# The Effect Of Financial Crisis On Your Motorhoming Plans?



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I am interested in what effect the current financial market is having, if any, on MH owners and their plans.

I have no vested interest in this - only as a mutual MHF Member.

Please only deal with the situation 'as is' and do not let the Topic generate into a blame game, at which point it might come political and get barred.

Geoff


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

None! there are no pockets in a shroud. :wink: 

tony


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Financial crisis  
What financial crisis.
Local motor auctions are full to the gunnels with cars from dealers part exchanges etc. Some money still being spent out there.


Seriously, we have not made any plans as yet, but we will cross the water and head for Switzerland in late June early July. It has been our target destination for the last two years but we have never made it.
Then maybe France early September. Or canaries in November.

Dave p


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I guess selling my camper is now on the cards as we really don't use it enough.
But at it's present value I could still keep it for a few more years without losing much more. Also it only costs me about €350 a year to keep it on the road.

But when someone is interested can I afford to decline the offer?

Ray.


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

*Hi*

I have not changed plans as a result of the economic situation yet and going into Europe twice this year at least as planned.

However I have started to count the cost of diesel for our local type weekends and maybe have factored that into my planning regarding how far to campsites etc.

Europe is good value for diesel which obviously helps the longer trips, as I am still working I cant take off for months (Just yet !!)


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Good question, Geoff.

Personally, there hasn't been much effect. What we've done is to take pensions early, so although we aren't getting anywhere near what we were expecting to have from pensions and investments, we've been able to top some of it up. Longer term (like years and years), we will be worse off, but then we never know what might happen today or tomorrow - there have been more than enough examples of that on this forum (see signature).

Our motorhoming is quite cheap anyway - most of it is in France, where we use Tesco vouchers for Eurotunnel to get there, and we use free and low-cost aires to stay. We rarely eat out, and only drink at weekends. A few gallons of diesel, and away we go. Last autumn, we had 2 months' holiday for the same price as our neighbours 1 week holiday in Italy. We have good friends who are on double our income, and go on walking holidays all over the world. We wouldn't want to do that anyway, so our life suits us, and we have enough money to do what we enjoy.

Gerald


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I think Gerald's sensible account is exactly the same as us, we retired to France with our MH - taking my pension as a former teacher (before anyone starts on index linked golden payments etc, it is NOT like that at all). 8O 

Our MH is not new and is unlikely to be replaced, but it does allow us to have weekends or over nights away for the cost of some fuel - it allows us to take holidays that otherwise we would not be able to afford.  

BUT if I was approaching middle age now I would be much more concerned and if I was a student or young person facing a bleak uncertain future I would be very unhappy. I was fortunate to go through Uni on a grant and had a career which I loved working with youngsters - life does not come much better than that.  

Will it ever be sorted? I am not competent to even consider offering an opinion on that, and can only go along with what I find or what finds me. :? 

Dave


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## spatz1 (May 19, 2011)

The financial crisis paid for mine  

and owning it saves me £5k a year in bed and breakfast  

It also offers me the opportunity to view discounted houses with a view to settle good and propper


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

A little less pressure on the accelerator in view of the hike on diesel.

Other than that-no change


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Summer jaunt of around 2000 miles at an average of 22mpg=90 gallons of diesel  
To channel crossings is about 500 miles return to start with.
Thats about £500 lots of money exclaimed Lady p.
I reassured her that it would only work out at £250 each which sounds much better 8) 
Then the site fees for two weeks.

Thank goodness for Tesco Chunnel crossing.

Dave p


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

None particularly. Going away in the van is a priority for us, practically all of it abroad, so it would take total financial meltdown to stop us. I think I'd sell the house before the van!


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

It hasn't significantly affected our plans - we broadly subscribe to geraldandannie's view of things. 

Briefly panicked about the financial crisis back in 2008/09 - when there was near melt-down on the stockmarket - and consequently took my work pension 6.5 years early, while it was still available! Obviously, it was scaled back - but now have absolutely no regrets whatsover about taking it, rather than waiting until I was 65.

We believe we're modest in the way we live, but recognise we're fortunate to have the motorhome, the time and the health to travel. 8)


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

We both took the decision to take early retirement,bearing in mind the pension is only a third of what we both use to earn,We have 2 x 3 months trips a year.We don`t save as much as we use to,but we don`t need to.I guess we are very fortunate.

Les


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

It was the financial crises that allowed us to get a van in 2008 and take off around Europe for months on end. I used to work all hours and do 40000 miles a year. In one year we lost two off our biggest customers and loads of others have gone since then leaving me pretty much a part timer really doing the odd contract.

Its been great but Im only 46 so when Im finished seeing the world in the van I will have to get on with something that actually makes a few quid.

I must admit we never go away for less than a week or two in the UK. Its just too expensive in Diesel to justify it.


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## Bill_H (Feb 18, 2011)

Recession has done me the world of good. The fall in house prices enabled me to buy an extra buy-to-let property, the increase in income more than compensates for the increase in vehicle running costs.


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## mr2 (Feb 26, 2009)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Summer jaunt of around 2000 miles at an average of 22mpg=90 gallons of diesel
> To channel crossings is about 500 miles return to start with.
> Thats about £500 lots of money exclaimed Lady p.
> I reassured her that it would only work out at £250 each which sounds much better 8)
> ...


As Dave, thanks to Mr Tesco. We used the tunnel 4 times last year and plan 2 or 3 this year, staying longer using aires. Recent trip of 16 days worked out at £5.12 aire cost per night- main cost is diesel.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Geoff no change here as Im the one in Geralds signature -I thought £1.50 per litre would change things but it didnt.
I haven't been able to get around so far this year but we are now on the road again and have lots of Rallies in the diary.
Life is for living --Live it !!! :wink:


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

We consider our Motorhome as a hobby and if we have to spend money on it so be it, that is our choice, hobbies tend to be a bottomless pit.
We used to go away at weekends and stay in Hotels/B&B's at £80 - £100 per night and abroad a couple of times a year at a lot higher price, the MH is a lot cheaper and gives us more freedom and pleasure.
I have no regular work and at my age am unlikely to get a full time job, Luckily my wife earns decent money working from home to enable us to go away at least twice a month (if work permits) to wherever we fancy.
I have always been a big believer in spending to keep money in the economy, the more we spend the more it helps other people.

I could die tomorrow then it would be superfluous, but at that point it wouldn't really matter any more to me price of diesel or not.

Barry


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## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

I do hope that no one in power is reading these post as it seems there is some rich pickings to had from extra taxes on motorhomes etc
As for me the downturn has had little effect so far but there are additional tax changes still in the pipeline.


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

No change whatsoever in our plans for the forseeable future, still use diesel no matter what price it is, otherwise , might aswell sell the motorhome, which we have no intention of doing.

Keith


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

If Fuel is £1.50 per Litre thats £6.75 per Gallon 
Funny enough I have just had this as an email
COMPARING THE PRICE OF PETROL

THIS WILL MAKE YOU THINK!

Compared with Petrol......


Think a gallon of petrol is expensive?

This makes one think,
and also
puts things in perspective.

Diet Apple Juice 16 oz £1.29 ........... £10.32 per gallon.

Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz £1.19 ........... £9.52 per gallon

Ocean Spray 16 oz £1.25 ............ £10.00 per gallon.

Brake Fluid 12 oz £3.15 ............. £33.60 per gallon.

Vick’s Nyquil 6 oz £8.35 ........ £178.13 per gallon.

Pepto Bismol 4 oz £3.85 ........... £123.20 per gallon.

Tippex (White out)7 oz £1.39 .......................... £5.42 per gallon.
And this is the REAL KICKER.

Evian water 9 oz £1.49 ……….. £21.19 per gallon.
Think about it – £21.19 for WATER
and the buyers don’t even know the source.

As after it has worked its way through countless miles of underground streams or melted over time from glaciers (which came from the Ice Age), they stick it in a bottle and put a ***** sell by date on it!


WHAT DEMENTED SOUL BUYS WATER ?
DON’T PEOPLE
KNOW IT ALSO COMES OUT OF TAPS
- after it has been tested and purified !!!!!!!!!!

(Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)

You don’t even want to think of comparing the cost of Petrol
with
perfume or after shave.
Ever wonder why printers are so cheap?


So they have you hooked for the ink. Someone calculated the cost of the ink at
(you won’t believe it .... but it is true ........)

£5,200 per gal ... (five thousand two hundred pounds)

So, the next time you’re at the pump, be glad your car doesn’t run on water, or Tippex, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil or, God forbid, Printer Ink!


Just a little humour to help ease the pain of your next trip to the petrol pump.

And of course …

If you don’t pass this along to at least one person, your exhaust will fall off!


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

*Hi*

I couldnt agree more with all of these great posts, I would rather go for longer now though than just popping away for the odd day because the diesel costs are the same !

Now, we are not going to work out the cost per gallon of my Smirnoff are we and deffo not the boss's Pinot Grigio

I must admit I would rather sell the house!

Very Happy Days !

Happy Campervaning to us all !


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## Tucano (Jun 9, 2006)

My God, I am the only one who is worried  

And, just look at my signature 8O


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## bazzeruk (Sep 11, 2010)

Tucano said:


> My God, I am the only one who is worried
> 
> And, just look at my signature 8O


I am worried on several counts, not least the effect is has on our children.

Like most of the posters here, I have not suffered, but only because I was able to downsize which negated the effect of having to retire early without any decent pension.

As regards the motorhome - how does someone only spend £350 a year to keep it on the road?

£400 storage, £500 service and MOT, £400 insurance, £200 RFL - plus diesel and site fees.

Seriously considering selling now


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*Financial Crisis*

Not a lot ! trip to Germany in August, booked last year, tesco vouchers used for the tunnel and we have changed to a new van too !! 
Also going to the Hebridies in July like a previous poster said, there are no pockets in a shroud ! Our sons will get whatevers left.
BTW we go to CCC rallies across uk and we like them and by and large cost is great.
No way i would ever pay £30 + a night for a campsite ! I'd rather pay the ferry or tunnel and go to France /Germany.
Spend the inheritance !! you cant take it with you and we are not letting this or any future government take anything that we have worked dammed hard to have.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

My take on it is.. Get yourself off now while the fuel is still cheap.. As in the song The only way is up .. which perfectly illustrates the price difference between the eighties and now.. move on another 30 years or even 30 months, how much will fuel and stuff be?..

Yes I'm off travelling now, if I had to worry about the cost of motor homing I would sell it.. That applies to anything else, especially diving which used to cost about 10 quid all in for a days diving, now it costs upwards of a hundred quid for the same dive, which just about takes my pension so the diving is binned..

ray..


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

well, no real effect, although we probably would not go to Scotland this year because of the cost (sorry, not because of you Seamus, but you won't be reading this anyway, will you? 8) ), and will probably do some of England & Wales that we've never done. 
We'll be picking up our new motorhome soon ( Stella2 for sale - bargain for budget conscious motorhomers!! - http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-123923-0-days0-orderasc-.html)
and it is reputed to do more per litre than Stella2, so that will be good  , and health problems permitting we will also be across or under the channel again some time this year. This is also a cheaper alternative than in the UK, cheaper diesel, cheaper sites, aires at next to nothing, parking cheaper etc etc,

and as Mavis says, life is for living! Do it while you can, you never know what is round the corner. WE've heard of so many people who have said they would like to get a motorhome for when they retire, and then don't make it that far!! You can't take it with you, (although Viv's uncle seems to think he will be..... :lol: )


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

None at all. The MH was bought after deciding no more holidays abroad so costs, including buying, are very much the same. When I played golf, the fees were roughly £1200 pa. It is an extremely enjoyable hobby and since we have had our MH, I have never complained about the living accommodation, not like hotels and B&Bs around the place.

Big rises in pensions this month also helps.

Dave


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

At the beginning I said NONE, however been notified today by the council, that they are selling the fields adjoining my house approx 6 acres, not only that but the sale is likely to take place whilst it's in the middle of our Tour de France cycle race, so, here I am, waiting :roll: 

So now Our financial crisis may indeed bugger up our m/homing for this year. :wink: 

tony


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

It has changed the way that we motorhome.
Instead of the relentless drive through Europe we decided to stay in one area and 'do it' properly. Consequently we are spending 5 weeks in Brittany and really enjoying getting deep into the scenery and taking our time about it too. 
Just a short drive, early stops and lots of relaxation. Must have saved several hundreds in diesel but have been able to chat with locals (well sort of, my Francaise is a bit shaky to say the least), and to, modestly, eat out a bit more.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Buy it Tony! Speculators are sitting on their hands at the moment. It'll be money in the bank come 5 years. :wink: 

Dick


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Dick, I intend to, It'll depend on the method of sale that's the sod. If they go by sealed bids :roll: . If they put a price on it  
If it goes to auction  What will be will be, but if it goes to a Gippo then I'll just have to buy a shotgun. 8) 

tony


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> Dick, I intend to, It'll depend on the method of sale that's the sod. If they go by sealed bids :roll: . If they put a price on it
> If it goes to auction  What will be will be, but if it goes to a Gippo then I'll just have to buy a shotgun. 8)
> 
> tony


Leylandii grows quite quickly, and a lot les risky than a shotgun :wink: ..


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We bought our first motorhome last May, on retiring. Spent 2 weeks in Blighty to try it all out, then in Sept/Oct spent just over a month in France and Spain. Much cheaper in Europe, just the cost of fuel to get there. Also the cost of the tunnel, I hate ferries (and Tesco!), but that's a personal choice.

This time, we'll do much the same in Europe (twice!), but we'll spend two months each time, instead of one. Cost of diesel the same for 2 months or 1, food and especially wine much cheaper abroad, and not having to use our LPG central heating at home saves a lot. Only additional cost is for sites, but we use ACSI and go out of season. Still pondering on fitting refillable gas (more expense!), so we could use aires etc, but we like sites with swimming pools etc - have to have at least 2 swims a day!

I can't drive because of an eye condition, so OH does all the driving. He's always been a great and careful driver, so we average 30m.p.g. in the MH

I don't think motorhoming is cheaper than the kind of holidays we used to take, but we love it because it's so flexible, and of course that only holds true if you don't have to go to work! 

Going to different places in Europe, there's always new things to see or do, most of them free.

At the moment, we're waiting for it to stop p*ssing down here (and in France) before we sally forth!


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