Posted on 07/06/2017 12:18:39 PM PDT by yetidog
Mrs. abb and I have a theory about folks who use trailers and RV’s instead of staying in a hotel: they’re people who have to tote all their ‘stuff’ with them when they travel.
My Wife and I RV Travel about 4 months each year. Our Rig is a 34 ft. Travel Trailer and a Ford Excursion V-10. We purchased this combination new in 2002.
Since is only used 4 months each year and stored in enclosed Shed when not in use it looks in New condition. The original cost was $55000.
The real cost of RV’ing is the daily variable cost of $40. to $60. (Includes Site Rental and Gasoline.)
That amounts to $1200. to $1800. per month.
We like RV’ing much better than Hotels. We are 82/79 YO.
Any financing is also a mortgage, tax deductible. We owned a motorhome for awhile, and the interest charge on the loan was considered a mortgage. If I recall correctly, had to have a kitchen & bathroom to qualify. A pop-up trailer, for example, does not.
Perhaps a better question is why doesn’t everyone own a big RV?
This is America!
You can buy a nice 35 foot Class A Motorhome for under $100,000 and get a 10 Year Loan.
I think, but I’m not sure that you can actually write off the Interest like a Mortgage Loan.
The cheaper models are Gas Engines based on a Ford Platform with a V-10 Engine up front.
The expensive Class A Motorhomes are Diesel Pushers that cost a whole lot more.
There is a Motor Home for nearly every Budget.
They afford them the same way they afford a second home or a yacht.
What’s the big deal?
Some can only afford a stolen shopping cart, some can afford half a dozen luxury homes around the world and much more.
Big deal.
A nice tournament ski boat is $120k these day. A nice RV is about $200 and can be $600k.
Some people sell their house and live in their RV.
Obscene?
How silly. Only socialists think investment returns are “obscene”.
What you call obscene I call good.
They then financed the RV at zero percent.
He has a Air Force pension and one from GM plus SS. I never asked how much his 401k was but I would bet it holds a tidy sum.
Gubmint? Like those who served just 20 years in the Military and retired with fat pensions? Bunch of leeches at the gubmint tit, right?
The campers you see people in are not their first units. We started in tents, then a $750 Starcaft popup which we sold later for the same $750. Then we got a really good deal on a used 28ft. Nomad for which we had to buy a used Jeep Grand Cherokee to tow.
After that we got a deal on a used 35ft. Starcraft travel trailer from a retired couple who didn't want it anymore. We stopped towing after that and set it on a seasonal site next to a lake.
Fast forward 8 years or so and we are now enjoying a brand new 35Ft. Forest River trailer on the same site. We saved up for it, got a really good deal and financed at a very low rate.
So, what you see as an instantaneous appearance of a luxurious RV or camper is actually the (likely) final purchase in a line of 'trade-ups'. It's a process.
I've used the same process over the years to build quite a nice collection of various radio communications equipment. Buy low, fix it up, sell higher...then lather, rinse, repeat until you can get the unit you really want. As I said, it's a process.
IRA/401k annual yields can be obscene.
You are just seeing some of the people who support 94,000,000 AmeriCANTS on the gov dole!
Some people sell their house and use the money to buy an RV and live like rich vagabonds for a few years. Then sell the rig and downsize into a smaller house.
If you take nothing away from my post, please remember one thing. RV's tear up and fall apart like nothing I've ever seen. Therefore, never buy an RV without purchasing the extended warranty. The RV company makes a nice profit off this warranty so a savvy customer can negotiate the cost of the warranty reducing it by at least 50%.
http://www.collierrv.com/rentals/rental-fleet
Class A’s rent for about $2k a week
Regular trailers are $1k a week or more
5th wheels $1500
If your only using it 1 or 2 weeks a year, renting it might be better than buying it. Especially at $40-$70k to buy.
My buddy and I drove down to Alabama to pick up his trailer, a few years back.
They bought a used one off an auction.
Got it for less than half a comparable at a lot would be.
“Mrs. abb and I have a theory about..”
We RV 4 months a year. We take our
Clothes and Pets. RV’ing is not for everyone. Judging others by your own standard is not kind.
Smart with the money. Also downsizing the house once the kids move out tends to put a lot of cash in the bank. Especially if you were super smart and bought only one house that is surely paid for by then. Also you can rent RVs. And I know a few folks who co-bought RVs with friends and basically time share. Used properly money grows.
I get a good laugh out of this commercial. It’s right up there with mom and apple pie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0HX4a5P8eE
A lot of those people are working from their rigs.
This guy has his own YouTube channel and his viewers paid for his RV. Been watching his videos for over a year. Pretty cool guy, and so is his kitty Jax. https://youtu.be/Iuaf0SF0eT0
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