RVing With The Fergs

Our Budget Plan and Some Statistics

The Fergs - Our Full Timer's Budget

Since we have been on the road full time, I have tweeked our budget several times. Here is the newest plan we are living by. Each to their own..... this is ours.

These are the part of the budget that we can control. These vary month to month depending on how much and where we travel.

Note: These figures are from 2021, South Dakota resident, fulltime RVers.

This is our monthly budget (variable), currently $1,870.00.

	$ Bugeted
Campground & RV Park Fees¹	250.00
Clothes²	40.00
Entertainment³	40.00
Food - Dining Out⁴	85.00
Food - Groceries⁵	550.00
Fuel - Diesel for Truck⁶	425.00
Gifts & Tithes⁷	75.00
Household Items⁸	140.00
Maint - RV⁹	40.00
Maint - Truck¹⁰	25.00
Misc¹¹	140.00
Dr & Meds¹²	45.00
Propane¹³	15.00

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These are our fixed costs each month. currently $571.69.

Health Insurance Sup G - Allen¹⁴	133.61
Health Insurance Sup G - Donna¹⁵	108.52
RX Insurance - Allen¹⁶	15.30
Rx Insurance - Donna¹⁷	15.70
Verizon Wireless¹⁸	118.68
Dish Network¹⁹	66.05
Amazon Prime²⁰	13.83
Visible Wireless²¹	25.00
Mini Storage²²	75.00

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These are our Clubs, Memberships, & Annual Bills (per month). currently $322.06.


Thousand Trails²³	53.55
TT Trails Collection²⁴	26.25
RPI²⁵	13.34
Elks²⁶	8.63
Escapees²⁷	3.96
Passport America²⁸	3.67
Harvest Hosts²⁹	6.58
Good Sam Roadside Assist³⁰	10.00
RV Trip Wizard³¹	4.08
Truck & RV Insurance³²	167.42
Truck Liscense³³	12.00
RV Liscense³⁴	15.00
Americas Mailbox³⁵	15.83
Good Sam (Lifetime Membership)³⁶	0.00

By just using our Social Security income, and sticking to this budget, we can pay everything and still have money left to go into savings. Our sumer jobs at the California wildfire camps, and our unemployment, are just a big plus!

Campground fees include any additional fees like 50 amp service or Internet, etc..
Clothes.
Entertainment (entrance fees, movies, books).
Food - while dining out.
Food - groceries. Meals at home.
Fuel - Diesel for Truck.
Gifts & Tithes, Holiday or Birthdays.
Household Items (cleaning supplies, detergent, toiletries, paper towels, TP, etc.)
Maintenance for RV.
Maintenance for Truck.
Misc. - anything not listed.
Medical - Dr co-pays, Meds, OTC
Propane - RV, BBQ, Firepit
Heath Insurance - Mutual of Omaha Plan G for Allen.
Heath Insurance - Mutual of Omaha Plan G for Donna.
Rx Insurance - Wellcare RX PDP for Allen.
Rx Insurance - Wellcare Value Script PDD for Donna.
Verizon Wireless - Unlimited Plan, Samsung Galaxy S9 & S10
We own our equipment and use the Dish Network Pay-As-You-Go Plan
Amazon Prime
Visible Wireless (Unlimited Internet)
Mini Storage - Yuma, AZ
Thousand Trails - RV clubs and memberships.
TT Trails Collection - RV clubs and memberships.
RPI Preferred - Resorts Parks International - RV clubs and memberships.
Elks - RV clubs and memberships.
Escapees - RV clubs and memberships.
Passport America - RV clubs and memberships.
Harvest Hosts - RV clubs and memberships.
Good Sam Roadside Assist. - In case of a breakdown.
RV Trip Wizard - trip planning software.
Progressive Insurance for Truck & RV (South Dakota).
Truck Liscense - South Dakota.
RV Liscense - South Dakota.
Americas Mailbox Gold Plan.
Good Sam (Lifetime Membership) - RV clubs and memberships.

Campsite Fees and Fuel for RV get adjusted each month due to our projected travels. Leftover money goes into savings for Emergencies & Unexpected Expenses.

There you have it.

That is $ 2,763.75 per month (for us). You can spend more or less. This is just the way we do things. As of November 2021.

It is all up to you.

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Some Interesting Statistics.

Full timing started July of 2012 (house sold), retired June 3rd, 2013, hit the road in September 4, 2013!!

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	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009	Totals

Thousand Trails	107	194	22	51	60	125	262	162	142	100	33	3	0	0	1,253
KM Resorts	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	10	0	14	11	0	47
RPI	19	3	12	2	2	7	0	24	43	38	2	2	8	0	161
Elks	3	7	1	4	7	18	9	17	10	5	0	0	0	0	81
Escapees	6	0	0	1	0	18	7	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	31
Passport America	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	3	3	4	0	0	0	17
Good Sam	0	0	0	1	0	7	1	0	0	4	6	0	0	0	19
Boondock	23	123	14	31	18	71	50	101	40	5	1	0	0	0	477
Moochdock	0	80	0	0	0	65	0	10	19	79	58	0	0	0	311
State Park/National Park	1	0	0	11	0	12	15	11	2	8	0	2	2	2	66
Corp of Engineers	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
Casino Parking	1	2	0	3	1	12	8	27	19	1	1	0	0	0	75
House Sitting	0	0	0	11	0	0	0	0	0	39	68	0	0	0	118
Camping World	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	0	0	0	0	5
Other	1	3	1	0	0	25	36	66	105	73	15	13	8	4	350
Yuma Ferg Base	0	37	278	255	84	24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	678
Harvest Host	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

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Total miles we have driven the truck (since 11/5/2020) - 25,842 miles
Total miles pulled fith wheel (since 12/1/2020) - 8,854 miles
Total miles pulled Travel Trailer (since 4/28/2022) - 30 miles
Miles driven Truck In April - 2,501 miles
Miles pulled the 5th Wheel In April - 1,636 miles
Miles pulled the Travel Trailer In April - 30 miles

Highest price of diesel used - $ 5.479 5/19/2022 Safeway, Moses Lake, WA
Lowest price of gas used - $ 1.369 2/28/2016 Chevron at Livingston, TX

Number of States camped in - 25
Longest drive between camp sites - 520 miles (Oct 12, 2020)
Shortest drive between camp sites - 0.5 mile

Number of States Geocaches found in - 24

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Monthly Stats (Last Month)

Stats for April 2022 - 30 Nights

Total cost for camping - $229.24
Total nights camping
- Thousand Trails - 15
- RPI - 9
- Elks - 3
- Casino - 1
- Truck Stop - 1
- Nat Rec Area - 1
- Boondock - 3

Average Cost per Night - $7.64

New States Camped In - 0

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Year Eight On The Road Stats (Full and Part-Timers)

September 2020 thru August 2021
Miles towed/travelled - 7,006
States vsited - 6
States Camped In - 6
New States - 0
Number of times setup camp - 40
Average days camped per stop - 9.16
Campground fees for the year - $369.06 $1.01 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $2.96 per night for September
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.00 per night for several months

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Year Seven On The Road Stats (Part-Timers)

September 2019 thru August 2020
Miles towed/travelled - 935
States vsited - 2
States Camped In - 2
New States - 0 Number of times setup camp - 12
Average days camped per stop - 30.41
Campground fees for the year - $125.00 $6.25 per night (20 nights)
Highest average camping fees Month - $21.25 per night for December (4 nights)
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.00 per night for most months

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Year Six On The Road Stats (Part-Timers)

September 2018 thru August 2019
Miles towed/travelled - 5,884
States vsited - 6
States Camped In - 6
New States - 0 Number of times setup camp - 33
Average days camped per stop - 11.06
Campground fees for the year - $510.00 $1.40 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $9.88 per night for April (30 nights)
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.00 per night for most months

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Year Five On The Road Stats (Full and Part Timers)

September 2017 thru August 2018
Miles towed/travelled - 6,647
States vsited - 7
States Camped In - 7
New States - 0 Number of times setup camp - 40
Average days camped per stop - 9.1
Campground fees for the year - $1,798.97 $4.93 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $21.44 per night for October
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.00 per night for Feb, June, Aug

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Year Four On The Road Stats

September 2016 thru August 2017
Miles towed/travelled - 8,610
States vsited - 10
States Camped In - 10
New States - 0 Number of times setup camp - 62
Average days camped per stop - 5.89
Campground fees for the year - $1525.70 $4.18 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $15.36 per night for August
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.00 per night for Sept, Feb, June

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Year Three On The Road Stats

September 2015 thru August 2016
Miles towed/travelled - 7,802
States vsited - 10
States Camped In - 10
New States - 2 Number of times setup camp - 48
Average days camped per stop - 7.63
Campground fees for the year - $1258.38 $3.44 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $12.05 per night for December
Lowest average camping fees Month - $1.14 per night for May - August

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Year Two On The Road Stats

September 2014 thru August 2015
Miles towed/travelled - 8,830
States vsited - 14
States Camped In - 14
New States - 6 Number of times setup camp - 71
Average days camped per stop - 5.14
Campground fees for the year - $2173.74 $5.96 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $12.24 per night for September
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.97 per night for August

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Year One On The Road Stats

September 2013 thru August 2014
Miles towed - 9,252
States vsited - 19
States Camped In - 17
Number of times setup camp - 69
Average days camped per stop - 5.29
Campground fees for the year - $2612.17 $7.16 per night
Highest average camping fees Month - $14.55 per night for September
Lowest average camping fees Month - $0.25 per night for June

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Our Membership Campground Statistics

Good Sam Club - We are lifetime members of the Good Sams, and take advantage of the 10 percent discount when traveling, if there is nothing better available.

Elks - We belong to Yuma Elks Lodge # 476 in Yuma, AZ. As traveling Elks, we have access to many camping opportunities at Lodges and Elks parks around the contry. Good places to stop. Good prices.

Escapees - We plan on visiting some of their Rainbow Parks, SKP Co-Ops, and Discount Parks while we travel. And they produce a great magazine.

Harvest Hosts - A great option for one night stops. Usually boondocking. Winerys, brewerys, farms, attractions, etc. we make purchase while there.

RPI - Resort Parks International - We obtained this membership when we bought into Thousand Trails. There are many parks out there that we can stay in for up to 2 weeks at a time for only 10 bucks per night. This will be our second choice when we are unable to get into one of our 'free' membership sites. There is a yearly fee.

Enjoy America - This membership also came with our RPI membership. These parks are all over, but restrict the discount to week days only, or a discount on the 3rd night or other such options. Similar to Passport America

Passport America - Good for 50 percent off campground costs. Some conditions apply. Many parks to choose from. Good for us when there is no TT, or RPI parks close by.

Thousand Trails - There are many types of memberships available. We bought a used VIP Platinum membership that includes all the TT preserves and NACO and Leisure Time Resorts too. We can stay up to 3 weeks at a time at no cost and then move to another preserve with no time out of the system and no waiting period. We also get to make our reservations 120 days in advance. After purchacing the membership, there is a yearly 'maintenance fee'. We recently added the Trails Connection. This adds over 100 parks nationwide. See below for our initial costs and yearly usage stats.

Thousand Trails

	Date	Amount	# of Nights Per Year	Avg. Cost Per Night
Purchased	Nov 2011	$ 1450.00
Transfer Fee	Nov 2011	$ 750.00
1st Year			3
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2012	$ 649.00	33	$ 19.67
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2013	$ 649.00	100	$ 6.49
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2014	$ 626.72	142	$ 4.41
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2015	$ 610.54	162	$ 3.77
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2016	$ 620.08	262	$ 2.37
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2017	$ 620.69	125	$ 4.97
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2018	$ 628.58	60	$ 10.48
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2019	$ 641.49	51	$ 12.58
Yearly Maintenance Dues	Jan 2020	$ 642.55	22	$ 29.21
Yearly Maintenance Dues + TC	Jan 2021	$ 988.12	194	$ 5.10
Yearly Maintenance Dues + TC	Jan 2022	$ 991.97	107 So Far	$ 9.27
Total $$$ Paid In		$ 9,868.74
Nights Camped		1,253
Average Cost per Night		$7.88

After the initial purchace and transfer, we have really benefitted from this membership.

Bought through a re-seller.

Our yearly dues are $1,391.50 for all our club memberships, which is just $ 115.96 per month. We just have to spend 5 nights a month in our parks to make it all worthwhile.

Figures are current through February, 2021. Numbers seem a bit high now? Not to worry....they go down every month!

Comments always welcomed

Either via email or the Contact page.. Thanks for reading.

Cool Stuff!

Here is some of the RVs we have owned, some of the fun places we have visited, and pictures of us having fun! Click on the picture to get a bigger one.

A full time RV life - the way to go!