My soloution, write a cheque. I have done it at several "self registration" campgrounds and never encountered a problem. Do they specifically not allow it where you are camping?
Write a Cheque or use your visa card, we've done this many times and no problemo.
What I like about self registration is , you get to pick your own spot, as most kiosk type campgrounds they will assign you a spot which usually is never what you wanted cause the site is to open , or to close to other neighbours etc.
Don't they take checks (oops, sorry about that) - cheques??
I can be bi-lingual??
But that is the easy way. Or reservs ahead and prepay via credit card? - Works in AB and in CO and MO.
What is wrong with thinking ahead??
Can't use cheques in most BC provincial parks this year. Signs are posted at the ones we've visited advising of such. Payment must be in cash (Visa? How do you pay with Visa at self registration??).
We've had various experiences this year ...
1. I paid the posted amount at Little Qualicum Falls at Easter. Attendant came by to give me $2 change. Okay ...
2. Next time at Little Qualicum I paid the amount I apparently should have paid the first time. Attendant left a note on our truck saying he had made an error the first time and I now owed him some money, but he went on to explain that because his refund on our first trip likely confused me, we'd call it even. But next time I better be sure to pay the $19.
3. Another time, I don't recall which campground, the attendant came to collect the camping fee. I told him I had paid, he said he had just cleaned out the bin and there was no payment. I stood my ground, because I HAD paid. He came back a little bit later and apologized ... the envelope had stuck near the top of the bin and he was able to retrieve it by sticking his arm/hand up and around. He said the bulky envelopes (because of the coins) often stick in the upper portion of the bin.
We prefer to not reserve to pay by credit card. With reservations, you pay the added fee for every night you stay, not just the first night. Adds cost to your camping.
So, I collect loonies and toonies throughout the year and put them in pill bottles and store them in the RV. Before big trips, I store $5 and $10 too. Alternatively, it's amazing how well attended the self-registration CGs are ... and I've learned I can get change from the attendant and then pay. After all, they come around every few hours to see if you want to buy the overpiced firewood.
Pay by credit card?! I do... And you get a whole month to pay it off!!
Seriously, if I want to pay and feel my card number is not 'secure' I don't pay, wait for the camp hosts to do there rounds and pay them via credit card when they come to my site... It is a rather simple solution.
Stefan
2003 Chevy Silverado 1500HD, 3.73, 4x4, Crew Cab, 6.0L (loving it!)
2003 Layton lite 232 BH
We just bought a roll of toonies, loonies and a stack of $5 and $10's... we have a spot in the trailer for it... we did it once at the beginning of the season and i'm pretty sure it will more than last the entire season. Only need to plan ahead once. works for me but I can see how it would be difficult for others... Just don't ask them to raise the prices again.. $24 a night for basically boondocking is hard to swallow at some parks. Others it is more than worth it for what you get in other amenities.
TV - 2007 Silverado Crew cab shortbox with 5.3l engine
TT - 2007 28BHS Passport
campers include me and my 4 year old twin boys and occasionally DH
I loved the envelopes !!!! go and pick my own stall 1st then comeback and pay ...thats the best rather than have a 13 year old kid assign me a stall thats way to small or full of mud. We always pay by CC or by cheque and have never had a problem
The things I don't like about leaving cash in those boxes,,,, its tempting for someone to steal, but then writing your credit card info and leaving it can be even more dangerious if stolen, as well a cheque has your bank acount # on it, so I guess the lesser of the three evils would be cash. BUT, then whos to say the guy collecting the money is completely honest,, after all it is a government worker (in provincial parks) and we all know how drasticaly underpaid they are here in Ontario (sarcasm)
I was in a park (day use only) and they had the same type of machine that pay parking lots have, with the cost of these things coming down because of chinese mass production theres no reason they can't be used everywhere, some of the newer ones take debit and credit cards as well as cash.
Relaxin, hikin, canoin, enjoyin life
headin down the road with a 25 foot starcraft, canoe, camera & fishing rod,'86 gmc 1 ton crew cab 454 "Sheila" a few pics from 2004
I agree with the OP that the campground fee prices in BC aren't condusive to self-registration - which requires exact cash (or an over-payment). The PP camping fees are high enough in BC - overpaying is like another dagger in the heart! I have only had to self-register once (at Kilby PP) and luckily we had the right amount of coin.
There is no reason why these types of campgrounds cannot have pay boxes (similar to the pay parking boxes). Where the &^%* does our money go, anyway? The fees keep going up, up and up some more and I don't see an improvement in service (and there COULD be SOOOOO many improvements - BC parks lack in administrative areas - such as reservations, inquiries & evening/ranger support - where many other provincial parks in Canada and state parks in the US excel) - and so I prefer to pay an extra $5-$10, get full hook-ups and stay at a nice RV Park. I can use my credit card there (!!!!) and actually speak to a human being when I need to (!!!!!!!!). This doesn't mean I am boycotting PPs in BC (still some of the most beautiful places in the world) - it just means I am going there much more infrequently than I used to.
Larry, Paula and Two Kids (ages 5 & 3)
2006 Dodge Ram Power Wagon
2007 Jayco Jay Flight 20BH
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