Full timers...what's your monthly spend?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Viajante

Wisconsin is evil when it comes to state park fees for non residents. A former governor cut all state taxes to the parks and made them live off of entrance fees, camping fees, etc. No reason for the resident fees to be different than non resident fees under that scenario. But they are. If state residents were still kicking in tax money the difference for non residents could be justified.

Wisconsin camping fees went up AGAIN

1) One nights camping (electric only ) non resident Devils Lake SP. = $42.00
2 ) One day required park pass non resident. = $16.00
3) One nights camping reservation fee =. $9.50


Total Cost. Total Cost = $67.50

Yet we wonder why some of our State Park campgrounds sit partially empty

[Iowa Dave]

Wow, that’s starting to get with it. For another fifty cents you can get reservations for four nights in Iowa, with the campsite fee included. At Lake McBride State park there are two camping areas. The main area is like all the other state parks with water available, electric on site and showers for $16 a night. The other area is “primitive” camping with water available.
Several sites are adjacent to the lake. Mowed, designated, large sites. Restrooms, boat ramp, fish cleaning station. AND as they remove dead, diseased and dying trees they buck them up and split the wood and in the north end of the CG there’s a large crib with FREE firewood. They ask that you take only what you need and not to remove it off-site.
We have computer programmers (code monkeys) who put Americans on the moon, living and camping in Iowa, but some of our political leadership had to go out of state to hire a firm to develop an application to compile caucus results. Did not go well. We’re sending them to camp in Wisconsin this summer.
Lacey Keosauqua is a nice campground in South East Iowa. New asphalt paving and a new restroom last year. The county area on Lake Sugema is nice too.
Cheap and Free good camping exists, you just have to look around a little.
Iowa Dave

[StillCampin]

I have an annual site at a Thousand Trails in AZ that costs me about $4500usd a year, propane & electric extra and $30/mo for uncovered but fenced storage for my Escape. Of course, there is the $500++ a year for dues, not to mention the initial membership cost.

The cost to use my 5.0 is fuel & campground fees. Fuel cost is determined by how often & how far you move. My site fees are either "free" (boondocking or TT) or almost always reduced greatly (geezer pass, RPI often $10usd/night); PA @ 50%, etc.

Most other expenses are not unique to full time.

Personally, it costs me less to live now that I'm retired and on a reduced income than when I worked. When I worked, owned property, etc I had a hard time saving for retirement. Now that I've been retired & full time for well over 10 years my bank is telling me that I'm spending less than my deposits - and that spending includes life insurance and a fair amount going into savings.

[yardsale]

Everyone here is giving you good answers for the question you asked. However your decision IMO should be based on a top down approach to your overall financial status. Your age, your current new worth and investment profile, debt structure (hopefully none), health, health care coverage, etc. In other words do you have a comprehensive financial plan?

[Iowa Dave]

Excellent point. A plan in place, a pullback strategy if it becomes necessary due to unseen or unpredicted eventualities and finally an exit strategy should the trailer lifestyle not fit in the future for whatever reason. And that is not to discount continuing to own or eventually purchasing a static domicile should that become necessary or desirable. YMMV
Iowa Dave

[Hancock]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

We are not full timers by any measure. Our RV park in Mexico costs $500/mo and that includes all utilities. Add $300/mo or less for food, $15/mo for propane. RV insurance was $80/mo for Mexico for 6 mo. Getting here cost us about $75/day for diesel, parking along the way was $10-$25/night. Took us 5 days to get to Puerto Vallerta. When on the road in the US we spend less than $1000/mo. We tend to boondock in the US, not in Mexico. Eat more meals in than out. We travel 4-6 months a year, with AZ as our home base.

What RV park are you staying at in Puerto Vallerta? I have flown there several times and really like the area. I did some web searching, but some of the RV parks look pretty primitive with electrical issues.

[tukwilma]

As a tangent, has anyone found a good Travel Logging App? I'm looking for something to log dates, where we spent the night (city, campground, etc.), miles, simple expenses like gas, campground fees. We have to eat no matter where we are, so I don't count groceries as part of my travel expenses.

I've been googling, and find apps that have maps and travel routes, campground recommendations, much more expansive than I want. I may end up just making myself a little MS Access database, but I'd rather not.

[Hancock]

Originally Posted by tukwilma

As a tangent, has anyone found a good Travel Logging App? I'm looking for something to log dates, where we spent the night (city, campground, etc.), miles, simple expenses like gas, campground fees. We have to eat no matter where we are, so I don't count groceries as part of my travel expenses.

I've been googling, and find apps that have maps and travel routes, campground recommendations, much more expansive than I want. I may end up just making myself a little MS Access database, but I'd rather not.

I think that would be a pretty easy spreadsheet application.

[jumboscott]

This video might help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxU1mHvbVmk

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by tukwilma

As a tangent, has anyone found a good Travel Logging App? I'm looking for something to log dates, where we spent the night (city, campground, etc.), miles, simple expenses like gas, campground fees. We have to eat no matter where we are, so I don't count groceries as part of my travel expenses.

I've been googling, and find apps that have maps and travel routes, campground recommendations, much more expansive than I want. I may end up just making myself a little MS Access database, but I'd rather not.

I use the Triplog Mileage Tracking app for my business mileage. It works with the Bluetooth to automatically track mileage. The app has stuff to track expenses too..don't know if this would work for you.

[tukwilma]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

I use the Triplog Mileage Tracking app for my business mileage. It works with the Bluetooth to automatically track mileage. The app has stuff to track expenses too..don't know if this would work for you.

Thanks! I'll take a look at that one.

[JStelly]

Originally Posted by tukwilma

As a tangent, has anyone found a good Travel Logging App? I'm looking for something to log dates, where we spent the night (city, campground, etc.), miles, simple expenses like gas, campground fees. We have to eat no matter where we are, so I don't count groceries as part of my travel expenses.



I've been googling, and find apps that have maps and travel routes, campground recommendations, much more expansive than I want. I may end up just making myself a little MS Access database, but I'd rather not.

I use Trail Wallet. I use it for all our travels not just camping. It tracks expenses very easily. It doesn’t log locations etc.