WoodFamily
Alabama
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Greetings, All
We're planning our escape and hope to begin full-time living in a fifth wheel sooner rather than later. As I've read some of your posts I've noticed that some of you have been able to stay for extended periods for less than $10 a night. We would like to stay for at least a couple months at safe and comfortable locations, especially if we can limit our costs to $10 or less per night. If any of you would like to share your experiences or ideas with long-term and inexpensive stays, we'd be happy to read them:-)
Thank you!
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firedude
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WoodFamily wrote:Greetings, All
We're planning our escape and hope to begin full-time living in a fifth wheel sooner rather than later. As I've read some of your posts I've noticed that some of you have been able to stay for extended periods for less than $10 a night. We would like to stay for at least a couple months at safe and comfortable locations, especially if we can limit our costs to $10 or less per night. If any of you would like to share your experiences or ideas with long-term and inexpensive stays, we'd be happy to read them:-)
Thank you!
You can simply check RV parks with monthly rates which are usually lower than the nightly rate. I just finished up a 3 month stay at a very nice, quiet park with pool and spa for #350 per month (plus elect.) Works out to $11 per night. There are a lot of parks out there with Monthly rates versus buying into an expensive membership if you so choose. Less then $10 per night will be a bit tougher unless you are dry camping or boondocking or something.
Tony
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The Texan
Summer: A Cool Climate Winter: A Warm Climate
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The commercial RV park next door charges $28/day or $335/mo + electric, approx $1/day, while here at the RV resort next door, where we own, which has more amenities than the the commercial park, the rental lots are only $275/mo + electric. That figures out to $11+$1 for the commercial CG and $9+$1 for the Resort. We have found many such prices and differences throughout the US. Another reason we have found no need for a membership and its associated cost.
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phil crouch
NW Oregon
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Lets see.. My Home Park cost me $240/year and that includes the first 35/days use.. I stay there long enough each year to recoop my annual dues..
If we want to stay longer, it cost me $10.50/day and includes electric, even 50amp service... We can and I have stayed there several months at a time..
That works out to $315/month and includes elec..
By belonging to my Home Park, I can belong to Coast to Coast, RPI or ROD.. All I do is pay the annual dues.. Example, ROD is around a $100/year..
the annual fees include your daily stays at the approx 100 affiliate parks.. That makes it easy to recoop your annual dues in a short time..
My Home Park has a large year-round swimming pool, suana, indoor Jacuzzi, large clubhouse, card room.. free place to check and air your tires.. can wash your RV at your site at no cost.. They sell propane at our park.. The main gate is manned 24/7.. They also have mail service, free wifi.. wood-working shop and stained glass shop.. exercise room..
All sites have picnic tables, concrete patio, all sites have full hookups.. Half are pull-thru.. There are three dog runs.. play area for the kids, and shuffle boards, pool tables, game room.. Lots of planned activities..
The park also has 10 accommodation unit that can be rented by the members for friends and family..
Just outside the main gate are two casinos, one has a new bowling alley, and building a multi-plex movie theater.. Just down the street is a super wallmart.. And the park is about one hours drive from Las Vegas..
We belonged to C2C that cost me less than $100/annually.. That let me visit approx 300 affiliate parks for $10/day, up to a week each visit... They also have approx 200 good neighbor parks that charge $13/day...
I paid $800 for my membership and know some that bought in for less thru a resale.. That included the transfer fee.. The new price to buy in is around $1100..
All of my associated costs have been recooped many times over throughout the years that we fulltimed.. We still have and use our Home Park enough each year to recoop our annual dues..
People keep saying it cost thousands and thousands to join Campground Memberships, and they can, but you can get into many of them for far less than what I paid to belong to one... Just do your Research and to those that want to spend thousands, let them..
Those that think all Membership parks costs thousands, don't do much research or don't know how to shop for a better price.. Yep, if my wife would have waited a little longer, we could have bought in for less than we paid..
You can find good deals on ebay, craigs list, several internet sites or just look in RV magazines for many membership parks.. Some may even be better than my home park, but we like ours, so we splurged..
Our reasons for a membership and its associated costs... I know it does not work for all, but for a lot of us, it works well, especially fulltimers..
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BarbaraOK
Livingston, Texas, USA
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I've never understood why some people HATE memberships so much. If it isn't for you, fine. Everyone is different, but for a LOT of us, this is what makes fulltiming comfortable. And we SAVE money; just may be a different way than you save money.
Barb
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firedude
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BarbaraOK wrote:I've never understood why some people HATE memberships so much. If it isn't for you, fine. Everyone is different, but for a LOT of us, this is what makes fulltiming comfortable. And we SAVE money; just may be a different way than you save money.
Barb
Barb, I don't think anyone "hates" memberships lol. It's just that it works for some and some it doesn't is all. It all depends on ones needs or lifestyle. If they work for you and others hey that's great. Some it doesn't and that's great too. In my case it doesn't fit my lifestyle for example and it would cost me unnecessarily. Not a bad thing though. I know several that it works great for them.
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WTTCS
freedom , U.S.A.
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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Barb, Im so glad you asked that question, as it give me an opportunity to express my "hatred for membership rv parks"
Seriously, thank you for the chance, otherwise, some might think I was "venting".
In the early eighties, we had an arrangment with a private land owner in Wills Point Tx , who had an rv park (back when they were real rv parks) that allowed us to park free for helping him in his park business. This had been our arrangement for many years, dating back to our days when we were flat broke and could not pay rent, he helped us out.
Well the great company called Thousand Trails came a calling and purchased this fine rv park on the lake. Because of our relationship with this gentlemen, he made thousand trails provide us with a lifetime membership, that allowed us to continue to live there while they built the park..and to allow us no time out stuff.
As the years passed and we used the preserve for our pleasure, we paid the 250.00 per year dues and everything went smoothly. We enjoyed the park and the people. Then it became necessary for us to pull up roots and move to the northeast and work and live. I contacted TT and told them of this and they say
"so what, just send the money every year"/
Sounds easy for some, but sometimes that 250.00 per year means a lot to a working Joe trying to make ends meet. I offered to surrender the membership, give it away, sell it, or just cancel it. No way, they wanted their blood money, and had 10 or more collection after my butt. Well when you work in places that allow them to attach your paycheck, it can get rather tedious.
They made a few mistakes along the way, so the judge declared them invalid and cancelled all the strings. End of membership.
My cost approx 3,000, plus many sleepless night for my family, who suffered the most, and 3 years of litigation.
Was it really necessary to try and extract blood from a turnip? They even tried to take possession of my auto. And almost did it.
So you see, it is not the mere fact that membership are good for some and bad for others, its the other things that happen when you have one that creaate the distaste in somes mouths. Look on any website for timeshare and membership sales and you will find hundres, if not thousands for pennies on the dollar. If they are so good, why would one need to discount them that much. Then there are active websites and groups that litigate free for members who are going thru exactly what they put me thru.
When you are supporting a family and working two jobs to make ends meet and they go after you for your non discrantionary money, it becomes personal.
Hope you understand, and thanks again for allowing me the opportunity to post my toughts about T.T.
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BarbaraOK
Livingston, Texas, USA
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Quote:he made thousand trails provide us with a lifetime membership
So you signed a contract for a 'one-life' membership, is that correct? A lifetime would mean that all dues were considered paid for your life. A one-life membership means that it could not be transferred at the end of your life without a transfer fee.
And I will agree that several years ago TT was trying something shady and, as you found out, it did not hold up in court. They were getting money by threatening people and only when someone fought back and a court told them they couldn't did it start to change. Did you get your attorney's fee as part of the award - if not, your lawyer missed the boat.
And, as Phil (and I) have said, you need to know what you are signing and what you can and can't do - - but that goes with everything. Thousands upon thousands of people are happy with their memberships. BTW - the reason a lot of memberships are sold so cheaply is that people have gotten their monies worth and, because of ill health or a death, just want to simply things.
Barb
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WTTCS
freedom , U.S.A.
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Barb, we had no contract, it was a one time deal to let us stay there as long as we wanted as long as long we paid the 250.00 per year.
I agree people want to simply change things, just like I did. But when it takes a lawyer and 3 years to get out of it, cannot sell, cannot give away, cannot just cancel. As the grandkids say, "whats with that" LOL.
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FamilyCamping
CA
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Joined: 08/19/2005
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WTTCS wrote:Barb, we had no contract, it was a one time deal to let us stay there as long as we wanted as long as long we paid the 250.00 per year.
I agree people want to simply change things, just like I did. But when it takes a lawyer and 3 years to get out of it, cannot sell, cannot give away, cannot just cancel. As the grandkids say, "whats with that" LOL.
If you "had no contract" then your issue was not with Thousand Trails is was the 'deal' you made with that parks previous owners selling to Thousand Trails.
The people I got my membership from had not used it for 8 years. They had put it on 'stand by'. It cost them $0 for the whole eight years. And when I aquired it, there was no back fees of any type, just the standard transfer fee.
So, if you would have had an actual contrat with Thousand Trails, then it would have cost you nothing during the time you did not want to have it active. My "contract" clearly says I can do the same if I decide not to use it for a few years. This means any of your issues do not apply to anyone who has a Thousand Trails membership(contract).
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