9 Steps to Budgeting for Unforgettable RV Adventures!

9 Step Process

First thing first, I haven’t found any shortcuts to budgeting. You can make it really high level OR down to the gnats behind of detail. In this 9 Steps to Budgeting for Unforgettable RV Adventures, I’ll walk you through our process 9-step process. For big EPIC Trips like our 2023 Out West Adventure, having a budget calms the inner nerd in me! But, I’m a CPA by trade.

Step 1 – Setting a realistic budget
Step 2 – Research destination and campgrounds
Step 3 – Minimize fuel cost
Step 4 – Plan food budget
Step 5 – Explore cost effective activities
Step 6 – Budget for long-term maintenance
Step 7 – Consider joining “cost saving” clubs
Step 8 – Track actual cost
Step 9 – Enjoy your trip

How do I start my budgeting process for the Best RV Trip?

Hitting the road for the ultimate RV adventure was my dream when we purchase our first travel trailer, the Gulfstream! Well, it was my second dream…my first was finding a bumper sticker that read, “My other Gulfstream is an airplane”. I never found that sticker. And we sold that camper when we upgraded to the Keystone Cougar Fifth Wheel.

Back to hitting the open road, just taking off can be wreckless in many ways.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Taylor Swift (other people too).

How does camping out in a Walmart parking lot sound? Campgrounds fill up quickly!! Especially the best ones.
Without some planning your wallet might feel like a never-ending drain where cash goes just to flow immediately back out. There is nothing fuel efficient about towing an RV or driving a giant class-A bus. Camper Vans might be the only exception if you consider 18 to 25 mpg good.
Lack of reliable internet. Gasp! If you rely on the internet for remote work, make sure you have the tools to complete your work. Or you may find yourself with a wallet drain and nothing to fill it back up with!
You get the picture.

“The best navigators are not quite sure where they’re going until they get there…and then they’re still not sure” Jimmy Buffett. So maybe planning is overrated?

Why do “We” create budgets when we travel?

We find creating a budget helps keep us on track as we travel. By “we”, I mean me. The finance nerd in me likes to keep track of the nickels and dimes. Have no fear, we’re going to keep our budget simple. By all means, trick yours out as detailed as you like! We’ll provide you with a comprehensive budget tool for your RV trips, including budgetary considerations, ensuring that you have an unforgettable and affordable adventure.

Is your inner nerd ready to start? Mine too!

Step 1. Setting a Realistic Budget:

I am the king of optimistic budgets. My mind is anchored to “Remember that time we bought gas for 79 cents a gallon” or “My first car cost less than this a pair of running shoes”. Okay, my car was a little bit more, but you get the point. And yes, gas was 79 cents when I started driving. It. Was. Awesome!

Okay, I like nostalgia. But, I find my budgets are more informative if I’m realistic. This of course takes a little more time to build out. In the long run, I feel more confident about our travel because I have a travel plan for our money!

Realistically, how much can you afford to spend on a trip? No wrong answers! You’re situation is yours.

If you can spend $500 (total budget), then staying a Fort Wilderness at Disney World is 100% not going to work unless you get really creative. If your budget is more like $5,000, you have more options.

Having the “adult” conversation with yourself means when you home from your best RV vacation ever, you won’t have travelers’ remorse.

Now, how long are you planning to travel?

Our travels are limited by vacation days from work and the school calendar for our kids. We still have plenty of days available to travel. But, we travel during the “peak” season. We go in with an open mind and expect larger crowds, busier highways, and of course higher costs.

Our Travel Budget Template (Google Sheet available here) outlines many considerations we think through. Like travel distance (mpg X miles X fuel cost per gallon), campground fees + all the “gotcha” fees, food cost (actual food, beer, liquor, ice cream, eating out, etc.), entertainment (zip lines, white water rafting, other exploring), and Miscellaneous (all the stuff that doesn’t really fit into another bucket).

Ready to get really bored?

Didn’t think so! You’re smart, you own a camper and you know things, so check out the Google Sheet and add rows, change the descriptions, and make it your own. From here, you’ll have a good idea of your total cost and can make sure it aligns with your comfort level.

As we walk through the remaining steps in our 9 Steps to Budgeting for Unforgettable RV Adventures, go back to your budget and revise your estimates as your plans are finalized.

Step 2. Research the destination and campgrounds:

Campground research. Woohoo! This might be one of the worst parts of RV camping. Who is with me on this? I need an army of apps to figure out what is good and not. Google, RV Life, Togo, Reserve America, and probably more. I’d love one app that scraped everything into one easy-to-use platform!!!

Rant done.

RV Campgrounds span a wide divide. From all-out luxury resorts to bear bones and nasty. Some people want a full resort and others are good with a parking lot. The best campgrounds for us include:

State parks (water and electric hookups are vital to us)
Corps of Engineers (COE)
Local / family-owned campgrounds
Kampground of America (KOA)
Resort style

That list feels inclusive of what’s available.

We don’t like the ones where there are a lot of long-term stay campers. It’s our experience these feel “worn-out” and not as well-kept. That’s not always the case, the Carabelle Beach RV Resort was outstanding! We’ve been to a few where if the ground caved in we were going to hell (they will remain nameless).

On my like list, State Parks and COE are very cost-efficient. COE campgrounds are tough to score particularly if your travel dates are firm and you are not flexible on location. If you’re flexible and plan around where you can get in, my hunch is you will create epic adventures off the beaten path. Hey, start your own blog about those adventures!

If your schedule allows it AND you are good with hanging out in one location for a month, you might be able to score a cheaper rate per night. PLUS you won’t be towing as often, so fuel costs will be lower.

Step 3. Minimizing Fuel Costs:

Route planning is important. However, RVs are not fuel efficient. Even the never drive over 55 mph crowed, they exist on Facebook, but still aren’t getting Toyota Prisus MPG. You know what?

That’s OKAY!

We bought our RV to have fun and create memories. And not to get 48.3mpg. As long as we get smiles per gallon, I’m happy.

How can I Save some money on RV Fuel?

I still like squeezing a few pennies out. After all, I’m an accountant. We joined a few fuel programs. Here are a few of my favorite programs:

OPEN Roads
Good Sam (Pilot / Flying J)
Mudflap
Credit Cards with rewards points/cash back

Each program has advantages and disadvantages. I wrote a post about OPEN Roads. I love I can pull into the big rig lane and fuel up with Open Roads, Good Sam, or Mudflap. Open Roads and Good Sam allow me to pay at the pump in the big rig lane. If your RV or tow vehicle is diesel, this is really nice. Some people get worked up that these programs ACH money from your bank account.

Check out my video on fueling up in the big rig lane!

Open Roads typically has good deals, but in Montana, it was tough finding fuel stops that offered Open Roads discounts. The card still works there, which is nice!

The Good Sam card only works at Pilot or Flying J, I believe. I’ve never tried it elsewhere. It will work in the big rig lane and the regular gas station. That’s great if you’re RV or tow vehicle is gas-powered. The discount is modest…3 cents or so per gallon.

Mudflap exist and that’s about all I know. I will try it and report back sometime!

Credit cards might be your best bet if your reward program is solid.

Other considerations for improving fuel economy include making sure you’re not hauling extra weight (like filling up your water tanks…) and properly inflating your tires. Oh, speed and wind resistance play a huge part in fuel cost! I’m not an engineer so you can figure out the energy required for every mile per hour over 60.

Step 4. Managing Food Costs:

Check out our What to Cook while Camping post! Sara is a pro at keeping our food budget tight so we can go have more fun!!!

Rather than eat out when traveling, we enjoy ice cream from a local shop or the campground. We’ll hit the shop after a day of hiking or after dinner. We don’t eat out a lot anyway. And when on vacation, it adds one more stress (and cost) to our lives that we are good to live without. Afterall, if it’s not enjoyable to eat out, why bother?

Step 5. Exploring Free or Low-Cost Attractions:

What to do when camping is completely dependent on where you camp.

We have had camping vacations in Gettysburg where we did a mix of free tours and experiences that had a nominal price tag (ghost hunting). Later on the same trip, we visited Cedar Pointe amusement park. It’s not Disney-level pricing, but it’s several hundred dollars for a family of 4. Best coaster park in the world!

On the other side of the spectrum, when we visit Red River Gorge, our out-of-pocket entertainment cost is almost zero because we go hiking. RRG has plenty of activities that have a fee, but we generally love escaping to the endless trails.

Knowing the “traps” beforehand is important or your travel companions (kids) may guilt you into spending money on ziplines or other things…we’ve all been there, right?

Step 6. Budgeting for Maintenance and Repairs:

Maintenance is super easy to ignore. I will build a Google Sheet to track and plan for maintenance. But we plan on repacking bearings every year. That’s $250 to $300 each year. Tires wear out or get old. Blow-outs happen (sometimes damage happens). Skylights leak. And more. Many things you can fix yourself if you’re willing to search YouTube long enough. But plan for things to happen because you’re moving a house down the road at 60 miles per hour. The roads in the ol’ USA are littered with potholes!

Step 7. Embracing Cost-Saving Strategies:

There are several RV clubs that provide affordable camping and discounts. Hello Harvest Hosts! We aren’t set up to boondock, so I’ve not spent much time researching. Seems really cool and laidback. Maybe a “go fund page” for solar upgrades? Nevertheless, if your rig is equipped to boondock this may be a great option.

Walmart camping (parking lots). Again, we’re not really set up to do this. I like air conditioning. Before you set up shop at Walmart for the weekend, check with the manager to make sure it’s okay. Or you may find Johnny Law knocking on your door at 2 am. Who wants to explain that to the wife? Thought so.

We are part of Good Sam which provides discounts on KOAs and other campgrounds. Staying 3 or 4 nights at a KOA over the course of the year generally covers the cost of the membership.

Workkamping is an option and sounds like, well, work. Campground hosting can be an option if you can stay several days or weeks in a place.

This is a place to embrace your inner Robert Kiyosaki and ask “How can I afford it?” Let your brain come up with creative ways to get what you want!

Step 8. Tracking Expenses and Adjusting the Budget:

The inner nerd gets to track the actual cost during the trip or when you get home. I found all the receipts run together. I thought, “I’ll remember each gas stop along the way…” that was stupid. So, maybe jot a note on the fuel receipt or other receipts so you can account for these when you arrive home.

Step 9. Enjoy

Having a plan means your inner nerd gets to go on vacation! Enjoy the best RV trip ever and know you’re controlling your cash flow while having a blast!