If you are dreaming of hitting the open road, don’t be scared by the thought of spending lots of money. RVing is one of the most economical ways to travel, and thousands are able to enjoy RV living while keeping their finances in check.
To help you learn more about RVing on a budget, we put together our favorite resources for thrifty camping.
Know your how much you want to spend
The first tip for saving money on the road is to understand how much you will be spending overall. Some of your costs are going to be fixed, like RV payments, insurance, phone/internet bills, etc. Others, you will have more control over, like gas, campground fees, food, etc.
Figure out how much money you will have to spend each month, subtract your fixed costs and then prioritize your flexible costs. Do you want to travel frequently? Then, your gas costs are going to be high. Do you need to stay at campgrounds with hook-ups? Then, your site fees are going to be more expensive. Once you know what’s most important to you, you can pick the areas where you can cut back.
Here are a couple great, in-depth articles about budgeting for RVers:
- Road Less Traveled: RV Budget, Costs & Expenses – What does it cost to RV full-time?
- Wheeling It: The Costs Of Fulltime RVing (Part I) – Budgeting & Planning Your Spend
Look for cheap and free camping opportunities
While staying at a campground is generally much cheaper than a hotel room, site costs can vary widely. However, if you are ok with forgoing hook-ups, you can often find cheap or free camping opportunities on federal lands, state parks and even the parking lots of select retailers.
Axle Addict offers a great look at these opportunities in their article, RVing on a Budget: RV Camping Free or Cheap.
To find a place to stay, check out these directories:
Camping Club memberships are another option to save money on site costs. For an annual fee, you will get discounts (sometimes up to 50%) at participating campgrounds. Read Wheeling It’s review of several popular clubs to see if they are right for you!
Work on the road
RVing on a budget is easier if you’ve got money coming in. Fortunately, there are resources to support the people who want to work full or part time while RVing.
Workamper and Workamping Jobs are online job boards that help RVers find employment opportunities as they travel.
For remote workers, The Mobile Internet Resource Center is a comprehensive guide for getting online while RVing.
Find more resources on our blog, 5 Essential Resources for Working from Your RV.
Eat cheaply
When you are traveling, you will be frequently tempted to eat at a restaurant, especially if you want to experience local foods. Yet eating out is expensive. If you want to save money to splurge on delicious regional delicacies, consider simplifying your everyday meals.
For inspiration on spending the bare minimum on food, read out this article: How to Live Comfortably on $36 a Month for Food.
Need ideas on what to buy and what to cook? Check out these write-ups:
Learn DIY Repair Skills
If you are traveling extensively, you’re going to need to fix and maintain things when you are far from your home dealership. You can save a lot of money and time by learning some basic repair skills.
Head over to YouTube and check out the channels RV 101 and RV Geeks. Both of these channels are packed with advice on keeping your RV up and running.
Be sure to regularly visit DoItYourselfRV.com. This website features a robust back catalog of articles about maintenance, modifications, travel destination and general RV lifestyle tips and tricks.
Ready to hit the road? Download our free ebook, 6 Epic Road Trips, for inspiration on your next adventure!
Photos courtesy of GoRVing
