Given the current state of our federal government there is little chance that fuel prices will come down in the near future. So here we are, owning vehicles that are less than fuel efficient, and wondering whether we can afford to use them. Of course routine costs continue whether we use our RVs or not. It doesn’t seem like a good situation for RV owners.
Given today’s reality we are simply going to have to find new, and more economical, ways to use our RVs since we do have a substantial financial investment in them. If we don’t use our RVs then we are incurring substantial expenses for absolutely nothing.
It would be great if I had a magic solution for the problem, but since the government has not asked for my advice I am left with an unpleasant reality. Fuel prices are much too high and yet we RV owners want and need to enjoy our RVs.
In the past we often drove thousands of miles in our 21 foot RV. We visited each of the lower 48 states and much of Canada. We would stay for a day or two at one place and then move on. With our larger RV this is simply not economically feasible. So we must modify our usage.
This summer we are making a significant change in plans and maybe something like this will work for you. We plan on taking a trip of approximately 300 miles one way. However, when we arrive at our destination we will be staying for a month.
Our basic travel budget will look something like this: 600 RV miles at 8 miles per gallon equals 75 gallons. Assuming the cost of fuel to be $5 per gallon it will cost $375 for the trip. Our RV Park for the month will cost approximately $400. Add another $50 for electricity and you have a month’s vacation for $825.
Of course there will be other costs such as the mileage we put on the small tow car. There are food and entertainment costs as well. However, in our experience the food cost is about the same as being at home. The entertainment costs may be a bit higher, depending upon the location, but after all it is a vacation.
That is our plan, but certainly not the only possibility. Imagine what it would cost you to stay in a hotel for a month. I’m guessing a minimum of $3,000. And of course you probably would not be able to do any of your own cooking.
You might do a search for State Parks within a 100 miles or so and have a great vacation. Instead of going to several places in your RV you could consider finding a central location and doing day trips from there. An RV Park outside of a city such as Atlanta might provide you with a wealth of entertainment possibilities from the Aquarium to Braves Baseball to Six Flags. Similar entertainment is certainly available in most major cities.
RV At Timberlake Campground
So while we may have to make changes in our RV usage, we can certainly enjoy our RVs. They still can provide relatively economical vacations.
RV Fun and Facts contains information on the realities of RV ownership. Great articles and links as well as travel photographs.
rvfacts 