Share RV Expenses? Maybe Not.

 

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RV Trip Sharing Is Caring, Or Is It?

    My friend Cheryl* is on a tight budget so she was thrilled at the idea of sharing costs on her upcoming Alaska RV trip. Her niece Jenna, Jenna’s six-year-old daughter and their Pomeranian were eager to go. It was thought to be a cost-sharing deal. Then things started to go south.
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*To avoid embarrassment, real names are not used
   

 What are the roadblocks and potholes ahead if you decide to take a guest on board your RV to share costs?

    * What is the nature of your relationship with the guest? If you’re the parent, aunt or grandparent, or are known to have a higher income, is it usually assumed that you pick up checks,  send gifts, host the baby  showers and can be tapped easily for emergency loans?

Agree on terms ahead of time

     * Unless things are hammered out ahead of time, hard feelings can start as early as the first fuel stop. Are you sharing all costs of the trip or just the gas?  At this fuel stop you may also need quart of oil and next time you need to use the coin-op vacuum and tire pump. Should these costs be shared?

    * The true cost of operating an RV is far more than filling the fuel tank. On the trip you’ll need routine maintenance plus propane and generator fuel.

    * As the driver, you hand over money at every toll booth. Should tolls go on the shared bill? 

 

    * If grocery costs are to be split, what about odd costs such as for things you don’t use such as dog food, alcohol or high priced energy drinks? 

 

     * What if you campground bill shows extra costs such as your guest’s greens fees or spa treatments, and the treats Jenna's daughter is charging at the snack bar?

    * Road slop is real, especially in Alaska, and wash-downs at truck stops can add up. Should Jenna pay half at the truck wash?

    * You divide up the chores and that’s working OK. Then Jenna volunteers to do the laundry while you cook dinner. You keep a stash of quarters on hand for the machines but costs for her extra loads are adding up as the weeks go by.
 
    * With guests on board you have to stop at dump stations much more often than when you are alone. Should your guest pay half the fee? More than half since she brought her daughter?

 

    * Jenna and her daughter spend hours every day on the campground wi-fi, which is costly.   Should you split the complete campground bill or ask Jenna to pay for the Wi-Fi?  

    * You have a campground membership, which slashes nightly costs greatly, but Jenna has her heart set on tkaing her daughter to a famous theme park with an expensive  campground where you'll pay full price. Who pays the $70-per-night  difference? 

    Talk it out ahead of time. Hard feelings can ruin a friendship AND your travel budget.
 

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LIVING ABOARD YOUR RV, 4TH EDITION 

Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition, A Guide to the Full-time Life on Wheels is my own story of ten happily homeless years on the go with my late husband, Gordon Groene. We made a living as a travelwriter-photographer team and were constantly on the go. There are many ways to make a living on the road, so the book applies to anyone--young or retired, couples and singles and families with children.  I recommend it as just one of the many books on full-timing. We all have different goals, abilities, budgets, so read a variety of books on the topic.    https://amzn.to/3knbvll

 

CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

* According to the Defuniak Herald, plans for a proposed RV park in the Florida panhandle are moving ahead.  The Next Adventure RV Park in Walton County, Florida will have 27 RV pads, a clubhouse, office and bathhouse. If you love camping along Florida’s Emerald Coast, it will be a long wait but do keep current on this project and jump on board as soon as reservations go live.
   
* Plan to be in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country for St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)  when the Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton, California has its annual Wine & Chili Festival. The full-service RV resort has free Wi-Fi, playgrounds, a dog park, full hook-ups, poolside cabanas and much more. On this special day enjoy food trucks, live music, dance performances, wine, beer, spirits, salsa and chili tastings and loads of fun for the whole family. Festival tickets are free for children age 4 and under.  (805) 688-3716.

    * Spring will bring a long list of upgrades to Devil’s Fork Campground in Dungannon, Virginia. New wll be a camp store, retail space for tents and hookups for six RV’s. A dump station is expected to be finished by April 1.
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     * “Substantial” improvements are coming to the campground at  Selkirk Shores State Park, New York starting in September. Each of the 130 campsites will get crushed stove surfaces and the entire infrastructure will be upgraded. The park will be open for day use during the project. Completion is expected by 2026.

 * A $500K grant has been issued to Havana Glen Park in Montour Falls, New York for improvements that will include additional campsites and showers with showers with ADA access.

* After a five-year furlough, Hickory Hill Camping Resort in Bath, New York is back, but  without its KOA signage. The 210-acre resort has full bookups at most sites, water and electric at others. Amenities include a splash pad, pool and a new website. The new family owners are the same folks who owned the popular camping spot in the past. Don’t miss the Steuben County Fair, an annual tradition since 1819. Come back to see what’s new, what old.  Call (607) 776-4345 or email reservations@hickoryhillcampingresort.com/

    * Alas! After 60 years Whitey’s Fish Camp on Fleming Island, south of Jacksonville, Florida  on the St. Johns River  is for sale by family owners. For now the restaurant and campground remain open. This may be your last chance to see a real Southern fish camp.

    *  River Dance RV Park in Gypsum, Colorado is growing from 40 to more than 200 sites. The majority will be for tiny homes and park model RV’s, so RV travelers need to grab reservations as soon as they open. . Short- and long-term rentals will be available year round at the 78-are park along the Eagle River.

* Wannigan Regional Park in Frazee, Minnesota now belongs to the city of Frazee thanks to a grant from the state’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The park will have three camping areas, to  be completed in stages. Three trail systems go through the scenic park, known for its historic covered bridge and for tranquil padding and hiking.

    * Now that OU  sports teams have been admitted to the Southeastern Conference,  more housing is needed for loyal sports fans who will be pouring into Norman, Oklahoma. A 142-acre wooded property, to be named  Liberty Point, will have a luxury RV resort, playground, adventure park, dog park, mini-golf, bike rentals and bike rentals. During football season, a shuttle will take fans to the stadium. An opening is expected in time for the OU 2025 football season.

    * Here’s good news for campers at Yellow Creek Park in Owensboro, Kentucky. The park will soon have an additional 14 RV and camping sites with electric hookups.

    * In Sedona, Arizona, the annual Open Studio Tour is scheduled for April 26-28. Go to visitsedona.com for details on this self-guided, self-timed opportunity to visit 50 artists in their private workplaces. Map out your own route through the area and get campground reservations ASAP in a suitable location. Further information is available from Mike Upp at (503) 789.4437. 

 * New in West Columbia, South Carolina at the Big Rig Friendly RV Resort will be 33 additional sites, completing Phase Three of the 186-site resort. By May, the swimming pool is expected to be open and more pickleball courts should be ready by then too. Spacious campsites are 70 to 120 feet long and eventually are accommodate up to 277 RV’s.

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