How do folks afford motorhomes

[Old Gibber]

I've never smoked. The money I will have saved compared to someone who has smoked most of their lives will have paid for my motorhome several times over.

 

[AnnieB]

When we bought our first, second-hand campervans we had help from 2 very good friends - TESSA and PEP.

 

[Vipar]

Drugs anyone wanna buy a packet

 

[Chris]

Well I am a lazy b@stard which probably explains why I haven’t got a van

 

[VXman]

I really don't understand why anyone is justifying how much they paid for their van?

Your money, do what you want with it? As everyone does?

Very bizarre thread IMO.

The OP asked a question. People are answering. I find it quite interesting actually but I'm like that, nosey, inquisitive, people watcher.

Do you ask the same question to people who live in expensive houses?

It's a question I often ask myself 'How on earth did someone afford that?' 'What do they do?'

I couldnt give a toss what other people drive, its their choice, their money, their life.
We have what we havevand are more than happy with it . All paid for and its ours.
What does amuse us both is how some people look down on us( not coz we are dwarves or anything) but because they have a bigger, newer van.
We have fun thats all we are botherrd about.

How do you know if someone is 'looking down on you?'

I also find the 'I worked hard' 'I grafed' comments a little sad. Lots of people work very hard (harder than me!) and will never be able to afford a £20K motorhome let along a £60K -100K one. I feel fairly middle income but need to remind myself occsionally that were in the top 10 % of income in the UK. Median Income in UK is around £30K which means the majority earn a lot less.

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[nicholsong]

Gradually increased my capital from these sources, not in any specific order

Still a bachelor with no children.
Good education, thanks to my Grandfather and Sussex CC
Studied and trained for two professions - Pilot and Law(Part-time while working)
Had well-paid jobs
Retired at 45, but went back to work 6 times
Created new career in Financial Compliance - earned more than before
Deferred 6 years State Pension because still doing agency driving, doubled that pension
Over the years did up 3 of own houses from near-wrecks - Most of wealth
Bought cash N&B Arto S/H for £27K, still got it
Could buy new Morelo but happy with 19 year Arto

 

[Tigger-Tim]

...Median Income in UK is around £30K which means the majority earn a lot less.

Surely median means exactly half earn less.

 

[cyberyacht]

Hard work for me.

brought up on one of the largest council estates in the UK but soon as I left school went to work.
Not unusual for me to do 16-17 hour days 7 days a week when I was younger.

I don’t feel one bit embarrassed about having an expensive van as I know I’ve worked for it

Not sure I'd park an expensive motorhome in Billy Lawn Avenue. Much safer in Allaway Avenue on a 'posher' estate.

 

[Casper46]

Both of us worked long hours and in our spare time we bought a broken down farmyard and rebuilt it over many years. Lived in a very tatty caravan until 1st house was ready to live in. Then we sold the first house for the finance to build the next one…..and so on and so on. We built them ourselves, not had them built.

 

[Jamesh]

Hard work and then compensation from a life changing serious injury Wouldn't wish that on anyone but am determined to make the most of things.

But we don't drink, don't smoke and live in rural Scotland where a good night out might be a whist drive in a village hall. Going out for a meal is a rare treat due to diet restrictions

I agree.

Sometimes you see people with life changing illnesses and you wouldn't wish it on yourselves or to be a carer..

Passing a campsite with normal families on it whilst we drive to our lodge, with the wife with chronic illness and a son with MH difficulties. Would I give up the lodge for a £100 six man tent and beers before hitting the sack...in an instant ..

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[sonar]

Not sure I'd park an expensive motorhome in Billy Lawn Avenue. Much safer in Allaway Avenue on a 'posher' estate.

Billy lawn ave. was the place to be in the late 80s. Prices went up as more people were looking to buy.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Not sure I'd park an expensive motorhome in Billy Lawn Avenue. Much safer in Allaway Avenue on a 'posher' estate.

If I had trouble in Allaway Avenue it would no don’t be one of my relatives so would get it back.

 

[nicholsong]

Surely median means exactly half earn less.

Sorry that is not correct.

People get confused between 'median' and 'average'

Median means the mid-point between Max and Min, so if a company has 100 employees with the lowest employee on £20K and the highest on £100K the median salary is £60K.

In the same company if 90 of the employees are earning £20K and 10 are earning £100K then to establish the 'average' salary the calculation is

90 X £20K = total £1,800K

10 X £100K =total £1,000K

Total income of all employees = £2,800K so divided by 100 employees = £28K average income per employee.

 

[Vipar]

Beats my £3-1-6p per week when I started work. Ended up on £22,300 pa when I packed up after 44.5 years.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

A totally unexpected inheritance from a cousin I had not seen for over 30 years. It meant we could give up the tent and do folk festivals in more comfort, and much more besides.

She is called 'Irene' after my cousin.

Nice touch naming after your cousin enjoy your travels

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[Robert Clark]

Could buy new Morelo

That’s what all the tyre kickers say

 

[Don Quixote]

I really don't care or even want to know how folk buy their motorhomes / camper vans. At the end of the day it's no one business but theirs....... Live and let live, as I was always taught. Just enjoy whatever you have or got in life.

Life is too short.

 

[jumartoo]

We don't care what motorhomes other people have. We have an old Hymer, which we're thinking of still keeping for some years to come. We could change it for newer/swankier , but we'd still only have a motorhome that does the same job.

We're happier with all the years we've had enjoying life since we both took early retirement/not working, than we would be with an upmarket motorhome. We don't judge anyone on their choice of motorhome, whichever part of the spectrum, from us, they are.

We don't regret anything we've done in life (there have been hiccups, out of our control , but they are all in our past). How many people can say that, and mean it?

And ... more importantly, we're looking ahead (not back) to the next ... years in our van.

 

[old-mo]

How do folks afford motorhomes​

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I send Judy out on the game....

Only Monday to Friday, though...

I do insist on a proper Roast lunch Sat & Sunday....

 

[Simon Select]

Most people now pay cash. Although cash is normally pension pot, equity release, or secured loans.
Although finance is on the rise. Last month we sold 100 ish vans and maybe a fifth were finance.

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[Gellyneck]

Well I am a lazy b@stard

and according to your profile you've been an expert at that for 10 years!

 

[Gellyneck]

How do folks afford motorhomes​

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I send Judy out on the game....

So that's why you move house so frequently!

The amount of money she would command would strip the local economy bare so needs to move onto pastures new!

 

[mitzimad]

a lot of people in 100k vans dont own them but can afford the repayments

 

[Lenny HB]

Most people now pay cash. Although cash is normally pension pot, equity release, or secured loans.
Although finance is on the rise. Last month we sold 100 ish vans and maybe a fifth were finance.

Interesting that you say more people pay cash now, with the surge in sales over the last couple of Covid years I would have thought buying on finance would have gone up.
The tradition market used to be semi retired & retired people so tended to be cash sales.

 

[Lenny HB]

a lot of people in 100k vans dont own them but can afford the repayments

See post #110

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[VXman]

Surely median means exactly half earn less.

Yes...I meant to quote mean which is actually £25K so makes the point much better.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Buy what you can afford then become a FTL like me, what you save in site fee's pay's pays for the van.

 

[bigtwin]

Buy what you can afford then become a FTL like me, what you save in site fee's pay's pays for the van.

FTL? It’s not being recognised by Jims acronym buster.

Ian

 

[Jofang]

Speaking for myself but possibly others, I'd love to go back to a shed on wheels with electrics you can understand and plumbing you can access if it goes wrong. £100k+ later we're in computerised whizz bang that tells me when it's got a headache but not how to fix it and the only medicine is at the dealers and will cost me an arm & a leg.

 

[jessthedog]

Ive only been on the site since 2016, but I think old-mo could of bought a new Concorde on the estate agent and legal fees he has paid!

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