There has never been a better time for RV travel. With renewed emphasis on health and safety, people are coming to realize that an RV is the way to go. You can pay at the pump when you need gas, cook your own food, use your own bathroom, and even social distance around the campfire with others.

However, all this can only happen if you properly prepare for the true costs of RV ownership. So many people interested in RV travel with their friends and family only think about the cost of the RV, but there is so much more to it. The last thing you want to do is purchase an expensive RV and not have enough left in the budget to actually use it. Hopefully this article will give you an idea of how to budget for your RV adventures!  

The RV Purchase 

Obviously the first thing you’ll need is the RV or recreational vehicle. When I talk about RVs, I’m including fifth wheels, travel trailers, motorhomes, Class C’s, and vans. That is a huge range of vehicle type, which means there will be a huge range of prices. You can download our FREE 8-page RV purchasing guide to see an overview of each type and the associated price ranges. 

The answer to the question, How much do RVs cost? is actually another question: How much do you want to spend? That is because you might be looking at a $10,000 travel trailer or a $300,000 diesel pusher motorhome. Regardless of which type, it is not an insignificant investment. Before you even start looking at RVs, take a good honest look at your budget. A realistic budget will help you narrow down your search. After all, there’s no point in wasting your time looking at rigs you can’t afford. 

RV Insurance

As we’ve already pointed out, RVs are not cheap. You’ll definitely want to protect your investment. Unfortunately I can’t tell you how much insurance for your RV will cost. That is because RV insurance, just like automobile insurance, varies by state. 

When we first purchased a fifth wheel RV, we were living in Maryland. When we moved to Florida, the insurance on our vehicles, including the RV, increased dramatically because it is based on risk. And we all know that Florida is plagued by those pesky hurricanes, which increases the risk. 

Our best advice is to call 1-888-514-1116 for a quote from the Good Sam Insurance Agency. They issue policies through several different insurance companies and can help you choose the right one for them. 

Extended Warranties 

RV extended warranties are great because they can be used for a whole range of repairs after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired. If you purchase an RV at a dealership, they will always try to sell you an extended warranty. You should know that you don’t have to buy it through them. You can purchase one through a separate broker and it may even save you money. 

Companies like Wholesale Warranties provide fully customizable extended warranties for both new & used RVs. This means you can choose what best suits your needs from comprehensive to listed component and powertrain coverage. Call 1-800-939-2806 for a quote from Wholesale Warranties.

Preventive Maintenance

RV insurance and warranties cover accidents and breakdowns, but you are responsible for the day-to-day servicing of your RV. In fact, you must have your vehicle serviced according to the manufacturer’s requirements to qualify for insurance and warranty claims.

Common components that require regular maintenance include:

• Batteries 
• Generators 
• Roof 
• Tires, Bearings, and Brakes 
• Water Heater 
• Air Conditioner

If you can do the work yourself, you’ll save some money, but will still need to pay for supplies like oil filters, oil, anode rods for your water heater, and tools. If you want to pay a service center, be aware that the average hourly labor cost nationwide is $140 an hour. 

A note about RV tires. I’m sure you’re planning to enjoy many miles on your RV. You will need new tires, maybe as often as every three years. This can be pricey, particularly if you have a large diesel motorhome. Be sure to start putting a little money away for this each month so you are not surprised or sidelined by this major expense. 

Property Insurance 

Some states and municipalities charge property tax on recreational vehicles, rather than a flat fee for tags. Find out BEFORE you purchase an RV if this is the case and how much it is. In some states it can run approximately $4.50-$5.00 per $100 of assessed valuation. That can really add up especially when you consider some counties also have their own personal property tax to add on top of it. 

RV Storage 

If you have an HOA that prohibits parking your RV at your home, or if you live somewhere that doesn’t have room for it then RV storage is a consideration. Again, this varies depending on where you live. Many storage facilities charge based on the length of your RV. When we lived in Northern Virginia, we paid $150 per month for RV storage. In Florida, it was $65.00 per month. 

Fuel for the Road Trips 

Obviously you want to take your RV out on vacation. That’s the whole reason you got it, right? Unless you plan to do driveway camping, you’re going to need to budget for fuel. And RVs aren’t known for good gas mileage. A 28’ gas motorhome gets about 8 miles per gallon on average. If you have a towable, most trucks don’t get great gas mileage when towing. Our diesel truck gets about 11 miles per gallon when we’re towing our 30’ fifth wheel. 

Now figure out how much gas or diesel fuel will cost for the miles you want to travel on your next trip. Please don’t forget that just because it may be inexpensive near where you live, means it is inexpensive everywhere. We just about went into shock when we were traveling in California last year. You can use the Gas Buddy app or website to check on prices in different cities. The fuel line item can be one of your biggest. In fact, we wrote an entire article dedicated to how to save money on RV fuel costs. 

Campgrounds 

The last major budget item for RV ownership is campgrounds and RV resorts. Once again if you’re wondering how much campgrounds cost, we’ll have to reply it depends. There is a huge difference in price between a state park campground with no frills and an RV resort on the beach with all the amenities. 

We have dry camped for free (also known as boondocking), paid $20 a night at a state park, spent more than $100 a night at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground, and everything in between. 

Creating Your RV Budget 

As you can see, there are many variables involved in owning a recreational vehicle. Since they will vary by location and preferences, the important thing is that you do your research BEFORE buying an RV. 

Here’s why that is important: You head down to your local RV dealership and the first thing the salesman asks is, “How much do you want to spend a month?” He’s talking about the payment if you finance an RV. So let’s say, you have $500 per month available for an RV. You don’t want a $500 or you’ll never be able to go anywhere. If you have to pay $40 a month for storage and $60 a month for insurance, that only leaves you $400. Now consider how often you plan to travel, how many nights you plan to stay in campgrounds, how many miles you’ll travel to calculate fuel costs, and you’re monthly allowance has been further reduced. 

Hopefully, by going through this list and doing a little planning in advance, you’ll be able to purchase the RV that you can afford to own and operate!

Traveling in an RV can be a remarkable experience. But, unlike getting a room for rent in a hotel or AirBnB, it requires a little more planning. With RV travel, you’ll need to plan for several details from preparing meals to making sleeping arrangements and planning your destination and navigation. The responsibility of creating an enjoyable trip rests squarely on your shoulders.

 If you want an RV trip that is memorable for all the right reasons, you need to avoid some common mistakes. Here are some suggestions to make your next trip a success.

Choosing the Wrong RV

Any veteran RV traveler will quickly tell you to take your time when picking the RV. They know that selecting the wrong one can ruin an otherwise perfect trip. Unless you want to suffer this fate, be sure to choose an RV carefully.

One of your most significant considerations when choosing an RV should be the vehicle size. Obviously, you need to consider how many people will be accompanying you in the RV, but if you are purchasing one, ask yourself how many people will be traveling with me REGULARLY. This is a lesson we learned the hard way. We got a much too large RV that limited our ability to camp in National Parks thinking our young adult sons would be joining us on our adventures. It happened so rarely, we could have saved money by purchasing a small RV and just renting a cabin on those occasions.

We created an 8-page guide on RV purchasing tips that discusses the different types of RVs and their pros and cons. This guide is helpful whether you are looking to buy or even rent an RV.

You’ll also want to consider specific amenities that vary by RVs. For instance, do you need a full-sized refrigerator and television in your vehicle, or are you satisfied with any vehicle that has sleeping space for your crew? Thinking about how you will use your RV will make it easier for you to make your final selection.

Before you settle on a specific vehicle, it helps to conduct thorough research of your options. Visit your local RV shop, or attend several RV shows to get some insight into the kind of RV that will best suit your needs. Join online RV forums to expand your knowledge of these vehicles. Consider renting an RV or two to get a feel of what’s best for you.

Failing to Secure Reservations

So you might be asking yourself how spontaneous can your RV travels be. Can you just hop in your RV and go wherever the mood takes you? Maybe, but be aware that more people are traveling by RV now than ever. This means that you will be competing for space in campgrounds and even boondocking spots.

We have a simple 3-step process for finding the best campgrounds. It includes considering the time of year you want to visit. If it’s high season you may need reservations, if it’s off season you may not. If you’re thinking of a state park in Florida, any time of year is high season.

While you can’t make reservations for boondocking sites, you can get a feel for availability by reading reviews on sites like Campendium. It’s also a good idea to have 2-3 sites pre-selected in case there is no room (or you just don’t get a good vibe) at your first choice.

Overlooking RV Navigation Limitations

When planning an RV road trip, you will save yourself a lot of unnecessary stress by planning an appropriate route. RVs are bigger and heavier than standard vehicles. Due to this, you may need to take alternate routes to get to your preferred destination.

For instance, your RV may be too high to fit under low bridges. You may also need guidance to pass through narrow tunnels, or your vehicle may be too big to pass through such tunnels. Rather than find out about such limitations when you meet them, it is better to plan your route ahead of time. That way, you can pick a path that will not pose a problem when traveling with your RV. An RV GPS can really help with navigating you away from hazards. They even work offline so you can still navigate without service.

And remember, even when using a GPS or map app, things happen. Roads are closed or detours are enacted. Make sure you have a general idea of the area in which you are traveling. Better yet, always have a backup plan like a good, old-fashioned paper atlas, of how you will find your bearings if you get lost. This could save you a lot of anguish and worry during your trip.

Traveling Too Far, Too Fast

If there is one thing that can ruin an RV trip, it is spending too many hours behind the steering wheel trying to reach your preferred destination. You and your family will likely get tired and cranky.

 All in all, you are unlikely to enjoy your trip if you are haggard and distressed. To avoid this, pick a reasonably close destination. That way, you will spend more time enjoying your destination than worrying about driving.

If you are traveling far from home, consider taking a longer amount of time to get there and breaking up your trip with a destination along the way. So many times we have our eyes on bucket list destinations like Yellowstone or Yosemite, and fail to appreciate all the other fabulous locales around this beautiful country. Some of our favorite places have been these hidden gems.

Over or Under Packing

If you’re not a full-time RVer, then packing for an RV trip can be understandably tricky. You may be tempted to bring too much along for the ride since you have so much room. Alternatively, you may decide to under-pack in a bid to travel light.  Both over and under-packing can ruin your trip.

If you bring too much stuff along for the ride, you will likely surpass your vehicle’s weight limit. This makes driving a bit more challenging, and you may struggle to find balance or brake in good time. This is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

Under-packing, on the other hand, poses the risk of suffering discomfort or having to spend more money during your trip. Failure to bring appropriate clothing for changing weather will take the joy out of any trip. Forgetting the camping chairs may make your time by the campfire less comfortable.

When packing for your RV vacation, the rule of thumb is to pack the essentials and leave everything else. Be sure to write a list of the things you intend to carry and cross them off as you pack them. Better yet, use our free fillable packing worksheets to create your list. That way, you will not forget a critical item only to remember it when you are hundreds of miles away from home.

Failure to Follow Campground Etiquette

One of the worst mistakes you can make as an RV traveler is failing to follow camping etiquette. It makes you a bad neighbor, and you make other people uncomfortable.

Much of campground etiquette is common courtesy. Avoid blaring out loud music at night during your stay at an RV campground, even if there are no designated quiet hours, and your neighbors will appreciate you for it. Don’t leave food lying around to avoid attracting wild animals to the site. Failure to pick up after yourself and your dog is the most common complaint we hear from other campers. Another one is failing to control your dogs or leaving them chained up outside without supervision. By doing these simple things, you will have made life easier for yourself and those around you.

Conclusion

 Traveling in an RV can be fun, but only if you plan appropriately for it. Fortunately, this doesn’t demand a lot of effort on your part. Start by choosing the right vehicle for the trip. Please do thorough research before you settle on a vehicle to ensure that it’s the right option for you.

 Start by picking a good destination and planning a route before setting out. Pack the essentials and leave everything else at home. During your stay at the camping site, try your best to be a good neighbor. If you do all this, you are bound to enjoy your RV trip tremendously.

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