7:30, what were we to do at a hotel but sit quietly in a room and watch tv while our kids slept? In the campground they go in, and we go sit at the fire and relax. Our vacations are not limited to a week or two a year but weekends and whenever. M
We recently towed the camper 210 miles each way to visit my brother for the weekend cost me 180 in fuel. Seemed like a lot but it was gonna cost me 85-90 any way add a cheap hotel meals out would have been more than the 180. Plus I had control of my kids, when they slept what they ate and how they behaved without creating any uncomfortable issues with my brother and sister law so this was much better than staying with them.

Plus we ALL a great time. Was worth the extra gas!

[KyDan]

Many of the places we camp don't have a motel.
Add in having your own stuff and not living out of a suitcase and
eating your own food as others have mentioned and it's a lifestyle choice.
It's NOT cheaper than a motel- it's so much better!

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Many of the places we camp don't have a motel.
Add in having your own stuff and not living out of a suitcase and
eating your own food as others have mentioned and it's a lifestyle choice.
It's NOT cheaper than a motel- it's so much better!

X2 Dan, even tho' we don't camp where there are not motels, we've (me) had our fill of motels and really enjoy staying in our own bed, have the choice of fixing our own meals as opposed to having to eat out. Love the rv life. Only thing we miss while rv'ing is the hot tub.

[BigBaron]

Now I know why Coot is so smart! LOL
My friend who traveled almost all year said the same thing. All he wanted when he got home was a sandwich and some Campbell's soup, but all his wife wanted to do was go out to eat!
He had his two daughters as a screensaver that said "Hi daddy" when ever it showed up. It broke my heart-and probably added to our decision to go to Korea.

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by BigBaron

Now I know why Coot is so smart! LOL
My friend who traveled almost all year said the same thing. All he wanted when he got home was a sandwich and some Campbell's soup, but all his wife wanted to do was go out to eat!
He had his two daughters as a screensaver that said "Hi daddy" when ever it showed up. It broke my heart-and probably added to our decision to go to Korea.

It never fails, the wife wants to go out the day you arrive home. I don't care what, but I want food prepared in my kitchen. I once gave her and the kids money to go out while I ate a pb&j at home.

Another advantage, I have my own kitchen!

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Weezer

Hi, my name is Weezer, and I'm OCD. /snark

You are not really "OCD" cuz if you were you would have said you are "CDO" /SNARK

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Only thing we miss while rv'ing is the hot tub.

HEH...well, some of the Class A's have a combo hot tub/spa/shower

Then again, you have too much invested in your rig in terms of mods. So, how about this:
Intex Hot Tub PureSpa Bubble Therapy Inflatable Spa : 28403E : VMInnovations.com

[SKnight]

Could always do this.

[prairiecamper]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

HEH...well, some of the Class A's have a combo hot tub/spa/shower

Then again, you have too much invested in your rig in terms of mods. So, how about this:
Intex Hot Tub PureSpa Bubble Therapy Inflatable Spa : 28403E : VMInnovations.com

You beat me to it, I thought exactly the same thing when I read his post!

[OldCoot]

Thanks folks, but we'll suffer along for the 3+ months in FL. No room to store it and the required 210 gal of water would be a problem at most campgrounds in both filling and emptying.

[sherman12]

When we bought our first class A seven years ago I asked the guy we were buying it from which was cheaper, the RV or hotel/car route. His answer, about the same. Now on our second rig, I still think the answer Craig gave us is right on. What I have learned over the years is the longer the trip is the more cost friendly the RV will be vs. car travel and certainly by air. Spending $200 in gas on a two night weekend takes you to $100 per night in gas, $30 to $60 in campground costs plus your daily rate of what your RV costs you if you are making payments, plates and insurance. Over three days now your gas is $66.66 per day, add another night camping and your still under gas alone for two days. Don't forget too that if you would be traveling by car/truck that your RV mileage is going to be 1/3 to 1/2 less than what your spending because you would still need to fuel that vehicle. I've also found that camping we save a lot of "little" money that I would spend motel'ing it, $4 for two cups of coffee for us, a couple of bucks for a danish or something, $2 for a bottle of water here and there and so on. I question some post talking about hotel rooms for $75 a night. Where do you find them? If so, they must be a dump. The minimum my wife and I would stay in is like Hampton Inn's or Country Inn Suites etc., and after taxes and add on fees your lucky if you can get away with $150 a night. Don't forget prices are considerably higher on weekends too. If you are in a touristy area forget even getting those kind of prices. My wife and I find having the RV makes us start thinking of doing things during the summer just after New Years. We never even gave a though about doing things until maybe saying on July 2 "what do you want to do on the 4th?" before we had the rig. Both being runners, we always assumed that we would run the local Boys Club 10K every Memorial Day morning and go from there for that holiday. We haven't run the race since we bought the rig! We love the lifestyle and when you really compare the costs, the difference is a toss up.

[garbonz]

Has anyone actually gotten bedbugs or is it just a terrowist rumow to make us use up all the world's fossil fuel.

I have never been afflicted and I travel quite a bit. I do use some precautions like sleeping on top of the covering and keeping stuff off the floor.

Read it on the news all the time, but they are looking for drama and perhaps overstate the problem. OR not?