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How does RVing affect your budget?
Old 10-20-2016, 10:03 AM   #1
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How does RVing affect your budget?

My wife and I are considering purchasing a class C RV in retirement and taking a few driving trips each year. For those of you who currently do something similar, how do the trips affect your monthly budget/spending? I realize we'll be spending more on gas but what about other items such as groceries, eating out, etc.? And what about the cost of utilities at your stick house? Do they go down much while you're on the road?
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Old 10-20-2016, 10:12 AM   #2
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We don't take extensive trips, but the biggest expense when we do is the gas for the RV (ours gets ~9 mpg). We usually stay at relatively inexpensive public parks (Corps of Engineers and state parks are our favorites) so that's under $25/night. We rarely eat out when in the RV and I cook dinner from scratch every night, albeit a little simpler than at home, so if anything our food bill is probably a little less when traveling. We did see a significant dip in our utility bills the one time we took a 3 week trip in August - left the A/C set at 80 and had a very small electric bill - but not enough of a difference to offset the gas by any means.

So for us, I'd say other than gas, it's pretty much a wash. Oh, and we don't order from Amazon while on the road
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Old 10-20-2016, 10:19 AM   #3
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Our most recent 3 week RV trip saw our overall spending for the month go up about $1,200, about 75% of that was for fuel and campsite rental. We saved about $100 in utilities.

Note the cost of fuel is low at the moment. Back when it was significantly higher we would have spent at least $400 more.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:10 PM   #4
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Take advantage of free overnighting in Walmart parking lots when you're on the road, (the rigs will all be gathered in one corner, away from the store), even better when it's a 24 hour store (if they still have them, it's been over 15 years for me).
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:22 PM   #5
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Does Walmart have RV hookups?
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:24 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carpediem View Post
My wife and I are considering purchasing a class C RV in retirement and taking a few driving trips each year. For those of you who currently do something similar, how do the trips affect your monthly budget/spending? I realize we'll be spending more on gas but what about other items such as groceries, eating out, etc.? And what about the cost of utilities at your stick house? Do they go down much while you're on the road?
Don't get me wrong...the people here are GREAT, but your question would probably be better answered on a forum like iRV2 Forums

I would make the comparison that if someone came along in the RV forum and asked about early retirement, I would send them here.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:29 PM   #7
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Don't get me wrong...the people here are GREAT, but your question would probably be better answered on a forum like iRV2 Forums

I would make the comparison that if someone came along in the RV forum and asked about early retirement, I would send them here.
You're probably right, but I ask a lot of not-totally-related-to-ER questions here. Sometimes you get more balanced answers from people who aren't involved in the holy wars that occur on specific topic forums. For example, asking the RVers about carrying a mortgage or not might be safer than asking it here.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:32 PM   #8
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You're probably right, but I ask a lot of not-totally-related-to-ER questions here. Sometimes you get more balanced answers from people who aren't involved in the holy wars that occur on specific topic forums. For example, asking the RVers about carrying a mortgage or not might be safer than asking it here.
Very true. I just wanted to point out that there are quite a few really good forums out there that could help the OP out.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:41 PM   #9
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The reason I asked the RV question here was I wanted to hear answers from the perspective of those who had ER-ed and were monitoring their spending budgets. Thank you for the link to the other forum though.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:44 PM   #10
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The reason I asked the RV question here was I wanted to hear answers from the perspective of those who had ER-ed and were monitoring their spending budgets. Thank you for the link to the other forum though.
Yep..this is not a bad place to ask. There are several users on the forum I shared that are indeed ER'ed and many of them have blogs that detail the budgets very specifically. I have not seen anyone here that does that. That doesn't mean there isn't anyone here who *has* done that, I just am not familiar.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:55 PM   #11
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Does Walmart have RV hookups?
No, but many allow you to park overnight in their parking lot. Some have restrictions against it due to city ordinances, some for other reasons, so you'll need to check with the individual store to be sure.
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Old 10-20-2016, 12:59 PM   #12
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Some have restrictions against it due to city ordinances, some for other reasons
Galveston comes to mind.
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Old 10-20-2016, 01:19 PM   #13
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We bought a travel trailer in April and took 4 trips this past summer. In 2006 we did a 6week, 9500 mile cross country tip in a Class C. If you do not account for the cost of the RV in your comparison, for us:

Compared to staying home: Not much. Even say a full 30 days out of the year of park fees, gas and food ABOVE what we would have spent if we stayed at home those 30 days, not enough to really move the needle. If we are at home we DO go out to dinner often (1-2 times a week) and usually drop $75-$125 on a meal on average. And when camping, we usually buy some pretty good "grillables" and drink. But we also favor state and national parks with pretty low campsite fees.

Compared to for the same day vacationing elsewhere: Way less. One of our rules for vacation is do, eat and drink what you want (or it's not really vacation, right?) So compared to nice hotels, resorts and dining out 2-3 times a day, RV ing is way less $$. We bring our dogs (so don't pay for boarding) and usually spend the days hiking or kayaking so it is seldom boring. And of course you can't compare the cost of gas (even at 12MPG) to buying plane tickets.
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Old 10-20-2016, 01:24 PM   #14
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And BTW, if you even think you might like/want to try RV'ing, by all means do. Even just rent one if you don't want to commit (although don't plan a high mileage trip with a rental, it can get real expensive). You will either love it or hate it, and will be able to tell which by the 2nd or third day. Also note that there are huge differences between RV parks. From huge mega, screaming kids and waterslides and golf carts everywhere; to secluded state and national parks limited or no hookups, nature type places.
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Old 10-20-2016, 01:41 PM   #15
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WE took a month trip a year ago. WE went from NV to TX, KS, CO, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and home. We spent 6k and most was gas and RV sites. We paid anywhere from 55-75/night. I cooked most meals. We usually go to see the sights or visit friends so can't use the cheaper state parks. When we are at friends we park in their driveway of course. I decided that no more long trips. For the same amount of $ we can take a 2 week cruise and be pampered.
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Old 10-20-2016, 02:11 PM   #16
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WE went from NV to TX, KS, CO, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and home...We paid anywhere from 55-75/night.
Once again, I say wow. $55/night in TX or KS is a shock.

CO parks and parks near big tourist attractions like Yellowstone are definitely expensive, but other than a few "resort" parks or franchised (and overpriced) KOA and Jellystone campgrounds, it is rare to find commercial parks charging $40 or more in TX or KS. $36/night seems to be the prevalent rate.

But then maybe you stayed in unadvertised parks, unavailable to riff-raff like me.
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Old 10-20-2016, 02:22 PM   #17
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We did not stay in any parks in KS-parked on friend's property, and in TX only 1 or 2 nights and then again used friends. So prices were mostly in the other states. One issue we have is that we have 4 dogs ( 1-big and 3 tiny at 5lbs). Many places have a 2 dog rule. We bought the RV because of the dogs. So sometimes if I call they make an exception and other times no. So that limits some of the places we can stay.
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Old 10-20-2016, 02:23 PM   #18
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We stayed in the national parks and YS was 55/night and GT 75.00/night.
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Old 10-20-2016, 03:16 PM   #19
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.... even better when it's a 24 hour store (if they still have them, it's been over 15 years for me).
Several around here are 24-hour stores.
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Old 10-20-2016, 04:25 PM   #20
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I belong to this sight and a r/v forum.The cost of food and stuff is going to be the same. Camp ground fees are going to average about 35.00 a night. I believe corps of engineer parks if your over 65 are like 20.00. The big costs are buying one, gas and maintenance. The only thing you will be saving at home is turning the havc up or down and putting the water heater on vacation which I do not think is that significant
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