RV Parking - Budget Buster Campgrounds Vs a Resort - Full Time Recreational Vehicle Living

Living full time in our RV--Recreational Vehicle, we findholding tanks.
parking to be our biggest budget buster.Full time RVers often do their overnight Recreational
A RV Resort offers the most amenities, so if we areVehicle parking in a Walmart parking lot, or a Flying J
work camping for the season, of course, that is whereTruck Stop. Although this could save a few bucks, we
we choose to stay. In our opinion, minimum amenitiesenjoy our creature comforts, so this has not yet been
must include a pool, hot tub, meeting or conferencean option for us. Motorhome owners usually have a
room, library, and planned activities. I would prefer agenerator onboard, which allows them more flexibility
resort to be a one stop destination where yourfor out of the way overnight stops.
entertainment, such as a lake, is only a few stepsBy researching, you can often find city parks and
away, preferably with a restaurant and gift shop onfairgrounds that provide basic hookups for an
premise. Once your rig is parked, you are all set, withovernight stay at a very reasonable cost. Members of
everything you need readily available. If you are stayingElk Lodges or VFW's can usually hook up on the
in a tourist area, hopefully any place that labels itself aspremises for a nominal fee.
a resort will offer transportation or be within walkingWe have found the easiest, and most economical
distance of area attractions.way to lower RV parking costs is to work camp. One
RV Resorts are the most expensive parking option,winter, we were the Activities Directors for a large RV
because, of course you must be willing to pay for allResort. We exchanged an parking space for 24 work
those goodies.hours per week. The following summer, we worked at
RV Campgrounds are much more basic, and whilea gift shop in a popular tourist town near a National
they may or may not offer a swimming pool, theyPark. Our employer provided our private parking site in
should at the very least have full hookups, includingexchange for 14 work hours per week. Considering
sewer. Although campgrounds are more medianthe fact that the only Resort Style Campground in the
priced, depending on location, they can still be budgetarea charged $60 per night, we were thrilled to barter
busters if you are paying daily rates.for our site rent.
State Parks, Forest Service Campgrounds, and CorpVolunteering as a camp host at State and National
of Engineer Parks are somewhat less expensive,Parks in exchange for an RV parking site is also a
however they usually have only electric and watervery popular solution to saving on RV parking
hookups. If you are staying more than a couple ofexpenses.
days, that can quickly become a problem with your