We tracked every dollar for 14 months of full-time RV travel — here's what it actually cost
My wife and I took our two kids (5th and 8th grade) on the road for 14 months from May 2018 to August 2019. 40 states, Canada, 120+ campgrounds. Ellen took a sabbatical from teaching to road school the kids. I worked remotely the whole time.
We logged every transaction in Quicken. Here's the actual breakdown:
Total: $112,457 (excludes RV loan interest and insurance — fixed costs whether you travel or not)
- Dining out: $28,041 — $65/day. Local only, no chains. We asked the server what they recommended every single time.
- Campgrounds: $20,969 — $49/night average across 429 nights
- Attractions/entertainment: $18,738
- RV misc & repairs: $12,389 — souvenirs/pins, mechanical, tolls, satellite TV, supplies
- RV fuel: $8,049 — Ford 6.8L V10 towing a Honda CR-V flat
- Groceries: $8,118
- Everything else: $16,152 — cell/internet (3 carriers simultaneously so I could work anywhere), auto, clothing, laundry
$262/day for a family of four. $65.53/person/day.
One pin per stop, displayed on a cork board as we went. 14 months, 40 states. The board was $317.69 from Etsy. The pins were about $1,000.
We did a 36-day shakedown trip in 2017 first to make sure the rig and the family could handle it. Turning all of it into guides now — the shakedown guide is free if you want the campground data and what we'd do differently.
We're turning all of it into guides now — the shakedown is free, and Guide 2 covers the first 63 days heading west. What would you actually want to see covered in a guide like this?