Make Your Airstream Dreams Come True

Reasons why our family is investing in an Airstream today instead of waiting until retirement.

We did it.

Today we put a deposit down on a 20 ft. Airstream Basecamp. It takes about 10 months for an Airstream to be assembled and ready to drive off the lot.

If you’re thinking of doing the same, be sure to plan ahead.

After last summer’s vacation staying in an Airstream Basecamp in Michigan, my husband and I did some serious thinking.

Instead of waiting until we retire when the kids are grown, we’re choosing to invest in an Airstream now.

Here are our reasons for why.

We want to experience and travel more with our kids on the road.

Life is flying by. My son turned 7, and somehow it doesn’t logically seem possible. It feels like only a year ago he was that baby falling asleep in my arms.

Many parents want their kids’ lives to be focused on experiences seeing new places and less on acquiring things. We feel the same.

It’s so easy to fall into the “stuff” trap with the million toys and kids trinkets you accumulate.

Youtube and social media do a great job showing us what product will enhance our life and what “merch” we need to have.

I see it in my son today wanting all these various collections of transformers, pokemon cards, and sports cards. The list keeps growing with every passing birthday.

It’s difficult to explain to a 7 yr. old that all these things won’t be going with him someday when he leaves this earth.

When you die, it’s not like you have a Uhaul you get to take with you filled with all your possessions.

If the focus can be on “doing” rather than “having,” maybe the importance of experiences will sell itself and stay with them into adulthood.

Close spaces give us an opportunity for more emotional connection.

Our trip last summer showed us how fun it is to travel together in small spaces. I wrote about it here:

I have lived in the United States all my life. From the time I was a child, I’ve subconsciously felt the pull of the American dream. There is a desire to have a good job, make good money, and have a beautiful home.

But another thing to add to that dream is having a great connection with those you love.

There’s a togetherness you experience in tight-knit spaces that becomes valuable. That’s what we realized this past summer. When we have no other choice but to be confined to a smaller space, we start to see one another up close.

I want more heart-to-hearts with the three other people that mean the most to me.

The Airstream reputation has great resale value.

If you have looked into travel trailers or RVs you know owning an Airstream is expensive.

There are many different brands you can go with before shelling out high dollars for an Airstream.

However, with purchasing an Airstream you also know that it has an incredible resale value.

Sure, it will lose money the minute you drive off the lot. But with its’ quality and brand reputation, you have a good chance of recouping most of what you put into it when you sell.

Yes, it’s a gamble.

Resale value isn’t our only reason for purchasing our Basecamp. It does help, however.

Owning an Airstream creates rental opportunities too.

We were introduced to vacationing in an Airstream Basecamp by renting it from another local owner.

There are several websites online that allow owners to rent their travel trailer or RV out for days or weeks to other interested travelers.

You can generate another income stream to help pay for the purchase of your home on wheels or the profits can go towards other financial goals.

There is a risk in renting, but there are also insurance coverage options to cover expensive repairs if needed.

Our goal is to eventually rent out our Basecamp for others to experience fun camping adventures as well. It’s an interesting business opportunity we want to pursue.

As my husband and I were completing the paperwork at the dealership, the sales guy working with us said,

“This is a good time for you to be making this decision. A lot of people we see wait until later in their life to commit to traveling like this. You’re doing it now when your kids are young and will have all these memories.”

That’s the goal.

At the end of our lives, we want to have a bank of memories to reflect on. We want to have fun times and not-so-fun times that give us this complete picture of traveling and experiencing places together.

Now we just have to wait a few more months. It’s worth it though.

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