Did you buy your camper to save money or to explore?

[Dion]

This topic came up at work the other day when I was showing my camper to someone.  They asked how much it was and replied "you could buy a lot of hotel rooms for that much!".

It got me thinking ... that we didn't buy our camper to save money.  We bought it to visit places where there is often no accommodation there, so it's either camp or not stay there; e.g. National Parks.

Curious to see what others have used to "rationalise" their purchase?

[nbd73]

Rationale: roof won't collapse on me in a storm. Happened at Fraser Island 3.5yrs ago and don't want to ever endure again. Trying to sleep on a water logged foam mattress in rain and wind is not top of my bucket list(truth be told its not ever likely to be). The head says I would be better off having the money sitting on the mortgage, but I am not a smart or rational person.

[TOPNDR]

We've got a 4 year old AOR Quantum, paid $75k in the belief that if we wanted it to, it would last us until we're beyond camping.  It'll go anywhere we want  is comfortable, and built to last.

We have no reason thus far to question our decision.

BOUGHT TO EXPLORE.

[dadonbike]

Based on purchase price, and number of nights weve slept in it, our camper now costs $48 every night we stay in it. If we include mods of approx $3.5k, price jumps to $62. and increases more if you add  accessories ($?).
How can we make it cheaper? Answer, go camping more.
For us, it was a balance between comfort, lifestyle and experience. One trip a year we stay in accomodation. Wifey loves it. I hate it, and would prefer to go camping for a month for the same bucks. But because we havent overcommitted on camper, feel we can afford to do both.
At the end of the day, the camper is ideal for trips away with the kids. So really, my response is it was a budget based lifestyle choice to provide lifetime memories whilst exploring parts of our great land!
Oh, and dont ask me about our trip to disneyland next year.  Id prefer to do the big lap instead, but in our democracy, my vote is not equal to hers. Bugger!

[JCAT]

Brought it to explore. I have now spent around 110 nights in it though and with a family of 2A + 2C at a modest $80 a night (very cheap room) that's $8800 worth of accomodation. We rarely stay in van parks any more.

[FODFA]

I've Owned 5 off road camper trailers. I built them all, sold 4 of them for a profit so even after paying for the fifth I am in front by thousands. Having said that it was never about the money, you can't get hotel rooms where we travel!

It's all about freedom for me, freedom to go where I like, when I like and stop when I like.

Cheers Andrew

[D4D]

I just did both, bought a camper to explore after selling the Goldstream and putting 1/3 of the proceeds on the mortgage and spending 2/3 on a new camper. Sure that is still a lot of hotel room nights but even one trip out camping with the family is priceless.

[toeball]

Yes to both!

[speewa158]

To know the accommodation is with me . l can raid the mini bar in my room any time . The only down side is that it costs me 1or 2 extra litres per KM  . Big Deal , my room at the beach is booked as is  , in the bush , on the river , in the desert even at home when l get chucked out   ( That wont happen  )
Club Speewa is at the ready to explore in comfort . 

[Bm0]

For us it was about our daughter.

Our daughter was 4 when we bought our camper, now just over 5. We wanted her to grow up experiencing the bush and all of the great things our country has to offer. Being on the West Coast, alot of kids over here end up going to Bali before they have been anywhere in Australia.

Bali might be great for cheap T-Shirts but in my opinion the bush gives a much better education to young kids.
Yes, we could have done that without a camper trailer, but with the camper its just so much easier (which means we are much more likely to go more often)

It is a luxury, as someone has already mentioned a camper costs you heap unless you use it.. so we try to get out and use ours as often as possible.

We committed to ourselves to use the camper once a month, which for a couple both working fulltime is a big ask, but we generally do get away for at least an overnighter each month and the months we do not get away are usually offset by a bigger trip the next month.

I guess my short answer to the original question is to explore 

[woolgoolgaoffroad]

def yes to both too

[krisandkev]

The same question could be asked about buying a four wheel drive.  While staying in Exmouth a few months back, unfortunately in a caravan park, but that is another story, a bloke in a commodore sedan towing a caravan set up beside us.  Once he was set up I did the right thing, went over to say hello, standing at the back of our cruiser.  This bloke straight away told me how he hates four wheel drives; he said he can go anywhere a four wheel drive can. Blah blah blah.  Well I thought what a *******.   I did not bother to tell him the places we have been in our camper and cruiser that he would not be able to go.  Plus we soon discovered he and his wife were chain smokers and for the next 3 days we had to keep our camper’s windows zipped up to keep the smoke out.  Don’t you just love caravan parks....   That is why we have a camper and four wheel drive, so we don’t have to stay at caravan parks all of the time.    Kevin

[Alan Loy]

I bought a tent to save money & explore.  The 4wd because I was sick of turning back from 4wd only tracks.

The campertrailer when I get one will be more about convenience & comfort and making those weekends away more likely

[Swannie]

I'm not sure being on this site has saved me any money.. I keep bloody buying stuff!!
Swannie

[smartyingreen]

Ours was about giving our kids a holiday more frequently at a price we could afford in locations that motel rooms were not.
Tenting is ok, but with 3 kids there is only so much room in the cruiser, so getting a camper meant we could have everything at the ready, in one spot.
Once we feel we've had enough of camping (hope that day never comes), we can sell the camper and all our holidays have cost us two fifths of **** all!

Sent from my GT-N8020 using Tapatalk 4

[scarps]

Simply to explore the outdoors with a product that I know will last at least the next 10 years, in and through most of the conditions Oz can throw at us.

[Dillonator]

Bought to explore!
So much better for the kids to experience Australia as a camper IMHO

[kiwi_camper]

Hubby works long hours and the reality was we just never went away on holiday. The money we saved for a holiday would be needed on something else, holidays came and went and we hadn't planned to go anywhere, hubby couldn't get time off work etc etc. We also try to get back to NZ at least once a year at Christmast which isn't cheap.

In the end, after much talk about going camping, we went on a camping weekend with 5 other families. Fortunately both hubby and I love camping so we make it a priority to go away as much as possible. Hubby often has to work long hours before we go away and works on and off while we're away but somethings are a sacrifice.

We started off with a tent and a very basic set-up. Eventually we realised that to take everything we needed away (2 kids were aged 5 and 7 at the time) we were going to need a trailer. Then on our 3rd camping trip, we had a family in a CT set-up beside us in less than 45 minutes- decision made that we needed a CT. Since then we have also needed to up-grade the car and eventually plan to get a 4WD so we can go to more remote places. Last year we spent 40 nights away in our CT and I can safely say the money saved in camping has probably paid for the CT already.

We sometimes forget how lucky we are to live in this beautiful state and the amazing weather we are blessed with. Getting out and exploring helps us to remember that fact. I know that the best holidays our kids still talk about have been the ones where we've been camping.

Problem with camping is there's always the next thing you need to buy. I'm happy as long as we have clean amenities, hot showers and in most cases flushing toilets.

We are already looking to the future (for when we're grey nomads) and what we will be camping in LOL.

[flindersroses]

We started with the soft floor(still for sale) and then purchased the Goldstream. We originally got the soft floor to make camping easier. Well at least more comfortable. Then along came Koby our little surprise.  Mum had to look after him while I did the set-up and it was to hard by myself......enter Goldstream.
Now we have dreams of Kakadu, The Cape, Fraser etc. Life was a blur of overseas holidays but we have paradise in our own back yard. Goldy MAKES us go and enjoy it.

[Bm0]

The same question could be asked about buying a four wheel drive.  While staying in Exmouth a few months back, unfortunately in a caravan park, but that is another story, a bloke in a commodore sedan towing a caravan set up beside us.  Once he was set up I did the right thing, went over to say hello, standing at the back of our cruiser.  This bloke straight away told me how he hates four wheel drives; he said he can go anywhere a four wheel drive can. Blah blah blah.  Well I thought what a *******.   I did not bother to tell him the places we have been in our camper and cruiser that he would not be able to go.  Plus we soon discovered he and his wife were chain smokers and for the next 3 days we had to keep our camper’s windows zipped up to keep the smoke out.  Don’t you just love caravan parks....   That is why we have a camper and four wheel drive, so we don’t have to stay at caravan parks all of the time.    Kevin

Should have asked him to follow you across the yardie creek crossing... that would have sorted him out

[TOPNDR]

That's an interesting concept, equating the camper cost to a cost per night.  I estimate ours is running at $250-$300/night at present but this will come down.  All our holidays are camping, even if we go to the big-smoke we set up in a caravan park.

A move to Tassie next year is on the cards, so it will get even more use done there because we WILL NOT have a garden to look after!

[Pipeliner]

Definitely for exploring, and also to make sure that we have the comforts of living around us wherever we go, be it in a Big 4 caravan park (where we stay most Christmas's as the children don't have enough room to put us up),  down by the river just outside Boulia or in a clearing off the Oodnadatta Track.  It certainly wasn't to save money as the 4wd and camper set us back over $90,000 in 2007, but the places we've been and the country we've seen makes it worth every penny (sorry, cent, that's the latent Pom in me showing through!).

[Jeepers Creepers]

That's an interesting concept, equating the camper cost to a cost per night.  I estimate ours is running at $250-$300/night at present but this will come down.  All our holidays are camping, even if we go to the big-smoke we set up in a caravan park.

A move to Tassie next year is on the cards, so it will get even more use done there because we WILL NOT have a garden to look after!

Don't forget though, you sell the camper whenever ya want and recoup a fist ful of dollars.
Try selling a motel room you don't own.

[tourin n fishin]

We Loved tenting but with 1 kid and another on the way the CT allows slightly more comfort and the ability to all fit comfortably under one roof, simple

[Coiled]

We bought ours to escape & explore!

We love camping but a back injury has seen me avoiding lifting wherever possible and the KK makes for lift free camping. It also makes things much easier now we are three!

I also want my boy to grow up learning the practical skills that I learnt from camping since I was born.