Costs of Full-Time RVing – June 2019

June 2019 found us starting the month in central Wisconsin and ending in northern Vermont. We reached the New England area via a route through Canada with border crossings from Michigan to Ontario at Sault Ste Marie and from Quebec to New York at Lake Champlain. 

Before heading out on our summer trip to the New England states, we spent the first two weeks of June in Wisconsin at the homes of friends and family. While there we completed routine maintenance on both the RV and Kia Soul and also installed upgrades such as new tires for the car and suspension modifications on the front of the RV. 

Also during the time in Wisconsin, Dave spent a week in western Ontario, Canada fishing with our son and his extended family. It was a great opportunity to enjoy quality father/son time that couldn’t be passed up. 

Our total expenses for the month of June came in at $2,769 which is significantly higher than our average spending amount. Three areas – entertainment, food, and RV/Auto – made up the bulk of additional spending. The $800 cost of Dave’s fishing trip (food, transportation, fishing license, boat expenses, etc.) to Canada is listed under entertainment. Typically we eat out very little but this month we enjoyed several meals out with family and friends that increased our food expense. The RV/Auto category expense was due to the suspension upgrades in the RV. 

Gasoline costs were elevated this month as anticipated due to more miles traveled and purchasing fuel in Canada where it is significantly higher. This higher trend will continue for the next few months as we travel from New England to Canada and then back to the midwest by early fall. 

Our campground expenses remained at zero for the month as they have for all of 2019. We plan for this trend to continue by utilizing a variety of free stay resources including the Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome programs. So far this summer we haven’t had to utilize the generator a great deal for air conditioning but that may change as the heat of summer hits over the next two months. We also may resort to finding a campground with electricity if we find ourselves in an area with soaring temperatures. 

Even with our June expenses topping the chart for highest month this year, our overall average is still only $1,693 per month or annualized at just over $20,000. Considering the tremendous amount of places we have the pleasure of traveling to in a year, we feel this is a steal. Follow along below for a comprehensive breakdown of our monthly spending.