RV Life on a Budget: 20 Ways We Keep Travel Affordable

RV life on a budget is possible. Learn how we sold it all, hit the road full-time, and kept costs down with fuel, camping, and money tips.

💰 Can You Afford RV Life? 20 Smart Ways To Cut Costs

RV prices, campground rates, and fuel costs keep going up. If you are dreaming about RV life, you might be wondering:

“Is this even realistic anymore?”

We get it.

We sold everything in 2017, bought an RV, and hit the road full-time. We started with a dream and a lot of questions. Money was one of the biggest.

Over the years, we have felt the same price hikes you see now. Instead of giving up, we learned how to travel smarter. By changing how we camp, fuel up, and maintain our rig, we cut our camping costs by more than half and saved hundreds of dollars a year on fuel and repairs.

If you are an aspiring RVer, this guide is for you. These are the practical habits we use every day to keep RV life possible, even when prices rise.

You can start using many of these tips before you ever go full-time.

⛽️ Fuel Savings: Plan For Your Biggest Road Expense

Fuel will probably be one of your highest ongoing costs. You cannot control the pump price, but you can control how and where you buy fuel.

If you understand this before you hit the road, you will be ahead of the game.

If You Plan To Drive A Diesel Rig

When you start shopping for a truck or motorhome, you may choose diesel. Many full-timers do. If that is your plan, make a note now:

Use diesel discount programs from day one. (Which we did not do until year 7 🙄!)

Here is what we do:

• We use a diesel savings card, such as Open Roads, that works in the truck lanes at major truck stops.
• We also use a second diesel discount app, Mudflap.
• Before we fuel, we open both apps, check prices, and pick the cheapest station on our route.

This takes a few minutes, but over a year, those discounts add up to real money.

You do not need to sign up for anything yet, but keep this in your planning notes:
“Diesel rig = get a diesel discount card + a backup app.”

If You Expect To RV With Gas

If you will have a gas RV or tow vehicle, download GasBuddy now, even if you are still in the planning phase.

We also use the Upside app for our vehicle, and when we had a gas motorhome.

Practice using it with your current car:

1. Open the app before you drive.
2. Check prices nearby.
3. Choose the cheaper station instead of the first one you see.

By the time you hit the road in your RV, planning fuel stops will feel normal, not stressful.

🛠️ Maintenance: Start With A “Prevent, Not Repair” Mindset

Surprise repairs scare a lot of new RVers. The truth is, you cannot avoid every breakdown. But you can avoid a lot of big problems with simple habits.

We focus on three ideas:

• Reuse what we can
• Filter what matters (like air and water)
• Learn basic DIY skills

You can build this mindset before you ever own an RV.

Reusable Filters

Many RVs use cheap, disposable filters. Full-time RVers go through a lot of them. Whenever we get a new vehicle, we buy a reusable filter such as a K & N Air filter. Why throw money away?

We use reusable filters instead:

• We buy them once.
• We clean and reuse them.
• We are not constantly buying new packs.

If you are still in the planning stage, add this to your list: “When we get our RV, swap to reusable filters.”

It is a small thing, but small things add up.

Good Water Filtration

Campground water can taste bad or be full of stuff you do not want to drink long-term.

Since our RV is our home, we use an inline water filter, a whole house filter, and a CLEAR2O® DirtGUARD.

What this means for you as a future RVer:

• Plan some type of filter from the start.
• If you will full time, consider a stronger multi-stage system.
• You can save money by buying compatible replacement cartridges in bulk, as long as the micron ratings match.

Clean water is not a “luxury” when you live in your RV. It is basic comfort and health.

Learn A Little DIY Now

You do not have to be a mechanic, but simple skills will save you a lot of money later.

Even before RV life, you can start to:

• Watch videos on RV tire care and inspections.
• Learn about roof seals, what to look for, and how to reseal.
• Learn what wheel bearings are and why they matter.
• Get comfortable with tools like a torque wrench and cordless drill.

Think of this as “pre-RV training.” The more you know now, the less scary maintenance looks later.

⛺️ Campground Costs: Where You Have The Most Control

After fuel, camping fees are usually the highest cost in RV life. This is where aspiring RVers often feel nervous.

Here is the good news: this is also where you have the most control.

You do not have to book 100-dollar-a-night resorts to enjoy RV life.

Get Comfortable Calling Campgrounds

Many new RVers only book online. We almost always call.

Our simple process (you can use this on your very first trip):

1. Check the rate on the website.
2. Call and ask for the real rate for your exact dates.
3. Ask about discounts they honor (military, Good Sam, AAA, senior, etc).

Sometimes the website is cheaper. Sometimes the phone price with a discount is lower. You do not know until you ask.

Make it a habit from the start: “Before I book, I call.”

How To Think About Campground Memberships As A Beginner

If you are just starting out, it can be tempting to buy every RV membership you see. Take a breath.

Before you join anything, ask:

• Where will we actually travel in the first 1 to 2 years?
• Do those memberships have many parks in those areas?
• Will we stay long enough in those parks to make it worth it?

As a new RVer, you can start with:

• A basic discount card like Good Sam or Passport America.
• A plan to try different types of camping (public parks, private parks, maybe boondocking later).

You can always add memberships once you understand your travel style.

The Big Money Saver: Partial Hookups And Boondocking with Harvest Hosts

When we first started, we chased full hookups and resort parks. They were easy and familiar.

Over time, we shifted to more:

• State parks
• Corps of Engineers parks
• National park campgrounds
• Simple private parks with water and electric only
• Boondocking or dry camping when we were ready

This one shift dropped our average camping cost a lot.

Harvest Hosts is our favorite. With a pay-one-price yearly membership, you can stay at over 1300 farms, wineries, breweries, museums, and more. Some even offer electric or water.

As an aspiring RVer, you can:

• Plan your first few trips in public campgrounds with electric and water only.
• Use your RV to learn how to manage tanks and power.
• Slowly work toward a night or two with no hookups when you feel ready.

You do not have to go “full boondocker” overnight. Just know this: the more flexible you are with hookups, the more options and savings you will have.

Booking Smart: Habits To Build From Trip One

Here are a few booking habits you can start with your very first RV trip:

• Stay longer when you can. Weekly and monthly rates are often cheaper than paying day by day. Even a 7-night stay can lower your average nightly rate.
• Choose 30-amp if your rig allows. Ask if 30-amp sites are cheaper. Often they are.
• Pick back-in sites. Pull-throughs are popular and sometimes cost more. Back-ins can be cheaper and feel more private.
• Be flexible on location. Staying 30 to 60 minutes outside a tourist hot spot can save a lot of money on campgrounds, fuel, groceries, and eating out.

Start building these habits early. They will feel natural by the time you are ready for longer trips or full-time life.

📍 Location And Timing

As a future RVer, you have a big advantage: you can plan your travels with cost in mind right from the start.

These can make a big difference:

• Location
• Timing

Step Outside The Tourist Bubble

In popular areas (national parks, beach towns, famous small towns), we often see this pattern:

• Campgrounds inside the bubble cost the most.
• Gas, groceries, and restaurants cost more, too.
• Crowds are higher, and sites are scarcer.

If you stay just 30 to 60 minutes away, you can often:

• Pay less per night.
• Enjoy quieter campgrounds.
• Pay more normal prices for food and fuel.

As you plan your future trips, look at maps with this question in mind:
“Where could we stay just outside the hot zone and drive in for the day?”

Use Shoulder Season To Your Advantage

If you are not tied to school schedules, you have another powerful tool: shoulder season. We just finished up our Holly Jolly Christmas Trail to see the holiday lights BEFORE Thanksgiving.

And let me tell you…it was amazing. Not only were campground prices lower, but there were no crowds to see the holiday lights.

When you dream about places you want to visit, ask:

• What would it cost to visit in the “off” or “almost off” season?
• Can we handle cooler or hotter weather if it means cheaper, quieter stays?

Often, visiting:

• Right after kids go back to school, or
• Just before winter, or
• Late winter, before spring crowds, gives you lower rates and more availability.

As a future RVer, keep a list:
“Places we want to see in shoulder season” with rough months next to each one.

🥳 Free And Low-Cost Fun

Many new RVers feel pressure to “do all the things” in every town. That gets expensive fast.

Our best memories are often simple and cheap.

Here are ideas you can copy from our playbook:

• Local events. Check bulletin boards, city websites, and chambers of commerce. Small-town parades, fairs, and festivals are often free or low-cost.
• Farmers markets. We love walking markets, buying local food, and making simple meals back at the RV. It is an easy way to feel part of a place without big ticket prices.
• Eat out at lunch, not dinner. When we want to try a local spot, we often go for lunch. Menus are usually cheaper for the same style of food. And we will share a meal. Dining out can get pretty expensive, especially when you want to try all the local eateries.
• Use local parks and trails. Hiking, walking, biking, and scenic drives are often free. You do not need an expensive attraction to “count” a day as special.

As you plan RV life, remember: the RV itself is part of the fun. Porch-sitting, campfires, sunsets, and slow mornings are free.

💳 Credit Card Rewards: A Quiet Helper, If You Use Them Right

If you are comfortable with credit cards and pay them off monthly, rewards can quietly help with travel costs.

Here is how we use them:

• We run regular, planned expenses (groceries, fuel, bills) through rewards cards.
• We collect points for gas and gift cards.
• We redeem them for gift cards to use for fuel, groceries, or gifts.

Our two non‑negotiable rules:

• We pay off every card in full every month.
• We rarely use debit cards for purchases. We use debit mainly at ATMs for cash, because a hacked debit card can freeze our bank account. With credit cards, fraud is usually easier to fix.

If credit cards are a temptation for you, skip this tool. RV life is more peaceful when you are not stressed about debt.

✍️ Track Your RV Budget From The Beginning

You do not have to wait until you are full time to track RV costs.

If you are an aspiring RVer, you can:

• Track costs for each practice trip.
• Watch how fuel, campgrounds, food, and fun add up.
• Adjust your plans based on real numbers, not guesses.

We track our expenses by category:

• Campgrounds
• Fuel
• Maintenance and repairs
• Insurance
• Groceries and eating out
• Fun and activities

Once we saw our real numbers, we knew exactly where to focus. For us, camping style was the biggest lever. For you, it might be something else.

Start with a simple spreadsheet or budgeting app. The most important step is to write everything down.

🎁 Getting Ready For RV Life: Start Where You Are

We remember what it felt like in 2017:

• Selling most of what we owned
• Learning a whole new lifestyle
• Trying to make the numbers work

If you want RV life, you do not have to do everything at once. Here are some gentle starting points:

• Declutter your home one shelf or closet at a time.
• Take a rental RV or borrowed RV out for a weekend and track every cost.
• Practice some of these fuel and campground habits on short trips.
• Build a basic “RV savings” fund.
• Start learning simple maintenance now, so it feels less scary later.

RV life is more expensive today than it used to be. But that does not mean it is out of reach.

With smart fuel planning, simple maintenance habits, flexible camping choices, low-cost fun, and a clear budget, you can still make this dream a reality.

Here’s a clear, simple section you can drop near the end of your post, Mary. You can tweak the name or details to match your exact offer.

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📖 Ready To Go Full Time? Get GPS To Full-Time RV Living

If RV life is more than a daydream for you, but the “how” feels confusing, you are not alone.

When we sold everything in 2017 and hit the road, we had to figure it all out the hard way:

• What to do with our stuff
• How to choose the right RV
• How to set a real budget, not a guess
• How to handle mail, doctors, insurance, and legal details
• How to plan routes without burning out or going broke

That is why we created GPS to Full-Time RV Living, our 6‑month coaching program for aspiring full-time RVers.

Inside the program, you get:

• A step-by-step roadmap from “just thinking about it” to “ready to roll”
• Live coaching and Q&A, so you are never stuck guessing alone
• Personalized budget and planning help, based on your real numbers and goals
• Support with downsizing, RV selection, and timing, so you can move at a pace that fits your life
• Accountability and encouragement, so you keep moving forward instead of staying stuck in research mode

GPS to Full-Time RV Living is for you if:

• You know you want RV life in the next 6–24 months
• You want a clear plan, not just random videos and advice
• You like the idea of having someone who has actually done it walk beside you

If you are ready to stop wondering, “Can we really do this?” and start building an actual plan, GPS to Full-Time RV Living can give you the structure and support you need.

👉 Learn more here: https://lifeintherv.com/gps