A question I have been asked as a full time RVer: How much does it cost?
The answer: How much money do you have.
Some full time road acquaintances and friends live on less than $1500 a month. No doubt there are others who would struggle to keep their expenses under $5000 a month.
My expenses for 2012 were a bit worrying. Didn't get to the $5000 a month, but the average was higher than previous years. The major contributor for the increase was maintenance to keep the 12 year old Silver Slug (Ford F-350) on the road. With fuel requirements, the Silver Slug was responsible for 30% of 2012 expenses.
Yesterday I wrote about the changes to the foods in my diet. Without the cheap calories of grains, my grocery bill was up with more fresh produce and more expensive meats. It's justified as investment in my health.
My plan is to spend my entire estate before I die. In order to meet that goal, there was little dry camping in 2012. I opted for full hook up campgrounds. At $17 a day, the 2012 average was two dollars higher than the previous year. However, $17 a day is not that bad. An apartment would be more expensive. And the apartment would have the disadvantage of no wheels.
The remaining categories were close to previous years.
No complaints. 2012 was a great year. Financially. Healthy. Still nomadic.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
4 comments:
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I think there are several reasons why your diet works so well. I truly agree with you that investing in good health and staying away from the docs is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteYour diet as you described it is over 50% raw as well as gluten and grain free. I think the raw part is important to notice. I don't have any grain or gluten problems (at least not to the point of physical discomfort). I got into eating more raw foods mostly because a friend talked me into it and am I ever glad he did. The theory behind it is that all food, in its raw form, has all the enzymes needed for clean digestion, ie. everything gets digested or gets out and nothing hangs around fermenting or rotting and consequently clinging to the walls of the colon, etc. or left in the digestive organs. No sludge left behind which clogs the whole system up. It takes much less energy for the body to digest food in its raw form as well. I have arthritis and took supplements for many years. If I didn't, I simply ached. I do not take them anymore, just make sure my diet is over 50% raw. I don't eat any white flour or any other poor quality carbohydrate though. It makes a huge difference. I swear by it.
Interesting comment about the arthritis. I had been taking supplements for many years to alleviate the pains. Not painful, just there. Finally, I just quit taking the supplements. Can't say that my hands feel any different from over a year ago. Not so painful that I have to take some pain pill. Considering your experience, I'm hoping that the raw diet will allow continued tolerable discomfort.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see someone on the blogosphere give some emphasis to the true expense of motorized travel. In general, RV culture has yet to face up to that fact that it is all based on the idea of Cheap Oil (AND vehicles.) Those days are over, but because that's so unpleasant to think about, motorized escapism coasts along on sheer momentum.
ReplyDeleteBoonie, That 30% is a lot of money. Settling down without a vehicle is appealing. Living within walking distance of shopping and renting a car when needed would be a whole lot cheaper. Also the walking would be good for this aging body.
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