I might be giving it up.

[luke6417]

My wife and I bought a travel trailer 2 years ago. We love to camp, but rising fuel prices are killing me. OUr payment is $250 per month plus another $50 in insurance. We are going for a week this summer and were planning a trip for four nights in November. FOr thr trip in NOvember I compared a hotel just for the heck of it. It was only $150 more than my camp site. Take into account the extra $200 I will spend in fuel and its actually cheaper. Add to that the roughly $300 per month that we are spending for our camper just to sit still in my yard and it's not worth it. I love the Ft., but right now, we barely make our bills the way it is. In the last seven months our expenses have went up $2000 because we had our first child and bought a new house. We have to scrimp and save every penny to go to DW. The FT. used to be the most cost effective way, but not any more. My wife and I realized that merely getting rid of our camper will enable us to save $3600 per year, so I placed an add this morning. No more camper.

 

[2goofycampers]

Soo sorry to hear this. Have you thought about a pop up. Cheaper payments, cheaper insurance, easier on the fuel too. GOOD LUCK....

 

[PolynesianPixie]

That's so sad! But you have to do what you have to do. I'm sure that one day, when the stinky economy gets better, you'll buy another camper and be back at FtW! A new baby and a new house is a huge milestone! Maybe instead of making those camper payments now, you can stash away some of the money you would have put to the camper until you have enough to buy an older pop-up out right. As the years progress, keep upgrading. Just a thought. Once a camper, always a camper! I'm sure you'll love Disney any way you can go, however!

 

[ntsammy5]

That's a shame, but since I can get timeshares for $329 a week a TT makes NO sense anymore to us. I love tent camping anyhow so that's what I do. At WDW it's going to be time share from now on. Can't beat that deal!

 

[disney4dan]

Here's hoping this is just a temporary condition; and hoping that you get enough in resale on the trailer to make it worth your troubles.

On a more positive note, they are making some really decent large tents now, and good air mattresses, so the Fort does not always have to be out of the question! May just have to choose some different times of the year to go when tenting is more comfortable and learn to adjust with meal prep.

Then, when the $$$ starts rolling in again, you'll be able to search for the trailer you've always wanted. Or maybe that Allegro Class A MH with built-in washer/dryer and dishwasher (we can always dream!).

Also - I hear that there is a really nice person on these boards who has been known to rent out a fantastic 5th wheel rig for your stay! With gas prices going the way they are, many of us may switch to that option. I expect our gas costs to be just south of ridiculous in August when we tow our TT down from Massachusetts. A few more PB & J sandwiches for lunch and less beer; wait, scratch that - A LOT more PB&J sandwiches and we should be able to pull together the extra $ for gas this summer.

 

[terri01p]

I totally get that....whenever my kids were growing up we were broke all the time, just trying to make ends meet, but we loved camping, we bought a use pop-up with income tax money, it was so much fun, easy to pull, paid for etc...that's the way to go if you want too.

As we got older and could we bought a tt, we still bought used and paided cash because we couldn't afford an extra bill on us, it's not exactly what I want but until we can get better we are happy.

 

[auntie]

Here's hoping this is just a temporary condition; and hoping that you get enough in resale on the trailer to make it worth your troubles.


Also - I hear that there is a really nice person on these boards who has been known to rent out a fantastic 5th wheel rig for your stay! With gas prices going the way they are, many of us may switch to that option. I expect our gas costs to be just south of ridiculous in August when we tow our TT down from Massachusetts. A few more PB & J sandwiches for lunch and less beer; wait, scratch that - A LOT more PB&J sandwiches and we should be able to pull together the extra $ for gas this summer.

That would be TinaH who rents out her tt. We are using her 5th wheel in August. So...if you still have the camping bug, but don't want the monthly expense of having your own right now, renting from Tina is an option also. At least you will get to be in FW..and not the added expense of the fuel and payments on your tt.
Keep TinaH in mind: http://www.campatthefort.com/index.asp

 

[DaveInTN]

Well it sounds as though you have your priorities where they need to be; on your home, your wife and child. If the TT needs to go to ensure that you don't sacrifice other things without taking on a huge debt burden, then that makes perfect sense. The feeling of just scraping by financially is not a comforting one, so fixing that situation is wise and will eliminate a lot of stress. We are in the process of downsizing some things ourselves to better control our situation, rather than being controlled by our "stuff".

Someday maybe your situation will change and you can get another camper, even as others have said maybe a popup. The important thing is spending quality time with your family, and you don't need an expensive TT to do that. I wish you the best, and hope to see you back in the campgrounds soon.

 

[ntsammy5]

We are in the process of downsizing some things ourselves to better control our situation, rather than being controlled by our "stuff".

Well said.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Sounds like a job for the tag fairy.....does that dang fairy EVER come to the camping boards???

 

[terri01p]

Tag fairies don't camp

 

[Brer Bear]

Hate to hear of anyone having to give up camping, but I can understand!

When I was talking DW into camping, I never said we'd save any $$$, all I had to point out was how I knew who slept and used my RV last...in a hotel room you don't! EWWWWW!

 

[YellowXterra]

We camp in our pop up always. Number 1 I will only sleep in my own bed, I know who has been in it Number 2 the pop up only cost me about 1 mpg to tow. So far the pop up is still the cheapest way to go any where, plus I just love my camper If I wanted to really save I could stay off property

 

[ntsammy5]

Sounds like a job for the tag fairy.....does that dang fairy EVER come to the camping boards???

Don't you have a fairy dog?

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Camping these days, from a purely economic standpoint is not the cheapest way to travel, it is more of a lifestyle choice than anything.

 

[nyk]

just got back from the fort on sunday night and i know what you mean by the high expenses involved in travelling down by motorhome and staying at the fort. we were there two weeks and stayed in the 300 loop(330). starting on the friday before presidents day the rate went to $92/night and when you add the $310/week for the golfcart and the cost of fuel($2,100 return) it makes the poly or wilderness lodge look pretty reasonable.
despite my whining we had a great time

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Well it sounds as though you have your priorities where they need to be; on your home, your wife and child. If the TT needs to go to ensure that you don't sacrifice other things without taking on a huge debt burden, then that makes perfect sense. The feeling of just scraping by financially is not a comforting one, so fixing that situation is wise and will eliminate a lot of stress. We are in the process of downsizing some things ourselves to better control our situation, rather than being controlled by our "stuff".

Someday maybe your situation will change and you can get another camper, even as others have said maybe a popup. The important thing is spending quality time with your family, and you don't need an expensive TT to do that. I wish you the best, and hope to see you back in the campgrounds soon.

That is very well said! It seems like when you are newly wed and need alot and also have visions of what you think you need, you end up acquiring way too much stuff! That keeping up with the Jones' is a nasty little bug, too! As you get older, all the stuff just starts to weigh you down. I'm to the point now where I think we have too much. The house is too big, the acreage too much, clutter ~ Blah! I would love to downsize! Sure, I'd enjoy a nice new class A, but my pop-up does the job and is paid for. I'd also love some nice new furniture, but with all these kids that isn't really practical. At this point in my life, I enjoy the feeling of being debt free (except the house) much more than I would enjoy a new couch!

 

[abbdrey]

I am sorry to hear that. We have just recently started going to the campground more. We have never owned anything more than a pop up camper. They are really reasonably priced and would cost you half of what you are paying now. The insurance is super low too! Just a thought, but it may give you a cheaper alternative to a TT.

The campground is getting pretty expensive though. We just booked spring break and are paying $90 a night. We are not getting any FL resident or passholder rate. You could almost get a hotel room for that, but I agree with everyone here. I like knowing that no one else has slept in my bed!!

Congrats on the new baby and house - that has to lift your spirits somewhat!!

 

[stacktester]

I keep toying with the idea of selling my 5'er and getting a toy hauler pop up. They make one that holds two four wheelers and you still can put one in the truck. It's cheaper to pull and you get a little discount at FW if you stay in 2000 or 1500. In order to hook up my 5'er it needs to be a minimum 3 day trip or it's not worth it. The only thing I don't like is not having the full shower and toilet. I guess since the comfort stations at the fort which is about the only place we seem to camp are so clean I could handle it. My question is, how hard are they to set up and how often do you have to replace the tent part? The one I looked at has a shower toilet combo but no black tank. I'm sure my smart buddy BDD could engineer one lol.

 

[Brer Bear]

Camping these days, from a purely economic standpoint is not the cheapest way to travel, it is more of a lifestyle choice than anything.

So you're saying I'm living an ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE?!


Seriously, back on topic. I noticed that the OP is a teacher. My mom was a teacher and one of the best things about her being a teacher was that we used our camper ALL summer long. Back when the gas crunch of the 70's hit, my parents found a seasonal campground on a lake so we still enjoyed our camper about every weekend in the fall and spring and months at a time in the summer. Just something to think about. $3600 is a LOT of money, but not so much when you start looking at what a trip to Disney staying at a moderate resort w/kid(s) would cost!!! Just a thought!