How to Make RVs an Affordable Travel Option with These RV Tips

The cost of RV travel can add up quick, but strategic and patient planning make hitting the road possible on any budget. RVing is one of the most economical ways to travel, and thousands are able to enjoy RV living while keeping their finances in check.

In order to RV on a budget, it’s important to have an idea of how much you’ll be spending, whether full-time RVing or just taking your motorhome, travel trailer or camper van out a few times a year. When estimating how much you will need, consider how you’re financing your RV, annual maintenance costs, campground fees, gas prices, and food costs. As you plan out the costs of your RV travel, below are some ways you can save money while traveling in an RV.

Create an RV travel budget and stick to it

The first tip for RVing on a budget is to understand how much you will be spending overall. Some of your costs are going to be fixed, like RV payments, insurance, etc. Make sure you are getting the best possible rates for your fixed cost by price comparing insurance coverage. America’s Choice Insurance Partner is an industry leader not only in RV insurance, but in home and auto as well. One of the biggest benefits of RV travel is that you largely control the cost. Whatever your destination, timeline, and must-see activities are, you can make it work within your budget.

Start by figuring out how much money you are willing to spend, subtract your fixed costs and then prioritize your flexible costs. Do you want to travel frequently? Gas prices are high, and could get even higher. Consider taking shorter distance trips to offset the rising costs. Do you need to stay at campgrounds with hook-ups? Site fees are likely going to be more expensive than rustic campgrounds or sites with limited services. Once you know what’s most important to you, you can pick the areas where you can cut back.

RV Maintenance: Maintain your home away from home

Regardless of what they drive, responsible RV owners all have one thing in common. They know the best method of avoiding costly repairs is preventative maintenance. Putting it off could subject your wallet to towing fees, lost time and hastily-needed repairs that often cost substantially more than they would if addressed sooner. Regularly servicing your RV at home can cut costs substantially, but not everyone has the mechanic skills and knowhow. There are many videos online that can teach you how to fix simple repairs, and the General RV Blog features articles on RV how-to. But if you’re trying to avoid bigger issues, find your nearest General RV dealer to learn more about having your RV professionally serviced. With over 500 service bays across 14 locations, it’s easy to schedule an appointment with General RV to have your RV serviced before your next road trip.