Can you afford your Motorhome....?

Just smiffy

Just smiffy

Joined
May 31, 2015
Posts
13,264
Likes collected
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Location
Cornwall
Funster No
36,638
MH
Ducato PVC
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Getting Better
I’ve seen many posts on threads where people save money in ingenious ways, and some that spend spend and spend, some say they don’t care how many MPG they get, some say you spent thousands on it and you scrimp on accessories, some save on aires some on wildcamping, some spend £tens on sites and on the must have next gadget....

Fortunately I’m quite handy at diy so I can fettle on my Motorhome and save, I like to see the country side of the country I’m in so dawdling along I save on fuel, I don’t mind staying on free aires and a bit of wildcamping so save there to, I also stay on reasonable to me priced sites too if it’s where I want to be....

Doing what I do I save money so I can afford to use my Motorhome more often and for longer trips...
To me, my Motorhome is very expensive and this is what I do to enjoy using it...

Fortunately I have some savings too and consider myself very fortunate that my hard work throughout my life is paying off...

I guess what I’m saying is I don’t like waste of any sort and don’t like paying out just because I can....

Are there things you do to enjoy yours...?
 
The Motorhome paid for out of hard earned savings, never earnt much but always been careful. Don't mind spending a bit on accessories but prefer to fit them myself so I know the jobs done properly.

Using it is different as the cost of that has to come out of our pensions, MPG not too much of a worry as the cost difference between 22 or 25 mpg is not that much over 9 or 10,000 miles a year.
Don't particularly like sites don't see the point of paying €20-€30 just to park for the night.
 
Mine is paid for so any accessories I might buy I want to be if good quality. I don’t like campsites, much prefer aires or pub stops. It’s not totally because of cost but I don’t like paying for facilities I will not use or for watching other people’s kids ride bikes round and found constantly.

I do everything I can as far as upkeep goes, again not because of cost I just don’t trust garages much, I have seen, and been the victim of some pretty poor quality work over the years.

So to answer the question, yes I can afford It and when I factor in what I paid for it new and the times we have had with it I think it’s great value.
 
I bet if people were to analyse their hobbies, be sailing, caravan etc if you added up all the costs it would not be viable. A bit like a smoker, they are skint but can still find the money for a packet of fags. Only thing that’s certain is you can’t take it with you.
 
My motorhome is paid for so fortunately don't have to find repayments which possibly means I have more spare money to spend on other things. I like wild camping especially in a quiet place where it's only us.

I do stay on sites sometimes but prefer adult only sites as done the kids thing now both grown up and don't want to listen to others kids screaming and riding bikes close to my motorhome. We normally go for a quiet CL site as we shower and use our van toilet and don't really need hook up.

Regards mpg don't worry about it dont drive fast max 65- 70mph on motorway and never in a rush. Regards maintenance luckily I own a garage so trust my lads completely plus it costs me very little only the parts.

One thing is for sure it costs me a lot less than my boat in Weymouth did that did 1 mpg yes that's right one mile to the gallon but it did have two 500 bhp Volvo engines
 
We are the same we paid for our motorhome out of a pension maturing and it was worth more as cash lump sum than a few pounds per month (less than £50 a month offered but enough to buy Maxine outright)

We have always lived frugally so we enjoy finding out of the way places where few go
We use ACSI regularly as well as free aires and pub stops
we find that we can travel for longer since changing from the caravan to the motorhome although France is getting worse than the UK for costs
 
I couldn’t afford mine on the frugal pension, tax, insurance , and running costs, plus having an extra vehicle to use daily. I sold mine and now have become a tugger I still have to insure it but am down to one vehicle.to use all the time, and the van to get holidays and weekends. :):):)
 
TeeMyob said:
Save a fortune with ours

Swiss Ski Chalet (Grimentz) £3,200 per week - Aire £20 a night

Many the same
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I bet many use their vans to do other hobbies like ski holiday or motor meetings etc. Just another angle on making the numbers work for something that would be beyond their means.
 
But touring abroad for any length of time have anyone thought of a major breakdown where your return date is a couple of months down the line and breakdown co will only take you to a main dealer and 8 to 10 thousand repair bill I hadn’t but it can happen?
 
Last year we spent September/October in northern Spain and Portugal.
I used to stay on acsi sites a lot but now use search for sites app. We saved a fortune and used all our onboard facilities. Surely this is the way to use a Motorhome
A pvc type helps when staying on city aires. Stayed on a campsite in Portugal right on the beach recommended by searchforsites paid 4€ a night, fantastic place, could have stayed there for a month but didn’t.
Just can’t understand people we know who only stay on campsites and never use their own facilities..
Phil
 
We use the cheaper 5 van sites in UK and as soon as we can manage without EHU we do.
We don’t eat out & have takeaways occasionally.
We spend a lot of time in France using the Aires.
Hubby does all the maintenance etc on the van.
Van is paid for-it’s an oldie but goodie!
Agree with @gillnphil with your own facilities why pay to use other?

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Nasher said:
I've spent all my money on women and motorcycles - the rest I've just wasted :)
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50 % of those are a waste, when was the last time you seen a 1300cc woman:D?
The bike always lets you tinker with it. The bike is always prepared to go the distance ,AND , the extra mile. Most importantly , barring major repairs , you know how much it takes to run the bike.


Time to reassess your spending:D.
I've never been on a motorbike , maybe I should get one.
Preparing for incoming .
John
 
kelpie said:
50 % of those are a waste, when was the last time you seen a 1300cc woman:D?
The bike always lets you tinker with it. The bike is always prepared to go the distance ,AND , the extra mile. Most importantly , barring major repairs , you know how much it takes to run the bike.


Time to reassess your spending:D.
I've never been on a motorbike , maybe I should get one.
Preparing for incoming .
John
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Firstly - go and do a CBT at your local motorcycle training centre to see if you like it - I've been obsessed with motorbikes since I was 14 - but you should give it a try in a safe enviroment

Secondly - my classic race bikes cost a fortune to run - but worth every penny (and that includes all the time spent in the garage tinkering!)
That said, I think some women may be cheaper to run:)

Lastly - if shopping had been an Olympic sport, a previous girlfriend, would have been the gold medalist!
But, buying her a motorbike and paying for all the running costs, saved me an absolute fortune as she couldn't carry anything on it and therefore could not shop
Add to that, she looked gorgeous in leather, a good result all round!
 
We would spend more staying at home. Out shopping during the day and then would end up in our local spending a fortune and then go for dinner or get a takeaway.

In the MH we just chill and cook, drink a few beers out of the fridge and maybe a gin or three, even after site fees we still spend less once away. Could save more by being a bit more adventurous on stopovers but it’s only our first season.

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Haven just read smiffys post i thought it was my husband sounds like you two are singing from the same hymn sheet :)
 
movan said:
No ..I can't afford it now. Treasure each trip as don't know how long the pleasure will last. :(
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There must be space in another “friendly” funsters van for a companion.... ;););)
 
jdk62 said:
There must be space in another “friendly” funsters van for a companion.... ;););)
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Don't think I would impose myself on anybody ..... I get on my own nerves at times ...:)

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When I retired some 19 years ago I purchased my first RV with the proceeds of all the "junk" my kids thought I had collected over the years :D. I took off to Norway, fishing that summer and finished up spending the winter in the Sahara. Since then I have spent at least 4 months each year travelling around Europe and some years as much as 6 or 7 months away. I have forgotten just how many motorhomes have passed through my hands in the last 19 years, but each and every one was sold at a small profit after use. I spent all my working life keeping bankers in the manner they thought they were worth and since retirement have purchased toys and motorhomes that I can enjoy being the temporary custodian of. Money in the bank is of little use to anyone unless you are a banker nowadays, so spend it and enjoy it within your means.
We rarely use campsites nowadays preferring to sit on the riverbank of the Mosel where we spent last summer and will quite possibly spend this summer at the princely sum of 35 Euros per week electric and wifi included, safe in the knowledge that my home solar system is earning me a bob or two that whilst away. In answer to the OPs question, can I afford my motorhome....If I couldn't, I wouldn't have bought it in the first place :).
 
Nasher said:
Firstly - go and do a CBT at your local motorcycle training centre to see if you like it - I've been obsessed with motorbikes since I was 14 - but you should give it a try in a safe enviroment

Secondly - my classic race bikes cost a fortune to run - but worth every penny (and that includes all the time spent in the garage tinkering!)
That said, I think some women may be cheaper to run:)

Lastly - if shopping had been an Olympic sport, a previous girlfriend, would have been the gold medalist!
But, buying her a motorbike and paying for all the running costs, saved me an absolute fortune as she couldn't carry anything on it and therefore could not shop
Add to that, she looked gorgeous in leather, a good result all round!
Click to expand...
I'm 66 this year , THINK I would feel strange doing a CBT with a group of spotty youths , don't know:D. My son runs a Bmw motorbike , the one the Police use , 12-1300 cc. He's currently in America for three weeks on a hired Harley going from east to west with some north south detours. Never been the jealous type but I am on this one.
Next year he's talking about Vietnam or Cambodia by bike , oh to be young and carefree again.

Remembering where he currently is he's five hours behind us, 3am our time today , Ipad pings . Reading through sleepy eyes my wife only sees some MEDICAL CENTRE. Lights on , glasses on , to find that he's in a Holiday Inn beside a Medical Centre, phew(y).
He posts every night when he's parked up to let us know where he's got to.
Won't relax until he posts " At the airport waiting for flight home"
John
 
How many people buy their Motorhomes with finance? I don't see it mentioned a lot so guess the answer is not that many, with the amounts borrowed being high by necessity. Could that be one of the reasons why motorhoming is more of a senior citizens hobby?

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