Travelling is one of those things that we all aspire to do. Yet there always seems to be something in the way that stops us from doing it. It could be down to work commitments, family commitments, or a lack of funds, but we just don’t manage to go. Sure, the majority of us manage to find the time and money for a holiday each year. But by traveling, we mean going away for at least 6 months to discover the world and ourselves. The thought of going away for this long fills many of us with dread. After all, we often assume we haven’t got a hope of saving the money. Or taking the time away from our normal day to day lives will be too difficult. Luckily, experienced campers know some tricks of the trade and can ensure that camping in an RV is as inexpensive as possible, while still being comfortable. (Image Credit: Hanson Lu/ Unsplash)
So how do the many people who manage to go traveling afford it? Is there some kind of secret technique that they use to save money and travel at the same time? Of course, there is! Read on to find out how experienced campers save money for their travels.
Join a Discount Club
Saving money for travel can be done in many ways, but one of the best tricks in the book is to join a camping network full of experienced campers that offers discounts at various campsites around the country. Unless you are planning camping rough every night, which means no access to running water or outside electricity, then you will need to stay at a campsite whether you are sleeping in a tent or in the back of your RV.
By joining one of the several campsite chains you can benefit from their many sites and discount offers. Plotting your route around the US in advance ensures you only use these dedicated campsites. This will save you a pretty penny by the end of your travels. The alternative is just to stay in any old campsite. But you will likely pay a higher price which, in the long run, might cause you to curtail your trip.
Finance Your RV
Recreational Vehicles or RV’s, are the ideal way to travel the USA or even the world, as you can take all the necessary belongings with you and you don’t have to pay for costly hotel bills as you can sleep in comfort in the back. The drawback, however, is that they often cost an arm and a leg, especially if you want it to sleep more than two people.
Experienced campers overcome this fact by using RV financing to purchase their vehicle on a long term plan, which means they pay monthly installments of the purchase price for up to 20 years, secured on the RV itself. The beauty of this is that you don’t spend all of your savings on the purchase price and can then use your hard-earned cash to finance your travels. It is all about thinking outside of the box, so if you have a road trip in mind, think about your financial options, and then you can make the most of it without having stressful financial worries lurking at the back of your mind.
Learn How to DIY
When you are away traveling you are going to have accidents and things are going to break down in the back of your RV, and as much as you try to prevent adverse things happening, they will. Experienced travelers get around this by planning in advance and learning all about how to repair their RV. They will at the very least have a manual that shows them all the necessary replacement parts, and the ultra prepared will even have done a mechanics course so that when things go wrong they can repair them themselves.
We all know that professional mechanics cost the earth. So why give them your hard-earned dollars to repair your RV when you could be doing it yourself? Even if learning car mechanics isn’t for you, you can always brush up on your handyman skills so that if any DIY needs doing in the back of your vehicle you can (literally!) do it yourself.
Learn to Cook
Eating is one of life’s necessities as we all have to do it to survive. Yet it can be done on vastly different budgets. If you are planning on traveling for six months and you have no cooking skills or facilities to cook, then you are going to spend a fortune eating out at restaurants for three meals a day, every single day.
By purchasing an RV that either has a fitted kitchen, or that is large enough so that you can install one yourself, you are giving yourself the ability to cook your own meals and to save a fortune on food costs. Of course, there will be days where you don’t feel like cooking or there may be a restaurant you have to try. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a treat. But for the majority of the time, you should cook your own meals.
Even if you aren’t traveling by RV and are using public transport to get from campsite to campsite, then you should still learn to cook in advance. That way, you can take advantage of the cooking facilities that are at every site. You will even meet new people, which will enhance your traveling experience as there will be other people you can share meals with and enjoy a beer or two with afterward.
Final Thoughts
As we have learned, it is not easy to save money for your travels. But if you are determined, it is perfectly possible. Join a camping network so that you can take advantage of discounts within their chain of campsites. Plan your route ahead so that you don’t stay at costly places. Financing the purchase price of your RV will leave you with extra funds for traveling. Brush up on your DIY skills so that if anything goes wrong, you can repair it yourself. This way you can skip resorting to a costly mechanic or handyman. Learn to cook before you set off and you will save a fortune on eating out costs. Best yet, you will meet new people cooking at campsites.
If you follow this handy guide, then you will be well placed to save for your travels. Get ready to have the time of your life.