Annual cost to fulltime
I understand there is no right or wrong answer to this and there are many variables. My question is, What is the average amount you spent to live as a full-timer for one year? $10,000 - $15,000 $...
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Park costs over the year = $18.00/night. We make extensive use of our membership parks, spending at least 100 nights a year in these parks at rates between $0 - $10/night. Also use COE parks whenever possible with our Senior Pass.
Fuel - we average about $350/month. We just don't move that fast that we burn up huge quantities of fuel and we stay put in the winter for 3-5 months.
We're lucky we have no health insurance premiums for Medicare supplemental or prescriptions as our former employer covers those as part of our retirement package.
Now we spend money on some things that a lot of people don't, like $50/month for wine. And while we get into all of the national parks for nothing (again that Senior Pass) we always spend about $25 or so at each stop for books for our daughter's special ed classes.
We spend more on dining out than a lot of people - part of the fun we have is finding great breakfast restaurants as we travel.
Since we have a DP, we set aside $200/month for maintenance and repairs. Most years we don't use it all, but every once in a while you do a major fluid/filters change and we have the money available to do that.
Tires are replaced at about 7 years. We do the front (steer) tires one year and a year or two later the rear tires. Again, we set money aside each month for that so when due the funds are already there. Same for batteries - replace the starting batteries this year after 8 years of use. Could probably go longer, but would rather not wait until they die.
Clothing budget is very little - maybe a new pair of jeans and new underwear each year. Purchased new sheets this year as our old ones (9 yrs old) wore out. And, of course, the obligator t-shirt or two at some of the places we investigate as we travel.
We do spend money on jazz concerts in the winter (3 this year) and a couple of Spring Training games each year. Sure wish Spring Training seats were still $5/each like they were when we lived in Scottsdale in 1970 - - but obviously nothing stays the same.
Barb
Fuel - we average about $350/month. We just don't move that fast that we burn up huge quantities of fuel and we stay put in the winter for 3-5 months.
We're lucky we have no health insurance premiums for Medicare supplemental or prescriptions as our former employer covers those as part of our retirement package.
Now we spend money on some things that a lot of people don't, like $50/month for wine. And while we get into all of the national parks for nothing (again that Senior Pass) we always spend about $25 or so at each stop for books for our daughter's special ed classes.
We spend more on dining out than a lot of people - part of the fun we have is finding great breakfast restaurants as we travel.
Since we have a DP, we set aside $200/month for maintenance and repairs. Most years we don't use it all, but every once in a while you do a major fluid/filters change and we have the money available to do that.
Tires are replaced at about 7 years. We do the front (steer) tires one year and a year or two later the rear tires. Again, we set money aside each month for that so when due the funds are already there. Same for batteries - replace the starting batteries this year after 8 years of use. Could probably go longer, but would rather not wait until they die.
Clothing budget is very little - maybe a new pair of jeans and new underwear each year. Purchased new sheets this year as our old ones (9 yrs old) wore out. And, of course, the obligator t-shirt or two at some of the places we investigate as we travel.
We do spend money on jazz concerts in the winter (3 this year) and a couple of Spring Training games each year. Sure wish Spring Training seats were still $5/each like they were when we lived in Scottsdale in 1970 - - but obviously nothing stays the same.
Barb
