Seven Important Considerations For Your RV Budget

Here are seven things to remember when setting a budget for your RV adventures:

1. Don’t Skimp On Insurance

   You will have yearly, recurring costs, and your biggest expenditure will likely be your RV insurance (and your car insurance, if you choose to bring one along). Do not skimp on this coverage, especially your RV insurance, since you will be driving your home on wheels all over the country. Shop around for the best deal and ask other RVers for their recommendations. Keep in mind that some RV organizations offer insurance and roadside assistance. Situations and prices change from year-to-year, so be sure to check for better rates every year.

   

2. Consider State Taxes And Fees

   The state where you decide to domicile will affect some of your costs. State tax rates, vehicle registration and insurance are a few examples. Do your research beforehand and decide what is right for your personal situation.

   

3. Buy A Campground Membership

   The best way to save on campground fees is to buy a campground membership, and there are many options to choose from. It may seem like a large expense at the beginning, but this purchase definitely helps you stay on budget. We bought a Thousand Trails membership and used it almost exclusively for 18 months. Plus, by staying at campgrounds, we typically don’t have any electric, water or sewer bills. If you do decide to purchase a campground membership, don’t forget to factor the yearly renewal fee into your budget. 

   

4. Have Money Set Aside For Maintenance 

   Regardless of the make, model or year of your RV, maintenance and repair costs need to be included in your budget. We bought a new motorhome, so all of our “shakeout” repairs were covered under warranty. We do still have regular maintenance costs on both our RV and vehicle—things like tires and oil changes. If your RV is not under warranty anymore, plan to put a significant amount of money into an emergency repair fund. We’ve heard a good rule of thumb is to set aside at least $2,000, which can help cover small emergencies.

   

5. Stay In One Place For Longer

   Go slowly! This will help you budget and save money in two ways. First, slowing down and not moving locations as often will help you save on gas. Choose a central location that you can stay for a while and enjoy daily excursions. Second, many campgrounds offer discounted rates for longer or off-season stays. A couple of times, we found it was the same price to stay for one month as it was for three weeks. Always ask if there is a weekly or monthly discount, as these are not always advertised. Whenever we travel, we often stay at Cracker Barrels or Walmarts to help save money on campsites in between locations.

   

6. Take Advantage Of Free Activities

   These can be local activities or campground activities. Whenever we are headed to an area, we will Google “free things to do in [insert location name]”. By doing this, we have learned about holiday parades, free concerts, even free guided tours. There is so much to do in every town if you look for it. RV resorts and campgrounds also have so many activities included with your stay. Learn to line dance, play pickleball, play mini golf, or canoe on the campground lake.

   

7. Cook In Your RV

   Resist the temptation! Eating out can become a huge, unplanned expense. Keep your RV stocked with healthy food, do some meal prep so you always have something to eat on travel days, and let appliances like an Instant Pot become your best friend. We try to budget for one restaurant meal every two weeks. But if we are staying somewhere that is known for interesting food options, we may splurge.