I post this as a humorous attempt to sit back and laugh at myself.
Maybe some of you can relate.
Disclaimer, I won't take all the blame.
I must say it's a sickness, a weakness something that gets inside you that you can't quite control.
Let's just call it "Pop-Up-Camper itis".
Besides you people could have helped me with this.
You could have warned me.
Someone should have told me.
Most of you have been there and most of you are going through it right now.
Take this humble post as a warning to all.
Enter this game at your own risk.
Does this sound familiar to anyone........
This is my story and I'm sticking to it......
Ok, we want to get into this pop-up camper thing for a couple of reasons.
1. To enjoy the camping experience, spend precious time with family and friends.
2. Hey we can save money on vacations by not staying in those expensive motels right?
3. We can also save money on eats by bringing our own and not buying expensive restaurant food. Yea, yea right, that sounds good.
Well here we go.
This is only a partial listall prices rough estimate.
1. Used 1997 Jayco 1207KB (excellent condition) $4500.00
2. Only 1 propane cylinder, I think I need two $40.00
3. No battery, I need a battery right? Battery and all hardware, yea sounds good $80.00
4. Stabilizer jacks on camper stink! Ordered Bal crank down jacks (like on Coleman) $125.00
5. What? Stabilizer jacks didn't come with the feet or pads? Order again. $20.00
6. While I was ordering the anchor pads, that Bal tire leveler sure is cool and hey I found a deal right? $49.99
7. Previous owner gutted water-holding tank and I want to reinstall it. (I was lucky enough to have the tank.)
Like everything else I did get carried away and added pressure water (sureflo on demand pump) $70.00
8. Hey everyone is riding bikes around campground etc. Got to have bikes. $150.00
I only bought 1 adult and 1 kid bike for now I will still need one more adult bike..... $95.00
9. Need sheets, blankets, pillows, and misc bedding stuff. $125.00
10.Yea I know camper came with a stove, but wanted Coleman stove for picnic table you've got to have one of those, right? $59.99
11.Coleman lantern $29.99
12.Looks like everyone has the Astro-Turf carpet in front of camper (they got it, I gotta have it) as usual get carried away and have to go full blown and add 6" PVC pipe to back bumper to store the carpet in. $75.00
13.Hey that pipe on back bumper is cool, darn now I need one on the front for pole storage etc. $40.00
14.Those bikes (see item 8) won't get there by themselves will they? .... need bike rack...... $150.00
15.Reflectex, everyone has Reflectex or something similar, gotta keep up you know $60.00
16.Misc camp table, chairs, etc. You got to have somewhere to sit right? $60.00
17.They say heat strip in A/C won't suffice so need heater and misc fans to move air around. $50.00
18.Porta potties, water hoses, wheel chocks, extension cords, pressure regulators, this and that, basically buy every thing Wal-Mart offers and you'll have it covered $??????
19.Arrrrgggggg!!!!! Need pots, pans, utensils, Dutch ovens, pie irons, pokers, strokers, flashlights, radios, FRS radios and gadgets of all varying descriptions. I'm tired of itemizing so let's just take a wild guess on these items. $250.00
20.Lets not forget dear old SuziQ. Deal here, deal there, I may not even need it but hey "I'm gullible right"? OK, not fair to blame Suzi. Others helped, besides I'm a grown man and accountable for my own actions. Just another wild guess $200.00
21.Wife says truck is not comfortable, need more room, more dependable way to travel 2002 Ford Crew Cab F-150 $25,000
22.Need garage/storage shed for camper, I can't stand to see it sitting in the weather, (same goes for new truck) $10,000
I will add I haven't even touched the to do project list of adding the hot water heater and inside shower project. Special thanks to Oz and Us for convincing me I needed those.
Ok I'm tired now, my head hurts and I haven't even scratched the surface. I'm sure I've left a lot out, I'm sure there is a lot of things most of you can add.
So anyway to sum it up? Let's see if I got this about right. One $4500.00, used Jayco camper has or is going to cost me roughly $41,144.97 but hey, we're doing this to save money right?
Is this a fair estimate?
"Your actual mileage may vary"
I hang my head in shame...
Broke, beaten but still looking for what to buy next..
James
