When my wife and I first decided we were going to become RVers, and live the RV life on the road, we devoured everything YouTube had about the cost of living in an RV and the RV lifestyle.
What we discovered, at first, was a bit discouraging. It was estimated, by many full-time RVers, that living in an RV, and traveling around the U.S., cost somewhere in the $2000-$3000 per month range, and that amount would eat up most of our monthly retirement income and, if that were the case, what would we do if the RV broke down and needed a major repair?
The answer came fairly quickly
It didn’t take long, a matter of a couple weeks, before we started seeing more and more videos about people who were living off-grid, as nomads, and spending each night in free campsites, thus saving anywhere from $25-$100 per night.
Let’s to the math. If a person were to spend $25 per night for a campsite, that would be a yearly expense of $9,125. If a person paid, on average, $50 per night, that would be a yearly expense of $18,250. But, if a person were to camp each night in a free campsite, the average amount spent on overnight accommodations would be, wait for it, zero!
Now they were talking our language! Suddenly full-time, on the road, sounded not only doable, but a way to actually save money and build a little nest egg.
Where are these free campsites?
It turns out that a person can park an RV, and stay for free, for fourteen days at any of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and National Forest lands across this country. Considering the fact that BLM governs over 247 million acres of land, and National Forests cover 193 million acres, it takes very little effort to find a free place to park our bus. Toss in a random WalMart or Cabellas or truck stop, all of which offer free overnight parking, and it becomes more apparent that these nomads are onto something.
Biggest RV Life expense other than campsites
So, if it is possible to park in a campsite, for free, what then is the biggest expense for nomads?
One would think, considering the current cost of fuel, that it would be gasoline or diesel to power your RV. That would be a logical conclusion until you realize that parking in a National Forest, or on BLM land, is allowed for up to fourteen days at any one site, meaning free campsites for nearly half a month, at which time one only needs to move the RV to another free campsite, and stay there for the next fourteen days. Suddenly, the expense of fuel drops significantly, because only twice per month will you be driving your RV and then, only for a short distance.
And just like that, this nomad way of life seems very, very affordable.
And what about the other objections we hear from worry-warts?
What if you break down in some God-forsaken area?
I hear this one all the time, like breaking down is something new with motor vehicles. There’s a thing called the internet. There’s a thing called a cell phone. There’s a thing called towing. Besides, no place in the United States is God-forsaken, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Will it be expensive, this RV Life?
I don’t know. Maybe, but I doubt it. But I respond this way: Is it expensive to replace a water heater in your home, or have the plumbing worked on, or have a new roof put on? The absolute worst that can happen is the RV will need a new engine. That will cost between $6000-$10,000. Compare that price to a major home repair or remodel.
What about crime and getting robbed or assaulted?
If you live in any city in the U.S., you will find the humor in this objection. I stand a better chance of being assaulted while walking my dogs in Olympia than I do in the Arizona desert. And no, I’m not delusional enough not to have protection. I will be well-armed out on the road.
Won’t you be lonely, on the road, when Bev isn’t traveling with you?
No! I should just leave my answer at that, but I’m a writer, and writer’s write. It doesn’t bother me to be alone. For most of my life, in a room with other people, I have felt alone. It’s my nature. I’m a loner. I am comfortable alone. I like myself enough to be at peace when alone. Bev is my best friend, but my next best friend, a close second, is me.
Besides, Maggie will be with me, when Bev doesn’t want to travel with me, and Maggie is this man’s best four-legged friend.
Back to the topic of cost of RV Life
The other expenses for living on the road are hardly worth mentioning. Cell phone, WiFi coverage of some sort (maybe Spacelink, although Musk drives me crazy), food of course, insurance . . . when you take rent or a mortgage out of the equation, suddenly the expenses are not very much at all. In fact, having tossed the figures around quite a bit, I estimate I can live, on the road, as a nomad, at free campsites, for as little as $1000 per month, or about thirty bucks per day.
We shall see. I may be completely wrong. This may be a pipe dream that blows up in my face (in our faces); but we will never know unless we try it and, as my dad loved to say . . .
God hates cowards!
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As Roy Rogers and Dale Evans once sang, Happy Trails, to you, until we meet again!
Bill and Bev (and Maggie and Toby)
Liz, thank you. The number of RVers increased greatly during COVID, and that increase continues now that people have discovered that they can work remotely and still make a decent living. It’s an interesting time we are living in, my friend. Changes happening rapidly, and I’m enthused by it all.
Linda, you make me laugh, but I appreciate your concern. I’ve got it covered. I have back-up plans for back-up plans, and I’ll have communication covered as well. In case of emergency, Garmin will have me covered, and normal cell phone coverage will be worked out by the time we hit the road.
Ann, my friend, it’s always good to hear from you. No doubt about it, I am more of a recluse now than a year ago, and I suspect that trend will continue into the future. Give me some human contact once every week, and I’m good for the other six days. 🙂
Fuel is getting lower in cost, here, but not nearly as fast as we all hope for. I’m now looking at an electric scooter, two-seater, brand new on the market, and it looks like a kick to drive. I put money down on it, and will have it next July if all goes well. I’ll just tow it behind the RV. It’s no bigger than a standard motorcycle. It’s called a Nimbus. Take a look online if you have a spare moment.
All is well, but hectic, here. I hope this finds you well, my friend.
It’s certainly not a lifestyle for everyone, Audrey, but the numbers have grown significantly since COVID hit in 2020, and they continue to grow. I think it will be fun to find out if I have what it takes.
That sounds both affordable and lots of fun! I don’t know if I could be a nomad for an extended period, but it sounds like it could be fun for a while.
Great discussion, Bill. Camping here in Britain can be free which is fine if you have your own toilet & shower, as it’s usually just a farmer’s field. Personally, I like the peace and quiet of that. We no longer have a camper van but I think Arthur is hankering over another! We become more recluse as the years go by, some would say anti-social, but I value family and friends above all else and wouldn’t wish to leave them for long. Ten weeks in Australia taught me that.
I’m excited to see your adventure start up. After all these preparations, you’ll be pretty safe I think, and what’s an adventure if there are no surprises and things to learn along the way?
Fuel costs have spiralled here too, though I’ve gone electric – even charging up is getting more expensive now but it’s still a lot cheaper than petrol let alone diesel!
Hope all’s well with you and yours.
TC & have fun.
Ann
Bill, you’ve given this a great deal of thought (and knowing you, I would expect nothing less). My only concern is about cell phone coverage. From experience, I can tell you that broad expanses of Nevada and Utah (to name a few) do not have coverage. Maybe it depends on your plan and carrier, but it’s what I have encountered. Do a little more investigation on that and I’ll stop fretting LOL.
I like the way you work through the maths. At a time of rapidly rising housing costs you make the RV lifestyle sound quite tempting. In fact, I wonder if the number of RVers will increase due to the rising cost of running a home.
Well thank you for following us, Kathy, and I hope you are able to give this a try in three years. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m excited to give it a try.
I would love to try this for a year. Maybe when my husband retires in three years. Best of luck. Will be following.