Save On The Cost of RVing – My #1 Favorite Tip

Cost of RVing

I love to find ways to keep the cost of RVing as low as possible. I’m sharing my best tips with you today. Be smart about your spending when it comes to campsites, dump fees, water fees, and laundromat costs.

After we left Marble Canyon, we drove about 70 miles west onto the Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation and to the town of Fredonia, Arizona. We had a two-night reservation booked for a full hookup site for just $12.50 (Thank you Passport America) a night at the Kaibab Paiute Band Tribal Campground. A full hookup site runs between $40 and $60 a night on average.

I needed to dump the tanks, fill the freshwater, and tackle the mountain of dirty laundry we had accumulated over two weeks with no hookups. This two-night stay was actually more cost-effective than a laundromat and dump fees and I had the luxury of long, hot showers and electricity. This is a perfect way to cut the cost of RVing!

Also, remember all that red sand we picked up in Sedona, Valley of the Gods, and Marble Canyon? I needed to do a super deep clean and get it out of here.

Of course, I wanted to make the most of this time with full hookups and none of this cleaning would mean a thing if I couldn’t get Murphy cleaned up too. He’s like a big dust mop and was turning everything pink. I considered using the outdoor shower on my trailer but the pressure is just too low and as it turned out, it was too cold and windy the entire time we were there. I actually ended up dragging him into the shower while I stood in front of the shower blocking his exit with towels on the floor to sop up the water. He looks much better now.

I knew there was a lot of dust and sand in the trailer but it was much worse than I imagined. I ran out of cleaning rags at one point and had to wash and dry a load so I could continue cleaning. I even ran down the battery in my vacuum. I’d pick up all that sand and dust all over again for those adventures.

While we were there, I charged all of my boondocking gear. My portable power stations, battery charging devices, blender, drill, Bluetooth speaker, and more in preparation for my next boondocking adventure.

We are at Lake Mead now with a completely fresh start. We arrived yesterday around 1 PM. Our drive took us through Hurricane, Utah so we stopped for dog food at a Tractor Supply. There was a huge parking lot so I was able to pull in and park right there, which was handy. I grabbed the dog food and we were on our way.

I always research locations when I need to stop somewhere along my route. By using the Google Maps satellite view, I can see if there is a parking lot large enough for me to pull into.

When we arrived yesterday it was warm and very calm. We drove around and found a campsite. I’ve developed a routine where we stop for the first night and stay hooked up if possible. We spend the night before we decide if we like it or if we need to find something different.

Boondocking at Lake Mead was another of our strategies to reduce the cost of RVing. You can read more about that stop below.

Free Dispersed Lake Mead Camping, Nevada

Around 5 PM the wind started to gust and dark clouds started to move in. We were bouncing around pretty good so I went out and put the stabilizers down. Today I have my solar panels and my two smaller awnings out. It’s still pretty windy and I find I’m not enjoying my time here so we’ll leave tomorrow.

We are slowly making our way home for the late spring and summer. It’s a tricky dance avoiding the too hot or too cold weather along the way. It’ll be nice when we have some grass and trees too. That always makes me feel better for Murphy.

Now you know my favorite way to reduce the cost of RVing. I hope you’ll give it a try.

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