If you’re interested in living an RV life, you’re probably wondering how affordable it is as an option. Living an RV lifestyle comes with some amazing benefits, like getting to travel more often, going on adventures, and meeting exciting new people. But is it worth the costs? Here are some of the disadvantages and advantages of an RV lifestyle to help you decide!
Will You Save on Housing Costs?
One of the major changes to your lifestyle when switching to living in an RV will be housing. One of the RV lifestyle costs is buying your RV, paying for parking, and the cost it takes for upkeep of the RV itself. However, living in an RV can be much cheaper than living in an actual home. The pros and cons include:
- Pro: Low utilities costs. One of the advantages of an RV lifestyle is not having to pay for utilities. Your utilities will mostly come included with your RV (with some minor exceptions here and there). Water, electricity, and garbage are all up to you, not paid to the city. You’ll take care of water and electricity hook-ups when you make your stops, and instead of paying the city to take care of your garbage, you can just do so yourself. Utilities will be much cheaper on the road.
- Con: Fuel. One downside of your home and car being combined is the cost of fuel. Depending on the size of your RV, you may have to spend a lot of money on refueling, and quite often. Refueling your RV can end up being expensive if you’re not used to driving the vehicle or prepared to employ budget-friendly hacks. However, you can lower this cost by parking your RV frequently.
- Pro: No rent or mortgage costs. Another great advantage of living in an RV is that once your RV is purchased, there’s no need to pay rent or a mortgage. While you may have to pay to stay at some campsites, it’s much cheaper to pay those prices per month rather than monthly rent or house payments.
Will Amenities Cost You More?
One RV lifestyle cost may be giving up some of your usual amenities. Living on the road is much different than living at home, and the lack of amenities can be a bit of a shock at first. However, learning to live a more minimalist lifestyle on the road can end up being more beneficial to you than living in a typical home.
Some of the pros and cons of the amenities of RV living are:
- Pro: You can choose what you want. Unlike many rental apartments or homes, RVs can often be catered to your own choices. What you have inside your RV, how your RV is decorated, and the amenities you decide to include are all up to you. The cost is controlled by you! And with low square footage, you can save a lot of money on décor and fixtures.
- Con: Upkeep. The RV lifestyle is not without work. Although many aspects are very relaxing, you do have to put in work for the upkeep of your RV. This includes emptying waste tanks and fixing up your RV. Keeping your RV clean and safe isn’t always exciting work, and it can be costly if you’re not careful.
- Pro: You don’t have to pay for relaxation. One of the amenities of living the RV lifestyle is not having to pay loads of money to go somewhere to relax. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, you have the power to get up and move without having to worry about who will watch your house or other stressors. Instead, you’re able to drive to a relaxing spot and spend time unwinding.
- Con: Little storage space. Making the lifestyle change to living in an RV is difficult for many reasons, but one of the biggest is that you’ll have little storage space. This means either getting rid of many of the things that you own or having to pay to rent out a storage facility. Both of these options can be difficult and costly.
Will You Save on Travel Fees?
A great advantage of living in an RV is the chance to travel, often. You’ll be tempted to use your time on traveling. If you’re making the decision to live in an RV, you’re probably prepared to spend more time than the everyday person exploring the world. Everyday provides traveling, as your home is also your vehicle.
While traveling is a great perk to living in an RV, it also comes with some costs. The pros and cons include:
- Pro: It’s cheaper to stay somewhere new. RV traveling gets rid of the need for paying for a hotel to stay at. Since your home is also your car, you’ll be staying at campsites instead of expensive, money-draining hotels. Your RV will lower the cost of staying places. It can save you money on unnecessary expenses that hotels require, like parking, valet, or cleaning fees.
- Con: You don’t get the amenities of hotels. Not only do you have to worry about charging your RV and paying for gas or fill-ups while traveling, but you also don’t get the amenities of a hotel. Hotels often offer free WiFi, breakfast, room service, and even free amenities like pools and hot tubs. Living in an RV requires you to pay for all of that, rather than getting it included in your hotel fee.
- Pro: Experience the outdoors for a fraction of the cost. Traveling via RV means that you get to experience more of the outdoors. Living in an RV means that you’re always traveling and experiencing the world without having to pay extra to take a special excursion or expensive trip. Wherever you go, an experience awaits!
Make the Switch to the RV Life Today!
Ultimately, living an RV lifestyle is very cost-effective. While it may seem expensive at first, once you get the hang of understanding how to save money, an RV lifestyle is much cheaper than a typical lifestyle. To never miss out on an opportunity while traveling because of bad internet, contact Nomad Internet for reliable internet today!