Jayco-noslide
Galesburg,Il., USA
Senior Member
Joined: 11/24/2004
View Profile
 Offline
|
I appreciate that my post did generate a lot of interesting and thoughtful response. I suppose I am being a bit nosey but actually the financial aspect of RVing(which I love) is very interesting to me; sort of a hobby; not so much criticizing any one specific RVer. I do notice some are rather sensitive about any post which seems to cast the slighest bit of "judgement" (or interest) in what others do.
Jayco-noslide
|
lzasitko
Regina, SK Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 11/30/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
As others have said I don't mind what others have or paid or how they paid. I bought an older MH that I could afford and don't have payments, but that is just how I like it, I prefer to save my pennies and pay cash. I like looking to see what the really expensive units have but in the end I am happy with ours. Kind of like driving a beat up chev and lusting for a Ferrari, may never happen but everyone has to dream :-)
|
TZScales
Maryland
Senior Member
Joined: 02/10/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
I have read some interesting posts on this subject and decided to respond in general. There are probably some of us who making both TV and RV monthly payments, and there are others who are debt free. If you are, I applaud you. However, I know that when I decide to purchase an RV, be it a Class A, C or Fifth Wheel and TV, I will be definitely financing the purchase.
Of course, this is my personal choice and respectfully, I am not concerned about anyone's opinions but the DW.
TZS 
|
Sunseeker2007
Camp Hill, PA
Full Member
Joined: 02/02/2008
View Profile
|
I make an above average wage with a large company that provides some employment security and I have lived below my means for several years. I financed my motorhome but I'm not financially challenged by it. Why did I do it now? Because I'm a single mom and my daughter is growing up. We're running out of time. I'm a workaholic by nature and buying the RV was a giant step toward work/life balance (which my employer endorses). With the motorhome, I can easily get away for the weekend and work when I need to.
I've been away every weekend since the first weekend in April. And I haven't missed working at all. I'm cured. 
Do I have regrets? Yep - I should've done it sooner and not waited those extra couple of years for those raises.
|
KarenInTheWoods
Wisconsin
Full Member
Joined: 03/08/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
We moved up up up over the years from tent - to popup - to old MH - to new TT - to gas MH - and then now a DP MH..... each time putting in more $$$ on a down payment or tradein and financing. Managing the payments on our budget as a form of *entertainment*.
Why? Because we enjoy the travelling--- and camping with four kids was a blast!
Hubby was looking at moving up to the DP and I didnt want the higher payments... though he found the rig of his dreams. I said NO to the rig for 5 months of his begging. Mainly because we owed more on our gas MH than what it was even worth!
But our lives changed drastically when our grown son died. We decided to live our lives to the point of never knowing what can happen next, so within reason, why wait to get the big rig for retirement, let's get it now and enjoy it. Besides, our gasser MH was delaminting bad and the dealer gave us what we owed on it in a trade in on the diesel!
But when we pull our DP MH into a rustic campground (we avoid fancy RV resorts and parks like the plague) we are there for the nature and quiet and remote campsites. We just like the comforts that our rig offers. And we smile and enjoy meeting folks no matter what they are camping in. We cook out on our fire and sit in our chairs and walk our dogs and chat with anyone who stops and smiles!
Now our house is almost paid for, we can retire in 5 years and the motorhome we own now will BE our home in five years when we full time. Selling the house will take care of the final few years of payments left on the rig, and rest of the profit will be our nestegg for one more house or one newer motorhome later down the line as we age.
But we would never have given up the years of camping and travelling our family has done in our RV's. Whether it was tents, popups or beat up old Winnebagos. We have had a blast and go camping a lot more than many folks do. Almost every weekend spring summer and fall... even winters we used it as a home base for skiing and snowmobiling weekends.
Just think--- in comparison: many folks blow $10,000 a year on a couple vacations with taking kids to Disney or ski resorts ... with expensive air flights, car rentals, dual hotel rooms and restaurants.
We decided that we would rather put that into RV payments and enjoy it year round.
Karen and Steveio
1996 Safari Serengeti 38 ft DP
Honda Helix up on back rack
(Camping/Family Photos) http://picasaweb.google.com/pfundt/
www.kareninthewoods.com
|
|
|
BC1
SE NY
New Member
Joined: 07/23/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
I find this post interesting. I used to be a complete workaholic (still am to some degree) and never really bought toys or things I didn’t need. I learned only one good thing from my ex-husband who has the complete opposite thinking from mine (in almost every way). I would always make sure I had plenty of money in the bank for emergencies and had money saved for retirement and kids college, etc. He has no money saved at all and no retirement, etc. and he does whatever he wants to for fun and enjoys life. He doesn’t worry about the future.
Now I would never go to that extreme but recently I have seen too many people close to me very sick or dying before they ever enjoyed life and/or retirement and with health issues all around me and my daughter I have started to look at life very, very differently. Like Sunseeker2007 I am a single mom and I have missed out on so much of my kids (13 & 14 yrs old) lives by working so much. I also realized that I am running out of time with them. I had a couple of TTs but always wanted the freedom of a motorhome of my own and not have to rely on SOs truck and his work schedule to take off when we wanted to. I took the plunge and in Jan. of this year I bought a new 2007 Jamboree. I financed it. I could have easily paid cash but I want the security of having the money in the bank. I realize I’m paying tons of interest but I can also deduct it from taxes and my money in the bank is making some interest. This move was very out of character for me but again I’ve re-evaluated life in general and my life/financial planning.
Of course, I picked a bad time to buy this MH and I started to freak out about the gas and the bad outlook on the economy, etc. and my old self/way of thinking started to creep back in and I thought for a few days that maybe I should try to sell it now while someone may still want to buy something that gets 10 mpg. Then I thought about my friends that died and didn’t enjoy life and reminded myself that I only have a few more yrs with my kids before they are off to college. I’m going to enjoy this MH so much over the next few years and try to make up for some of those lost years with my kids while NOT thinking about the fact that it was not a wise financial investment. Besides, I figure if I lose my job and can’t afford to live anywhere we can boondock in the MH and not have a mortgage or rent Now that's a smart financial move.
New in 2008 - 2007 Jamboree 28F LOVE IT!!!
Me, SO, 2 Teens, 1 dog & 2 non-camping cats
|
Matthew_B
The boonies near Dallas, Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 08/18/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Sunseeker2007 wrote:I make an above average wage with a large company that provides some employment security and I have lived below my means for several years. I financed my motorhome but I'm not financially challenged by it. Why did I do it now? Because I'm a single mom....
Hmmm, advertising like that might get you a few proposals by personal message 
|
Bill 720
Lawton, Ok, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/18/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Hi: I know people who are upside down on their loans and wish they had made better decisions. Look at the housing market. A lot of people should have known they were buying more than they could afford. Apparently they didn't or perhaps they knew and just didn't care. I think the same would apply to RVs but I also believe there are a lot more responsible people living this life style than there are those who are not. Bill
|
smkettner
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
I had to finance the RV as I ran out of money when I paid cash for my house. 
Go big and go long if you finance, send extra money when convenient. Nothing better than being way upside down on a secured low interest loan. The bank should worry more than me right?
2001 F150 SuperCrew 5.4 Lariat Offroad 4x4 Tow Package 4.10 Truetrac
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
12K SuperGlide, KGE3000Ti 2.3kw rated 2.6kw max
Frank's voltage booster, Prosine 1800 powered by 4 GC2 batteries
|
4campnuts
Southern NH
Senior Member
Joined: 05/23/2005
View Profile
|
This is simple. Why finance an RV or even your TV to pull it? Life is too short, that's why. If you have the cash, go for it, that's great. If you don't, and you can afford it, finance it and get out there and enjoy life. You can spend 5 years saving a few hundred a month, then pay cash or you can spend 5 years paying a few hundred a month and enjoy your RV the whole time. My daughter's friend's mom just died in a motorcycle accident. 39 years old. Slipped on wet pavement. Glad she was at least out enjoying her bike doing what she must've loved to do. Again, life is too short to spend it "planning for someday". Live responsibly, but live.
|
|
|
