BarbaraOK
On The Road
Senior Member
Joined: 10/27/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
h2guy wrote:If you're worried that $500 isn't enough for "rent", then I question if you have the wherewithall to actually go "fulltiming".
YOU WILL run into mechanical breakdowns out on the road as a FULLTIMER while putting miles on your rig. And, they will be EXPENSIVE and immediately required. Does'nt matter whether new rig or not. If you're gonna sit in a park somewhere for month(s) at a time, then you're living in a mobile home and not fulltiming.
I think you misread what the OP said. She is trying to figure out what a reasonable amount to budget for campgrounds should be. She didn't give an indication of total income, etc., just wanted to know if $500 a month was a realistic amount to budget for parks.
Also, haven't we had enough discussions here about what a fulltimer is - it is up to the person to decide, not you, not me!
Barb
Barb & Dave - full-timing
Traveling catpanion Shadow (age 12)
Figment II (2002 Alpine 36 MDDS) 
Mischief (2004 Subaru Forester Toad) 
FMCA - F337834, SKP #90761
Our Blog
|
John & Angela
Full Timers in Canada, USA and Mexico
Senior Member
Joined: 02/18/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
I guess someone should mention Mexico as well. You can stay at a full service campground about 75 Kilometers north of Mazatlan for about 2500 to 3000 pesos per month. That works out to about 220 to 270 bucks. You can dry camp on Ejido beaches for cheaper still, both on the main land and on on the Baja. Definetly a component of camping I wouldn't want to miss. There are also some very nice spots inland in the mountains that are inexpensive and some of these are our favourite places. This forum is a good resource for Mexican camping. Beautiful country and probably some of the nicest people you will meet in your life. Throw it in the mix with other countries and it makes for never being bored.
Come visit us at our website and share in our great fulltime RV Adventure.
2003 Fleetwood Revolution 40C
2001 22 foot Vanguard VXL 2200 when travelling in Mexico
Retired Canadian Air Force Technicians
Vernon,B.C,Canada.
|
PattieAM
Maryland
Senior Member
Joined: 08/03/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
There are campground memberships (Thousand Trails, Outdoor World, Coast-to-Coast) which might be something to look into. You can buy a resale membership at a very reduced rate, then have the annual dues (payable quarterly, semi-annually or annually). Some of the preserves/campgrounds have extended stay programs at a fixed rate. Memberships do vary, so research carefully. And, contracts may require a minimum of 3 years before resale.
CampClubUSA, Passport American and several others offer 50% discounts on camping fees, but, there are restrictions as to when or how many nights the discount can be applied. You might want to check the websites for participating campgrounds and restrictions to see if they'd meet your travel plans. Their memberships run about $50/yr, with no contracts.
I used to feel that State Parks were more economical, but, I'm finding this might not always be the case - difference in price per night was only about $5.00 for one park, and I was feeling that for the difference, having a sewer hookup was worth what small difference there was. Many State Parks only allow two weeks at a time.
|
Ivylog
Blairsville, Ga. USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/30/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Having read some of the OP's other posts, it looks like they are on the right track. The one statement that concerns me is "staying warm" as that can cost a lot more than $500/month. Currently I'm staying in a resort in SE Fla that costs $1700/month electric included or you can stay in my CG for $1700 for eight months... $212/month plus electric. So, a lot depends on how, what, where, and when you do it. By staying in one place for a month and doing the East coast one year, TX to ND the next, and then MT to AZ the next your fuel savings will let you spend more /month on where you stay or let your 401 build up some. Sure hope your house sells in this terrible real estate market.
* This post was
edited 03/17/09 07:42am by Ivylog *
04 Monaco Dynasty 42' quad slide
Where am I?
How I tow.
|
carp65
Sioux Falls, SD
Senior Member
Joined: 08/26/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
We budgeted $34.00/nite all inclusive. Have never paid that. Belong to
Passport America, have Golden Age pass, and always try to negotiate a weekly
or monthly rate where we stay. Even an parks that charge extra for electricity,
we have never paid over $50-60 for electricity. A budget of $500.00 per month
should be more than ample.
|
|
|
Clay L
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Senior Member
Joined: 07/01/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
For the last few years for the nights we stayed in RV parks, we have averaged about $7 per night or about $212 per month including electricity.
Unless we are moving between parks we stay at least a month in one place. As a rule we don't stay in parks that have a lot of amenities - we don't use them when they are available anyway.
We use Passport America while on the move.
We find the less expensive parks for monthly stays by asking people where they stay or calling parks listed in the guides and then checking the cheaper ones out.
We stay pretty much in the West and South.
Parks back East seem to be more expensive. In NH we paid about $340 per month for a six month stay (electricity included). We only go there every three or four years though.
In FL (about 30 minutes from Disney World)we stayed for $320 a month plus about $30 per month for electricity.
Clay (WA5NMR), Lee,(Wife) Codi, Brandi (Shelties) and Damncat (damn cat)
Full Timing in a 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N, Workhorse chassis, Honda Accord toad
|
AridzonaShooter
On the road!
Senior Member
Joined: 03/25/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
I could tell you what we spend, but it would be meaningless. You won't travel the way we do, you won't travel the way anybody else does.
Your $500/mo figure is a not unreasonable number to plug into your proposed budget, but realize that your travel style will affect how accurate that is.
Weekly and monthly rates will be less than daily. Stopping to visit friends and family, parking in their side yard, will save. Overnighting at free or low-cost spots will save, as will PA, Escapees and other discount options.
Your first year travel may not turn out to be typical for you. Often folks startng out full-timing will find themselves in vacation mode for the first several months - trying to stuff way too much travel into their lives. If you aviod that, slow down and enjoy where you are at any given time, you'll spend less. (Do as I say, not as we did our first year. )
Most important, imo, is to do and see the things which are important to you. If you find you're spending too much, dial back a bit.
Don't worry about campgrounds and RV parks going out of business. Some will, some won't, some new ones may or may not spring up. Regardless, you'll cope: you have so far, haven't you?
If you search the forums for the amounts that folks spend, you'll see that their numbers are all over the map. One person spends $4/night annual average; another might spend 3 or 4 times that. Just do what works for you, and if it's not working as well as you'd like, modify.
http://www.paul.desertskyone.com
|
Pete D
Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2005
View Profile
|
When on a monthly rate with metered electric in RV Park north of Tampa, I was the campground joke with electric bills usually under $10/month, even with little electric cube heater. Reason is, I have no other appliances, not even a water pump. Daily electric rates of $2,3,4 etc., are highway robbery for me!
Given that you want all the amenities, full-hookups, wifi/cable and a pool, you'd be better off budgeting on the high side. You might get a KOA catalog and use that for some baseline budgeting.
BTW, in that RV park (WiFi and pool, no cable) the owner referred to his daily and weekly sites as his "Moneymakers" because they brought in so much extra compared to his monthly, seasonal and annual rates.
If you are considering memberships, examine them carefully for where the parks are -- There are some real winners and some real losers out there, with the major factor being how much you will actually use them.
I found PA to be quite useful in the North East, but given my preference for rustic camping, PA was a waste for me in the South and esp the West because I was always in Natl Parks and Forests, using my Senior Card. Also, they are for onesy-twosy stops, not monthlies, so they are likely not going to be much use to you.
State parks are not likely to have what your are looking for; many don't even have electricity and may have long-term stay limits.
1998 Ranger 4.0 4x4
1991 Scamp 13'
|
klm
SIOUX FALLS, SD
Senior Member
Joined: 05/26/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Double your budget, to get cable, wifi, and pool you are looking at higher costs. Monthly rates will help, but I think I would want to budget on the high side than the other way around. I am wintering in Florida- about $900 a month-pool, cable, and wifi.
I have found that campgrounds that are open all year are generally lower in cost than those that are open for a few months, understandably. I plan where I want to travel, for example this summer I will be in New England, once I have a general route I research campgrounds and try to find one that fits my needs and budget.
If you plan to stay in an area for a month, you will be saving on fuel. That money could be used to offset cg fees, if necessary. You have gotten some good suggestions, but once you get on the road you will discover what works for you and your budget. The important thing is that you are enjoying the fulltime life!!!
'02 KOUNTRY STAR DP
'04 PT CRUISER INFERNO RED
LUCKY THE TRAVELIN'BLACK CAT
|
BarbaraOK
On The Road
Senior Member
Joined: 10/27/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Kim,
Please realize that southern Florida rents are HIGH. Not to say that you can't find that high of a price other places (or higher) but I would venture to say that $900/month is way more than a lot of us budget for each month. In the RGV, one can find a nice park (minus golf course) for less than $500/month that will include pool, WiFi, and cable. Same in Arizona. Because we have membership parks, we normally pay much, much less, but do the "membership bounce" and move every 2 weeks - but we get hitch itch after 2 weeks so moving is at the right time for us anyway.
Barb
|
|
|
|
