Proportion of Serviced v Standard Pitches

Posted on 26/06/2019 17:30 by flatcoat

We generally prefer to use serviced pitches and pay the premium. I find it bizarre that people are happy to spend £40k or more on a motorhome or car and caravan and then constantly moan about club pitch prices or paying another £4/night. Out of the annual costs of caravanning it is minimal. We are all consumers and until caravanning is nationalised or outlawed still free to take our custom wherever we wish and pay less if the club is deemed so extortionate. Sometimes we go on private sites (as we will be next month in Cornwall), sometimes we use club sites. 

Posted on 26/06/2019 22:51 by Tinwheeler

I was asking exactly what you were saying because what I described was the implication I picked up. Thanks for clarifying.

Actually, if you read Hooker’s post in context it was about the ridiculousness of people spending mega bucks on an LV and then scrimping on site fees in general, not just SP fees.

I find the concept of different pots of money rather odd. What you (and others) describe is a bit like buying steak because the food money pot is flush and turning the heating off because the lekky pot is empty. It suggests poor budgeting skills to my mind.

 

Posted on 27/06/2019 07:59 by cyberyacht

If one has a a caravan/motorhome with all the facilities/home comforts, a service pitch seems to come into the category of paying for the same thing twice. Somewhat akin to Merve's approach to EHU.

Posted on 26/06/2019 23:20 by KjellNN

Yes, that is why we bought the van we have, and the one before it.

Our previous van (1998) had a very good full width end shower room which meant we could be totally independent of site facilities, or the lack of them, if necessary, so we looked for something at least as good when we decided to change to a fixed bed model (2008).

The great strength of Club sites is that you can generally depend on there being good disabled facilities, something that is not always available abroad, so as we planned to tour in Europe for extended periods, not needing to worry about such facilities was essential.

Although we had not thought of it at the time, 11 years back, it also means that we can use no-facility sites and CLs in UK, which we have been doing increasingly in the last few years to keep site costs down.

Previous van was purchased with money from savings while I was working, current one was from pension lump sum, as was the towcar we bought when I retired in 2007,  Current towcar was purchased with savings from pension income in the previous 9 years, we make a point of saving enough to replace capital used on such purchases, and of living within our income.  

This is becoming more difficult each year as my pension is not rising as fast as inflation, so we are increasingly focusing on site costs as one of the things that we can choose to do something about.

 

Posted on 26/06/2019 23:20 by KjellNN

Yes, that is why we bought the van we have, and the one before it.

Our previous van (1998) had a very good full width end shower room which meant we could be totally independent of site facilities, or the lack of them, if necessary, so we looked for something at least as good when we decided to change to a fixed bed model (2008).

The great strength of Club sites is that you can generally depend on there being good disabled facilities, something that is not always available abroad, so as we planned to tour in Europe for extended periods, not needing to worry about such facilities was essential.

Although we had not thought of it at the time, 11 years back, it also means that we can use no-facility sites and CLs in UK, which we have been doing increasingly in the last few years to keep site costs down.

Previous van was purchased with money from savings while I was working, current one was from pension lump sum, as was the towcar we bought when I retired in 2007,  Current towcar was purchased with savings from pension income in the previous 9 years, we make a point of saving enough to replace capital used on such purchases, and of living within our income.  

This is becoming more difficult each year as my pension is not rising as fast as inflation, so we are increasingly focusing on site costs as one of the things that we can choose to do something about.

 

Posted on 27/06/2019 08:00 by Cornersteady

+1 to your last paragraph there TW. Even if a 'windfall' allows you (one) to buy that expensive outfit it is rather odd to not think of the future running costs (including site fees) when you've bought it. Even odder, in my mind, is then to have to scrimp and save on other things to allow you to use it?

Still it's your (one's) money and your choices.