Most of us don't want to stay in places that charge for a bed (or place to put it) by the hour. Do you begrudge the folks who are trying to buy, keep cleaning and maintaining, and paying utilities and taxes on the pretty places there are to plant an RV for a time? Remember, they also have to daily put up with questions like yours. That should be worth a bonus.
I don't know. What is fair? How about considering the CG owners point of view. He has fixed overheads such as taxes, mortgage etc. He has to make a living too.
I saw something similar to this over on irv2.com where a CG owner responded that he had many times encountered folks with your story. "I don't need any ficilities. I just want to get some sleep" He said the next thing you know they are in the pool. They are hooked up to the elec. They use the showers before leaving the next morning. They dump their holding tanks.
I guess in this senario I have to go with the CG owner. I don't think they are intentionally trying to rip anyone off.
At one time I used to travel on business quite a bit. Often checking in to my hotel @ 10,11,midnight. I've never been to one yet that offered me a discount for late check in.
BTW, for those of us that are honest about our intentions, I am an advocate of using Wal-Mart. After all it's my money and I don't pay full price for services I don't use.
I guess the trick is not to put yourself or the owner in the position of having to make the call. When you get into bending the rules, Making judgements etc. nobody wins.
Why? Because you pulled in and set up! When you go to McDonalds and don't eat all of your fries you won't get a cheaper price based on what you do eat. Thats the way campground owners look at it.
I have seen a few campgrounds that have "overflow areas" (bare parking lots) that they will offer reduced rates on, but if I occupy a full-service site I don't have a problem with paying the full price. I appreciate having clean, well-maintained and secure places to stay and providing that costs money.
I sure hope you help the campground out, when they go to the county goverment and say "I will only pay half my taxes because we are only open half the year. And since I don't drive to work, lower my car tax as I only use one road. etc" I hope when you do use a camp ground and go to dump that you only dump things from the night before not from those nights you stayed at WalMart.
I have an other suggestion, on those days you know you will be in a camp ground, start out at 3 AM and then stop at 3 PM and make use of all the facilities.
Hi Chris,
I bet you're not in bussiness for yourself!! A campground owner has fixed costs: taxes,insurance,mortgauge,electric,water,sewer,phone,etc. Maintenance items like paint,soap,floor wax,fertilizer,toilet paper,etc. Plus paying employees salaries,plus workers comp,matching social security,health insurance.Also many campgrounds are only open for half a year due to weather,so that greatly cuts down on their income.
If you really want a cheaper campground,try State or National Parks,Corps of Engineer,or Forrest Service campgrounds. Since they are subsidised by your tax dollars,and they usually offer fewer services,they can charge less. I've seen some areas where no fee was charged at all.So there you go--------------
Another big expense of campgrounds that nobody has mentioned is libility insurance. Now to cheating. I don't know how many times I have seen campers roll in after dark and the office is closed, select a full hookup site and use all utilities, then pull out the next morning before the office opened without paying.
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