Any snide comments from people about our fuel guzzling RV Lifestyle? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

Any snide comments from people about our fuel guzzling RV Lifestyle?

Howard · Host

With a big ol' smile just say ......

"You want to compare your annual fuel and utility costs with mine? Yeah, I didn't think so." biggrin

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

I just flash one of those "I bet you wish you were me" smiles with a wink and a nod. After a second or two they get the real picture as they hustle to make their next meeting!

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

They can kiss my Turbo Charger. I spent more keeping my house cool in the summer and warm in the winter than I spend now living in my 5th wheel. My diesel bill going back and forth to work was more than I use in a month traveling form A to B. I bet they spend more each month keeping their Petunias watered than I spend bathing washing dishes and washing the 5ver. So now that you know how I really feel about that look they just gave me I will crank up this Dodge 3500 300 hp Cummings Mega cab and go down the highway with a grin on my face Al Gore couldn't knock off with a Florida ballot box.

Speedy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

OMG Speedy! I can't stop laughing long enough to type this! Now, about those hanging chads... Can't wait for more Speedy stories 'round the rally campfire! And I am still laughing...

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

Never get one of those comments when boondocking or dry camping even from tenters. However while in Colorado we were questioned at an upscale Pizza House. Our response was simple. We only drive when we Need to, we only heat or cool when absolutely necesary, we only turn on the water or the water heater when we need it and our fuel and utilities including camp ground costs are less than either our household utility bill or fuel bill in the stick house. Ninety percent of our electricity comes from solar. We don't take plastic or paper at the grocery store because we bring our own bags (no room for extra bags). Taken aback they said that we weren't typical of RV types. We answered that most are more like us, but some are more like they are. Talk a good line but left the environmental controls, water heater, etc set for there comfort when they get home and spend a fortune in fuel to get to and from their vacation weekends for only 2 or 3 days away. Who is really green, the talker or the walker?

They kind of left in a huff. Thankfully they are the exception, most people we talk to would love to trade places.

Green by lifestyle.
Larry and Jacki

dedutch · RV-Dreams Community Member

Once when refueling at a station, the guy next to us walked up to my husband and sneeringly told him we had a nice "carbon footprint". I was inside and really in hindsight glad I wasn't there. My husband had never heard the expression "carbon footprint" and didn't give the guy any response, looking at him as if he was nuts. That was probably the best thing he could have done. On the other side of the coin, I heard someone say once they were glad somebody was at least spending money and supporting the economy!

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

When we were first planning our trip we did get some comments......but usually it had to do with only having enough money to get to the next state. Now that many are buying their fuel for the winter......they our having second thoughts on our lifestyle and are talking about getting RVs themselves. What a great lifestyle......you can always choose to be in a place where you do not need heat or air conditioning.

-Colleen

snowman8 · RV-Dreams Family Member

you know when we started thinking about this, I was paying (2005) $4.35 a gallon for AVGAS plus rental time for a Cessna 172. That can be classified as wasteful, as I really was only flying to keep current in knowing how to fly...We started looking at vehicles and the BAM! Diesel jumped above unleaded. And I started to second guess this plan.

At the peak of the Summer we were paying close to $1,000.00 per month in commute gas costs. And I cannot get around that........because YOU HAVE TO GO TO WORK! to pay the bills until retirement.

After reading a few comparison articles we're back on track. Now, I'm working on a spreadsheet that is a fill in the blanks to help with the budgeting for future fuel costs, but that will only be "when" we go someplace, and what we use to go someplace. WHEN we decide to go someplace........

I like it! When can I start? Ohh yeah....not yet but sooooonnnnnn!

wink

-- Edited by snowman8 at 18:51, 2008-09-25

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

When people have made remarks about the cost of diesel and future fulltiming I have one reply. I can pay $4.59 for diesel and move on down the road. Or I can pay over $4.00 gallon for home heating oil and stay put. I like the move on down the road option better.

ahoweth · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think we all have to admit that none of us enjoy paying a price like what we have been seeing lately, but just think back about 40 to 50 years and consider fuel prices versus income. In the 1960's gasoline was selling in the range of $0.30 to $0.40 cents per gallon. Remember that in the 1960's a really good income was in the range of $10,000.00 per year. Now gasoline is selling in the range of $3.00 to $4.00 per gallon and a really good income is in the range of $100,000 per year. It doesn't take a genius to see that both have gone up on a par with each other. It is just that the gasoline price increase has been delayed and come upon us suddenly instead of gradually increasing like incomes did. Still the percentage of income spent for fuel is no more than it was 40 years ago.

Unfortunatley not everyones income went up that much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JMO