I worked out yesterday that it has cost us 2.5K to keep our caravan on the road this year. That doesn't include actual site fees or spends, this is just the usual storage fees, insurance, servicing and 2 really hefty repair bills. I work for the NHS and my husband works in the motor industry, neither of which are flush at the moment and we are going to see our salaries plummet by a whopping 10K next year. It will be a make or break year for us. If we can't pay the mortgage the caravan will have to go. It will break my heart but paying to keep my kids inheritance is more important. Am I on my own on this? Before anyone asks we spend approx 7 weeks a year away in the caravan and I know that I would never get 7 weeks of holidays for that price, but even so....
The kids don't want to come with us any more (one hopefully off to Uni in September anyway) and the younger one will be in College, so it looks like just me and the OH in the van next year, which does make it something of an expensive hobby.
We work it out that it's about £1000 before it moves, with the cost of storage, insurance and servicing. What we also take into account is the fact that we are running a relatively large car for towing it with, which we have to run 12 months of the year regardless. I know we would have to run a car with or without a van, but we could get something much more tax/fuel efficient if we weren't.
Yet I have sat here typing this and I know, deep down, I still won't get rid of it. I know it's costing a lot but there's nothing to beat taking your own holiday accommodation with you, pulling up on site, winding the legs down and putting the kettle on. I keep telling OH I'm low maintenance.
Sorry, what I also meant to say was that if it came down to a choice between keeping the van or paying the mortgage, the van would obviously have to go. We are very fortunate in that we no longer have a mortgage to pay (well into middle age now) but despite this, are finding our income is being squeezed more and more, what with increased fuel bills, diesel prices, food getting much more expensive etc....the necessities really are going up in price. The van is a luxury which I will keep while I can afford to (just about) but home or van? no contest
A major reason for not having a caravan is for us the fact that it's stood there all year round, depreciating in value, possibly needing repair bills, definitely needing servicing for a large part of the year. We did have an old one many years ago before we bought our house, but much more cost effective to have a tent, even if you do need a trailer, and you could tow that with a smaller, more economical car.
Ive never had a new van in my 30 years plus of caravaning and i dont see the Point.Ok it must be nice to have a new van but insurance is high,depreciating,servicing all come in to the running costs.I have a cracker of a 2001 van insurance is £125 and falling,storage is £250 and i do my own servicing which is not as hard as you think.
Two and a half grand is just crazy for running costs.If you really like caravaning i suggest you down market and get something that suits your pocket and i know you maybe thinking,why should we when weve worked so hard to get this van but it maybe the way forward.
This is the reason we sold our van couple of years ago, we just didn't use it enough for it to pay its way. We then brought a trailer tent, then a tent - my thinking was that for 2 weeks in the south of France, a tent would be all we needed, its cheap and wouldn't need to tow anything. But we have since sold both, as after having the comfort of a caravan, its hard to come back down to basics! lol.
We're a family of two adults, two children. When I was younger, all my holidays were in a touring caravan. From being a 3 month old baby, to a young adult. My mum was a teacher so we'd go away for the full 6weeks holidays. I planned to get a caravan when I grew up and had my own children.
But, this year, when it came down to it, I just couldn't afford to do it.
I work silly shifts in the NHS and so don't always get weekends off. I have to beg for school holidays off, and if I'm lucky I get two weeks a year.
So when I looked at the prices of caravans, plus depreciation, and storage. There was no way I could justify it for potentially two weeks, plus a few weekends a year. :(
Ideally, I think I'd still prefer a caravan to a tent, because I like my luxuries and mainly a proper bed at night!! But financially, for us, tents make a LOT more sense at the moment. Maybe if I can get a job where I have more sensible holidays that might change.
I would agree things are becoming more difficult but to get 7 weeks + for that kind of money is amazing and not available on any package holiday anywhere, when money becomes difficult reducing the time away could be the answer and to self service the caravan etc .
If it was between the caravan and my kids the van would go in a flash and a would buy another when times change
We have a 2001 van and store it on our drive. Servicing is a piece of cake for me to do myself and given the value of the caravan and the fact we don't need insurance for storage purposes then it costs us nothing if we don't use it. I have done a few jobs on it through the year but spent less than £50 on it, just a few hours work.
We've not used it much in the last 18 months, due to other problems but I do still like to go and sit in it on my own and have a potter about.
I have recently taken early retirement from the NHS and my income has reduced by more than 50%. I have owned caravans, trailer tents and tents over the years and as age creeps up I have to admit I prefer the ease and comfort of a caravan. I have also been an enthusiast of Classic cars and always used to have some sort of project on the go. With reducing income and the increasing expense of restoring/running an old vehicle I have combined my interests and bought an old folding caravan. I am doing the refurb myself, it is lightweight and doesn't need tax or petrol. I can store it in the garage and it can be towed by a smaller car. My relatives all have new(ish) large vans costing in excess of £15k and mock my little van. But I know who has the last laugh, and I sleep as well in my little snail as they do in their 20 foot monsters.Yes, they have showers and ovens and things, but they don't use them in case it devalues their vans. I still have a tent and small trailer for sunny week-ends (remember them?) but the annual costs for my kit are minimal. I wish more people would keep older vans on the road and bring back the spirit of the 60/70's when the snobbery value hardly existed.
------------- I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
Caravaning can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it and lots of folk will have different ideas. We treat it as our hobby, and whilst we have to watch the costs-being retired now- by taking advantage of mid week offers and 4 nights for the price of 3, we try and get away as often as possible. I feel sorry for those with children who are restricted to weekends and school holidays as this is when site prices are the highest. There is only one way site prices and fuel costs are going in the future, but you do not have to travel hundreds of miles to get that 'away from it all' feeling, we nanage on about 50/60 miles from home. Nothing beats being on site with breakfast cooking and hopefully the sun shining......there are some things you cannot put a price on !!!!
we have downsized from two to one car,are going to take hols in uk hope weather is ok, take dog with us saves on kennel fees and cater for ourselves not eat out .
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Is anyone else feeling the pinch?
