My wife and I have talked about getting an RV to travel across the country, stopping wherever and whenever we wish, spending time sightseeing, and just plain enjoying ourselves. The question is – RVs – Do They Save Money? This web site is about saving money and we have concluded this is a big time-saver to talk about. RVs can be enjoyable, however, it is not in our opinion a way to save money. Traveling in an RV is more of a lifestyle decision than anything else. Read on.
A lot of people every year do this and seem to have a great time. In fact, if you pass 
by many RV parks, you may see thousands of them congregated in one park. Not to my taste with not much room etc, and having to pay $50 or $60 a night for hook-up fees. There are ways around hook up fees, however, they are equally unpleasant.
Walmart Parking Lots
Other times they will be in Walmart parking lots RV’s Parked at a Walmart for the night and many are finding that the Casinos offer free parking with no services for people to park their RV rigs for the night. The casinos of course really want you to come and spend your money at the casino or perhaps in one of the many restaurants that they will have.
We have concluded that it is really about the lifestyle that you want to lead while vacationing and really not about the money you may spend or save while owning or renting one of these big RV units. If you are thinking that you will save money forget it. Owning an RV will NOT save you money at all both in carrying costs to own the RV, operating costs, and then parking and utility hookup costs.
RVs – Do They Save Money
Our feeling is that you can go on a relatively inexpensive vacation, staying at motels that provide free parking, free breakfast in the mornings and always having clean sheets every night.
We would like to get your comments and thoughts about owning an RV and whether an RV vacation is more expensive than a hotel vacation. The following are a few more comments about owning and operating an RV!
Drawbacks to RV’s
There are other drawbacks as well about RV’s. They take a lot of gas, you cannot just park them anywhere and what do you do with it when you are not using your RV. Most municipalities do not allow parking in your driveway for any length of time and besides your neighbors probably would not talk to you if you did. Many people need to have a special garage built for them so they can store their vehicles in the winter months or off-season months when they are not in use. Unless you are retired, you cannot travel around all of the time. While it would be nice if you could head out in your RV for the entire summer, the reality is most people only get to use their units now and then during camping season.
In addition to providing storage, you also must make sure you have proper insurance for both off-season as well as during your travel time.
If your RV is going to be left in storage, it’s important it is properly insured. Check with your insurance company or find someone who ensures RV’s. YOu will likely get a better deal, however, it always pays to comparison shop for RV insurance.
Maintenance is or can be a major issue for many people. You have your house on wheels and have everything you need with you for an extended stay somewhere. This is still a vehicle and like a car needs maintenance. At the very least oil changes, battery checkups, brakes, the usual mechanical things that a vehicle needs. There are other items that need attention.
Batteries
For example, the batteries which provide emergency power need to be maintained. Cleaning and emptying waste tanks is something most people do not think about. General maintenance of your RV, removing all fluids if the temperature falls below freezing, and so on are just a few of the things to consider.
Even the water you use can be an issue. Water from a city source is treated and has had all of the bugs etc eliminated. Campground water is quite another thing. Empty your tanks on a regular basis and check before filling to make sure it is good clean water.
Like a home, your RV needs to be aired out once in and while. You cannot keep it shut up for a long time and not expect it to smell. Never leave food inside it with everything shut for any length of time. You may pay the price of smelling that odor for a long time. Damp environments need to be dried out as well from time to time.
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