We are this close to having our van loan paid in full, which will leave us debt-free other than our mortgage. We almost turned around and went right back into debt over the weekend. We looked at a nice used pull-behind travel trailer on Saturday. It was very similar to this one:
It was in great condition and the price was right. We even went as far as calling our credit union and asking what the interest rate and length of loan would be for it. But in the end, we just couldn't bring ourselves to do it. We enjoy camping, and would use a camper like this often, but the thought of more debt and years of payments made this more than we are willing to take on right now.
Instead, we plan to pay off the van, build up our savings and emergency fund, then consider a trailer again. We decided that because it's such a major purchase, a loan will likely be necessary for us, but we'd like to have at least half of the money for a camper upfront.
But, whew...that was a close one. It isn't often that we are tempted like that.
What we DID buy over the weekend was a new (to us) reclining sofa. We had a reclining loveseat and liked it, but wanted something a little bigger. We found one at a good price, and gave our loveseat to Shane's mom and step-dad who recently moved back to Missouri from Arizona and were in need of some comfortable seating.
We also curb-picked a complete set of outdoor furniture -- table, 4 chairs and umbrella. With Shane's mad spray-painting skills, we should have it looking really good in no time at all. I'll get a photo of it after it's done.
BTW, did you know you can fit a complete, fully-assembled patio set, a full roll of new carpet padding, some other garage sale items and a 7-year-old girl in the back of a Dodge Caravan? It's true. You can also fit a full-size refrigerator in one...but that's a different story. All I can say is that Stow-n-Go seating is awesome!
All of that was on Saturday. Yesterday we were out most of the day. We went to Shane's mom's and step-dad's house to help them unload the loveseat we had just given them, we went to take a close look at the house my daughter and son-in-law are trying to buy, we went to lunch, and on the spur of the moment, we paid a much overdue visit to Shane's dad and step-mom.
In other words, it was a rare weekend that involved doing very little work. Other than cooking supper on Saturday and reheating the leftovers on Sunday, I'm not sure I did anything that could really be classified as work. I'm slacking.
As for the week ahead, I have all the usual chores to do, plus more refrigerator pickles to make, a giveaway winner to announce, the ever-present gardening, and believe it or not, it's time for us to start planting again for fall crops of greens, radishes, etc.
I hope all of you had a great weekend. Let us in on your weekend and what you have planned for the next few days.
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July Grocery/Pantry Challenge:
Items Purchased Today (store brand unless indicated): None
Amount Spent Today (including tax): $0.00
Amount Spent To Date in July (including tax): $73.80
14 comments:
Good for you!! We went so far as to put a down payment on an RV several months ago--then we found our brains again and backed out. We would definitely use an RV--no one wants dogs in their houses when we visit--but we just couldn't do it. Congrats on the patio set--I never see anything good out here. We want a sofa sleeper but haven't taken that plunge yet either--love reclining furniture. Nothing but the same old same old going on around here--and J getting registered for her fall classes! Have a great week.
We nearly did the same thing a few year ago with a motorhome. Wow, those things are so tempting!
My friend once hauled home her kids and a large table and four chairs, I gave her, in her caravan. Amazing!
My MIL has a RV like the one above and that baby is NICE. Hers has been paid for for years. I have never asked, but I imagine that she and FIL saved up and paid cash for that baby. They didn't care to take on debt either.
Good for you for avoiding temptation.
Well there MUST be something in the air around here because we too had CAMPER FEVER this past weekend!lol
Hubs & I spent way too much time looking online at real estate, houses, summer camps and then 5th Wheels and class A motorhomes.
I found a house I want BADLY but it doesn't quite fit into our retirement plan, such that it is at the moment.
But the things is it was only LOOKING, not serious "we might buy something" looking.
So congrats to you for dodging that camper debt!! I see that people are just beginning to liquidate their adult 'toys'(like motorcycles, atvs, snow mobiles, campers, extra vehicles, etc.)so I am thinking the price on these things on the used market is going to continue to go down and are FAR from hitting rock bottom yet. I'd get that van paid off and start a camper fund asap and I bet by the time you have a big chunk of money in it, that camper or something just like it will STILL be for sale used but much cheaper than it was this past weekend.
Get yourself in a position financially to snap up the 1st great deal and don't go into debt to do it!!
You don't want debt following this thing around because remember that campers need maintenance and repairs and new this and thats when things wear out....and they will wear out!lol
Don't be paying off something in 5 yrs. that you are also pouring more new money into for new tires, and duct work or plumbing pipes, etc.
And thanks for the info on what a Dodge Caravan can hold. This info will come in handy someday no doubt.lol
Signed,
sluggy who drives a red dodge caravan
And everyone needs to be a slacker now and again.....enjoy it for awhile! Everything will still be there tomorrow that needs doing.... ;-)
I have been marinating in this topic as I've been working on a post on prioritizing your wishlist and delaying gratification. Great self control. That is a beautiful camper - very tempting!
Thanks for the link to the new potatoes and green beans in your last post. I am going to be making it this week.
I totally forgot to do a post about the contest. I'll send people here via Twitter.
I want a big camper like that. We have a pop up that I'd like to trade in.
I must echo Slugmama... campers=HIGH Maintenance=money pit!
We've had two (used) and mother and father-in-law bought one brand new.
All three were constantly needing repairs and the parts for campers are not cheap.
They took all the fun out of the weekends camping.
IF (we've been talking about it) we decide to ever go down that road again we will buy the most simple camper (maybe even a tent). All the bells and whistles are just not worth it.
So this weekend we decided to try bringing the water to us. I'll post about it later. lol
I have friends who love having their camper and I hear a lot of good stories about campers, too. Especially from the "full-timers" who actually live in their campers year-round.
For now, it's still a dream/goal for us. I'm sure every camper owner has his/her own story to tell. Although I love my home, I have wanderlust; a camper would allow us to travel AND stay home at the same time. LOL!
We have a pop-up camper right now (purchased used) and I don't think we'd ever go back to tent camping, although we used to enjoy it, too. It's just so much easier to set up the camper than a tent and sleeping is much more comfortable. We had to buy new tires for it, but that's it. Of course, a pop-up doesn't have many bells and whistles to need repair.
There is always someone in my family owns a caravan usually in situ in some seaside town all year round which we can borrow for long weekends. We practically lived the entire Summer holidays in one by the beach when we were kids and loved it. My mum might not remember it so fondly but sure, sucks to be her:)
We call the thing in the photo a caravan btw, just in case I'm confuddling anyone. In the uk the Dodge would be called a people carrier.
Leanne: We are thinking of borrowing or renting a camper just to see if we really do like it as much as we think we will.
Thanks for the clarification on caravan vs. people carrier. I think I knew that, but had forgotten. We call Caravans (and a host of other models) "minivans", although there's really nothing that mini about them.
Annie Jones, my parents-in-law bought their camper years before I knew them and I have known the family for 14 years now.
She does have to spend some money on maintenance, but I don't think she finds it to be excessive. Now, that FIL is gone, MIL goes camping multiple times a years sometimes for a couple of weeks at a time. She definitely has the camping bug.
So does Hubby.
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