Question 2 - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2821 · 01-29-2005, 03:29 PM

Another thing that came to our mind was what kind of money we might budget for a year of traveling around the country. Staying at places for a few weeks even some places for a few months.

Any input that might help us there?

In fact any input as to traveling for a year or more would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

DHenry · 01-29-2005, 03:40 PM

Now that is a great question, I am looking forward to seeing the answers posted by the experienced travelers.

Montana_2821 · 01-29-2005, 04:28 PM

I'm still very interested in any information any of you may have. But I also have been looking at the Escapees RV Forum and came across this topic.

http://escapees.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x...61&m=742109469

sreigle · 01-29-2005, 04:48 PM

Well, this is one of those "depends" answers. It depends a lot on your lifestyle, how long you stay in one place, how much towing you do, how much running around sightseeing or whatever, etc. Sightseeing can add up in a hurry.

So, I guess I'll try to give you a little feel on how it worked out for us and maybe that will at least party apply to you. First, just retiring cut our expenses. We no longer needed three vehicles so we got rid of the one still having a payment and one of those already paid for. I no longer needed suits and ties, dress shoes, etc., etc. In other words, retirement living in the same stick house was less expensive than when working.

Fulltiming. We find that our total monthly costs are just about the same as when we lived in a stick home and had a payment on a stick home. That's not very specific but I don't know how else to express it. So much depends on your lifestyle and the other things mentioned above. We do quite a bit of sightseeing and that's not always cheap but we are not lavish in a lot of other things. We go out to eat probably more often than pre-retirement.

Montana_2821 · 01-30-2005, 01:51 AM

Steve, acutally your answer is very helpful. Most of the posts on the link I posted seem a bit tighter than we think we want to be. And in reading your post and looking at yours and Vicki's RV Travel site we think we really like the way you two are doing things.

What I do think we will like to do is park ourselves somewhere for a week or longer, even perhaps longer than a month in some places, and see what is available.

I see that you were in the upper peninsula of Michigan during December. That had to be cold. Along with another topic I put up how do you cope with the cold weather?

Glass Guy · 01-30-2005, 05:17 AM

Bill and Jeanne, the one thing you migth want to think about is to volunteer in some of the state parks. We have friends that volunteer in Ohio state parks in the summer and in the fall and winter head south to southern Georgia. the free camp site alone could save you as much as 5 to 6 hundred dollars a month, you just have to check with the different park systems to see if they are looking for volunteers. Roman

vickir · 01-30-2005, 06:40 AM

R&R ... I just wanted to clarify something from our RV Travel site ... although the postcard is dated December, we were actually there in August. As a result of some family and personal issues, I got way, way behind in getting the postcards written and posted. Most of the time I'm only about two weeks behind. Soooooooooooooo, although we've dealt with some pretty cold temps, I can guarantee you would never be on the Upper Peninsula in December. Steve has been emphatic in his determination to NOT be anywhere that cold ... ever!

jrgwdenner · 01-30-2005, 08:32 AM

I've read topics where people state that they've fulltimed on $20,000 - $30,000 per year. RVNet.com does discuss some specific amounts and budgets, some giving a real breakdown of expenses. Looking under "fulltiming".

sreigle · 01-30-2005, 11:38 AM

To add a little to Vicki's comments, our first year to year and a half of traveling we had a number of relatives and friends to visit, spread around the country. We also had some places we wanted to see. We now are slowing things down a bit, staying a little longer in one place. In other words, we're getting out of vacation mode and realized we don't have to see everything in a week or even two. We can take some time to relax and just be retired, do the housecleaning, maintenance (aka reality days), and all, and still have plenty of time to see everything we want to see. We still won't stay too long in one place. Last "winter" we spent about 5 weeks, Thanksgiving through Christmas, near our kids in the Kansas City area. Then spent a month in Austin, TX, area. This winter we spent 2 1/2 months near the kids in Kansas City and are spending 2 months in the Savannah, GA,area. We plan to spend a month in the Yellowstone area and two weeks to a month near Glacier National Park next summer, then a month or more in Utah before heading to Reno for the rally. We'll still spend a week in some places but we're learning to figure how much time we need to see everything then add some time for being retired and the reality days.

As for Vicki's comment about being in cold weather, I told her when we were in northern Indiana and saw some highway signs that I will never settle down in an area that has snowmobile crossing signs on the highways! Or at least I won't be there during the winter!

Montana_2821 · 02-01-2005, 01:19 PM

Steve, the Yellowstone trip you are talking about is also one of our dreams. Again in about two years. We were in Yellowstone for three days in May 2003 and hope to spend a longer time there in the future. We'll be watching for your reports.

We were also in Glazier for a week several years ago and want to return there also.

rames14 · 02-01-2005, 02:17 PM

Steve -

I think we're going to be near Yellowstone in July. We learned the hard way last summer how not to do it. We stayed in a parking lot in West Yellowstone instead of boondocking. Did see a lot of bears (19) and several wolves, in addition to deer, elk, bison, antelope, badger, eagles, etc. Most of the "tourists" expect to see bears mixed in with the Japanese tourists at Old Faithful. Haven't been to Glacier in a few years, but it is beautiful up there. It will be easier once we get moved out to Colorado in about eight years. Until then, we can park on our lot outthere.

tbhd · 02-01-2005, 02:38 PM

Steve & Vickir

I see you're planning on a trip to Yellowstone and Glacier this summer. We're doing the same thing in June. Maybe our paths will cross. Unfortunately, we won't be able to spend as much time as you. This is our second trip to Yellowstone but our first to Glacier.

sreigle · 02-02-2005, 05:18 AM

Rames14 and tbhe, maybe we'll see one or both of you out there. Be sure to keep us all posted of when and where. We'll do the same. It will probably be July for Yellowstone/Teton for us since we have a youngest granddaughter's birthday on 6/25 in Kansas City. We'll head NW after that. Then on to Glacier, then probably down to Utah (current thinking) to National Parks in that state. Rames14, we'd enjoy seeing you two again and, tbhd, meeting you folks. Ron, tell Terrie we are still very much enjoying our MOC Rally embroidery. I just fear getting that jacket dirty beyond repair someday.

Rames14, you no doubt are correct but we've never done any boondocking and I'm not sure we could go more than a few days without needing to dump. We've not learned how to be ultra-conservative with water usage, etc. We'll probably end up basing out of one of those parking lots you describe. I'd like to be close to both Yellowstone and Grand Tetons NP, if possible. I probably need to start looking into getting a reservation real soon.

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