Why can we all afford trailers?

[captbenjy]

37 year old Offshore supply boat Captain with my Unlimited DP (Dynamic Positioning) Certificate. I work 14/14 and bring home a pretty decent income. I've been a Captain in some capacity since I was 20 years old and have steadily furthered my training and licensing. Before I had children and was married I was pretty frivolous with my money. Vehicles, motorcycles, boats, watches, and chasing girls which is an expense in it's own stratosphere. Marriage to a good woman and a couple of beautiful kids will make you rethink alot about how you spend your money that's for sure. I'm very blessed to have what I have. I made sacrifices at a young age to get where I'm at, and the amount of young talent that's dedicated enough to follow my footsteps in this career seems to diminish every year.

[KDHfan]

My wife and I are in our early 40's. I am a stay-at-home dad of 6 years. Before that, I worked in construction sales for 10 years. Thankfully, my wife has been successful in what she does. She holds 9+ U.S. and international patents (or patent pending). She recently invented a safety product for use in the Marcellus Shale industry. Living in central Pennsylvania at the start of the natural gas boom, there was a little luck with us living in an ideal location at the ideal time. We've always spent just enough money to enjoy life but still be fiscally responsible. We have a home mortgage with an 11-year payoff goal (8yrs left), and one car payment (the other is paid for). For everything else that we purchase, if we can't pay cash, we can't afford it. We've always had the belief that interest is our money's greatest enemy.
My wife puts in long hours and travels quite a bit. We bought our first camper last year... one she was very reluctant to spend the money on. But since i had 2 youngsters and nothing to do all summer, she thought it would be good for us (us meaning me and the kids... she wasn't all too interested) to have a hobby to fill our time. By the end of the camping season, she was shopping for a bigger camper. The time she (and we) get to spend with the little guys, while still little guys, has done wonders for our family... and it lets her recharge the batteries. The moment we pass through the campground gate, the "real world" is left behind and quality family time begins. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
(However... if i just had a bigger TV....hahaha)

[Scratch]

DW and I met when we were stationed in Charleston SC in the early 70s. Since then, I retired with 30 years active military service including two Vietnam tours. DW transferred to civil service and retired early a few years ago. After the military retirement, I worked for USAA until shortly after the 911 terror attacks when 1400 of us were let go. Minor setback, but not a crisis, and I soon caught on working with an aeronautical university where I again retired in 2010 when DW was diagnosed with cancer for the 3rd time.

Following a successful 2010 stem cell transplant and subsequent full remission, we decided to fulfill our travel dreams of more than 40 years. We did some local Texas camping last year and hope to take on the Rockies this summer.

We darn near feel like we're young and married again. Enjoying life as God allows and we're more than thankful for every blessing He provides.

Hope to meet some of you good folks on the road this summer...

[miboje]

Thanks for posting this! I have wondered how everyone else is doing it also.

I think camping can be done inexpensively or expensively depending on what RV you want. Nearly anyone could afford a pop-up, for example, but a motorhome is way out of reach for many.

We don't yet have an RV. We almost purchased a travel trailer early last year, but then we realized we would have to upgrade our TV first to haul what we really want. What the dealer was trying to talk us into was just too close to the limits of our TV, but friends alerted us and we backed out. The upgraded TV has put us a year and a half behind our original plan. Having the TV bulletproofed cost more than we anticipated.... yet another financial setback. However, it should now provide excellent service for many years to come.

My fiance and I are saving to come up with a sizable down payment so that I feel comfortable with the monthly payment. I hate the waiting because it's time lost and we're not out enjoying ourselves camping, but I work from home and my jobs are not dependable, plus ugrading our TV has put us behind. I want to know that if I have no work, we can still meet all our obligations on one income. We're just an average middle-class family grossing $50,000 a year with two adults and two kids. We have a mortgage, truck payment and my student loans. By the way, I can't consciously recommend going to college to anyone in my area at this time.

We save money by using a wood cook stove to heat and cook, growing four gardens and an orchard w/ canning and freezing, replenishing the freezer with venison every year, making our own cleaning/laundry products, and I do lots of home cooking vs. eating out. We fix instead of replace things. We shop for things at thrift stores and auctions. We save on fuel and daycare expenses since I work from home. My fiance is a truck driver, so he doesn't spend money on fuel getting back and forth to work..he brings his truck home.

Buying an RV is difficult for a family like us, and it has become more than we anticipated. I have been researching for two years to find what I'm looking for, and my wants have changed over time. And I should add that I've formulated a 'get out of debt by the time I'm 50' plan, which includes the RV, so it means more to us than just camping and is why I'm being fussy about the insulation and quality of construction.

[another_newfie]

I'll have to diverge slightly from the OP's question by stating that first and foremost camping/RV'ing (or whatever you want to call it) was initially a family activity. Both DW and I grew up in the outdoors and spending time with our families while camping and hunting. We wanted to continue this lifestyle when our daughter came along. I won't put a price on that time, not then nor now. It is priceless to me.

Our passion is also exploring North America while RV'ing. We love to find off the beaten path places and experience things you might not come across traveling in other ways. As such our family sacrifices to be able to pursue our passion. We don't eat out often, we don't have expensive tastes in clothing. We don't travel to southern destinations and stay in resorts. For the most part almost all of our leisure time surrounds our passion in some way or form.

We are very fortunate to live in one of the greatest countries in the world and we are both fortunate to have reasonably well paying jobs. However, we forgo a lot of the luxuries than many families choose (I am not passing judgement at all, every family has their own set of priorities) to allow us to enjoy our RV.

I will say that we have spent more than we could have imagined on our truck (a new truck purchased last August) and our new fifth wheel (we are about to take delivery), but we have saved for both and intend on getting lots of us out of them.

[BigBaron]

I posted the same question on another forum for pop-ups, and got similar answers, but with a very distinct difference.
Many had trailers because they were frugal, got them cheap, or both.
This is very enjoyable. Keep sharing please. It's neat to hear about everyone's stories.

[BombDoc]

Wife and I married at 18. I spent 20 years as an enlisted Marine, moving every 3. We had 2 children (one on her own as an elementary teacher, the other a Sr in HS). She spent 20 years following me around living pay check to pay check, raising kids, working and doing a damn fine job as a mother and wife, often alone while I deployed all over the world, several times. She took 8 years to earn a 4 year degree because one school didn't accept xyz course from the last school. She has been teaching for almost 10 years now. I passed on a promotion opportunity and retired. Gave me time to be home and give my kids some stability. We've been together 28 years and made good choices with the limited funds we had at the time.

The economy might suck for some, and yes, we have felt the pinch in home value, and most recently the possibility of being "furloughed" as a current government employee.

It's all part of my master plan, get the TV and RV, let the house go into foreclosure, and run and hide

[jevanb]

^^^^^ nice

[DKirk]

We afforded our TT - which is briefly used but immaculate and not very expensive - because I came to the conclusion that having the TT was ultimately going to be more fun than the master bathroom remodel for which I had been steadily saving. We had rented a TT twice at Easter the last 2 years and enjoyed it much more than tent camping at our ages, me 48, DH 66. But as to how we could afford it, well, DH put in a combined 37 years of service on active duty as a pilot in the Marines and a cook in the Army Reserve (service in both Vietnam AND Iraqi Freedom - not many Vets that span both those conflicts) and is retired as a Captain. He's also retired from his civilian job with the county govt so has a state retirement income, and he's drawing his SS. I have a decent job with the county school system in support services and am also retired from the Army Reserve for which I draw some disability pay in exchange for the bad back I earned on active duty.

So between us we have 5 income sources. Add to that the fact that I learned my lesson about credit 25 years ago with my first husband and have been very careful about money ever since. Everything that Dave Ramsey teaches, DH and I had already figured out on our own and done it before he even became famous.

His kids were grown when we met, and my DS joined the Army instead of going to college, so we had no college tuition to pay. We have no pets and don't feel the need for a lot of luxuries. I wear uniforms for work and I bring a sandwich for lunch. Our 2004 autos have long since been paid for and we take care of our stuff. We make double payments on the house and it will be paid off in under 2 years, at which point I may consider replacing my beloved 04 Sienna van with a new vehicle that can also serve at as TV.
We got the best deal on our current TV that one could ever hope for. My DH bought it at auction on the courthouse steps for $500 ( no one else showed up to bid against him).
As we sat in our 3 day old TT this evening discussing what we want and need for camping, I was content with the thought of looking at my pink (yes, pink) cultured marble master bathroom for a few more years, knowing I could escape from it on the weekend while camping in our rolling 2nd home. Life is good and we have been very blessed.

[BigBaron]

I'd get a TT if I had a pink bathroom too! LOL
Kudos to you!

[DKirk]

I meant to also mention that we have had a 1964 Piper Cherokee 180 since the late 90's. And DH is also working on building an airplane (Zenith) He got bored 30 days into retirement and went back to school on his GI Bill to get his A&P license, of which he now has the 'A" and in one more semester will have the "P"
Flying is fun, I soloed but never got licensed (why bother. . . I have my own personal pilot) Camping is more fun, however you just don't get there as fast.

[Bearcat55]

Great thread. Its very interesting to hear everyone's story. I'm 38 and my wife is 34. We both have been fairly successful in our careers. I took a leap of faith and opened an insurance agency about 8 years ago after spending 11 years in the beer/wine and soda business as a sales rep and manager. The first 2-3 years we really struggled to stay above water. Finally about 5 years ago business picked up and hasn't stopped yet. ( That sound is me knocking on wood) I work about 50 hours a week and coach football and baseball in the evenings. DW has been in staffing/hr business for the last 7 years. She works 40hrs a week sometimes a little more but it's rare. Her salary is good, but it's the group health insurance that keeps her working. Individual health insurance for a family of 5 is very expensive. Plus, the alternative to her having a job is to come work for me and that ain't happening. Shes the boss at home and couldn't handle me being the boss at work..lol. We both feel fortunate to have our careers and know that we've been a little lucky, but we definitely worked our tails off to get where we are. We are not frugal savers but not frivolous spenders either. We fall into the thinking that we want to spend as much quality time with our little ones as we can while they're young. Our weekday schedule doesn't give us that opportunity so we decided to give camping a try on the weekends. I already owned a truck capable of towing so, we bought our first used TT 3 years ago. After the first season we agreed that we loved camping but hated our TT. After paying off 1 vehicle we decided to sell the old TT and bought our 2012 Salem. We operate on a budget and all decisions are made within that budget. We don't buy what we can't afford and don't spend $$ just to spend $$. Camping and all costs involved had to be worked in and a few things were sacrificed to make that happen. (Like my golf habit) I can tell you that if we lived frugal and didn't have smartphones, eat out, have satellite tv, etc we would have a really nice savings account. But I enjoy posting on here from my iPhone after eating the pizza we just had delivered while watching my beloved Cincinnati Reds on the TV.

[BigBaron]

Great! Your children will thank you when you are older.

[Dennis and Julie]

We started tent camping when the kids were young, moved on to a pop up (used), a small (21ft) travel trailer and this last year (kids grown and moved out) bought a 2012 TT. Have 2 used crew cab pickups (2006 & 2002) one to pull camper and one for boat also bought last year and a 2012. We do however live in Williston ND in the middle of an oil boom, and yes we know we are fortunate and that it won't last forever, they never do.

[boatman]

Wife and I are in the work our buts off group DW has 2 jobs, Hair dresser and in home health care I work 60 plus hours per week. We do not have children but do have 3 large dogs 2 of which are rescues. We to take good care of what we have and slowly have up graded over the past 12 to 15 years to the 9yr old truck and 5th wheel combo we currently have.

[ridersfan]

I have an entry level truck and an entry level camper... both bought new fairly recently... but for both it boiled down to getting better payments on new than used. So... if I'm worried about keeping my payments low, I'm definitely not rich lol

[Camping Buddys]

Why?
Because my bank said "No"for the Motorhome!lol

[Sharpey31]

Originally Posted by Camping Buddys

Why?
Because my bank said "No"for the Motorhome!lol

Lol

[dj3spots]

Worked hard- all the overtime , night work , holidays. - you name I worked it. DH worked 3 Jobs sometimes - usually just 2. And.... Thanks to a relative's bequest were able to pay off the house. So retirement, which Was nice got nicer. Now we're enjoying our retirement and spending our kids inheritance. They won't need it, they're doctors. Lol

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Originally Posted by Camping Buddys

Why?
Because my bank said "No"for the Motorhome!lol

X2...LOL...but we're saving for one WAY in the future