The Cost of RVing is Very Flexible

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "How much does it cost to live full-time in a RV?"

Asking that is like asking how much it costs to live in a house or an apartment. It varies. And it can vary widely.

A lot of people think the RVing lifestyle is expensive and out of their reach.

I had one person tell me recently, "I could live full-time in an RV if I still had some money stashed away from the last bank I robbed, but I've already spent all of that." I assumed he was joking, but I didn't ask any questions.

You'll need more than a jar of quarters, but maybe not a lot more

I was going to post some actual numbers near the end of this article, but I know seeing the numbers is why you're reading this article, so I'll give you the numbers now, and then go on with more information.

I've talked to dozens of RVers (maybe even hundreds) about the cost of RVing. RVers are open and honest about what this lifestyle is costing them. You wouldn't dare ask someone what it costs them to live in their house or apartment--not even someone you know well, and for sure not a total stranger. But I hear that conversation quiet often when sitting around a campfire with other RVers.

Most RVers have a better idea about what it's costing them to live in their RV (even if they're not keeping detailed records) than the average person living in a house or apartment.

I hear numbers from below $1,000/mo. to well over $5,000/mo. Keep in mind that a lot of people when they give you these numbers are talking about their monthly cash flow. They don't include the depreciation on their RV, the cost of tires that have to be replaced every seven years or so (regardless of how much or how little you drive), and a lot of other expenses that they don't actually pay on a monthly basis.

So, what are the real numbers?

My expenses run about $2,500 a month, but that could easily be cut to less than $1,500 a month, and my Social Security income would cover the $1,500 a month. Some months I cut my expenses way below $1,500 a month. I don't travel a lot, but I buy a lot of gadgets (both for my RV and for hobbies),and I eat out a lot. At least, $1,000 a month or more could easily be cut from what I spend (and it would be cut in a heartbeat if I didn't have the extra money coming in from my book sales).

(By-the-way, go to my website, www.LifeRV.com, and buy a book or two. You'll learn a lot and I can buy more gadgets, and eat out more.)

The key to living inexpensively on the road is that before you start, pay off your credit card biils, pay off your toad (the car you'll be towing behind your RV) or your truck if you're going to be pulling a camper, and then buy an RV that you can afford to pay cash for. You can buy a livable RV in the $5,000 to $10,000 range, and even less than that if you can do some repairs yourself.

By all means, regardless of the price of RV you're buying, have a professional inspection service or an RV mechanic do an inspection before you buy it. Spend the $200+ and know what you're buying. It's alright to buy an RV that needs some work as long as you know what it needs before you buy it.

I've said this before, but paying off credit cards is not part of your cost of living. That's paying for living you've already done that you didn't pay for at the time. Call a spade a spade.

I know some people say that it's okay to finance an RV. You can do that if you're sure you have a source of income that will allow you to meet your monthly loan payments, but that puts more stress on you. Give it some serious thought before you go into debt to buy an RV.

One other piece of advice

Don't hit the road until you have an emergency fund. You'll need $2,000 to $5,000 in your emergency fund. Unexpected expenses are going to come up. If you're not prepared, it could be a disaster. When you do have an unexpected expense (or one of your sources of income dries up), make adjustments. Use the money in your emergency fund, and then by all means, get busy replenishing your emergency fund. Cut expenses, boondock, don't travel, take on another job, whatever it takes to build your emergency fund back up.

One last point--pets are expensive

Nobody wants to hear this, but if you're going to RV on a tight budget, having a pet can blow your budget in a hurry. I'm not suggesting you get rid of Rover. We both know that's not going to happen, but if you don't already have a pet, think long and hard about getting one, at least, when you first start RVing.

I've had a dog most of my life (except when I was in college). I don't have one now. I like dogs, and they can be a lot of company, especially, if you're RVing solo. But I know a lot of people who have spent $1,500 to $2,500 for emergency surgency for their dog, and that's on top of the $100 to $200 a month for food and routine vet bills.

Follow the advice in this article and you will be well on your way to a happy RVing life.

Bottm line: The RVing lifestyle is within reach of almost anyone because you can cut your expenses way below what you're likely spending now, and there are lots of ways now to make more money while living on the road than it will cost you to live and travel in your RV. As the title of the article says, the cost of RVing is flexible. You can cut your expenses to the bone for a month or two anytime you need to. You can't do if you're living in a house or apartment.