Cost of full timing compared to living at home..
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Probably, but it depends a lot on your RV lifestyle. If you travel much, fuel is a major extra cost. And campsites can be expensive or not, depending on your wants and needs as well as the region chosen. Maintenance on an RV, particularly a motorhome, is likely higher than a fixed home, but then the taxes are zero (unless it is titled in a state with a personal property tax that applies to vehicles). And electricity, water and sewer are probably included in the campsite fees (except for long term site rentals, which are usually priced as base fee + metered electric)
On the plus side, RVers usually spend less on clothing.
On the plus side, RVers usually spend less on clothing.
M
maverickbbd
Guest
We sold our paid off home, shop, condo and land to fulltime. We could not afford to do both. Just transferred the previous expenses to something we want to do.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
I was a full timer for many years on a very cheap budget. There are many places you can camp for free or very cheaply. There are plenty of $200 a month RV parks. If you don't travel a lot then being a full timer can be way cheaper than living in a stick and brick.
But for me it is not about money, it is about freedom. I have seen all 46 of the National Parks in the lower 48. I have been to all 48 of the lower states. I am about to embark on a 6 month trip cruising up the California/Oregon/Washington coastline. Next year I will be doing the Gulf Coast/Atlantic Seaboard/Great Lakes coastlines.
If I get new neighbors and I don't like them I can pull up stakes and move in 5 minutes. If the weather turns sour I am outta here.
But for me it is not about money, it is about freedom. I have seen all 46 of the National Parks in the lower 48. I have been to all 48 of the lower states. I am about to embark on a 6 month trip cruising up the California/Oregon/Washington coastline. Next year I will be doing the Gulf Coast/Atlantic Seaboard/Great Lakes coastlines.
If I get new neighbors and I don't like them I can pull up stakes and move in 5 minutes. If the weather turns sour I am outta here.
If you're going to maintain the same standard of living, doing it in an RV isn't much different in overall cost than in a house. Some of the expenses will differ in type and amount, but the total at the end of the year won't be much different. The benefits of full timing are not measurable in dollars and can't be matched living in a house.
ArdraF
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
- Posts
- 10,695
There's no one publication but probably the most comprehensive is the Trailer Life Campground Directory which includes both public and private campgrounds with everything from rustic to resort. The campground owners pay for being included in the directory which is why you can't see it includes "all" the campgrounds. Some choose not to advertise. Each entry includes specific information which provides enough information so you know if you'll fit into the site, what hookups are available, price (last year's), and other amenities such as laundry, fishing pond, groceries, propane, etc.
ArdraF
SargeW
Site Team
Yep, what Tom said. Full time RVing is about choice, and we exercise ours regularly. The Trailer Life directory is a must have, and so is this web site: http://www.rvparkreviews.com
It will give you ratings of just about any park you want to visit, and they are rated by the campers that stay there. I use it (and post to it) constantly. Now get out there and see America.....
It will give you ratings of just about any park you want to visit, and they are rated by the campers that stay there. I use it (and post to it) constantly. Now get out there and see America.....
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Get the Trailer Life Directory on CD, aka the Campground Navigator. Excellent map capability.
davescrate
Member
IMHO....rvparkreviews.com....the only spot I ever check. I'd rather hear what other campers say about a park, then what a owner can pay to lie about.
I wont go anywhere without running it by there.
I wont go anywhere without running it by there.
aubreyshaw
Active member
I don't know if renting your house out is an option or not, but that's one way we help cover some of our full timing expenses. Our mortgage is just over $1000 and we rent it for $1400 a month.
Camping fees and gas will be your biggest expenses probably.
Camping fees and gas will be your biggest expenses probably.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,245
Fulltiming expenses are pretty much what you make them. If you travel every couple of days and stay in full hookup parks all the time you will spend a certain amount. Staying in free campgrounds and/or traveling less will reduce your expenses.
$3k a year is equal to about $9 per day. That's 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of a typical full hookup site in a reasonable park in most areas of the country. So you have part of your expenses covered right there. Add in the costs of utilities, trash pickup, etc. that are usually covered by the park and you have more right there. Most parks have weekly rates that are 5-6x the daily rate, and monthly rates range anywhere from $300-800 per month. So staying longer before moving on can reduce your expenses dramatically.
Fuel costs are determined by how far and how often you move. Moving less than a hundred miles or less per week costs less than moving a couple of hundred miles every few days. This doesn't include local sightseeing, which will probably cost about the same as you currently spend doing normal things like shopping, going to the movies, etc. in your present house.
For an extreme example of how to fulltime with limited funds, take a look at Tioga George's blog, vagabonders-supreme.net . He's currently in the process of settling down in Mexico, but for the past 9 years he's been successfully fulltiming on a very limited budget, basically just his social security. He updates his blog on a daily basis and all of his past blogs since the start of his adventure are available in his archives .
$3k a year is equal to about $9 per day. That's 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of a typical full hookup site in a reasonable park in most areas of the country. So you have part of your expenses covered right there. Add in the costs of utilities, trash pickup, etc. that are usually covered by the park and you have more right there. Most parks have weekly rates that are 5-6x the daily rate, and monthly rates range anywhere from $300-800 per month. So staying longer before moving on can reduce your expenses dramatically.
Fuel costs are determined by how far and how often you move. Moving less than a hundred miles or less per week costs less than moving a couple of hundred miles every few days. This doesn't include local sightseeing, which will probably cost about the same as you currently spend doing normal things like shopping, going to the movies, etc. in your present house.
For an extreme example of how to fulltime with limited funds, take a look at Tioga George's blog, vagabonders-supreme.net . He's currently in the process of settling down in Mexico, but for the past 9 years he's been successfully fulltiming on a very limited budget, basically just his social security. He updates his blog on a daily basis and all of his past blogs since the start of his adventure are available in his archives .
EMan508
Well-known member
Without looking up each campground for fees is there a fast way to narrow down a search for the lowest cost campgrounds and also free (or almost free) boondocking areas? I love the idea of boondocking and have been planning on doing that but would still like to be near other people (within yelling for help distance) in case of trouble.
-Eric
-Eric
EMan508 said:
I wish there was one centralized source for CG's but unforunately with all the resources I use we will still pass CG's on the road that weren't in any of them. So trying to find a listing of fees of all would be challenging. I have saved these links from various resources (one of them being here) that may help with the free/boonedocking. I am sure others will come along with more suggestions.
http://overnightrvparking.com/
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/
http://boondockerswelcome.com/
http://www.rv-camping.org/Boondocking.html
http://www.frugal-rv-travel.com/free-campsites.html
tonyandkaren
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Posts
- 155
Check this site too. Public campgrounds are usually less expensive and the best bet if you can't boondock.
http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/
http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/
That link doesn't work, do you have another?tonyandkaren said:
I just received this one via email and found it very intriguing. Anyone hear of this before?
http://www.harvesthosts.com/
tonyandkaren
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Posts
- 155
Try clicking on the link again. It wasn't working for me either but it just started working. ??? If you're still having trouble try copying and pasting. http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/
I've heard of Harvest Hosts. It sounds like a good idea but we haven't signed up yet. From what I've read it's great if you're traveling through and need a place to park for a night. Hopefully you'll buy some of the the farms produce ,wine ,etc.
I've heard of Harvest Hosts. It sounds like a good idea but we haven't signed up yet. From what I've read it's great if you're traveling through and need a place to park for a night. Hopefully you'll buy some of the the farms produce ,wine ,etc.
tonyandkaren said:
It is working now, thanks. That seems like a pretty good one with greater than 16k CG's in the lower 48 and for $5.95 you can download a poi with 1 years worth of free quarterly updates. That's exactly the kind of thing I am always looking for, I definitely prefer having them in the Garmin to find the CG's along our route which is the easiest and fastest way I have found to locate a CG. Thanks much!
