Hitting the road in your trailer can be a great way to relax for the weekend at a favorite camping spot, or it can help you see parts of the country you wouldn’t see otherwise. There’s so much to see and do, you’ll probably struggle to find the time to cover it all. You might also struggle to find the finances to do all the traveling you want to do. Even when you’re saving on things like airfare and hotel fees, RV trips aren’t free. That’s why Airstream of Montana has provided some tips for cutting costs while you’re on the road. If we don’t cover the part of your budget that you’re wrestling with, then stop by our RV dealership in Missoula, Montana, near Bozeman and Kalispell, to chat with our experienced staff. You can also check out the wide selection of trailers we have to offer if you’re still looking for the perfect rig.
When to Camp
One of the biggest, most consistent spending areas is campground fees. Most campgrounds charge you a fee to stay in one of their sites, either on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on how long you’ll be there. What you may not know is that not all campgrounds have fixed rates. You might pay different fees depending on what time of the year you go and this will be important when you’re trying to save money. For example, the busiest time of the year is summer time, so you can expect to pay full price. But if you go during the pre- or postseason, you’re more likely to find some great deals.
You’ll also want to consider how long you’re staying there. As we just mentioned, many campgrounds have different rates for RVers who spend a lot of time in one spot. If you know you’re going to be in one place for a few weeks, then switch to the weekly rate so you can save some money.
Where to Camp
Where you choose to camp can also play a huge factor in how much you spend. Some of the luxury spots are probably going to cost an arm and a leg to just offer clean grounds and a pool. If you’re not too picky about where you camp, you can save a lot of money by camping on federal park land or simply doing a little more research to find the cheaper spot.
You can even switch to boondocking, which requires no campsite. You’ll need to outfit your RV properly and prepare for a different kind of camping, since you won’t be hooked up to a water or energy source and you’ll also need to make sure you have permission to boondock in the spot you want to be in. The benefit though is you camp for free, which can save you a ton of money in the long run.
Food
Food is probably the next big spender and this can be a tricky trade off. A great way to save money on food is to eat out less, but many campers like eating out because it helps save space inside the trailer. To save money and storage space, you’ll need to find the right balance. Be smarter about how you buy groceries, like getting them in bulk and using more frozen, dried, and canned products to free up space in the fridge. Also, think about only going out for smaller meals, so you can buy cheaper dishes like sandwiches or soup.
Hopefully this helps you get started, but you can’t start saving on your RV trip until you get the RV. For affordable trailers that will help you make the most of your vacations, stop by Airstream of Montana. We proudly serve Missoula, Bozeman, and Kalispell, MT.
