to buy a caravan against DH's wishes

[Babieseverywhere]

Short Version
My DH thinks I am being very unreasonable but AIBU to want to sell MY things to fund a cheap old caravan which I will use ON MY OWN with our children, so they can have a holiday ?

Long Version
My DH works very hard to support our family, whilst I'm currently a SAHM to our 4 DC's. DH is happy with this arrangement and I will be returning to work in a couple of years time, when our youngest is at school.

Our budget does not cover luxuries like proper holidays and so we usually have a few day trips each year. However last year my MIL invited us to stay in a static caravan for a week with the DC's and we had a ball. Really enjoyed the beach, the children's playgrounds on site and the onsite swimming pool.

I have been trying to convince my DH to buy a tourer caravan to enable us to have cheap self catering holidays but he claims to hate tourer caravans though he has never had a holiday in one. He had previously claimed to hate static caravans too, but really enjoyed last years holiday in one...all I wanted him to do was have a go before making a decision on how he feels about it, but he is stubborn (like me) and he remain unconvinced.

I decided that I will sell anything I have of value which I paid for pre-children...my laptop, my mobile phone, my collection of baby slings (bought with maternity money for first child), mobile cashbacks etc and buy a cheap caravan.

Looking to spend (if I manage to raise this much money) £400 or less on a 4/5/6 berth one with a minimum of two double beds, to pile my small children on. If anyone has one they are getting rid of in the North West PM me.

I don't expect my DH to come away in this caravan, I will go on my own with the children. No, it won't be a relaxing holiday for me but the idea is to give the children a nice time and I'm on my own with all the children every school holiday anyway. I do hope DH might try it one day but I am buying it with no expectations of him ever setting foot in it, as he hates caravans.

DH is still against the idea of me even self funding a caravan and when I mention my caravan fund (barely started), he is very negative and is trying to put me off the idea...telling me I can't put the caravan on our drive...I could put the caravan on our double drive but this would mean I would have to park my car on the road which I am willing to do but he says no.

I aim to buy a couple of food tins every food shop through out the year, to put in the caravan, that is what we did as children. Had a tourer holiday where we ate tinned food for a week with fruit ! Then the money I would of spent on a food shop the week of the holiday, can cover site fees on a basic caravan park...we'll have so much fun.

Caravan insurance will be around a £5 a week/month (can't remember which) and this I will take out of the child benefit for our youngest which we have just started receiving and isn't currently in our budget IYSWIM, as it is a benefit for our children.

My father has already agreed IF i get a caravan he will be willing to tow it nearby for me (within a couple of hours drive). So I don't need to get a tow bar, nor worry about towing the caravan. I'm sure my father will help me set it up for me on site :)

DH's parents live permanently in a caravan travelling around Europe and England and I'm sure I could pitch up next to them for a few nights. They don't see enough of the grandchildren and I'm sure would love for me to do this. Likewise my own parents are retired and have a tourer and would love to spend a few days at the seaside with their grandchildren.

AIBU to buy a caravan ?

I hate fold up ones,

OK I might have to leave this thread, you are a bad influence, since the I joined the thread, I have bought six different items for caravans/camping,

and I found a carlight that now two of my friends are bidding on, as it way out of my price range,

but I have put a cheeky offer on a very old buccaneer, that needs work,

and i have found a window for a friend's cheltenham,

I was given my first caravan, by a well meaning friend, who turned up with it to my field, where I was hosting a glamp for lots of families, I was very dismissive as to my need for it, right up until it came time to wash up, washing up is so easy, it made the hassle of the camp cooking so much easier,

I also think that it has saved us a fortune in gas, as you use so much less gas cooking in the caravan than you do on camping stoves,

if you are on a budget these things make a difference,

I find the energy in running a camp is vastly reduced when you have a caravan along at camps,

Another advantage is that you don't need flat ground, unlike tents,you can use the legs to adjust the caravan,always put bit of plank under the legs. I have some very cheap mechanic ramps, you just put them under the wheels as chucks, and you can put your caravan on quite steep slopes, which means you can go places no tent goers would consider, you also don't have to go for sheltered spots out of the wind.

Tell me about it quote :(

I've become obsessed with Romas. Can't imagine what they weigh with all the mirrors and chrome.

lots of my friends have them, you take out one set of cupboards and add a wood burner, with one of those fans that sit on the burners to move the air around, or they are hard to keep warm, unless you do that.

but I really want one to put permanently in a friend's field on a pinnacle near here in devon,

I love the light in them and you can fit a full size cooker in,

they do have a cult following, so tend to be snapped up, I want one so I can escape to the field and have something ready, the field I use, has a 240 sea view, and I want to sit there in a light airy space.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roma-Buccaneer-20ft-Caravan-with-Authentic-Woodburner-/280963188532?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item416ab60734#ht_2673wt_844

this is similar to the one I get to stay in at festivals, love it, the space is very social,

I wouldn't want to tow one often, but if I can get hold of one to stick in a field I would love it, problem is one of my friends keeps snapping any up, as he does very good business supplying them to celebrities for home and tour spaces, they make brilliant garden rooms, you don't need planning,

I bought a cheap caravan on Ebay (£380) last year, as DH works all the time and I wanted to be able to take my three boys away easily on my own. We went away nearly every weekend last summer and several times this year, and it has been fab.

It's not damp, it's warm and cosy. Just a few minutes to set up and the kids can sit in there while I do it. All your stuff already in there ready, including beer and barbeque. Room for the kids bikes. Hot chocolate and movies if it's raining.

Top tip: Buying at the end of the summer gets you a much better caravan for your money as lots of people sell them at the end of the season, and not so many people are buying then.

Yabu - your money? Fgs - you can bet it will be dh spending out when it needs repairs etc - and i wouldnt want a nasty tatty (which is all £400 will get you) in my drive either

that's nice

the one on my drive way cost under £200, and it's lovely.

and I don't suppose the OP is the virgin mary, so it won't just be her children benefiting from all the fun trips.

It is nice to hear there are some bargains out there to be had.

I have an potential idea about making more space on our drive for both cars and a caravan, which needs some thinking about.

I also need to have a chat with DH and find out what his objections are and if I can address them.

I suspect I will have to leave a purchase until after next summer, so I'll have a bit more money, plus it gives me ages to sort out the drive and chat to DH.

Sell him the idea by explaining it will be a quite place to escape to, when it's on the drive way, my husband is always using ours as a temp office, when I am dominating the home office, and there is a child in every room practicing an instrument.

once he relises the benefits he will get on board,

you will defiantly find a bargain, just keep looking, get your eye in, read everything on the caravan club web site, ask questions on there, don't be put off by those who only do "new" van, on there, that's great as that means there are always going to be feeding the second hand market,

and watch all the caravan show series on you tube, or on quest, also some good tips,

keep checking the nearest first option on ebay for touring caravans,

and find someone enthusiastic near you who can put the word out, and show you how to check a caravan out.

After a argument discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of potentially buying a cheap caravan, DH and I have decided that I will not rush out to buy a caravan for a few years at least and we'll try a bargain self catering static caravan holiday next year and see how things go.

I haven't given up on the idea of buy a tourer in the future but I am very pleased that the children will have a proper family holiday next year :)

I'm very pleased about that too

Glad you've compromised with DH.

Modern tents are not like they were back in the day - choose the right model & you are laughing : ) Some are even pop up for quick set up (check out decathlon sports site to see what I mean). This is the right time of year to purchase a tent as the sales will start soon. I was pleased to discover that lots of sites have laundrettes & kitchen facilities on site as well as nice play areas and decent, clean bathroom facilities nowadays too, sometimes even cafes for a decent fry up when you cab to cook(sorry but wild camping with a 7 week old doesn't appeal).

My parents liked using youth hostel family rooms as a way of allowing us to holiday in the West country at reasonable cost. You normally have to book them out fairly early but they have them in the most picturesque, ideal family spots. That's another potential avenue to explore.

If you sleep by the tent door they can't get out xx

Oh, DEFINITELY save up for a good tourer, camper van or motor home. But honestly, don't sell yourself short. This is meant to be FUN, for the whole family!

My DH even said ur DH IBU. Go for it, even if its rough, as long as its safe & roadworthy. U cannot buy the memories ur dc's will have. Check gumtree for freebies, then the money you save could pay for repairs or site fees! I was a townie and had never even been camping but DH converted me to camping the latterly caravans. Go and enjoy, it is what you make it!

Update

We had a lovely static caravan holiday in summer 2013.

Due to the change about taking kids out during school terms, that was not an option for next year, so.....

......we agreed to buy a folding camper and bought one !

We got a cheap one, no storage fees as we keep it on our drive and much easier to tow. So fingers crossed we have fun camping in our trailer next year.

Maybe if that goes well, we can invest in a proper caravan in the future.

But tbh I think with having the beds out permanently, we have more liveable space in the folding camper and awning than we would have in a caravan.

Wish us luck !

Yay! Good luck. I am green with envy. I camp with my three and I love it but it is hard work. I crave a caravan x

such things do exist

We have several old funky caravans, because we like local holidays, basic field (just loos) camping by the sea, £8 a night.

It makes it easy, to cook, enjoy your holiday when it's raining(last year), lots of board games, card games, eating fun food,

Get one with a large awning, children sleep in an inner tent, we have tents as well, but I have found having a caravan, to use as a field kitchen, sit out of the elements, takes a lot of the strain out of the experience of living in a field for a few weeks.

www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/

get good advice on nose towing weights on the CC site.

Could you suggest to your husband that you try it for a few years then reassess,

ours have duel hook ups, so which ever one is on the drive can be hooked up to the mains, and often gets used by adults as a retreat space, when needing quite. (mention he might like a space to retreat to)

We have two leisure batteries, which are easy to charge, and give just over a week's electricity, for charging gadgets/phones, lighting and sink pump, when we camp as we tend not to go to caravan sites.

Cheapest time of the year to buy, as people are wanting to avoid storage costs, phone round the caravan storage places, they usually have some for sale, and ebay is great.

How about a trailer tent rather than a caravan? Easier to tow, easy to put up, takes up less space. Might be cheaper, (dunno). A friend has one and I'm very impressed.

We have a caravan and it is completely watertight and not a shit hole as someone commented up thread. We got it from e bay by doing a local search and it was only 17 miles up the road in Preston.yes we north west too! It s fab. We have spend thousands on cottages in past this paid for it self first trip out ! What I would worry about is it cause row between dh and you. Could you afford to store on a local farm or similar ? It costs us five pounds a week .

We have just GOT a folding camper ! 30 years old but in good useable condition with no damp. Proper canvas etc and modern awning too. Can't wait to try it out next year :)

£400 for a tiny damp tin box on wheels. You would have far more space in a decent sized 6/8 man tent.

Please don't waste your money.