Last Updated on 05/13/2023 by Glynn Willard
How We Are Minimizing The Impact Of High Fuel Prices
Ouch! A week of towing now can exceed $1800. And that’s not to say prices may/will increase even more. In January of 2022, we crossed the country in 8 days averaging 10mpg and spent $941 on diesel with an average cost of $2.99/gallon.
If we crossed the country in March of 2022, it would have cost twice that number ($1800ish). This can have a real impact on a lot of families, especially those who travel full time.
We went 2,011 miles from Gardner, CO to Dover, DE in June of 2022 and used 200 gallons of diesel. The average we spent was $5.65/gallon of diesel. Our total fuel expense was $1131.
Alas, fuel prices will always fluctuate. I suggest budgeting at least a dollar per gallon more than the current price when planning a trip. It can happen!
Should We Give Up RVing?
This is a subjective question, of course. But the long and short answer is NO! We’re not giving up this lifestyle.
And please don’t assume it’s easier or potentially less expensive than a “sticks-and-bricks” home. I can see this having an impact on someone’s decision about 2 weeks touring in an RV vs taking a flight to a destination.
Fuel prices just might tip the scales toward a destination flight. But alas, there are so many variables.
What Can We Do To Make RVing Affordable With High Fuel Prices
- The obvious… were slowing down and spending more time in each location. Moving quickly is expensive regardless of prices.
- We’re cutting down on the “luxury” foods that we don’t need. And I’m not talking about junk food. We can still maintain a very low cost and eat very healthy.
- Spontaneous purchases that in the past were frivolous are now eliminated. Besides, we don’t need a lot of stuff. And we can’t carry a lot in our rig.
- If you stay in campgrounds, you could consider work camping. This is a good way to exchange some hours of working for a free location.
- We minimized our alcohol consumption. I get it, this is off the table for a lot of people, which is why I saved it for last. But it was easy for us since we drink so little. Start tracking your alcohol costs and you’ll likely realize that a small cut back makes all the difference.
But before we lose our mind, let’s look at the difference in the next section. And I’m not suggesting it’s painless because it’s still painful.
So, Are High Gas Prices Going To Stop Us?
Okay, so let’s put this into perspective.
At $5ish a gallon it’s $2 more a gallon than we’re used to. For me, that’s approximately $65 more for a fill up. If we move every 10 days, that’s $200 more a month. And at $6/gallon it’s $300 more a month.
We live off of savings, so it has an impact, but not big enough to make us give up exploring this great country!
And again, we can shave almost $300 a month off our expenses just by sticking to the four methods listed.
There is of course a threshold number that will stop us in our tracks, but let’s cross our fingers for everyone’s sake, that number is not reached.
Look At Your Expenses
Take some time to inventory your expenses and come up with a number based on the suggestions you can save. You might be surprised how you can make up the difference.
Now, the more important point. Time to put my entrepreneur hat on…
How Can You Earn More To Make Up The Difference Of High Fuel Prices
I feel like this should be the first section. All my entrepreneurial career, I would look at how we can increase revenue while simultaneously minimizing overhead.
This approach can be injected into fulltime RV travel. There are many ways to increase your income. This is not an article about doing that, but I would like you to consider looking at higher fuel prices from this perspective.
Again, when prices increase it’s your mission to increase your personal revenue.
How much are you willing to spend on gas for an RV?
Or, how will you increase your personal revenue to afford high fuel prices?
Happy and safe travels!
We appreciate any help we can get to bring you great content. Donate or buy us a coffee on our Ko-Fi site.
