Expenses can add up quickly during your first RV trip, especially when you have no experience planning or following a budget. This blog explores common expenses you can expect to incur while RVing across Canada, along with how to reduce your RV trip budget in multiple categories.
Eating Out in Restaurants Will Blow Your Food Budget in a Hurry
When you are hungry and have not given any thought to your family’s meals for the day, picking up food at a convenience store or fast-food restaurant is tempting. However, you need to consider that the average fast-food meal costs nearly $9 CAD per person. That adds up quickly, especially when more than one person needs to eat.
The best way to save money on food while travelling in your RV is to pack a cooler full of healthy meals and snacks before you leave home. Doing some batch cooking in advance and daily meal planning helps to reduce food costs even more because it cuts down on impulsive purchases.
Be sure to map the locations of grocery stores at each location where you intend to park the RV. The food you packed for the trip will eventually run out, which means you need to know where to go to replenish your food supply.
RV Budget Tips: Plan Your Route to Reduce Fuel Expenses
Gasoline is something you cannot do without, nor can you cut corners to save money. The good news is that you can still plan your fuel budget to avoid spending more than necessary at the gas station. You just need to keep in mind that hauling your RV behind a truck will consume more fuel than driving the truck on its own.
To gauge how much to budget for gas, plan to take a test drive hauling your RV shortly before your trip. Next, determine your miles per gallon by dividing the number of miles you drove by the amount of gas consumed. You then need to multiply the sum of that calculation by the number of miles you plan to drive during your RV trip to determine your fuel budget. With the cost of gas constantly fluctuating, round that number up to the nearest $100 to give yourself the most leeway.
Plan RV Budget Trips Around Peak Tourism Times
If your schedule offers any flexibility, aim to schedule the times you stay at campgrounds, visit tourist attractions, and shop for groceries for off-peak travel times. For example, fewer people travel in the early spring and late fall than they do throughout the summer. Not only will you have smaller crowds to contend with, but your prices will be lower on everything from groceries to gas to campground fees.
How to Budget for an RV Trip: Saving on Campground fees
RVing has become an extremely popular way to travel in Canada, especially considering the pandemic and people desiring alternatives to staying in a hotel. RV clubs have risen to the occasion by offering members discounts of up to 50 per cent at campgrounds throughout the country.
Another way to save on camping fees is to take advantage of multi-day discounts when you book your stay. Campgrounds save money when a guest reserves a spot for two weeks rather than one night, and most are willing to pass along some of the savings. You can trim spending from your budget by strategically planning your route in advance to avoid staying just a few nights in multiple campgrounds across Canada.
Participate in as Many Free Activities as Possible
Hiking is a favourite pastime among RVers because this activity is free after the initial investment in comfortable hiking shoes or boots. Biking and kayaking can be free if you bring your own equipment. You can also save money on events where you need a ticket by buying a travel pass for the area or looking into other discount offers.
Travelling on a budget need not feel restrictive. In fact, you may even come to view it as a challenge to see how much fun you can have for as little money as possible.
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