When we bought our first RV, we were teachers with lots of time to travel, but a pretty tight household budget. The RV Industry Association estimates that RV vacations cost up to 64% less than other types of vacations. We have found this industry statistic really does go hand in hand with our personal experience. Sure, we love to splurge on RV resorts, special activities, and dinners out when we travel. But if we need to stretch our pennies, RVing lets us control the budget in so many ways.
So, whether you are about to take the trip of a lifetime or you want to plan the most affordable vacation ever, here are five ways you can manage the budget when planning your RV travel.
Related: A Fit for Any Budget
The Cost of the RV
With new RVs costing anywhere from $6,000 to $500,000 and up, this is the easiest place to manage your RVing costs. We love how we have been able to find a rig to match our family budget at every point in our RVing journey.
If you are financing, divide your total yearly payment by how many nights you plan on traveling. In our opinion, this number should be far lower than what we would personally spend on a hotel room or vacation home. For example, if your RV costs $20,000 and you’re financing it over five years, you’re looking at around $4,000 annually. Divide that by 30 nights of travel per year, and your cost per night is about $133. Compare that to a hotel room or home rental in a tourist destination, and you’ll likely find it’s still a bargain—plus, you’ve got your kitchen, bathroom, and comfy bed in tow.
Some people are willing to spend more because of all the benefits of having a home on wheels. If you’re traveling with kids or pets, the convenience of your own space can’t be overstated. On the other hand, if you’re unsure about investing in a new RV, consider buying used or even renting one for a season to see how it fits your lifestyle. Websites like Outdoorsy and RVshare make it easy to find rental RVs in your area.
Related: Budget Breakdown of RVing Versus Flying
The Cost of Maintenance
There are certainly annual maintenance costs for your RV, and it is important to be comfortable with them before you commit to a purchase. Price out winterizing and de-winterizing, along with basic service prices at your RV dealership. For example, winterizing your RV might cost $100-$200 depending on your location, while de-winterizing and a basic check-up could add another $100-$300. If you have a motorized unit, annual engine maintenance, such as oil changes and inspections, can add another $200-$500 to your budget.
Remember that the cost of maintaining a motorized unit versus a towable will vary greatly, so do your research! Motorized units, like Class A or Class C motorhomes, require engine servicing in addition to standard RV maintenance, which can increase costs. Towable units, such as travel trailers or fifth wheels, typically have lower maintenance costs since they don’t have an engine.
You’ll also want to price out storage if you can’t keep your RV in your driveway. That cost will vary greatly depending on where you live. For example, outdoor storage might cost $50-$100 per month, while indoor storage can run $150-$300 monthly. To keep costs down, look into off-season storage deals or consider asking friends or family if they have space on their property.
The Cost of a Campground
This is another amazing way that you get to control your budget for RV travel. National and State Park campgrounds start at around $20 for no hookups. The best resort campgrounds might charge as much as $90 for waterfront, full-hook-up sites. The average private campground with basic amenities will cost you around $50. How much do you want to spend? You can find a place to fit that price point.
We personally do a combination of public and private campgrounds to control our costs. For example, we might stay in a gorgeous state park for $25 per night for three nights, then treat ourselves to a private resort campground with a pool and activities for $85 on the fourth night. On average, over the course of more than a decade, we spend about $55 per camping night. Your numbers might look very different if you choose to only camp in state parks or only stay in resorts.
If you want to camp for even less, consider boondocking on public lands or parking overnight at a Harvest Host location. Websites like Campendium and apps like iOverlander can help you find free or low-cost camping options. Just remember to follow the rules and practice Leave No Trace principles to keep these spots available for everyone.
Related: Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Stay at Harvest Hosts
The Cost of Driving
Your fuel costs are a great way to control the budget as an RVer. If gas prices are a significant concern for you, pay close attention to the weight of the rig you are purchasing. A lighter travel trailer or a smaller motorhome will cost less to tow or drive than a large fifth wheel or a Class A motorhome. For example, our lightweight travel trailer adds only 2-3 MPG to our tow vehicle’s fuel consumption, while a heavier fifth wheel might cut your MPG in half.
Also, consider distance in your vacation planning. Staying close to home will significantly reduce this cost. We’ve had amazing weekend trips to local state parks and campgrounds within a two-hour drive of our house. These trips cost us far less in fuel than cross-country road trips, and they’re just as relaxing…and fun!
If you’re planning a longer trip, look for destinations where you can stay put for several days or even weeks. This strategy reduces fuel costs and gives you more time to enjoy each location. Plus, many campgrounds offer discounted weekly or monthly rates, so you’ll save on camping fees as well.
The Cost of Food
This is our absolute favorite way to save money while traveling in an RV. It is so easy to stick to your normal grocery budget, which means you are not spending a dime more on food than you would at home. We often meal plan before we leave, stocking the RV with everything we need for breakfasts, lunches, and most dinners. For example, we’ll prepare a batch of pancake mix for easy breakfasts, pack sandwich fixings for lunch, and plan a few simple dinners like tacos or grilled chicken with veggies.
However, we also like to experience local food culture, so we usually eat out for maybe one lunch and one dinner at each vacation stop. When we visited Asheville, North Carolina, we splurged on a farm-to-table dinner at a local restaurant, but we balanced it out by cooking most of our other meals at the campground. Meal planning ahead of time, picking a few special splurges, and setting a budget for dining out makes it easy to track your spending on food.
Another bonus? Having your own kitchen means you’re not stuck eating expensive fast food on travel days. We love pulling over at a rest area, making sandwiches, and enjoying a picnic instead of spending $40-$50 on a fast-food lunch for our family.
Dial in Your Budget, Take Your RV Vacation!
You have infinitely more control over how much you spend when traveling by RV than with any other form of travel. Once you figure out a budget for each of the above categories, you can move on to the fun part…planning and taking those trips. If you ask us, an RV vacation is worth every single penny we spend. Every time.
