It’s at all times a giant query. Most likely considered one of our high questions. So we took the time to interrupt it down and calculate what residing in our RV Full Time Price.
It needs to be famous that this was our bills for the yr. Many individuals ask if it is a inexpensive technique to reside. I imagine it may be. Nevertheless, for our first yr, that was not the case.
Simply being trustworthy right here… It value much more in our first yr than we anticipated. And much more than we budgeted for. As we undergo a few of the classes, we will go over why this occurred.
Diesel
Proper now, on the time this text is being written, the typical value for a gallon of diesel is $5.32 within the USA. There have been locations it was cheaper. Definitely locations it was dearer. And we did our touring over the course of 2022, not simply at this time.
However, for the needs of this text, let’s use $5.32. We drive about 250 miles per journey day. We wish to drive not more than as soon as per week. When towing we common 9 miles per gallon. Then about 1 extra tank (30 gallons) for exploring the week that we’re in that location.
250 miles divided by 9 miles per gallon equals 27.8 gallons for journey. One other 30 gallons for exploring. We’re at nearly 58 gallons of diesel at $5.32 a gallon. Complete is $308.56 per week. Or $16,045.12 per yr.
After we budgeted and deliberate for this journey, diesel was about $2.20 nation extensive. Disgrace on us for not recalculating the finances. However we had been anticipating about $6,635.20 with the identical quantity of journey. We in all probability may have lower down the gasoline value if we’d stayed locations longer. However we needed to see extra issues!
Campground Prices
Campground prices have had a mean of $42 per evening. Lowest being free stays whereas boondocking or moochdocking. Highest has been $125 per evening in New Orleans. Their value was value it with 8′ excessive concrete partitions topped with razor wire, gated entry, and safety on responsibility 24/7. However extraordinarily expensive. Fortunately we had been solely there for 4 nights.
Once more, poor planning, or unrealistic expectations… We anticipated doing extra boondocking. It needs to be famous, we didn’t do poorly, which helped. Over the course of 2022 we camped without cost 105 days. I don’t even wish to think about what the fee would have been if we had solely stayed in campgrounds.
one year in a yr, minus 105 nights free equals 260. 260 days instances $42 per evening equals $10,920
Propane
We have now 2 – 40 lb. tanks for the RV and 1 – 25 lb. tank for outside cooking. Hotter months we solely needed to fill 1 of the 40 lb. tanks per 30 days. And the smaller 25 lb. tank twice a month. Now that we’re stationary within the winter, in NJ, we’re averaging 1 – 40 lb. tank each 10 days as a result of warmth operating. Propane is 3.40 p/gal common.
The 40 lb. tank maintain 9.4 gallons. And the 25 lb tank holds 4.6 gallons. We aren’t utilizing the 25 lb. tank now, as neither of us needs to face exterior to cook dinner. Plus cooking contained in the camper helps to warmth it up! Fortunately, we had been in heat climate from February via October. And solely within the chilly for January, November, and now December.
Hotter months we used 18.6 gallons (90 lbs.) of propane per 30 days. That complete is $63.24. Colder months we used 28.2 gallons (120 lbs.) of propane. Complete there may be $95.88. Three months of chilly was $288. And 9 months of heat was $570. Grand complete of $858 for the yr.
Being within the chilly was by no means actually a part of the plan. And similar to the worth of diesel, propane has gone up too. In 2020 the typical was $1.98. General although the price of the propane isn’t what has broke the finances.
RV Full Time Price of Gasoline
We use a photo voltaic system which costs the batteries sufficient to final about 10 hours in a single day when boondocking. Nevertheless, we nonetheless require the usage of a generator if we wish the AC unit on. And for about 2 hours within the morning earlier than the photo voltaic panels actually begin charging. And that’s when boondocking in truthful climate with optimum solar publicity.
There have been loads of instances that the generator runs for 12 hours through the day as a result of we’re in a wooded space. We’re averaging about 3 gallons of gasoline per 11 hours of run time. The typical value of gasoline is $3.91 per gallon. This isn’t a each day expense, however like I stated earlier than, we did boondock for 105 days this yr. The generator has 803 hours of run time on it. It was bought new for the camper.
As a result of or little gasoline can is 3 gallons. Let’s take the 803 and divide by 11. That’s 73 instances we crammed the gasoline can. $3.91 time 3 gallons is $11.73 per gasoline fill. $11.73 instances 73 is $856.29 for the yr.
Groceries
That is an expense whether or not you reside in an RV or not. Nevertheless, when factoring in your finances, it isn’t one thing you wish to overlook about both. After we first hit the street, we had been desirous to do All Of The Issues. Together with consuming out a LOT. This introduced our grocery value down a bit bit, however considerably elevated our leisure bills.
Since reigning that in fairly a bit. Our common grocery prices are $250 per week. This consists of all cleansing merchandise, toiletries, home items, and precise meals for the two of us, plus Lagertha.
$250 per week instances 52 weeks. That’s $13,000 for a yr to eat and clear your self and your RV.
Leisure
Like I simply stated, this has been one thing that now we have needed to reign in. We don’t have limitless funds. Plus when residing the Full Time RV Life, it’s essential to frequently remind your self that YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK!! And… THIS ISN’T A PERMINENT VACATION. So do a number of issues on this journey, and plan to return again to the realm once more and do a number of extra issues.
We had been critically uncontrolled once we began off. Our leisure bills had been exceeding $500 per week between stopping at bars, consuming out, after which doing museum excursions, airboat rides, snorkeling, the Kentucky Derby, and the rest we needed to do. Now, that finances is under $100 per week. We had about 3 months at that ridiculous $500 per week value.
12 weeks at $500 is $6,000. 40 weeks at $100 is $4,000. Plus $5,000 for our tickets to the Kentucky Derby. Complete spent on leisure for 2022 is $15,000. This was simply dumb. Like actually dumb… You Solely Stay As soon as Although, proper????
RV Full Time Price of Laundry
What an ever fluctuating expense! We’ve paid as little as $1 per load to clean. And as a lot as $4 per wash. Nevertheless, we common $8 to clean the whole lot. And about $6 to dry the whole lot. We do laundry as soon as per week.
$14 instances 52 weeks within the yr is $728 complete for 1 yr of laundry.
That is one thing that we actually forgot to even plan for. We had a washer and a dryer in our home. We knew we weren’t going to have one within the RV. But it surely was nonetheless neglected when planning our finances. Perhaps we thought we’d use a scrub board down by the river. I don’t know.
Incidentals and Repairs
Fortunately Doug can actually repair something. And if he doesn’t know the right way to repair it, he’s fast to leap on YouTube to observe a video and study. I’m not gifted with the ability of mechanics. I’ll cook dinner you a 5 star meal with depraved taste mixtures. However fixing issues will not be actually in my wheelhouse.
The leaf spring on the truck was our most costly restore at $1000 for the components and Doug doing the work with the assistance of our Boondockers Welcome Hosts store in Illinois. However we’ve had numerous slide cables break, a leaking fridge, an unbalanced worn tire, poor electrical connections, and a number of other different minor issues.
Complete repairs and incidental prices have far exceeded our expectations at $5000 for the yr. And that was with out the price of labor.
We factored in about $1500 in yearly restore value. For many, it is a low quantity. However we knew that Doug can be doing any and all work, so we wouldn’t have labor prices. Type of blew that finances, and none of it was controllable.
Time To Tally RV Full Time Price
We’re presently stationary. This has negated the price of gasoline. And has decreased our bills in diesel, campgrounds, leisure, and with a bit of luck repairs. If we had been boondocking, we may cut back the campground expense. However we’re stationary, so the month-to-month charge is decrease than the typical nightly charge.
Diesel – $16,045.12
Campgrounds – $10,920
Propane – $858
Gasoline – $856.29
Groceries – $13,000
Leisure – $15,000
Laundry – $728
Incidentals and Repairs – $5,000
Grand Complete of – – – $62,407.41
The place did we go unsuitable? Leisure for starters! By no means ought to now we have ever spent that a lot cash on entertaining ourselves. Sure! We had been taking this time to get pleasure from life whereas we’re nonetheless younger and in a position. And we’ve actually checked off a number of bucket listing gadgets, just like the Kentucky Derby.
We had no enterprise dropping $15,000 over the course of the yr. We additionally didn’t regulate the finances for the rise in gasoline value. Diesel is the large one. The propane and gasoline costs, though excessive, usually are not what broke us.
The necessity to set up a finances when beginning this way of life is the upmost significance. However much more vital than establishing a finances is STICKING TO THE BUDGET! We’re presently stationary and recouping a few of the cash we’ve over spent. Hopefully studying this may provide help to in getting ready your finances and studying by our errors to stay to it whenever you tackle this epic journey your self.