Family Travel Expense
Have you ever looked at what you spend on family vacations every year? I mean really look at it; hotels, airfare, meals, every aspect of the trip. I was pretty aware on a trip by trip basis but when I decided to do a year breakdown, OMG! It was beyond outrageous! I was actually shocked that I was able to find the money to pay for them all! Well, that was the moment I decided to change tactics.
I’ll be the first to admit I am quite picky on my vacation accommodations. Budget friendly trips were what we needed but I still expected the red carpet treatment. I know, right! Totally dreaming! White collar dreams on a blue collar budget. So, what did I do? Well….If I can’t have the accommodations I want for the price I need I’ll just have to bring my own! RV shopping it is!
How to Save Comfortably
Yes, I said RV! The cost of one year’s vacations was nearly equivalent to the purchase price of a new travel trailer with a bunkhouse! Now, obviously you can’t cut all costs by vacationing this way but you can easily cut them in half. Not being at the mercy of hotels and airlines any longer gives you the freedom to blaze your own trail or follow you own arrow!
Campgrounds, RV resorts, and RV parks are everywhere, even where hotels are not. We love to travel to state and national parks and most have a campground right in the park, though may only have rustic sites. Who cares though, you’re bringing your accommodations, right!
Rustic not for you? Let’s talk about Disney World, they have their own private campground right on their property! You still get all the accommodations, discounts and perks you would is staying at any of their hotels but at a significantly lower cost! We went a few years back and stayed at a moderately priced hotel, did all the extras, had the meal plan and of course flew theirs. I priced that trip at today’s prices as if we were camping and guess what, half the cost even when taking gas into consideration! I can’t argue with that savings, can you?!
Having our own camper is essentially having a private hotel on wheels! No more worries about the rooms being clean or beds being comfortable, you brought yours with you! Packing is a breeze as well, you can have it ready to go days in advance along with a fully stocked fridge so eating out is no longer mandatory!
Our Choice
We were just fortunate enough to purchase our second travel trailer though it’s been years since we had our first! This particular model has quite a few comfort upgrades from or last, much older camper. It is 6ft longer but more exciting are the 2 slides which double our space. Also notable is the addition of the outdoor kitchen and actual bedroom with a door (we had a back, manual slide for our bed on our old trailer so this is a huge upgrade to me!)! The fireplace and stainless steel appliances are pretty cool too and nicer than I have at home! We were able to snag an amazing deal on a showroom model with upgrades we would never have expected to get.
It is a big investment and not one to be taken lightly but with some thoughtful planning can be a huge travel expense saver for your family!
If you think this lifestyle might be for you, check out my RV Buying Checklist here!
2 comments
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Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I’m sure you will find RVing is quite delightful once you get into it! The folks you meet along the way are amazing and having your own place to tow along wherever you go, just the best!