Roadrunner Recap
Here's another update on our Monthly Expenses. Hopefully this information provides some utility (or amusement) to those of you that are thinking about what it costs us to do this.
We have been at Haas Lake Park RV Campground in New Hudson, MI for about six weeks.
We arrived in mid-April. While here, we are able to take advantage of the monthly rate of $632. That is $20.39/night which is under our $25/night budget. The other big thing that helped is that we spent no money this month on Diesel fuel and were $1000 under budget on that.
While here we have had a chance to get Adam's Pathfinder worked on. We have also seen doctor's here and will post the out of pocket/deductibles as we pay them.
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Good News Areas We Are Under Budget
We spent less than expected in:
Biggest Expenses
Our biggest expenses were:
Large One Time Cost Item
Our Mail - paid the yearly fee all during the month.
$215 ($180 over the $35/month budget because we paid our yearly service fee this month)
Monthly Average
- Diesel fuel: $1000 (stayed at the campground all month)
Here's another update on our Monthly Expenses. Hopefully this information provides some utility (or amusement) to those of you that are thinking about what it costs us to do this.
We have been at Haas Lake Park RV Campground in New Hudson, MI for about six weeks.
We arrived in mid-April. While here, we are able to take advantage of the monthly rate of $632. That is $20.39/night which is under our $25/night budget. The other big thing that helped is that we spent no money this month on Diesel fuel and were $1000 under budget on that.
While here we have had a chance to get Adam's Pathfinder worked on. We have also seen doctor's here and will post the out of pocket/deductibles as we pay them.
test
Good News Areas We Are Under Budget
- Diesel fuel
- Campgrounds and
- Misc
Biggest Expenses
Our biggest expenses were:
- Car gas - $295 (we did a lot of driving back and forth to Petrolia, Canada two hours away and around Detroit one hour away).
- Eating out
Large One Time Cost Item
Our Mail - paid the yearly fee all during the month.
$215 ($180 over the $35/month budget because we paid our yearly service fee this month)
Monthly Average
- Diesel fuel: $1000 (stayed at the campground all month)
- Propane: $80 (did not have to fill up)
- RV and Car Maintenance: $97
- RV and Car Maintenance: $97
- Campgrounds: $128 (got the monthly rate $20.39/day which is under the $25/day budget)
Even though we had a good month we are still well above our intended budget over the last year. My goal in Year 2 will be to spend less on the 1 Time Costs, Household items, Misc, and RV + Car Maintenance.
Our biggest savings on our budget will come from staying at a location for a month at a time in order to get the monthly rates (and saving the $1000 on diesel fuel). We also will save a lot if we volunteer with NOMADS again which usually saves both the campground fee and the cost of diesel.
Overall, I am not too unhappy with Year 1. We were able to work online almost every month and that, combined with our retirement pay, meant it cost us about $3460 or about $280 a month to Full-time RV. (We have spent that much on a vacation in our old life.) Our savings easily covered that so if we put all of what we learned into Year 2, we should be in good shape.
That is it today for the Roadrunner Chronicles!
Thanks again to all of you for signing up with us on the 'Follow' button. If you are a regular reader and haven't done that yet, today would be a great time!
Hope you have are having a good week!
I hope my DH doesn't see your spreadsheet! I'm not sure he realizes how deep my make-up addiction goes. With a spreadsheet like yours, my dirty laundry would be out flapping in the wind ;)
ReplyDeleteNellie
http://midlifecruiser.blogspot.com/
Great post on your expenses, and wonderful that you are willing to share with those of us still in the planning stages. Gives us a clear picture of the things to plan on while on the road.
ReplyDeleteWe are thinking that if we take any amounts that are leftover in every category and not used during the current month, and put them in a *slush fund* then we can draw from that fund in future months for those things that happen like repairs or to improve the fulltiming stuff. Like trips to Camping World??? LOL
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Karen and Steve
(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/
Interesting blog, Randy, and great of you to share those expenses as I'm sure it's a great guide to those who are planning to go full-time. Looks to me like you've done a really good job of keeping the first year costs under control. I've always thought the first year might be the most difficult as there is so much unexpected stuff that pops up.
ReplyDeleteRandy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post on your 1st years expenses. It gives a good feel to those thinking about the fulltime lifestyle.
Hope your next year is another great one.
You and Pam take care and be safe.
Mike & Gerri
Randy
ReplyDeleteThank You for keeping a record of your cost of living. I started after meeting you last Jan and it is a real pain to keep track of all the money going everywhere. I was just doing my cost of living ritual and needed a break, so I look to see how Pam is doing and you have a wonderful spread sheet to help all who want to get into RVing or just get a handle on life now.
I hope you keep it up and post it. It is a learning tool for anyone who puts in the effort to start doing it. Mine looks like a roller coaster so far. Vacations and taxes take a big toll, but I should have an average by next Jan.
I just got back from Disney World, can you say HOT & HUMID? DOD resort is $ 121 a night and they are doing the 4 day Disney pass for $ 99 again. I have been cold since I got back to Anchorage, 38 degrees this morning and it warmed up to 58. Hope Pam is doing better.
Thanks for posting the financials. I just this week starting putting together a proposed budget for when we hit the road. I had forgotten mail service..good reminder. It's very helpful.
ReplyDelete