How does RVing affect your budget?

[Teacher Terry]

When we bought ours used 9 years ago the gas prices were much lower. Shortly after they went up a lot. I just assumed that RV sites were cheap but never checked. Anyways since we have only 17k invested in it and could sell for 8k it is not a huge loss. I also never thought that some places would have a 2 dog limit. We take the $ out of our travel budget but I have decided that when I want to visit somewhere we will not take it-too expensive for the experience. However, if we want to hike, etc with friends we can take it within a hour or 2 drive and stay at public campground which is cheap. It just turned out different then I anticipated.

 

[Nemo2]

I also never thought that some places would have a 2 dog limit.

Some RV parks only take (the equivalent of) 'barking cats'......traveling with a 70lb Border we had a couple places say he was 'too big'.

 

[Vireo]

We have a 20 foot travel trailer. Prior to this summer we have made 1 week or shorter trips with it. We did a six week trip from Florida to the mid coast of Maine and back in June-July. 2016. We spent about $4000. Staying in private Campgrounds. Highest was $ 70 for a KOA in NY to $18 at a racetrack while traveling up and back. We planted it for 1 month at a campground with a nice river view in Maine at $40 day. We cooked our own meals while traveling. We ate out a lot in Maine, the seafood was too tempting! We would not have been able spend as much time in Maine without the RV with the cheapest hotels at $200 per night. We also wouldn't have been able to bring our 2 little dogs. On the other hand, we had to deal with equipment failures including a flat tire and electrical issues. We also broke a couple things ourselves! It is also much more work than your typical tour or cruise. Lots of packing and making sure you don't overload. Also driving and setting up in the rain is wearisome. Overall we enjoyed it but don't really want to do another long trip in it again. A nice river cruise in Europe is the goal for 2017.



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[Fermion]

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.

How much does it cost to take the 4 dogs on a two week cruise ship? That has to be expensive!

 

[UtahSkier]

Dw and I purchased a 10 yr old class A rv last year. I budget $2500 per month plus $1000 per month depreciation. This expense includes repairs, upgrades, fuel, camping fees, and activities. We have a home and use the rv for 5 months each year.

The rv. Life style is expensive l but it allows for a greater variety of activities while traveling.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Thank you utahskier for saying that it can be expensive. Mainly I have just been sharing info that I wish I had known before buying one. It also depends on what kind of trips you want to do. At 62 I am into a little more luxury. The less hassle the better.

 

[Fermion]

It can be expensive but I see people comparing apples to oranges.

I paid $65 a night to park our RV next to Disney in California but we paid $600 a night to stay in the park at the Disney hotel in Paris. Almost 10x as much to stay in a hotel as an RV!

 

[emerytura]

We have Ram Promaster Cargo Van converted into Class B RV. My DH purchased new empty Van and did entire conversion himself. Total cost $37,000. It was one of his dream projects, and it is everything I ever dreamed to have. We love our small hotel on wheels. We usually stay at State Parks, and National Parks for very small camping fee. We only go to RV parks if there is no other option in the area. The biggest cost is fuel, entrance fees to museums, parks, concerts or eating at restaurants. However Most of our meals are done at the campsites, and cost is the same as at home. Class B RV is very convenient for us. It is easy to get around the cities, it fits on regular parking space. Whenever we are on one month or longer trip we take brake from our small space, and occasionally check in to nice hotel for one or two nights. Twice while on vacation in Florida we took cruise to Bahamas for few days. This added to the cost, but cruises from Florida are much cheaper than from NJ. This is a perfect way to travel for us, since we love to do siteseeing, biking, hiking, and we like to move around. We stay at multiple locations during our trips, never longer than one week at one park. To summarise, The biggest expense is to buy RV, the rest is all up to the individual. It can be done on minimal budget but you can also spend a lot. All depends on what you enjoy doing when travel.

 

[youbet]

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?

The difference in the cost of groceries needed to stock the RV vs. home, savings on utilities at home while traveling, etc., are all small potatoes. Look at these things:

Depreciation on the RV. Can be significant, especially if you buy new.

Maintenance and repairs on the RV. Can be significant if you don't have the skills to DIY repairs or need tires, batteries, bearings, brakes, etc.

Plates and insurance for the RV.

Fuel.

Nightly camping fees.

In our case, we own a third vehicle to tow with since we don't care for the pick-up as a daily driver here in the city. So...... add depreciation, plates, insurance for that too.

DW and I are campers more than RVers, so motels/resorts/hotels are not an option for us. It wouldn't be the same thing. Even with a modest rig and tow vehicle, we spend significantly poking around the country each year. It's what we want to do. We like it. It's worth it, but it's not cheap.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We found the national parks to be as or more expensive then a private rv park. However, we have decided to sell it in spring and do more luxury travel. We have not used it much in 9 years but at least it was not too painful a financial experience since we bought it used for not that much $. Ours is terrible on gas but a smaller one would need less fuel.

 

[youbet]

We found the national parks to be as or more expensive then a private rv park.

Do either you or DH have the Fed issued discount card, I think it's called "Golden Age" to get 50% off? It makes National Parks, COE parks, Forest Service parks and some others really a bargain.

However, we have decided to sell it in spring and do more luxury travel.

If by "luxury" travel you mean flying first class, 4 and 5 star hotels and restaurants, top tier suites on cruises, private guides, etc., you'll no doubt be spending a LOT more...... And, as long as you've got it, I say go for it! Everyone needs to do what turns them on (and they can afford). Whether you prefer high tier RV travel (a million dollar diesel Class A towing a Bentley) or camping out of a canoe or back packing, vs traveling in a compact car and staying in economy motels or hostels or the "five star - luxury suite" route, it's all fun as long as you're doing what you want to do!

 

[Teacher Terry]

No we fly coach, get a ocean view room on cruises, etc. Middle of the road travels so we can do more of it. When we car travel we get deals on motels/hotels, etc. The last trip we did not qualify for the senior discount for national parks, etc but I do now as i have turned 62.

 

[youbet]

No we fly coach, get a ocean view room on cruises, etc. Middle of the road travels so we can do more of it. When we car travel we get deals on motels/hotels, etc. The last trip we did not qualify for the senior discount for national parks, etc but I do now as i have turned 62.

OK. You said "luxury" so I thought you meant giving up the Class C and going first class with other travel styles.

In any case, you've tried a style of RVing and are unhappy with it. So, time to switch to something that suits you better. Go for it!

 

[Teacher Terry]

Our RV is used from 1993 but the other 2 owners much like us barely used it. The inside looks like new. I am glad we did not spend a ton of $ on it. We paid 14k and put 3k into it. We can probably sell for 7-8k. Cruises, nice motels, etc feel like luxury to me compared to the RV. We are comfortable but not rich. I really thought that we would love the RV lifestyle but I also thought it would be cheaper then other forms of travel. What I found is that is was a lot of work and for the amount of $ we were spending it was a month in a RV or a 2 week cruise or another vacation. I did enjoy seeing the national parks last year and going to see friends/family all over the country. I suggest to people that they rent one first to see if they will enjoy it before buying one.

 

[RonBoyd]

I really thought that we would love the RV lifestyle but I also thought it would be cheaper then other forms of travel. What I found is that is was a lot of work and for the amount of $ we were spending it was a month in a RV or a 2 week cruise or another vacation. I did enjoy seeing the national parks last year and going to see friends/family all over the country.

We have, over the years, been on about 15 cruises -- the last (2009) being on a Caribbean, Panama, Costa Rica one. The problem I have always had was that you spend your time with 1,000-1,500 of your closest friends. The intimacy and slow pace of RVing is more to my liking. Now having said that, I would seriously consider those cruises that are on the small size, like https://www.uncruise.com/. The issue I have is, of course, the cost. We are actually quite frugal, our annual spending is in the $40,000 range and, although we could easily cover it, the cost of those type cruises make me stop and think first... I hate doing that.

 

[youbet]

I really thought that we would love the RV lifestyle but I also thought it would be cheaper then other forms of travel..

There is no doubt that the type of camper or RV you buy needs to be congruent with the type of travel you plan on doing and your personal tastes and likes/dislikes. Or, even that traveling by camper or RV fits you at all!

And it's always possible, even likely, that an RV will not be the most economical way for you to visit the destinations you have in mind.

We spent five weeks in Florida last winter really inexpensively. By using Everglades National Park campgrounds, COE parks related to Lake Okeechobee and a few nights at Florida State Parks (to get some beach time), we kept nightly camping costs very low (averaged under $23 per night with the fed geezer discount card). This takes a lot of planning since inexpensive public facilities are very popular with northern retirees and reservations made as soon as the booking window opens are a must!

We've stayed at remote (and officially closed for the season at the time) Fed Park Service campgrounds in the Big Horn Mountains for free. The views, the solitude, the great folks we met there would have justified paying high fees......

OTOH, We paid $13k for our new Aliner 7 years ago and have put maybe $700 into it since then (tires, bearings, a furnace repair). And I've spent a number of hours doing routine maintenance chores. We own a pick-up truck we tow with we might not own otherwise, although we also use it to haul the canoe and to go on fishing trips (without the camper).

So, it's a mixed bag. We love the lifestyle and have found ways to make the costs competitive with other styles of travel/vacationing. But I have camping buddies whose spouses insist on full hookup camping at all times which greatly confines them and increases costs. It's pretty rare for public campgrounds to have full hookups and some of our favorite Forest Service campgrounds are strictly dry camping....... It helps to be a bit on the "outdoorsy" side to accomplish low cost camping/RVing.

Diversity and differences are the spice of life. If ya don't like what you're doing now, do something else. No vacation/travel style is right for everyone.

 

[retiredtuna1]

Thank you all for the useful information provided herein. I will file this for future use.

 

[NW-Bound]

How does RV'ing affect my budget? Well, it causes me to spend more money.

Actually, it's travel money, and if I did not spend it on RV'ing, I would have spent it on another European trip. The difference is that instead of having a 2-month trek to the Pacific NW, or to the Canadian Maritimes, I would have only at most 2 weeks in Europe.

But having done plenty of domestic fly-and-drive trips over the years, many overseas trips, and a few cruises, I have found that RV'ing is the only mode of travel that allows me to travel the US back roads, and go to places in the US I have never been in my life.

Yes, I used to do road trips in a car, back in my 20s. Now, having to look for motels and places to have meals each day can get tedious fast. Large metropolitan cities offer good lodgings and eating choices, but we are talking about going to more remote and rural places now. When younger and not having much time for vacation, a 2-week long road trip was about the longest I did. Now with more time, I do not see myself living out of a suitcase and motel rooms, eating out of burger joints and fast-food, heck even better restaurants, for a 2-month stretch.

By the way, I have a class C towing a car, the latter to do excursions and sight seeing. Without a car, I would feel very handicapped. I would never want something larger like an A or a 5th wheel. That would really limit my mobility.

 

[RonBoyd]

I am was unsure which of the two current RV threads I should put this but decided this was the place.

Many of you will remember "The Adventures of Tioga and George." You may recall that after ten years of RVing he had a heart attack while driving and wrecked Miss Tioga. Miss Tioga did not survive and George very nearly didn't either.

Anyway, for the past couple years he has lived in an apartment in San Diego (yeah, I still follow him daily). Well, RVing seems to be in his blood because in the past month or so he has transitioned back to the RV lifestyle (remember, he is now pushing eighty years old). What he said in today's post may be apropos to this discussion:

What this means is, if an RVer is staying only in RV parks, they will be essentially going where they do not want to go and seeing what they really don't care to see.

​

So, where does an RVer really want to go? The answer: "Anywhere and Everywhere." There is a difference between an RVer who stays in RV Parks and an RVer who Boondocks/Dry Camps. An RV Park type of RVer has their destination chosen for them. NOT by them, as it should be.​

​

A Boondocking/Dry Camp RVer is able to set out in any direction, unconcerned where their Nite Camp will be. Because, this type of RVer always finds their Nite Camp.
​

The Adventures of Tioga and George: Same as 2003​

 

[Carpediem]

Such great information in this thread. Thank you all very much for taking time to post. Look forward to reading and learning more.

 

[old woman]

We use a 11.5ft camper on a pickup truck and tow a boat and bring another truck to carry firewood but only go near home for a few days. We stay in places on lakes or go without the boat near rivers. We are elderly now and the camper is 16 years old so no depreciation or payments, trucks are at least that old too. We spend on campgrounds with full hook ups or stay free near rivers or forest roads. We aren't gone long enough to save on utilities, but I stay at his house a couple of weeks a month so save at my house.

 

[Lisa99]

By the way, I have a class C towing a car, the latter to do excursions and sight seeing. Without a car, I would feel very handicapped. I would never want something larger like an A or a 5th wheel. That would really limit my mobility.

Very good advice on 'something larger'. Our first purchase was a 38' 5th wheel. We've had it just over a year and are selling it.

When combined with the truck needed to pull it we're just over 60' long. WAY too big for back roads.

 

[doneat54]

Very good advice on 'something larger'. Our first purchase was a 38' 5th wheel. We've had it just over a year and are selling it.

When combined with the truck needed to pull it we're just over 60' long. WAY too big for back roads.

These are important considerations. In '06 we did a 6 week 9500 mile trip in a 28 foot class C. Originally we thought we might tow a small car but ditched the idea shortly before leaving. in 42 days we only stayed in the same camp for 2 nights 4 times, the rest were one nighters. So we had to plan grocery store trips inbound, etc. It worked out well.

But now we have a 21ft trailer that we pull with a Durango. When you have more time and stay multiple nights, being able to detach and have a vehicle to run around in is useful.

 

[NW-Bound]

A 38' 5th-wheel with a truck is way too long to get into National Park campgrounds, and in fact would not fit on highways where we have gone with our 25' class C towing a car. In fact, there was a scenic road in northern Idaho (Idaho State Route 21) that caused me to sweat bullets, and I had a nightmare later that night. Or if you have traveled through Yosemite or Sequoia NPs in California, you would know what I am talking about. I am not sure if they even let you drive through with a large RV, and if your vehicle gets stuck or falls off the winding hairpin road, you will not get much sympathy from the rescuers.

Anyway, I can detach my toad from the class C a lot faster than one can disconnect a travel trailer, let alone a 5th wheel. For example, in my inaugural RV trip 6 years ago, I happened to go by Boise, and though did not plan to stay there, thought I should stop and visit the state capital downtown. So, I pulled into a Walmart right off the freeway, and disconnected the car. They had signs posted for no overnighting, but hey this was during daytime. We came back in the afternoon, and drove on.

More recently, driving down a highway in Nova Scotia, I saw that we should have made a detour to go see the iconic Peggys Point Lighthouse. Rather than driving the motorhome to the beach and back, a 40-mi round trip detour, I parked at a convenient shopping mall right off a junction, disconnected the car and made the sight-seeing trip, and even found a restaurant serving a nice lunch with Montreal smoked meat.

People driving a B would have even better mobility. I may downsize to that when I get older, but right now a C gives us more living space, and the bathroom is quite usable too.

 

[youbet]

Anyway, I can detach my toad from the class C a lot faster than one can disconnect a travel trailer.

We'll have to meet and race the clock sometime! The only thing I have to do to drop my trailer that you don't have to do to drop your toad is chock the trailer wheels. Otherwise the process should be the same, no? I doubt you can do it a LOT faster.........