Average cost of full time RVer

It will cost all of your available income. ;)

Here's how I do our budget: I added all of our monthly incomes, then subtracted monthly bills like cell phone, insurance, etc. Took the sum that remained and divided it by 30. This figure is what I call our daily budget, this is the money we have to spend for RV parks, diesel, food, and all the day to day expenses. It seems to work better for me to just remember not to exceed that average amount over the course of a trip.

We also have a rainy day fund in case the bus needs emergency repairs. You really should have a monetary cushion, although a lot of people don't.

We like full hookups, staying a month, eating healthy, and 3 or 4 (out of 5) star type private rv parks: (monthly figures)
$700 to $850 for site rent
$700 to $900 for eating out and eating at home
$200 for RV gas
$200 for misc
$133 for full coverage insurance
$100 for toad gas
$83 for maintenance

Off the top of my head...

branden wrote:
Hello, my name is Steve. I am planning to become a full time RVer and would like to ask a question about cost. On the average per year what is the cost using a class A RV diesel? I would like the estimate to include camp ground and other expenses. You can probably tell I am new at this. I will retire in 2015 and we plan to travel the USA for about a year or so. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Something to think about when looking for you RV is the bigger tanks you have for fresh water and holding, the longer you can go without hookups. I have 100 gallons of fresh water so with that and just me and the wife we can easily go 5 days without filling up. If we really conserve and take Navy showers we could maybe stretch it to a week or more, but we've never tried that. Why you may ask do I say this? Because there are millions of acres of public lands in this Country and a lot of it you can camp on for free. The bigger the tanks, the longer you have between driving into town to dump the tanks and get water.

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The cost is HUGE! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The only way these expenses can be reduced is if you plan to stay at each new location for a minimum of one month as monthly rates tend to at least be considered reasonable. Daily rates average 30-50 dollars per night (give to take a bit) and West Coast camping tends to be even higher. We have been full-timing (truly moving locations about 60 times per year) since 2000 and it is very, very expensive. We travel on business so our movements are supplemented by the income involved in that travel but we could not afford to do what we do if we could not depend upon our travels paying for them self.
Many folks full time. However, the definition of full time varies from folks like myself who move about once a week to those who consider themselves full timers despite the fact that they never move or only move from a Winter location to a Summer location.

Even at $50 a night that's only $1500 a month. By California standards that's not huge. That's about what rent on a one bedroom apartment may cost you in some areas. In other areas that doesn't even get you a one bedroom. And if you're paying by the night this also includes all utilities.

All depends on how you full time.

If you stay on a private lot that you own, it's cheap.
If you travel all over and stay on the move a lot, it's expensive.

Mandalay Parr wrote:
I have been a full-timer for about 8 years. I find that the cost is about the same as when I owned a house.

Maintenance of your rig is a Big item.

Have to agree......

Not much different than all that was involved in owning a house

I myself have been thinking about the same thing as you. I set down and made up a spreadsheet using the excel program. Listed all the categories type expenses. My spreadsheet calls for me to stay in one place for a month or so. The cost is still way more then my S.S. income. But the cost is still going to be less then me staying in my house all alone. When everyone is saying the the cost of full-timng is all over the place, their not kidding. It's all up to you on what your type of living will be. Traveling all the time is really going add up fast. i just got back from a 2600 mile round trip to Pahrump, NV and back here to my home in Abilene,TX. Gas alone was over $1200.00, not figuring in all the other expenses. So if your planning on driving all over this country you better have some really deep pockets.

I have read everything on the subject and there's on clear answer.

We're in a 5th wheel but I imagine the costs are pretty much the same. I have several posts on our expenditures in our blog. You can see them here.

I have been a full-timer for about 8 years. I find that the cost is about the same as when I owned a house.

Maintenance of your rig is a Big item.

The cost is HUGE! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The only way these expenses can be reduced is if you plan to stay at each new location for a minimum of one month as monthly rates tend to at least be considered reasonable. Daily rates average 30-50 dollars per night (give to take a bit) and West Coast camping tends to be even higher. We have been full-timing (truly moving locations about 60 times per year) since 2000 and it is very, very expensive. We travel on business so our movements are supplemented by the income involved in that travel but we could not afford to do what we do if we could not depend upon our travels paying for them self.
Many folks full time. However, the definition of full time varies from folks like myself who move about once a week to those who consider themselves full timers despite the fact that they never move or only move from a Winter location to a Summer location.