What's Your Annual Rv Usage/mileage? Options

[Jerry S.]

Hi everybody,

To celebrate my one year anniversary on this forum, I thought I'd try a poll. I just hope I did the "poll" part right.

The "Special Price Break" thread from a few weeks ago got me thinking about the effect sky-rocketing fuel prices is having on RV travel. Simplistically, how much these rising fuel costs are increasing the cost of your RVing is primarily a function of your mileage. For example, if you drive the RV 10,000 miles a year and get 10 mpg., fuel at $3 a gallon costs you an extra $1,000 a year over $2 a gallon fuel. While that is a lot of money to some of us, I don't see that as a "deal breaker" for many retired, full-timers on this forum. Another factor is the amount of time you spend RVing. If that 10,000 miles is spread over 5, 6, 7 months or more of travelling, you're getting a pretty good return on the extra $1,000. On the lower end, an extra $500-$1,000 for a 3 week vacation may put a long summer RV trip out of reach for families.

I think it will be interesting to see the poll results (assuming I did that part of this post right) and comments by others on this financial problem facing RVers.

[riggarob]

Hi everybody,

To celebrate my one year anniversary on this forum, I thought I'd try a poll. I just hope I did the "poll" part right.

The "Special Price Break" thread from a few weeks ago got me thinking about the effect sky-rocketing fuel prices is having on RV travel. Simplistically, how much these rising fuel costs are increasing the cost of your RVing is primarily a function of your mileage. For example, if you drive the RV 10,000 miles a year and get 10 mpg., fuel at $3 a gallon costs you an extra $1,000 a year over $2 a gallon fuel. While that is a lot of money to some of us, I don't see that as a "deal breaker" for many retired, full-timers on this forum. Another factor is the amount of time you spend RVing. If that 10,000 miles is spread over 5, 6, 7 months or more of travelling, you're getting a pretty good return on the extra $1,000. On the lower end, an extra $500-$1,000 for a 3 week vacation may put a long summer RV trip out of reach for families.

I think it will be interesting to see the poll results (assuming I did that part of this post right) and comments by others on this financial problem facing RVers.

I guess you just have to draw that proverbial line in the sand, that applies to your spending plans, and go from there. I think ours will be around $6.00/gallon.

[Joe-n-Doe]

Rising fuel costs make us wince, but have not yet slowed us down. I think the reason for that is we plan our big trips around 2 convention/reunions each year (spring and fall). Because they are in different parts of the USA every year, we are able to plan a trip that takes us to parts of the country we have never seen. Thanks to my job, we have been fortunate enough to be able to travel extensively internationally and ironically seen more of other countries than our own. RVing to these conventions provides us an opportunity to discover the USA. By time you factor in what it would cost us to fly, rent a car, park at the airport, kennel the dogs, pay for lodging, etc for what turns into a half a week in a hotel and nearby eateries, we think we are getting more total bang by RVing.

[DXSMac]

Good poll! So far, I'm the only vote in my category (31-60 days) but not the only one in mileage (5000-10000).

I reviewed my mileage log (bought my RV in late 2005) and my RV use doubled! But then again, I took retirement in late 2005, so had more time to RV after that.

So far, I'm a "take trips" person. I refuse to fly because of all the ridiculous rules imposed. So, I take my RV! If I can't take my RV, I don't go! I take my RV even to visit my family!

The part I don't like is paying for the gas. Reason, credit card limits! I have to either use two transactions, or press "Pay at window" which makes it slower. Using "Pay at Window" over-rides the credit card limits and you get it all in one transaction.

However, I read some information about "pay at window." If you "pay at pump," you could run into problems later, because "at the pump" will "grab" more of your credit than what the transaction actually was..... until the paperwork catches up at the credit card company (2-3 days) and fixes it to the correct amount. If you do "pay at window," you fill up on one transaction, and it will be posted exactly what it was. You get around the "grabbing" of your credit line.



JJ

[John S.]

Well, I am the only one in the 20k plus miles. I just like to travel but still work so I use it as much as I can. I used to use it to visit family in Iowa Texas and AZ all starting in VA and each one a separate trip. Now I just go to SPokane washington once a year and thte rest of family is alot closer (Richmond). It will be interesting to see if I drop in my milae but it will not be due to fuel prices. In fact I am very happy I put all those miles on with cheap fuel. I have traveled in the MH 165k miles in 5 years so that is alot of fuel at 8 miles a gallon or lessdepending on genset use and aquahot use. Interesting poll but if you think about it what is the difference between 2.50 and 3.50 a gallon for fuel. It is a dollar. SO you drive a 4000 mile trip and get 8 mpg you will use 500 gallons of fuel so the whole trip cost an extra 500 bucks. Now how many times do you eat out or do you have to stay in a campground. I do not on my travels till I get where I am going. If you can save 40 bucks a day that way traveling then you will be able to travel still. I mean at 8 mpg and an exta 40 bucks will allow you to buy 40 gallons o fuel for 2.50 then you will be able to travel 320 miles on that 40 gallons. So if you travel only 300 miles a day which I see alot of people doing then you stay in a truck stop or a wal mart you have the same cost as if the fuel was alot cheaper or if you have to use your genny then maybe you can only go 300 miles since the last 2 gallons will be used in the genset.

[Texasrvers]

I'm really glad you did this poll. We are planning a trip, and I was very concerned about the cost of gas, but the responses here have given me a new perspective. When you consider just the increase in gas costs it does not sound so bad, and if we choose to I can see how we can off set those costs in other ways. I totally agree with Joe-n-Doe's comments, and I much prefer traveling in my "home" rather than staying at different hotels. Because of the gas crunch in the 70's my parents never got to fulfill their lifelong dream of traveling all over the US, and I refuse to let that happen to me. We are still traveling as much as we ever did and intend to keep going as long as we can.

PS Happy anniversary, Jerry S.

[mastercraft]

This year was an exception for us because we did a long trip to Montana and Wyoming in the summer. Usually we take the RV out about 9 or 10 times a year not over about 300 miles a trip. Good poll. It will be interesting to see what others vote. I know our trip was not changed due to the rising fuel costs, but we cut down on eating out and in other areas and still stayed within the budget we had set for ourselves despite fuel costs being almost 50 cents more than we had factored when we began planning. I think it is a matter of priorities. I am not going to let the fuel costs stop me from traveling, I just might make my trips a shorter distance and see more of the sites in my region.

[pianotuna]

Hi all,

My wife retires in September--I hope that our days of use will rise dramatically after that. I'm not sure that mileage will rise as much as days of use. She doesn't like long days of travel.

[DXSMac]

Now I just go to SPokane washington once a year and thte rest of family is alot closer (Richmond).

John, if you go to Spokane, where do you stay? There is an RV park on Sprague that I have used. Actually, there are two on Sprague, but the one to AVOID is Maple Tree RV park. I have heard that is hookers and druggies. I stay at the other one, which has a small "vintage" motel in front, and an RV park in back. It's in kind of a yucky area, but it's right on the bus line and has good bus service to downtown Spokane. I stay there when I visit my Mom who lives on South Hill. I just take the bus.

JJ

[John Blue]

John S. is correct on thinking about fuel cost. We were on a cruise ship last week and at refuel time eight truck loads at 8000 gals each were dumped into ship. No road tax but that is a heavy fuel bill to pay. Each person on ship helped pay the cost. So our RV fuel bills are small in some ways.

[RLM]

I'm in the over 200 category. With respect to the third question on a reduction in the use of the rig - I haven't done that, but I have stopped traveling north of the Mason Dixon line. I have been able to spend considerably less by traveling in parts of the country that have lower costs for fuel, sales tax, campground costs, and generally lower purchase prices for goods and services.

No matter how you look at it, a buck a gallon extra from a year ago is a 30% increase. My retirement pay didn't go up that much and I suspect neither did the salary of those who still work.

"Yankee" land has some fantastic places to visit, but I can't afford to pay the extra prices to go there anymore. Guess they'll have to get along without as much out of state tourist dollars.

[Butch]

We have, for the last three years, cut back on our weekend outings that are over an hour from home and we utilize the local campgrounds that are less than 50 miles from home. The local cgs in the last couple of years have had their best years as it seems that some have also cutback on miles traveled. We have not cutback or changed our annual vacation to The State of Maine. We just add a few more dollars to the vacation fund.

We travel about 3,000+ miles and use our MH about 40+ days a year.

[BJMA]

yes, gas is a factor, but you know what, it is still cheaper than flying, I can get in the MH and go where ever, when ever I chose to pack up and go. The kids (both just starting grade school) are getting a geography lesson they will never forget.

[FosterImposters]

We're one who's reduced mileage is NOT related to fuel costs. Were "bungee cord" campers when locked into 8-to-8 corporate lives: drove peddle-to-metal to reach new destinations...then rocket back. Jobs required mass commuting, vacations required mass commuting. Fuel companies loved us.

Cut the 'cord' a year ago: now RV +200 days/year. Kinder, gentler way to live/see the country. Ergo, we're not traveling as fast/furious as previous life. Here's to touring more than just US airports via taxi before dawn/after dark!
Fosters I

[RLM]

BJMA>I differ with your statement that "it''s cheaper than flying." I've got two events planned in two different states in the coming months and have chosen to fly to both. I'm saving about 30% over the cost of driving and staying in my RV..altho I'd prefer to do that.

Assuming that the cost of owning a rig is at least a grand a month, or $12,000/yr, I can do alot of sight seeing for that with alternate transportation.

As other's have stated in the thread, it's not necessarily about the money, but how it is spent. Sleeping in one's own bed is "priceless."