Fulltiming hypothetical budgets

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Back2PA

Back2PA

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My SO and I are just toying with the idea of fulltiming sometime in the next couple-few years. Just trying to get our arms around basic budgetary items cause there's always that stuff you don't think about.

I'm coming up with these as the basics spending about 8 days in each place and driving about 1500 miles/mo @8MPG@$2.50. I have not factored longer-term stays which could significantly reduce campground fees.

$500 - Fuel
$1500 - campground fees@$50/night (I realize this is high but we wouldn't want to do it staying in crummy campgrounds but we would be interested in some dry camping/federal/state campgounds both for ambience and cost)
$500 - maintenance/reserve
$300 - tolls/fees/misc

Didn't include food as we're looking for items that would be extra, not normal day to day living stuff. What else should we be considering?
 
Your figures are way off. Full timers generally don't drive 1500 miles per month on average. 500 would be more like it. It costs maybe $50 per night, $200 per week or $500 per month on average. Your best bet is to drive to spot, stay there a week or a month and really see that place. Driving to a new destination every day or every other day doesn't leave you any time for exploring and sightseeing. Plus it gets really old really quick setting up and tearing down every other day. You are treating full timing like a vacation and it is not a vacation, it is an alternate living method. Don't just slow down and smell the roses, slow down and watch the roses grow.
 
Well, better high than low. So this would be more reasonable:

Assuming half the time we spent a week and the other half we spend a month, that's an average of about $700/mo. Adding $200 for fuel, $500 for maintenance/reserve, $300 tolls/fees/misc now we're at $1700. The medical is a good point, will have to look at that.
 
Nobody else can forecast your lifestyle, but I think Seilerbird is closer to the mark than your original estimate. Some people have minimum standards that take them to pricier places, while others get along fine as a Minimalist. Some people need a lot of entertainment, while others amuse themselves cheaply.

When you first start out long term RVing, it's an endless vacation. You drive a lot cause there are so many thing you want to see and do, people tell you about great places to visit, and you feel the urge to "go". Later, things begin to slow down, you stay longer and drive less.
 
Hi,

I'll take a slightly different approach.  First, health insurance is significant. We pay $700 per month for one  person. That gets a PPO at 100% copay for the first $6, 000 In TX.; effectively $1, 200 per month maximum and likely $850 for most of us.  If you travel, an HMO is basically useless because you're not where your network is and will still cost $500 per mo.

We typically travel six months and snowbird six months, staying about a month at each place in the summer. Miles are around 7, 000 per year average ($250 per mo.) and we tow a Rubicon. Park rentals staying in decent facilities amount to around $7, 500 per year (~$650 per month) plus $50 - 100 per month for electric service. Service and repairs were $4, 000 this year and will be about the same next year as we will replace the tires. I'd count on about $200 per month for a diesel pusher and perhaps half that for a gas rig.

The above adds up to about $2, 000 per month plus normal living expenses and amortization of your capitol investment. Looked at another way,  thats around what we were spending on a s & b.

I hope this provides some perspective for you,

Ernie

 
If you follow Tom's advice, you might also be able to lower your maintenance costs and misc. fees.  Maintenance for sure since, 1500 miles a month is 18,000 a year.  On an ongoing basis, those miles add up quickly and before you know it, you'll be replacing mechanical things on the motorhome that might otherwise last for many more years.  Not sure what your misc includes but at least the toll part should be reconsidered.  Driving less equals less toll roads.  Another thing to consider, when you slow down and avoid the major highways (which is where you'll find most of the toll roads), you'll get to see more of the country.  It's not only a beautiful country you'll get a closer look at, but you'll also avoid the crowded highways and vehicles that on average will want to go 20 to 25 mph faster than you.  Nothing like going 55 on a highway with a maximum posted limit of 75 to 80 mph. 
 
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,46655.msg430432.html#msg430432

Rvdreamers.com  post detailed monthly budgets for over 10 years I think.  Even have exel spread sheet you can download and fill out yourself.  Good people too.
 
I didn't see anything mentioned about vehicle insurance either.  That would also have to be taken into account.  What kind of RV do you have or want to buy if you don't have it already?
 
Have an '05 Dutch Star. Didn't include anything I have to pay anyway (e.g., beer, auto insurance, food, beer), just those things specific to full timing
 
Full-timing insurance is different than "occasional use" insurance.

If you operate like a typical full-timer (or at least myself and the ones that I know), you won't drive nearly that many miles.  I did 8000 miles this year and I made a big loop around the western states which is atypical for me. 

The only items I can think of that are "extra" as a full-timer is a mail forwarding service (providing a domicile/home address) and full-timer insurance. Possibly laundry (if you do not have an onboard washer/dryer). Most people change their oil once per year (due to age and not mileage). Most people budget to replace tires every seven years (due to age and not mileage).

If living "inexpensively" is a goal, the campground fees estimate can be significantly reduced (depending on your location and "how" you like to camp).  I budget $5/night and have come pretty close to that number this year (except for two work related campground stays).
 
JFNM said:
Full-timing insurance is different than "occasional use" insurance.
Click to expand...
My background is in risk management and insurance but since we never owned an RV until after I retired, I never had any occasion to investigate price/coverage difference.  Can you elaborate a bit on the coverage nuances and cost difference? 


If living "inexpensively" is a goal, the campground fees estimate can be significantly reduced (depending on your location and "how" you like to camp).  I budget $5/night and have come pretty close to that number this year (except for two work related campground stays).
Click to expand...
I'd love to hear more about how you manage on $5.00 a night.  The wife logs most of our fuel and camping expenses and I'm always looking for ways to save.  Even with my Geezer card, our average night is $20. 
 
garyb1st said:
I'd love to hear more about how you manage on $5.00 a night.  The wife logs most of our fuel and camping expenses and I'm always looking for ways to save.  Even with my Geezer card, our average night is $20.
Click to expand...
It is possible to get by for even less than $5 a night, but then other expenses rise up. In that price range you will not have electricity which means you must run the generator for a few hours per day. The average generator uses a half a gallon per hour so plan on a few gallons of gas per day. And they you have to go get the gas on a regular basis. It also means not have water and sewer hookups which means visiting a dump station at least once a week if not more, which costs usually around $10 per visit. And of course you will be using more propane and you generally won't have Internet access or TV stations to watch. So yes you can camp cheaply but you sacrifice utilities to do so. That is the beauty of spending $20 per day for a campground with hookups, you have your utilities.
 
garyb1st said:
My background is in risk management and insurance but since we never owned an RV until after I retired, I never had any occasion to investigate price/coverage difference.  Can you elaborate a bit on the coverage nuances and cost difference? 
Click to expand...

Hi Gary, I'm afraid I'm not smart enough to explain the differences. That said, I know typical "occasional use" insurance has a limit to the number of days/miles (???) the RV is used.  The full-time insurance also includes some personal property coverages??  I bet someone in-the-know will chime in.

garyb1st said:
I'd love to hear more about how you manage on $5.00 a night.  The wife logs most of our fuel and camping expenses and I'm always looking for ways to save.  Even with my Geezer card, our average night is $20.
Click to expand...

I mostly stay at "free" locations (BLM, Forest Service, National Recreation Areas, occasionally friends property, etc.). One state here in the west has a pretty killer deal on an annual camping pass that reduces the nightly cost at state parks significantly (free with pass or $4/night for electric with pass (plus the cost of the pass, of course)). I was on a friends vacant property in Pahrump, NV a few weeks ago. Currently in AZ on BLM managed land.  I'll stay two weeks on BLM, then one night ($30-$35) at a state park which allows me to dump/fill and do laundry (onboard washer/dryer).  Seems like most RV'ers do NOT like staying out in nature, away from civilization, away from the buzz of the city, etc... and that's totally ok with me - leaves me more space!!  ;D
 
We've hashed this out before but I'll list my situation again, for fun.

I have enough solar that I very, very rarely have to run my generator so I am not using fuel for that. I drop to low elevations in the winter to find warmth and get high into the mountains in the summer to find cool. I ran my generator two afternoons last summer for air conditioning as I was in the wrong place on a couple hot days.

My holding tanks last me three weeks without effort, four weeks if I am conserving.

I work full time (software engineer) and I use cellular data for Internet access (12 Gb plan). I have a cellular amplifier and external antenna for the "way out" locations.

I am not a big TV watcher but I have satellite TV and am very rarely in a spot where a tree or something blocks the signal.

I seem to be on a pattern of having to fill my propane tank approximately once every three months.  This winter has been a bit colder than normal, so far, so we'll see if that changes.

I don't "feel" like I'm sacrificing utilities but perhaps I am and I just don't know it.
 
Good points Tom.  When the temps are up, running the generator is a given and the cost can easily eat up any savings.  However, when it's not too hot, my Honda 2000 is more than adequate to provide our electric needs.  The Honda usually gets about 8 hours on a gallon of reg gas so that eases the sting compared to running the onboard 5.5 Generac.  It's also pretty quiet compared to the big Genny.  Then there's the purchase price of the Honda and the cost of annual maintenance.  Amortizing that without an hour meter is not easy.  Of course the longer we have it, the cheaper it gets. 

JF, I like the idea of high when it's warm and low when it's cold.  If we got 3 weeks out of our tanks, the part that makes me we, would have to stay home.  ;)  DW, the we part, probably wouldn't appreciate that. 

 
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