Living in an RV or campervan can be as luxurious or as simple as wallets and courage allow. More and more people are drawn to try the lifestyle. Some travelers carry five-gallon buckets with toilet seats to answer nature's call. On the other hand, modern RVs come complete with systems to recycle gray water and composting toilets. Pull-out awnings with solar panels provide nomads with electricity when they go off-grid. Anyone interested in living for an extended time in their RV might want to consider the following expenses while coming up with a budget.

RV Payment Or Rent

RVers may start by renting an adventure van to figure out if the nomad lifestyle is for them. Later, when travelers know they love life on the road, they can invest in a van, trailer, or RV by taking out a personal loan from a bank. Either way, most of these travelers have to make monthly rent or loan payments. The amount depends on the vehicle and its features.

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To get an idea of rental costs, people can search on Outdoorsy. This website is something like the Airbnb of RVing and offers a huge range of vehicles. The lowest-priced trailer-campers start at about $50 a night or around $1500 a month. People interested in long-term rentals can negotiate the price with the owners. Renters don't have to worry about or pay for maintenance. That's an advantage since maintenance frequently takes a lot of time and money. Additionally, when they aren't traveling, they don't have to find a place to park.

According to The Savy Campers, the average RV payment is between $225 and $650 for a $35,000 travel trailer. Amounts depend on the down payment and how quickly the borrowers want to pay off the loan. Most loans last 4-15 years.

  • Monthly rent: $1500

or

  • Monthly loan payment: $225-$650

How to pay less: Purchasing a used RV will get nomads a better quality/price ratio. New RVs lose a huge part of their value as soon as they leave the dealership. In the first three years, these vehicles depreciate by about 20%. Buying an RV or van outright without a loan eliminates monthly payments, but requires getting a large amount of cash together initially. Of course, it also means that travelers don't have to pay interest.

Campground Rent

Renting a site to park can cost between $10 and $75 a night depending on the luxury and popularity of the campground. Some people even choose to purchase a spot in a gated RV community. Hart Ranch in Rapid City charges $75 in peak season and $41 in the off-season. This RV resort has a pool and family rec center complete with mini-golf and tennis. Every hook-up has cable TV in addition to sewage, water, and electrical.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Bureau of Land Management offers Long Term Visitor permits for $180. This permit allows RVers to stay at any long-term visitor designated area between September 18th to April 15th. These sites sometimes offer vault toilets, water faucets, and dump stations.

  • Monthly campground rent: $265 averages out the monthly cost of a seven-month Long Term Visitor Pass and paying $20 per night during the remaining five months. People staying at campgrounds can expect to pay $1200 ($40 a night).

How to pay less: Many RVers boondock or dry camp which means parking in places without electrical or sewage connections. They may receive permission to camp on private land or find space on public land where they don't have to pay rent. Many Walmart locations allow overnight parking as RVs and camper vans don't stay longer than 24 hours, and the driver receives permission. Rest areas are also popular parking spots for nomads on the move.

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Gas Prices

This expense depends on how far nomads drive and how efficient their vehicle is. Camper vans, which are the most efficient live-in vehicles, get between 18 and 25 miles per gallon, according to Guaranty RV Super Center. Large rigs get far less at around 9-15 miles per gallon.

  • Monthly gas money: People covering 1000 miles in a vehicle that gets 20 mpg with gas prices at $3.16 per gallon would spend about $160.

How to pay less: Having a planned route usually means driving less. Leaving an RV in one spot for longer periods means spending less on fuel.

Health And Auto Insurance

RV owners may have trouble insuring their vehicles. Insurance companies recognize well-known models like the Winnebago Adventurer, but custom builds are a different story. DIY campervans and buses renovations require a lot of work and documentation to ensure as campervans. If a professional makes the renovations, owners will find it easier to insure their campervan or RV. The easiest option is to take out a general auto insurance plan which runs from $40-$90 per month. These plans don't cover any of the modifications or special gear like solar panels or lithium batteries.

The average health insurance premium per person in the US is close to $450 per month.

  • Monthly insurance: $500-$550

How to pay less: Drive an older campervan or RV and choose auto insurance rather than RV insurance.

Maintenance

RVs and campervans need constant maintenance. Tires go flat and traveling shakes things loose. Even in stick and brick homes, plumbing is an issue. It can cause huge problems in an RV. Repairs and parts for RVs are notoriously expensive. Kristin Hanes of The Wayward Home says that she sets aside $100 every month for maintenance. She lives in a Chevy Astro van, but larger RVs may require a larger maintenance budget.

  • Monthly maintenance costs: $100

How to pay less: Perform basic maintenance before driving; walk around the vehicle and check for any leaks, flat tires, or loose parts. Deal with any problems immediately and keep up with regular maintenance. Putting off repairs can make them more costly.

Other Expenses

  • Cell phone service: $75-$100 a month
  • Propane tank: $20 per tank
  • Meals: $400 per person per month
  • Roadside assistance: $38-$75 for an annual AAA membership ($3.17-$6.17 per month)

Adding up all these expenses leaves a monthly budget somewhere between $1700 and $4000 which is a huge range. It shows that if travelers aren't careful about sticking to a budget, their expenses can skyrocket. On the other hand, seeing the world from a campervan can be completely affordable. People can further cut costs by preparing meals, boondocking, and planning their route ahead of time.

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