Welcome to The Village Square, the series that answers common RVing questions with tips, tricks, and camping hacks from RVillage community members just like you.
Compared to flight prices and hotels, RVing can be a relatively inexpensive form of travel, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always cheap. Between gas prices, campground fees, and food costs, some campers are seeking ways to save money before they hit the road this year. Here, RVillage community members share a few of their favorite cost-savings tips for campers looking to tighten up their budgets.
Affordable RV Travel: How to Take a Budget-Friendly RV Trip
RVillagers Share Their Best Advice for Saving Money on the Road
Stay at Army Corps of Engineers (COE) campgrounds. They’re quite reasonable, and if you’re a senior, you can purchase an America the Beautiful senior pass from the National Park Service (NPS). It gets you into the COE and NPS campgrounds for half the price. —Edward S.
11 Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds to Add to Your Bucket List
We use our Costco membership card (for gas) and get the rebate at the end of the year. —Sandy H.
Get an EFS (Electronic Funds Source) fuel card to save up to 50 cents per gallon of diesel. —Jon C.
How to Save on Fuel and Improve Your RV’s Gas Mileage
You can volunteer (to work or host) at some RV parks, and pay nothing for staying there. —Elaine M.
A KOA membership gets you 10 percent off of every stay and you accumulate points for free stays. —Jacque M.
Booking ahead and longer stays will help keep you on budget. —Karen L.
Passport America pays for itself on the first stay. We also have America the Beautiful pass and it saves us a lot. Both are worth the small investment. —Marge L.
Your Guide to RV Campground Chains, Franchises, and Clubs
Boondocking always saves money. —Tyler C.
Best app I found was Campendium. You enter the city, then price range. There are so many free sites that are just amazing. —Dawn J.
We pretty much bring everything we need for food from home. We pre-cook some things and hardly ever eat out. I prefer to cook. It’s so much better than overpriced restaurants. —Iris B.
Thank you RVillagers for sharing your money-saving travel tips with the RVing community. If you want to see your advice featured on “The Village Square,” be sure to share your favorite RVing hacks, tips, and tricks with the community, and keep an eye out for questions from RVillage Camp Hosts.
Editor’s note: Some quotes have been slightly edited for clarity.
