We get asked all the time what our budget looks like and how we can afford to travel fulltime so we decided to start sharing the major monthly statistics including space rent, fuel, and food costs. With sharing our budget it is important to note that there are many things that attribute to costs including location, frequency of moving, and what activities we do.
Our budget compared to when we were in our home is roughly 40% reduced now being on the road. There is always room for adjustments and prior to COVID we were moving every 3-4 days, which adds fuel and rent costs. We know traveling families that their whole budget is less then 2k a month, we also know families who budgets are over 6k a month, so please know you can make any budget work.
The following budget items are not included below but we wanted to mention them because they didn't change since going fulltime: cell phones, internet, truck and trailer insurance (reduced), truck payment, trailer payment, and health insurance. We have health insurance through Steve's employer.
Our One Trip this Month
After 23 days at our home park near Colorado Springs due to stay at home orders, we were able to leave for one trip for a week to Durango, CO. My companies corporate head quarters and brother are located in Durango so it was an easy choice for us to head there for a change in scenery. Also, it was far enough away that it felt like a new place to us.
Our restaurant budget this month was down considerably compared to pre-COVID due to no sit in dinning had been allowed for some time. While in Durango that requirement had been lifted and we ate a restaurant for the first time in over 11 weeks!. We ate at Serious BBQ and it was so delicious but it did feel weird to actually eat in a restaurant. It was however a welcomed changed and much needed for all of us, especially me since I was so burnt out on cooking every meal.
While in Durango, we drove to the Four-Corners Monument which was closed and Hovenweep National Park which was open to hike. Also, we took a drive up toward Silverton to the Million Dollar Highway one afternoon but had to turn around because bad weather came in making it a very sketchy drive. Durango is a small town so we didn't add a lot of miles exploring the local area, but we did add miles when we went to the Four-Corners.
Our time in Durango was wonderful and the change of scenery was exactly what we needed. Also, we were able to gleam from this short trip what travelling would be like when we do get back on the road. Some places where still closed, some were starting to open back up, and there were less people out and about which made it easy to get around town.
May 2019 Fulltime Traveling Family Statistics
So without further a due, our budget for May 2019 is as follows:
"Rent"
RV Parks: 31 nights
Rent: $640
Cost per night: $20.65
"Food"
Groceries: $1095
Restaurants: $164
"Fuel"
Total Miles ~1,500
Towed Miles ~ 650
Fuel Cost: $320
Days Traveled: 2
Our space rent is lower then normal and that is because we were at our home park for most of the month. We stay at our home park for practically nothing, its a great deal when we are in Colorado.
What other budget numbers would you like us to keep track of in the future?
