In reviewing past articles, I realized I’ve never done a dedicated post about RVing on a budget. If you have read this blog for any length of time, you already know I weave ways to save money into many posts.

But I thought it time to address the topic in a succinct single post. So, in today’s post I share a few things I’ve learned along the way for RV living and RVing on a budget. Many tips and tricks I’ve shared or hinted at before, like I said, but not all. In fact, some I don’t have experience with but have heard about from other RVers.

Camping Fees

Camping fees are my single biggest budget line item every year. I think of it as the sticks-and-bricks equivalent of rent or a mortgage. This budget category is probably the biggest for most RVers who don’t regularly boondock or carry debt on their RV.

So, how do you save money on camping fees? I can think of four ways.

Longer Stay Rates

First and foremost, consider staying a month. Nearly all private campgrounds and, occasionally, state campgrounds have monthly rates. As well, they offer weekly rates but it’s the monthly rates where you really save.

Every place is different but as a general guide, I found weekly rates are the equivalent of pay for six nights and get the seventh free. This will represent about a 14% savings.

However, staying a month yields a 50 – 60% savings. That’s huge. Usually you will find it less money to stay four weeks than paying the nightly fee for two weeks.

Note that the monthly spots may not be the premier spots. For example, at a lake, it’s unlikely to be a lakefront spot. Campgrounds that have both pull-thru and back-in sites will rarely offer a monthly rate at one of the pull-thru sites. But seriously, for a 60% savings, even I can take a back-in site. (Yes, that usually involves someone watching my sad attempts at parking before coming over and offering to help. Translation: do it for me.)

Do the math. Literally, we are talking thousands of dollars each year for a full-time RVer.

Monthly Rates: Helpful Hints

Do not assume because you can’t find monthly rates on the website that the campground doesn’t offer them. I have no idea why but about half the campground websites make no mention of monthly rates. It’s easy to make a phone call or send an email asking about the discounted rates. But don’t miss out because you don’t think they offer monthly rates. Always ask.

Some campgrounds only allow a limited number of spots to be used as monthlies. You might find it beneficial to plan ahead and reserve your spot to ensure yourself a site. Even if you aren’t absolutely sure about your dates, you should be okay. So far, I have not had issue with changing my reservations by a day or two.

On occasion, you may find a private campground that doesn’t offer monthly rates though it’s rare. For example, I discovered that campgrounds around Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the months before and after the Balloon Fiesta don’t. I found the same thing at a few Colorado campgrounds during the summer months. So, to take advantage of the monthly rates, you may have to visit in a non-peak month.

When you get the monthly rate, you cannot use other discounts on top of that. For example, if you are a Good Sam member and the campground offers 10% off to Good Sam members, you cannot get 10% off the monthly rate.

Go with the weather. What does this have to do with monthly rates? Most—though not all—campgrounds that offer monthly rates require the RVer to also pay for the electricity they use. Rig size and weather are a huge factor in how big or small this bill turns out to be. While you cannot change the size of your rig, you can avoid extreme temperatures thus avoid paying for extended air conditioner or space heater electricity use.

Membership Discounts

If I cannot convince you that monthly (or even weekly) stays are the way to go or if other factors don’t allow you to stay a month at a time, a way to save money on the nightly rate is to stay at places that offer a discount based on a particular membership or group you belong to. It is important to note that not all places offer a membership discount. Nor do places offer the same membership discounts.

The most common one is Good Sam and the discount is usually 10% off the nightly rate though I have also seen 5% and 15%. If you don’t see it on the website, ask when you arrive.

I started to write detailed information on a plethora of membership options for the RVer but decided there was too little room to do the topic justice here. Soon, I’ll start a new series about a variety of membership options including Thousand Trails, Passport America, Women on the Fly, Escapees and Xcapers, Boondockers Welcome and many more.

Workamping

If you aren’t familiar with workamping, I wrote an article all about what it is and how it works. Workamping, if you have the time, is a great way to stay in mostly beautiful locations for free. It is RVing on a budget at its best.

In a nutshell, you exchange your time and talents working for the campsite. With so many workamping options, you are bound to find one that is a good fit for you. Hours can range from 20 to 40 per week. And the types of work vary even more but the most common is camp hosting. The most unusual workamping job I’ve heard so far is as a bartender at an RV resort which sounded quite fun.

Boondocking

Despite my lack of experience in this area, I cannot write an article about RVing on a budget without discussing boondocking. Boondocking is camping without hookups. The most common type of boondocking is on public land, such as BLM land.

A funny side note: recently when people talking about Black Lives Matter used the initials BLM, many of us RVers did a double take each time, thinking people were talking about the Bureau of Land Management.

Some RVers spend the majority of their nights in boondocking spots. They love the wide-open spaces and the price tag. They have adapted their RV and lifestyle for periods (up to two weeks at a time) without services or amenities.

It should be noted that even boondockers need to budget some funds for camping. On some land, you might be charged $5 or $10 a night. But, more to the point, after your stay, you’ll need to find dump and water stations, most of which charge a fee, usually in the range of about $10.

Ways to Save Money Getting from Place to Place

Okay, now that we’ve covered camping fees when it comes to RVing on a budget, I want to address ways to save money as you travel from one adventure location to the next. I cannot offer ideas that will save the kind of money you can in camping fees but I always operate on the idea that every little bit helps.

RVing on a Budget: Gas

RVs are notorious for their poor gas mileage. You can’t get away from paying the going rate as the needle gauge gets closer to E for empty. But I have a few ideas for saving a few cents.

First, utilize the app Gas Buddy to find the lowest gas price in the area. No doubt you already know, the less expensive gas is generally not found along the road or highway you are traveling and Gas Buddy can help. In these cases, we are probably talking up to 10 cents a gallon.

But one big difference in price per gallon can be from county to county, or state to state. I’ve seen as much as a 40 cents difference just miles apart on the road because I’ve crossed into a different state. Without an app like Gas Buddy, you won’t know which state you should fill up in.

One note about Gas Buddy: I don’t have it even though it’s quite popular among RVers. Why? Because I cannot (and should not) look at my phone when I’m driving. Realistically, this app is best for those with traveling companions (i.e., a navigator).

Second, if you plan your gas stops ahead of time (like I do), you can seek out places that offer discounted gas. My favorites are Costco or Pilot Flying J which offer a discount of five cents a gallon with a Good Sam’s membership. The nice thing about Pilot Flying J is they cater to truckers so the area isn’t too tight for RVs. Additionally, some have dump stations, laundry facilities and showering facilities.

Finally, good and regular maintenance on your rig and tow or towed vehicles can ensure you are getting the best possible gas mileage. In particular, maintain the recommended pressure in your tires.

RVing on a Budget: Single Night Stays

Let’s say you are moving from one location to the next but the distance between the two is too far to do in a single day. One RVing on a budget tip is to overnight in a location that is free rather than paying a single night at a campground. Now, if you need hookups or other amenities, you may decide a night in a campground is your best option. I, myself, have made that call before. In my case, it was primarily due to weather concerns (heat) since I don’t have a generator so needed to ensure I could run the air conditioner.

But if you are wiling to boondock for the night, there are many options and often they aren’t far off the road you are traveling.

Businesses

The first category of free single-night stays are businesses that welcome RVers. They include Walmart, Cabela’s, Cracker Barrel, Bass Pro Shops and Camping World. The idea is that they let RVs stay knowing they are likely to support the business with a purchase making it good for the business and good for the RVer.

It’s important to call first because not every Walmart, for example, allows overnighters. In fact, more and more stores are not allowing it. You might remember how I learned this the hard way with pounding on my door at 3 a.m. while I was dead asleep in a Waco, Texas Walmart parking lot.

Pilot Flying J Travel Centers

As I said, some Pilot Flying Js have Travel Centers (great amenities for truckers and travelers) and offer spots for RVers to overnight. The nice bonus with this option is that most of the travel centers have showers (for a small fee) and some even have a place to do a load of laundry.

One time I ended up staying at a Travel Center for three days and two nights while I was trying to kill a few days before a scheduled maintenance appointment. It was so nice to get a shower each day. And, while I know not everyone would like this, I liked the fact that it was well-lit and that people were coming and going at all hours. The fact that it was open 24/7 gave me a sense of safety. The businesses I mentioned in the previous paragraph aren’t necessarily 24/7 and their parking lots can get a little ghost-towny overnight which can feel unsettling especially to a solo traveler.

Rest Stops

Rest stops along your route might be a good overnight stopping place. Generally, RVs will park with the truckers as the parking spaces are big. Rest stops often have restrooms and vending machines. Some, if you have just crossed into a new state, also serve as a Visitors’ Center so can be a great place to pick up brochures, maps and information about the area.

If you want to utilize a rest stop, you’ll want to do a little research before you start your long journey because not all rest stops allow overnight parking. Signage will indicate any rules that apply to the rest stop but the reason it’s a good idea to figure it out ahead of time is you’d hate to find your eyes drooping from a long day of driving only to discover the place you thought you would overnight doesn’t allow it.

Harvest Hosts

You already know my favorite free overnight place to stop along the way. At a Harvest Host. Now, you might say that, technically, a Harvest Host isn’t free. And you wouldn’t be wrong.

For those that don’t know, you pay an annual membership fee in order to access the 1,500 Hosts across North America. You can then stay “free” for one night at a museum, farm, winery and the like. The expectation is that you will support that business with a purchase.  It is an entirely unique and fun way to overnight. I love it.

If you are interested in a Harvest Hosts membership, click HERE for more information and use the code HHFRIENDS15 for 15% off.

RVing on a Budget: Adventures

I’m not including tips and tricks for adventures while RVing on a budget because I wrote an entire article of ways to find free and low-cost adventures while traveling. If you didn’t get a chance to read that article, be sure to click over for more money-saving tips.

If you have any tips or tricks or ideas, I haven’t thought of for ways to save money while on the road, please do share.

Links to Relevant Posts:

• Workamping: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
• 6 Most Surprising Things About RV Life
• Tips and Tricks for Money-Saving Adventures

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• 3M Ear Plugs, 200 Pairs/Box, E-A-R Classic 310-1001
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