How To Budget For RV Life

So, let’s not delay any longer. Here are the top considerations when planning your RV budget.

Let’s start with fixed expenses. These include things like RV insurance, health insurance, TV service, phone & internet, etc. I call these fixed expenses because they are a fixed amount each month that you need to leave room for in the budget. While there might be some room for variation, in general, they will be pretty even month-to-month.

RV Registration: Can’t really avoid this. It’s part of owning a vehicle. However, you can choose your domicile state to see if things are less expensive for different locations.

Tow/Towed Vehicle Registration: Same your RV registration. An unavoidable expense unless you only have one vehicle and don’t have a towed. Examples of this would be a van or possibly a Class A or C without a car or extra vehicle for getting around town, etc.

Roadside Assistance: I think this is important to have since all moving vehicles eventually will have a problem whether it’s a flat tire, running out of gas, failing to start or some other myriad of options when it comes to vehicle trouble. This can be built into your insurance or you can purchase a separate policy. Escapees offers a roadside assistance program as do other companies. Click here to read more about why RV roadside assistance is a wise choice.

RV Insurance: Again, an unavoidable expense of owning a vehicle. However, you choose how much insurance you want/need which will impact the cost of your policy. Also, be aware you need to purchase a full-timer’s RV insurance policy if you plan on being full-time on the road. There are only a few different companies that offer this and it’s an extremely important question to ask when purchasing insurance.

Tow/Towed Vehicle Insurance: This is similar to registration costs. If you don’t have a 2nd vehicle, then you’ll avoid this expense.

Health Insurance: This is a huge variable that depends on which plan you purchase and also the geographic location of your domicile and your age. Whatever you buy it’s important to make sure you feel comfortable with the financial responsibility of the plan should something happen.

Mail Service: A necessity to living full-time on the road. Your mail needs to go somewhere, and you also need an address for your domicile, register your vehicles, get insurance and vote. However, there are varying plans so pick whichever option fits within your budget.

Laundry: The cost of doing laundry can change according to geographic location so be prepared for this to fluctuate a bit. It also can change depending on how often you wash your clothes, sheets, towels and whether or not you have a washer/dryer in your RV.

Cell Phone: I feel like this is a necessity for life today. We use our phones for everything from actual calls to texts to banking to maps and so much more. You decide which plan fits your budget as the costs do vary.

TV: I don’t see this is a necessity personally, but I know many full-time travelers like to have access to TV. Research your options which are most likely satellite and/or streaming services. This is really a choose your own adventure depending on how much you watch tv and what’s important to you.

Internet: This expense is a big one for those who work and travel. I think we all rely pretty heavily on the internet. However, there are lots of options available. Do you need multiple hotspots so you can always be connected? Are you okay with traveling to the local coffee shop or library to get some work done? That’s all up to you.

Groceries: We all need to eat! However, there are varying degrees of expenses even with food. Grocery costs can also vary according to your location and availability of fresh food from local farms and whether or not you buy food for a special diet. If you like to shop at more natural grocery stores where the prices are usually higher, then your budget should reflect that. The USDA creates a nice cost of food monthly report. It gives different budget scenarios and also costs for age ranges. Feel free to use it as a guide to help you set your grocery budget.

Pets: If you have pets, then you already know they aren’t free. Make sure to factor in vet visits (emergencies happen), annual vaccinations, food, toys and any other supplies needed for your pet. If you have a cat, this might include kitty litter.

Emergency Savings: I strongly urge everyone to have an emergency fund and that’s why I say build it into your budget. It’s up to you what you want to contribute to it each month.