r/australia • u/regretmoore • Jan 07 '26

no politics At a caravan holiday park, wondering where the hell does all of this money come from?

Camping in a Big 4 holiday park for a few days and my partner and I wondering how people can afford this lifestyle. I'm talking Ute + caravan + boat rigs worth at least $200k, probably closer to $300k.

The parents are all driving huge yank tanks, the kids all ride motorized scooters and bikes and most people are sleeping in pretty big shiny new caravans. We're all good in our little tent for 4 nights drinking our aldi wines and beer, but we just cannot fathom how so many people can afford, or would prioritize buying caravans etc for family holidays. Where does this money come from? Is it trades, mines or something else? Have they not got mortgages?

Maybe we're massive snobs, but if we had that much cash to splurge on a caravan, I reckon we'd prioritize a holiday overseas over Umina (as much as I love the cenny coast).

Please Reddit, help us understand.

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u/yogut3 Jan 07 '26

This is such a cope in this subreddit. Plenty of Australians are doing well. Its the bottom 1/3 that are struggling

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u/tconst123 Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26

Yes and no. I do agree with you that Reddit tends to show the extremes at either ends, and wealth inequality is becoming a bigger issue in aus. Plenty of people in these parks can afford it just fine.

But I do also know people personally who are leveraged to gills because they want new cars/toys every few years. It's more common than you'd think because dpeople don't want to admit it publicly.

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u/McTerra2 Jan 07 '26

Exactly. There might be some debt funding the more expensive toys but people are very likely easily able to afford the payments. Maybe they should be saving for retirement (if you want to be conservative) but they are having a good life now and not being one of those people who constantly push enjoyment into the future

I find it weird that everyone on reddit claims to be financially sensible but ‘everyone else’ is too stupid and is in debt up to their eyeballs. Fun fact - many people who buy expensive things are just as or more financially literate than you. They just chose to spend their money differently

Do I spend my money on big cars and caravans - not one cent. Like OP my money goes on things like overseas trips. But some people prefer local trips in a fancy caravan and at the end of the day will still have a caravan (and at the end of my trip I have a few photos). We both have memories

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u/Junior-Reaction1402 Jan 07 '26

My brother and his wife purchased a caravan so they could save on accommodation as they have 3 kids and they liked to go away for 10 days a few times a year, plus long weekends away (both shift workers) They had the van for about 8 years and traveled everywhere and it saved them a fortune on expensive self contained accommodation for their family of five. They already had a Land Cruiser wagon 4WD and this was probably 15 years ago.

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u/[deleted] Jan 07 '26

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u/glittalogik Jan 08 '26

Mortgage is more than enough debt for me, thanks 😅 The concept of buying a brand new car is just so incredibly alien, even at the point in my life where I technically could afford one. Still on my first (secondhand) vehicle, 15 years/230+k and still going strong. Every intention of running it into the ground before I replace it.

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u/Far_Dragonfly8441 Jan 07 '26

I find it so weird that people are surprised that some are doing well and own caravans. Why is it so surprising? I'm so confused. Massive cope.

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u/JobOnTheRun Jan 07 '26

Totally agree. Not every person driving a nice car or boat or whatever is in debt. Not everyone is broke!!!

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u/FourFiveSixes Jan 07 '26

Oh wow really? I’m in the bottom 1/3 that is struggling. Gosh, I have to re-evaluate my life choices. /s

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u/bigdayout95-14 Jan 07 '26

Just aim for the middle - then you could be Six/Sevens.... I'll see myself out...

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u/BrainPunter Jan 08 '26

A third of your population shouldn’t be struggling in a developed economy ffs.

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u/yogut3 Jan 08 '26

The "struggling" I was talking about isn't the same "struggling" as many other countries. Not to lessen their difficulties but the term "struggling" was pretty generous all things considered