Bartering for your campsite

In the days of yore (that means a long time ago), barter was the accepted method of trade. If you had something of value your traded it with someone else who had something of value that you wanted. With the invention of currency, barter died a slow death.

However, with today's tight economy and budgets slashed to the bone, barter has started to make a comeback. And it just might work for traveling RVers struggling to keep campground costs manageable. Look around as you enter a campground for areas that seem neglected, or jobs undone. Ask the owner, manager, or ranger if you can trade out a night (or more, depending on the job) for your talents in taking care of postponed or neglected maintenance or other job that needs doing.

This works better in state parks, campgrounds on public lands, and some smaller private campgrounds. If you can trade your talents for something they need, you've got a deal. For them it's a Win-Win situation--especially if they have empty campsites. The cost to them is negligible, and they don't have to pay someone to do the job. Parks are usually quite accepting of volunteer labor.

The areas could include gardening, mechanical maintenance, building a website, repairing fences--and many more ideas. Be creative and observant and you never know what you may workout. I once spent five months in a South Georgia state park for free by helping with various campground chores that the rangers had no time for, relieved the campground host on her days off, participated in Civil War re-enactments (that was fun), and built them a website. Cost to me: $0.

For a limited time, rent a motorhome for $49 a day

Here's a very inexpensive way to travel up to three weeks with a motorhome. El Monte RV needs to get some brand new 22-foot Class C motorhomes delivered from Chicago to some of it rental locations in the far West.
 
For trips beginning April 15 or those ending no later than May 31, a one-day rate of $49 per night is available. The price includes 2,500 free miles, unlimited free generator use, a starter pack and no one-way fee.

After being picked up in Chicago, the RVs have up to 21 days to be dropped off at El Monte RV locations in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; Dublin Calif.; Oakland Calif.; Ferndale, Wash.; or Las Vegas, Nevada.

Not included are additional miles, insurance, personal kits, or kitchen kits, but these can be purchased at pickup. This special cannot be combined with any other specials or discounts, and the code RELOC must be mentioned at the time of reservation. Information about this special offer and others is at the El Monte RV website.