Is the "cheap RV camping" fading into the sunset?

[TR25]

Yeah, this is interesting to me for some reason.
With the dramatic rise of RV living/long term RV-ing, seems like the rates for campgrounds are going up and up and up.
$75 a night a deal? Compared to hotel/motel, yeah. Plus, no bedbugs.
But if you have an actual RV and not a stealth type van and/or staying in BFE land out west......a month worth of camping/travelling in your RV will come to what, $2250 a month.
Is that worth it to people?
How much of the people will be eliminated from any longer term RV-ing with pricing like that?

a seasonal rv space I talked to a guy about, he said it was $1600 (something like april-oct). I told him that amount was nuts and he said it was a great deal.

maybe it is. My background in boondocking/work camping/stealth camping affected my thinking as I never paid to camp other than a few times over, say 10 years. and that was minimum access, no hookups.

What do you spend RV-ing?
Full time? How long? Often?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Full time camping?

It is true that those in power are trying to eliminate Full time camping (low cost camping), for high cost Full time resort living in equipment designed for temporary living.

But cost is directly related to terminology, and the willingness of people to redefine it.

 

[Neal]

We all know post covid and the booming RV lifestyle with working remote, etc. caused a surge in pricing everywhere including campgrounds and RV's. A lot seem to have exited the lifestyle to return to work or due to the rising costs making it less affordable, is my opinion of what we're seeing of late. I also recognize the comparison to parking on a slab of concrete vs the cost of a hotel room and how similar they are especially with campgrounds that have quite a bit of taxes and resort fees to slap on top of what you thought you were going to be paying yet the receipt sign here please says otherwise.

Some know how to camp with minimal expense and a lot of that depends on your RV, i.e. large heavy Class A's vs. Van Lifer's, risk you're willing to take being in the open not among others for security, or those that want to be near amenities. It's up to each as to what brings the most joy and some may want to just stay home too.

Personally I want to explore more boondocking but I do have to weigh the fact I'm in a Class A and have had to be towed out of wet grass once already at a rally, and security. I look forward to getting back out west and exploring BLM land which I haven't done much of yet.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

I have seen the lower budget/snowbird/long-term camp grounds and they seem to be populated primarily by people that have had quite a run of bad luck. Wouldn’t allow my wife to walk the dog without me on the last few we visited.
They’re full of sketchy people…
If I were fulltime, I would spend it at state and national parks, even if I had to move every two weeks.

 

[fishslayer]

I usually stay at our State park cg s..Toledo Bend park is my favorite because of the great fishing..With my senior discount, 20 bucks a night.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The myth is in the belief you can live a lifestyle without paying the price.

The crime is not permitting those that have less, to live in freedom because you may be offended by how safe you feel around them.

Best answer is of course, live within your safety zone, and let others live as they must,or feel comfortable.

Understand that those that can't afford,or don't want to live the life you have chosen, don't seek to tell you you must conform to the standards you have set for you and yours.

Simple note: yes! You can full-time on the cheep. However, there are those in power that would endeavor to remove your privilege to do so because it makes them or the corporations they serve feel uncomfortable, or want more profit.

How you react, and how you respond, is completely on you, and you have the resources to make your choices. However you may find the cost uncomfortable.

 

[Raydawg]

Rv'ing as a main residence compared to other options as renting or owning a home, etc......
All have associated cost, with owning most likely to most expensive.

As a "luxury" or add on to life everyone has a different value on what its worth is.

Just like life itself many people don't plan well, they want more than what they can really afford and it puts their future at risk beyond their control, AKA fate.

My wife and I had to claw our way back into life after a very bad automobile accident in our prime of life at no fault to us, and we had no avenues to return us back to our previous life situation. We barely hung onto our house, and we dug in and worked hard, saved, and rebuilt our life back from scratch.

It was EXTREMELY hard work but we persevered and now have the opportunity to travel with our RV, also have a boat, and no debt and even in our 70's we still generate income instead of draining our accounts.
NOBODY gave us this and no government programs can provide it either.

I think somewhere as a nation we took a wrong turn, instead of viewing adversity as opportunity to grow stronger we look to blame and attain victim status and expect the pie to fall from the sky in "fairness"

That is a mindset that will never deliver a sustainable outcome that will achieve our deepest needs in life, it can't....
I count my blessings and gladly pay my way to those who provide me the opportunity to use their "hookups" to enjoy this love of travel and the beauty of our world......

Your milage may vary, I understand, but I feel its all about how you look at life.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Were someone kvetching with me over what I charge for an RV campsIte, I'd offer to rent it to them at the 2015 rate if they'll sell me their home for it's 2015 appraisel. That guy is paying water, electric, garbage collection, landscaping/maintenance, insurance, staff wages and health insuramce, etc. None of those things are getting cheaper for him.