The Economics Of Owning an Airstream

[slowmover]

My folks kept their Silver Streak twenty-seven years. Knew well in advance what they'd enjoy in retirement so bought this premium trailer during peak earning years in their late forties. Some years it didn't travel much. Or, for a few years, was parked at a local lake. And in other years was occupied more than "home". Sold when they were in their mid-70's. Two tow vehicles over that span, a luxury car and an SUV. Each went close to 200k before sale.

The annual number of nights aboard is the direct cost, agreed. The indirect costs (storage highest among them) is the make-or-break one, IMO. No ease of use or maintenance; lack of security, etc, if the choice of home precludes such (a bad home choice, IMO. After all, if one must have a garage for cars then room for a TT isn't that much more difficult. Sort of like parking a $50k car outside a garage with $2k of junk in it. Not smart).

A house is far worse proposition when one understands value received for monies spent. Only a few zip codes in the entire US show actual appreciation past the 2008 bubble burst. 1992 appraised prices are the benchmark . . the number of Americans fearing to sell has meant that moving in favor of economic opportunity has fallen to it's lowest level, ever. Remove the blinders, folks.

A trailer built so well as to be a permanent acquisition means one can move between other dwellings (if needed) making them the optional purchase. So long as one chooses to have a car, then a TT of this type makes more sense than a house all other things considered if one wants to play the dollar & cents game.

Being able to move at a moments notice to pursue opportunity, to avoid the worst effects of weather & climate change, and to keep long-term costs at their lowest (again, given the use of a car) makes what was once a "vacation" into something else entirely.

The posts of Foiled Again make good reading about long-term area parking/living/working. (Hell, ALL her posts are worth reading).

.

[Foiled Again]

Slowmover - thanks

My business partner and I have been working with a consultant who's working on our website, etc. He said something which hit me like a brick. A "BFO"

It's HARD to live on $20,000 per year. It is MUCH EASIER to engage in some entrepreneurial activity that will get you $100,000 than it is to live on $20K. Having grown up poor I knew exactly what he meant. Every nickel was needed to do twenty five cents worth of work.

One of the few benefits of growing up poor was learning to make choices and deal with "delayed gratification". 60% of all lottery winners go bankrupt because they don't have the ability to choose or to say "NO" and with more money, everyone has their hand out. I simply decided in my early teens that I wanted a good CAREER, not a dead end job.

This thread is good, because it asks newbies to carefully consider "Can you afford to be an Airstreamer?" If you've got 20 hobbies that you've given up on and are looking at an Airstream as the solution to your discontent - you probably NEED to spend money on counseling - financial and psychiatric! If you want an Airstream but have 3 kids with no college money set aside... tent camping is a better choice. If you want family TIME together, or want to travel in the USA and contiguous countries - and you've covered your basics, then YES you can... OR you can do something else that you prefer.

The original poster may be missing some of that balance.... It's almost like he needs to beat himself up for "wasting" money on his Airstream. That's a shame too. Saving money when carried to extremes is NOT a virtue. When family "fun" is a waste of money, you're in trouble. When your children can't invite friends over because you won't make cool-aid since it costs too much... You've gone off the deep end!

Paula

[wncrasher]

I think it's just a sign of the times. Anything that is "self-indulgent" comes with alittle guilt now and then. When it comes down to it, it's your money, not your kid's money. If you want to spend it on an RV or naked skydiving in Belize, then that is your business.

Fretting over past decisions/mistakes is really a waste of time.

Unquestionably, there are cheaper ways to travel. Weather it's hotel rooms or a cheap plastic TT, that is up to you. If you went in with your eyes wide open, then there is no reason to beat yourself up.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by wncrasher

I think it's just a sign of the times. Anything that is "self-indulgent" comes with alittle guilt now and then. When it comes down to it, it's your money, not your kid's money. If you want to spend it on an RV or naked skydiving in Belize, then that is your business.

.

My kids are part of my Airstreaming. They will grow up that way. Heck, they're only 5 and 3 years old, and they're already telling me that they each want me to renovate an Airstream for them to have as their own when they grow up!

I grew up tent-camping with my parents, then with the Boy Scouts, then doing a lot of ranging on my own. I love the various parks of our great nation, and I want my kids to experience them as well. We regularly camp with 4 other families with kids the same age as ours. None of them have an Airstream, they all have various versions of white boxes. Those work too.

Mine just looks a lot cooler.

And, it'll still be here 50 years from now.

[polarlyse]

Having hot water in the morning or middle of the night makes it all worthwhile to me

[field & stream]

Thanks to the OP for starting this entertaining discussion! I have to add that this is a little like doing an economic analysis of your dog .... and caution people not to let their mate catching you doing an economic analysis of marriage.

[Jim Clark]

wnchrasher can you tell us a little more about the naked skydiving in Belize.

[Royce]

Thanks for a very interesting discussion:
We bought a '77' Minuet 5 years ago. It had been used, misused, and abused. We were able to start using it the first spring. A quick adding up the initial purchase, annual tax, repairs, tires, propane, upgrades, fuel for the TV, tolls, the rare campground fee, divided by the typical 21 nights per year and I get $57.00 per night. Frankly higher than I expected but I could sell now and recoup all but about $7.00 of that. Sleeping in my own bed, with hot water and a toilet close by in the places I want to camp, this sounds like a bargain. I would have the same TV regardless. What is not factored in is my time spent working on the Minuet, and other than dropping the belly-pan for repair it has been mostly enjoyable.

[wncrasher]

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

wnchrasher can you tell us a little more about the naked skydiving in Belize.

The only thing you need to know is: use plenty of suntan lotion!

[T4HALO]

My wonderful wife put up with me being a Green Beret for 23 years. This equalls being apart over 200 days a year. After raising my daughters to be fantastic young ladies and keeping my home in perfect order, she deserved the very best. I bought her an AS. We are far from rich but we really enjoy our time together and you can't put a price on happiness.

T4

[Fly at Night]

I've been using mine as a "second home" on the outskirts of a city where the average price of a "home" is close to a million dollars. So, this second "home" is relatively cheap!

Aside from that, I agree with the poster who said life should be more than a profit and loss statement. My motto: "When you're on your death bed, what will really matter?"

I was looking at my photos from the FaN's maiden voyage. Should I make it to old ladyhood, I will look at those photos and marvel - gee, I really did that.

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by T4HALO

My wonderful wife put up with me being a Green Beret for 23 years. This equalls being apart over 200 days a year. After raising my daughters to be fantastic young ladies and keeping my home in perfect order, she deserved the very best. I bought her an AS. We are far from rich but we really enjoy our time together and you can't put a price on happiness.

T4

That is so sweet.

[NevadaGeo]

Being instantly a member of the elitest of the elite clubs no matter what your position on life's stage the first time you hook up to your new old Airstream, is better than priceless. Or going to a strange event in the desert as a birgen, but finding a group of Airstreams from around the hemisphere and being immediately enfolded as old family and have life long friends is even better. Or you could have gotten an SOB and forever camped alone.