Category: RV Tips

RV Etiquette And Manners – Things That Every RVer Needs To Know

RV etiquette and manners – the following is a podcast transcript:

Hello everyone and welcome to the RV inspection and care podcast.

This is podcast number three. And I want to invite everyone to subscribe to my podcast. That way you won’t miss anything.

Click here to subscribe to my podcast

Now today’s podcast is about RV manners and etiquette while we are camping.

And this is going to be especially good for some of you newer RVers. You know, those of you who don’t really have a lot of experience with it.

You’re going to learn a lot about the things that you can do to make camping more enjoyable. For yourself and for others.

And the truth is that most RVers do practice good manners. Especially long-time or experienced RVers.

However, I will say this. Even experienced RVers like myself still need to be reminded about the effect that we can have on others by our actions when we’re camping.

So we’re going to cover a lot of points today. Things that we should keep in mind while we’re camping to make sure we’re showing good manners to others.

Watch my video about RV etiquette

Table of Contents

RV Etiquette In RV Campgrounds

And we’re going to start first with campgrounds. Because campgrounds are where a lot of the issues come in.

That’s because of RVers being really close to one another. A lot of people in a small area.

And that’s when manners and etiquette really show up when they’re not being shown.

So let’s go ahead and get started on good manners in campgrounds. And afterward we’ll talk about boondocking.

Campground Rules

The first point of etiquette for RV campgrounds is when you come to a campground and you’re checking in.

Usually they’re going to give you a list of guidelines and rules for that campground.

And a lot of folks will take that list and just sort of put it aside. They intend to get to it, but they never do.

Well, my encouragement is to read the campground rules right away. There’s a reason they’re given out.

And the truth is that with each campground, things can be a little bit different.

And a lot of times the things you really need to know are in those rules. So be sure to read the rules for each campground that you go to.

Now we’re going to get started on a section here that I’m going to call the noise section.

Because that’s one of the biggest irritations that folks have about campgrounds and being near to other RVers.

RV Etiquette – Loud Music

So our next point of etiquette is – no loud music! And this is a big one with me.

You know, it’s really amazing how many people love to play their music. But they kind of don’t realize that not everybody wants to listen to the artist they want to listen to.

Or even the kind of music they want to listen to. And so a lot of times they’ll turn their music up and everyone around them is hearing their music.

Well, here’s the thing. Music is a very subjective thing. And from one person to the next, it’s very different as far as what they want to listen to.

So if you force your music on someone else, they’re usually not going to be very happy about that.

Now here’s my recommendation. If you’re going to play your music outside, then go to the edge of your campsite.

And if you can hear your music out at the edge and beyond your site, it needs to be turned down.

But if you really don’t want to bother anybody, then wear headphones outside.

The point is to make sure that your music is not being played so loud that it’s going to affect others. And then cause them to not feel enjoyment of their camping experience.

So that’s number one – be careful with loud music!

Observe Quiet Hours

Number two is observe quiet hours. Almost every campground says that you need to be kind of dialing everything back on the noise level by 10 o’clock.

And that’s a good rule of thumb to follow. Because usually around that time people are starting to get ready for bed.

But if you aren’t careful, you’ll be out there at that campfire sitting around it. And you’re having a good time with your friends.

And the 10 o’clock curfew kind of comes and goes. The next thing you know, you’re still just having a great time.

Maybe laughing and telling jokes and enjoying one another’s company. And maybe one of you in the group has a really loud voice to begin with.

But your neighbors are getting upset because they want to go to bed.

So be careful and observe the quiet hours in a campground.

Now that doesn’t mean that you can’t be out there late at night around the campfire.

Because that’s certainly a great thing. But just be careful about the noise level after 10 o’clock.

Make sure that you dial it down so that it’s not going to create a problem for others.

RV Etiquette – Use Of Generators

Now the next point of etiquette about noise is – never use a construction generator!

In a campground these things are just too loud. I know they’re much cheaper than inverter generators.

But they really are loud and obnoxious. Especially when folks right next door are trying to enjoy their camping experience.

So if you need a generator for any reason, make sure that it’s an inverter generator.

And make sure you use it sparingly. You know, the truth is that you really don’t need a generator all the time.

Mostly you just need it to power up and charge up your batteries. Maybe use it for a short time in the morning.

And then a short time in the evening to get you through the night.

Otherwise, the generator really should sit quiet. Unless you’re going to use it for a really high electricity component.

Like maybe your microwave, or a hair dryer, or something like that. And really it should only be on for a short time then.

So make sure you’re careful about your generator noise. And never use a construction generator!

RV Etiquette – Don’t Leave Dogs Unattended

Now the next etiquette point on noise is – don’t leave dogs unattended!

When you’re away from your campsite, this can be an issue. Because when the owners are there, very often the dog is happy and content. And they can be more quiet.

But when the owner leaves, sometimes the dog gets very nervous. Because they’re in a place that they’re not used to with all these other people around.

And before you know it, they’re barking. Because they’re nervous. Maybe even whining or howling.

And this could go on for hours while you’re away from the campsite.

In the meantime, this is really bothering your fellow campers. So don’t leave dogs unattended when you’re away from the campsite.

Keeping Your Dog On A Leash

Now we’re going to move into more discussion about dogs. And that is – keep your dogs on a leash!

A lot of dog owners at home, they may allow their dog to roam pretty freely. And there’s no problem with that.

However when you’re in a campground, that’s a space where you’ve got a lot of people and dogs really kind of crammed in next to one another.

And before you know it there can be personality differences with these dogs.

So if you aren’t carefully controlling your dog, they may get into an altercation with other dogs. Especially if they don’t have a leash.

So everybody needs to keep their dog on a leash and keep them under control.

That way we can avoid a lot of problems and a lot of issues.

RV Etiquette About Dog Poop

Our next point of etiquette is to pick up after your dogs. And don’t leave poop bags behind for others.

Now we shouldn’t have to say this really. But unfortunately, we do.

There are some that carry their dogs along camping. Then they take them out to take care of their business.

And unfortunately, they leave their poop behind without cleaning it up.

Or even more egregious is – they will pick it up with a bag, but they leave the bag there.

Please don’t do that! That is not good manners. It is not good etiquette.

Because no one wants to clean up behind your dog!

RV Etiquette When Your Dog Is A Barker

Now the next point of RV etiquette with regard to dogs is about whether the dog is a barker.

And you know what I mean. If anybody walks by, or maybe a dog starts barking in the distance they just automatically respond and start barking.

Well, if they are a regular barker, at home it might be fine. Because maybe you live in an area where that doesn’t bother anybody.

But if you know your dog is a barker. And it’s just the way they are. Well then, maybe it might be a good idea to leave them with a sitter when you go RV camping.

And that way you don’t bring along the dog that’s going to irritate everybody around you.

Okay, let’s move away from dogs now. And let’s talk about the next point of etiquette.

RV Etiquette About Campsite Trash

That is – don’t leave any trash behind for the next camper. And I’ve seen this a lot.

You pull into a campsite. And the people that were there before you apparently broke something.

Or maybe they just don’t want it anymore. So they just leave it there rather than throwing it away.

Or maybe they took their trash and put it in the campfire ring.

Well, these are not good things to do. So don’t leave trash for the next camper. That’s a really important point of etiquette!

RV Etiquette About Children

The next one is about kids. Make sure that they’re well supervised and that they’re respectful to others.

Unfortunately, sometimes parents go camping and they’re relaxing and the kids want to go somewhere.

So they just say “sure go ahead”. And the next thing you know, you’ve got this group of kids just going around the campground.

But maybe because they’re unsupervised, they start to get into things they really shouldn’t get into.

So that’s not a good situation, if you have kids. You want to make sure someone who is an adult that you can trust is watching out for them wherever they go.

RV Etiquette When Driving Your Car

Now our next point of etiquette is about when you’re driving through a campground. You need to be careful and drive slowly.

Of course, I know almost all campgrounds have the speed posted. In fact, some of them are down to five miles per hour, right?

And that can be a little bit irritating sometimes. Because you’re used to traveling more quickly while you’re on the road.

But when you’re in a campground, understand that we have a lot of kids in the campground too.

And we’ll have dogs and older folks who don’t hear as well. So if you’re driving quickly through the campground, there’s a good chance that accidents can happen quickly.

Things that nobody wants to take place. So be careful, slow down, and follow the posted speed limits in campgrounds.

RV Etiquette About Campsite Boundaries

Our next point of etiquette is – don’t consider that the campground is your personal territory. Or that you can go wherever you want.

Instead, consider that every campsite is somebody’s property. So don’t wander through campsites. This is a very important point.

Sometimes you could have a campsite that is in an area where it’s easier to go through your campsite to another part of the campground than to go all the way around by the road.

And you might find people shortcutting right through your campsite. Well, how do you feel about that?

Most people are not too happy about people cutting through their campsite. And so, if you wouldn’t want someone doing that to you, then obviously you shouldn’t do that to someone else.

Actually, that’s one of the bigger complaints that people have about RV campgrounds. So be careful in that area!

Using Dump Stations

Now the next point of etiquette is with regard to dump stations. And this really kind of comes into play usually around state parks and things like that.

This is where there may not be any sewer connections. You could have your water and electric, but not your sewer connection.

So when you’re getting ready to leave, there’s usually a dump station provided. And that way you can empty your tanks before you go home.

It’s very convenient. But unfortunately, there are those who get in line for the dump station. And then they take their time.

It seems like it takes forever for them just to get out of the RV to begin with. And when they do, they’re on a Sunday picnic while they go around and get this thing out and that hose ready.

In fact, maybe while they’re there they even rinse out their black tank. You know, not just dump it, but then rinse it thoroughly too.

Well my friends, that is not what the dump station is for. What you want to do is – when you pull up get right out and get hooked up.

Then dump those tanks quickly, disconnect everything and put it away before driving off.

It is not time then to rinse your tanks. That is showing very little regard for those behind you.

So be aware of others and their time, and use the dump station quickly!

Emptying Waste Tanks

Now our next point of etiquette is to empty your waste tanks as inconspicuously as you possibly can.

What do I mean by that? Well, most RV waste tanks and the handles for them are on the driver’s side of an RV.

And most awnings and places to enjoy the RV are on the passenger side.

So suppose you go out and pull the handles to release all the waste out of your tanks and into the sewer.

Well, you’re going to do it on the side of your next door neighbor. Where they could be enjoying their campsite.

So for instance, you’d never want to do that while someone is having lunch or eating a meal next door.

Because when you dump those tanks, we all know that there’s a kind of an obnoxious smell that goes with that.

And it stays for a little while. Not forever, but it does have a lingering effect.

Do do you really want someone else to be subjected to that? See, that’s not good manners!

So if your next door neighbor is enjoying their time outside, try to find a time to dump your tanks when it won’t interfere with that.

RV Etiquette For Those With Smaller Campers

Our next point of etiquette is about being in a campground with a small camper.

If you have a choice of campsites, please don’t choose a site that could take care of a larger rig.

Now this is one of my issues as well, because I have a bigger rig. And some of us have Class A motorhomes and big fifth wheels, and things like that. Maybe even long travel trailers.

And it really is disappointing when we go by sites that could have accommodated our rig.

And instead there’s a teardrop little travel trailer in there. Or a small 20-footer, or something like that.

Then we have to go cram our RV into a site that’s really not made for it instead.

Now I understand that you can’t always control this. Because it really all depends on how people come in and out of campgrounds as to what is available.

But if it is within your power, and you have one of those smaller rigs, try not to take up one of the sites that are best left for larger rigs. And that shows manners!

Okay, those are the points I wanted to share about campgrounds.

RV Etiquette When Boondocking

Now let’s talk a little bit about RV boondocking. And first let me say that pretty much everything I talked about with regard to campgrounds will apply to boondocking too.

But I do want to share a few extra points on that. And number one is to leave plenty of space between you and any other rig when you go boondocking.

Leave Extra Space Between Campsites

That’s why they’re boondocking. Usually it’s because they don’t want to be in a campground.

They don’t want to be really close up to someone else. So if you come into a boondocking area that can accommodate several rigs. try to find one that’s really kind of far away from the ones that are there.

And that way you don’t really impinge on them and their area. And you won’t make them feel uncomfortable

Don’t get too close, in other words. That’s the point I’m trying to make.

RV Boondocking Campsite Management

Now for the next point of etiquette on boondocking. And let me emphasize this very much.

Whatever you bring into that site, bring out of that site. Now why am I making this an issue?

Because this has become a major problem across the country. And there are several really nice boondocking spots that none of us are going to be able to enjoy anymore. Do you know why?

Because people were leaving things behind. Trash and other things that should never have been left.

And it just grew and grew until it made the whole area unsightly. And there was nobody that was able to pick up after it.

So they just decided to shut the whole site down. Well, that’s unfortunate!

So here’s the rule for boondocking. Whatever you bring into that site, bring out of that site.

If we all practice that, it will avoid all of these problems.

RV Etiquette When Staying Overnight

Now for our last point on boondocking. And that is about if you’re going to stay overnight somewhere.

I’m talking about Walmarts, and Cracker Barrels, and things like that now.

Then recognize that those are businesses. It’s not a campground. So keep a low profile.

It’s not time to put your chairs out. Or have your grill out and your mats down and all these kinds of things.

Instead, keep a low profile. In fact, don’t even use levelers that could create problems on the pavement.

Because you don’t want to scar it in any way. You’re just there for the night.

So make it very low profile when you’re staying there. And if you do that, it makes the owners of the business feel good about having RVers stay there again.

Also, it won’t create any problems for future RVers either.

All right. Well, those are all the points of etiquette and manners that I wanted to share about campgrounds and boondocking.

How To Handle Problems

But now, here’s an important point. What if someone is showing not so good manners around you?

What if they’re doing things that are irritating? How do you handle that?

Well, here’s my personal opinion. If it is something small, why not try to be less picky about it? You know, not so prickly?

There’s two qualities that really go a long way in this matter. And that is patience and kindness.

So if it’s not a major problem, then why not just sort of put up with it and deal with it?

And that will help you kind of deal with life in general. Because the more that you go on in life, the more you realize that nothing is totally fair in life.

So don’t expect everything to be totally fair. And suppose your next door neighbor is not being really fair about the way they’re treating you.

Well, if it’s not major, maybe the best thing is just to be patient and show a little bit of kindness in that area.

What About Bigger Problems And Issues?

However, suppose it’s a bigger problem. Suppose it’s something that really needs attention.

Well first of all, I would recommend speaking to the staff, the campground staff first.

Let them have the opportunity to deal with it first. And very often they have the expertise in this area.

Often they know what to do, and they can deal with it in the best way.

But let’s suppose that even after those efforts, it’s still going on. What do you do then?

I encourage not confronting your fellow camper in an angry and accusatory way.

If you need to bring it up to them, try to be as respectful of them as you possibly can. And as kind as you can.

Very often, the situation is that they’re just not aware of what they should be doing in the matter.

So if you approach them in a respectful and empathetic way, then very often you’ll get very good results for that.

So try to follow those guidelines in dealing with fellow RVers that are not showing good manners.

Conclusion

Well, I hope that what I’ve gone over here today has been beneficial for you.

Now let me give you a little insight here. It’s actually been beneficial for me too.

That’s because all of us, no matter who we are as RVers, sometimes sort of forget about what we should be doing.

And maybe we don’t realize how some of the things we do might be affecting others. So we need reminders.

And as I said earlier, even making this podcast has been beneficial for me.

It has reminded me of some things I need to improve on as well.

So we all need to work on some of these matters, and just look at it that way.

The more that we show respect for others. And the more that we show respect and care for the beautiful land that we camp on.

Then the more we will all enjoy our RVing now and on into the future!

That’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels my friends … until next time!

RV Fuel Savings That Help Lower Your RVing Travel Costs

In this article we’re going to be talking about RV fuel savings.

I did a video on this subject a while back, but time marches on and changes keep happening in the world.

So there’s new methods now that have become available for saving on fuel costs, and that video kind of needs a little updating.

And we want to include more than just information on how to save on diesel fuel.

Instead, we are also going to cover how you can save on gasoline costs as well.

So bear with me because there’s something here for everybody. You’re going to find some way to save on fuel costs.

You know this really is an important subject for RVers. Because when you add it all up at the end of the month, fuel costs can be one of the largest expenses.

This is true especially for full-timers RVers that are really traveling and moving a lot.

So if you can save a little bit each time on your fuel ups, well by the end of the year it can add up to a lot of money.

In fact it certainly worked that way for us in our RVing travels.

We’ll talk a little bit more about that as we go along. But let’s go ahead and get started on the first way to save money on RV fuel.

Watch my video about RV fuel savings

Table of Contents

RV Fuel Savings For Diesel Engines

The first problem I want to talk about is for those of us who have an RV such as a diesel pusher motorhome.

Or it could also be a big, long fifth wheel or an RV that is something like that.

This problem is not for those folks that can get up next to the pump with a smaller RV. On most occasions, there will be adequate room for that.

The problem is that those with big rigs can have a hard time getting in and getting out of fuel stations. Which can cause quite a problem at times.

You know I got caught a couple of times on this in the past. I mean I really sweated it, because we had pulled in to the station and we got our fuel.

But then getting out was a real challenge. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get out at all a couple of times.

So i just decidedโ€ฆ hey, I’m not putting myself and my rig through that anymore.

I’m going to the bigger fuel centers, you know the truck fuel centers. So we decided to do that. But now how do you save money there?

Clearly these fuel stations are set up for the big commercial trucks. So how do you save money as an RVer?

Well the good news is we found the program that’s called TSD Logistics.

Disclosure: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means โ€“ at no additional cost to you โ€“ I earn a commission if you make a purchase using our affiliate links. I only link to products and companies I use and feel comfortable recommending. The income goes toward supporting the free content on this website

Using An RV Fuel Card For Savings

And TSD Logistics is a program that allows RVers to share in the discounts and savings that commercial trucks are able to get when they go to the big truck centers.

So when you pull in, you just use your card and you get similar savings to what the commercial truckers are getting.

Why? Because lots of RVers are banding together and using their buying power together to get those discounts. So it’s really good for big rigs.

But again, it’s not just about where you’re actually fueling up. It’s also about being able to get in and get out too.

If a big commercial truck can get in there, fuel up and easily get out, well then, my rig can too.

We have found that it’s not a problem for us and makes things much safer, more comfortable, and just much easier.

It also usually makes it very easy to get off the highway to one of those fuel centers and get back on. So that program has worked well for us.

Our Savings Using The RV Fuel Card

But you know we really didn’t understand exactly how well it had worked for us. Not until we added up all the savings over the course of the last year.

What we found is that we had saved over seven hundred dollars by using the TSD card at these truck centers as we went across the country.

Very often we will get savings of 60 to 80 cents a gallon off what the listed price was. That’s really good and it’s added up to quite a bit for us.

How The RV Fuel Card Works

Now one thing to know about the TSD card. And this is the thing that some some folks have a little issue with.

That is that they’re going to require that you attach the use of their card to a bank account.

So after you use the card, about a day or two later they withdraw the funds. The discounted funds then come out of your bank account.

Some folks are a little leery about that and I can understand that. But you know we went ahead and decided to give it a try.

And we have never had a problem. We have used it multiple times across the country on our travels so far. And It has worked very well for us.

I know several other folks in the full-time RV lifestyle who use the same card too. And they get the same results.

Generally everyone’s very happy with it. So I can highly recommend it for those of you with big rigs with diesel engines.

RV Fuel Savings – How To Get An RV Fuel Card

I’m going to put a link to it below here. You can go there. You can check it out and see what you think.

RV fuel savings with the TSD fuel discount card
Click here for more information about the TSD fuel discount card

If you want to go ahead, you just fill out the information and they’ll put your application in process.

Now it will ask for a referrer. And if you don’t mind please put in RV Inspection And Care as the person who referred you to them.

Click here to apply for the TSD fuel discount card

That’s helpful for us. It’s not necessary, but it would be appreciated.

Another Great RV Fuel Card To Consider

Well now that brings us to our next program. Again this is more for RVers with bigger rigs as well.

It’s an alternative to the TSD card. It is a program called My Diesel Savings Program.

RV fuel savings with the "My Diesel Savings Program"

It’s very similar and is used in the same places. And you’re going to be able to get discounts for your RV diesel fuel.

But probably the advantage here is that you can choose to link a credit card to receive your savings rather than just a bank account.

So that is something that a lot of folks are a little more comfortable with.

I don’t have this program. But I do know folks that are in the RV lifestyle that have this card and they use it.

They have very good results and they’re very happy with it as well.

An RV Fuel Card Comparison

Now I made kind of a little bit of a cursory comparison. Not very in-depth at all, but just a generalized comparison of fuel prices.

A comparison between what they offer as a discount and what TSD offers generally speaking.

And I still think TSD offers a little more of a discount. But you may choose to get the My Diesel Savings Program card instead.

That’s because you like to to link it up to your credit card. Either way is a savings though. In fact, you could have both cards if you want.

There’s nothing wrong with that. And that way you would have access to something no matter where you go.

It’s just that for us the TSD card is already something we use. We are very comfortable with it, and we just haven’t added the other card yet.

But on the basis of others I know who have it, I can recommend it at this point.

RV Fuel Savings For Smaller Diesel Engines

Well now, we’ve talked about the big rigs. But there’s a lot of RVs out there that aren’t big rigs.

What about all you folks that have diesel engines in your RV such as maybe a smaller Class A, Class C, Class B?

Or maybe you have a towable RV that uses a a truck with a diesel engine in it.

You’re not really considered a big rig. Your size is more manageable and a little more nimble than the big rigs.

Well, you could use all a lot of other fuel stations that are available out there.

And the good news is there is an app that will allow you to get discounts on your fuel there too. This app is called MudFlap.

RV fuel savings using MudFlap

Now again, I don’t use this app. However, I think I can recommend it.

This is because MudFlap operates on both the Apple platform and the Android platform. And the reviews for the app on both places is very good!

For instance, on the Apple platform it gets a 4.8 star review and that’s pretty good for an app.

How To Use The MudFlap App

What this app really focuses on is not using the big truck centers. That’s because if you don’t have a big rig, you don’t need to be going in there.

It focuses more on the normal type of fuel stations across the country. On the mom and pop stations and the chains that you see along the roads and highways.

All you do is go in and use the app along with your credit card. Then you get savings. And those savings appear to be fairly substantial too.

So this is something for you to consider, the use of the MudFlap app. Once again it’s use is with a credit card not with your bank account.

So a lot of people like it for that reason as well.

RV Fuel Savings For Gasoline Engines

Well, we have talked so far about diesel fuel savings. But what about all you folks out there with gasoline engines?

You know, it could be Class A, Class B, or Class C or you could have a truck that has a gasoline engine in it. One that’s pulling your RV as well.

Are you just out in the cold? No! The good news is there are choices there to save on your fuel costs as well.

And probably the first one I’d like to mention on that is a program that we do use. It’s called Gas Buddy.

RV fuel savings using GasBuddy

Now GasBuddy is an app you can download and it works in two different ways.

How To Use The Cheapest Gas In Your Area

It just depends on how much discount you really want depending on what you do. The first way is one that is totally free for you to use.

This app is used to find the lowest price gasoline cost in your area wherever you are.

You just hit a little spot on the app that says “Find Gas”. And it goes out there and it will search your local area.

Then it will come back with a list of all the fuel stations in the area you are in, and their prices.

So all you have to do is find the lowest price and see if it’s within a reasonable driving distance.

And very often you’re going to save 10 to 15 cents or more a gallon. Just simply because you know where the lowest cost fuel is in the area. And that works out really well.

A Way To Get Even More RV Fuel Savings

But now if you want to take it to another level, GasBuddy also offers a credit card.

If you use their credit card along with finding the lowest cost fuel stations you’re going to get even more savings.

There’s incentives, further discounts and so on available by using their card.

Now GasBuddy users often say that they can save 20 to 25 cents a gallon fairly easily. And some even much more. So this is something to consider.

I mean you can’t go wrong just using the app to find the lowest cost gas in your area.

But if you get the card, it could even lead to much greater fuel savings.

Now we find that this works very well for us to use it just to search out the local savings on gasoline.

But that leads us to our next point about ways to save on gasoline costs.

RV Fuel Savings Using Discount Clubs

We shouldn’t forget the discount clubs that are out there. You know, Costco and Sam’s Club especially.

They’re the two biggies. And don’t forget about them because they often provide really good low-cost fuel, especially gasoline.

So if you get a Costco card, that’s the one we have because we just prefer Costco, then you can use it all across this country. Just as we’ve done as we have traveled.

We, of course, don’t use it for our RV because we have a diesel engine.

But we also have a tow vehicle. We have a CRV. So why not save money on our gasoline costs as well?

And it really adds up when you keep getting your gasoline at 10 to 20 cents a gallon cheaper than you would by just paying the normal price for it in the area. So you may want to consider that.

And there’s another advantage of having the card for either Costco or Sam’s Club. And that is it doesn’t just help you with your fuel costs.

Other Reasons To Join A Discount Club

You get discounts on tons of products by going in and shopping there.

And we really do mean we have gotten a lot of savings from using the Costco card.

There’s a lot of things we like to buy as we go along. And then sort of take them with us on our travels.

Now there is a membership cost for getting either a Costco or Sam’s Club card.

But when you add up the savings of the fuel and all the other things that it can save you, we feel it’s worth at least looking into.

Which one should you get? Well, it’s kind of a personal decision.

We like Costco. But you may find that Sam’s Club works better for you. Or you could even get both of them.

I know some people who have both discount cards. Either way you’re going to save money.

Conclusion

Well, that kind of brings us to a conclusion on what I wanted to talk about today.

About my suggestions for saving on fuel costs for your RV.

But I would love to hear from you as well. Please share with me any tips, ideas, or suggestions that you have come across for saving money on RV fuel costs.

Please put that down in the comments below. Because we all benefit when we share the knowledge that we have on RVing.

Well that’s it for now. As always have safe and happy travels my friendsโ€ฆ until next time.

Motorhomes VS Towables – Which Kind Of RV Is Best For You?

Motorhomes vs Towables – RV Inspection And Care Podcast #1

Hello everyone and welcome to the RV inspection and Care podcast.

Yes, in addition to all my YouTube videos I’m going to add a weekly podcast to the mix as well.

We’re going to talk about all kinds of subjects about RVing. You know, about RVs themselves, the RV lifestyle, RV camping, towing, and all kinds of things.

And there’s going to be a lot of information here on this podcast. So what I invite you to do is please subscribe to the podcast.

And that way you won’t miss anything as I go along.

Now for those of you that are watching this on video right now, you can go down to the description below the video.

And there’ll be a link to my podcast where you can subscribe there.

But I’m not only going to just talk to you myself. Today of course, it’s just going to be me on the podcast.

Click here to listen to all of my RV podcasts

Watch my video about motorhomes vs towables

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future RV podcasts

However I’m also going to try to involve other RVers, you know, that we really could learn from.

There’s a lot of our RVers out there, and there’s a lot of RVers that have opinions.

But that’s really not what we want to focus on.What we want to do is find RVers that we can learn from.

You know, they have something to teach us, something to share that we can benefit from.

And I’m going to work hard to try to involve folks that I find along the way that will be beneficial not only to me but to you as well.

And I’m sure we’ll enjoy listening to them. So let’s go ahead and get started now and talk about one of the biggest decisions for newer RVers that they can face.

Motorhomes VS Towables – Which To Buy?

And that is, should I buy a motor home or should I buy a towable RV?

Now, that was a very big decision for me. And I really kind of struggled with this for a long time.

No doubt several of you have too. And even if you have a motorhome or a towable, you are probably kind of going over in your mind “Hey, I wonder what it would be like to have one of the other kind”.

So we’ll talk about that today. And the first thing we want to get into is the fact that actually there’s a lot that they have in common.

You know ,you can focus on the differences. But there’s a lot of commonalities as well.

Motorhomes VS Towables – Points In Common

For instance, when you’re talking about motorhomes or towables, they’re going to require some hookup at some point. If you use a tow vehicle with your motorhome.

So you either have to hook it up, or if you’re a towable, you’ve got to hook the tow vehicle to your RV.

And the truth is that it’s about the same amount of time either way you go. So that’s really kind of a wash as far as I’m concerned.

The next thing is that both of them are going to require a certain amount of set up and a certain amount of tear down at the campsite.

And it’s going to be similar. It’s not going to be a lot different from motorhomes to towables.

The next point is, as far as costs are concerned, insurance and fuel costs to me are kind of a wash.

You know, you might have a little bit difference between one part of the rig or the other part of the rig.

But when you take them both as a whole, well insurance and fuel costs are probably going to be pretty close to a wash.

motorhomes vs towables – motorhome pros

But now there are differences. There are things that would make either kind of RV more attractive to certain RVers. And let’s talk about that.

Now first of all, let’s talk about the pros, or the advantages, of having a motorhome.

Motorhomes Pro #1 – Weight Considerations

And the number one thing, and this was the thing that really kind of got me about motorhomes when I first was starting out RVing.

That is that all of your weight considerations are already done for you. And that was big for me.

You know, what happens is that RV manufacturers usually buy their chassis from someone. Then they build their RV on it.

And at that point, they establish the gross vehicle weight rating, the gross axle weight rating, the gross combined weight rating, and all of that.

So will you buy that motor home you’ve got it all worked out for you.I

You don’t need to have to figure out “okay, well I’ve got this tow vehicle. Now what kind of RV can you put with that?”

Or “I’m going to buy this RV, now what kind of tow vehicle can I use to pull that?”

None of those considerations are needed. It’s all taken care of for you. And that’s a big pro when you’re starting out .

Motorhomes Pro #2 – Kitchens & Bathrooms

Now the next point is that bathrooms and kitchens are available while you’re going down the road.

And boy is that nice! You know, I’ve got to tell you that when you’re traveling down the road, your on a long trip, and somebody needs to go to the bathroom, well you need to have a motorhome.

Because that’s going to make it really easy to take care of that situation. So if that’s an issue for you, well then, motorhomes are going to be a good buy!

Motorhomes pro #3 – small towed vehicle

The other point is that when you have a motorhome, and you’re towing a vehicle behind it, to run around town in, you can have a smaller vehicle.

You can have a very fuel-efficient, small kind of a passenger vehicle. And so that means that when you’re running around town you’re not burning all that fuel that a bigger tow vehicle would be burning up if you’re towing an RV.

So that’s a real kind of an advantage right there.

motorhome pro #4 – may not need towed vehicle

Now the fourth advantage I want to mention is that if you want to go really light, and you are in a motorhome, you can buy a small Class C. Or you could buy a small Class B and you don’t even need a tow vehicle.

You can actually use the RV for traveling around town. And so you’ve got all of your usable RV and over-the-road vehicle right there in one vehicle. You don’t need anything else.

Now that’s only true of smaller motorhomes. But it is an advantage that they have.

motorhome pro #5 – more storage space

Now the next point is there’s generally more storage space in motorhomes as opposed to towables.

Now I know that’s not always the truth. But it is especially when you get up into the bigger motor homes.

The diesel pushers especially. oh my goodness, you’ve got storage space! And that’s really nice to have.

motorhome pro #6 – campsite maneuvering

And then the next point is that you can more easily maneuver motorhomes in my opinion into campsites, than you can with towables.

Now that doesn’t mean the towables aren’t easy to do. But again, think about it, you only have one vehicle to get into the campsite.

So it’s pretty much like backing in a car or truck. It’s just bigger as opposed to having two vehicles that you’ve got to maneuver into a campsite instead.

So for some people, they find that backing-in procedure to be really valuable to them. So we’ll give that advantage to motorhomes!

motorhomes vs towables – towable pros

All right now, we’ve been talking about all the advantages for motorhomes. But there’s tons of the advantages for towables too.

towable pro #1 – usually less expensive

And one of the things that people really like about towables is that, number one, they are generally less for the cost of the entire rig.

And you know, that’s kind of interesting. Because a lot of people think that motorhomes are less expensive.

But pretty much, if you look at the length of almost any rig. And you check into the cost of a motorhome, or buying a motorhome for that length.

Or instead doing the tow vehicle with a towable, usually you’re going to find that the towable rig all together will be less expensive.

So that’s a big point! And it’s especially a big point for newer RVers who want to get started in RVing and like to keep their costs down.

towable pro #2 – may not need a tow vehicle

Now the next point is that in some cases with towables you don’t even need to buy another vehicle to tow it with.

If you get a small enough travel trailer. In fact, many little small travel trailers can be pulled with SUVs or even minivans, things along that line.

So you may very well have a vehicle that you already own that can tow a smaller travel trailer.

And if you do, you’re all set to go. You don’t have to make that extra expense in that case. So that’s an advantage!

towable pro #3 – easy to repair tow vehicles

The next advantage is that there are more places to repair the engine and the components of the tow vehicle then there is for motorhomes.

My point is this, if it’s a towed vehicle, it’s probably going to be some kind of regular passenger truck or something along that line.

Or some sort of SUV or minivan. And all of these can be repaired almost anywhere.

You can find mechanics to work on them very easily. Motorhomes though, are not as easy.

And especially when you get up into those diesel pushers. Things get tough because the bigger the rig the more difficult it is to find places that they can fit into be repaired.

And even mechanics that can work on them too, so in general there’s more places to repair the engine, and so on. On the the components of a tow vehicle.

towable pro #4 – costs less to repair tow vehicles

Now the next point is closely related and that is that they’re usually less to repair. Let me tell you, when you have a diesel pusher motorhome, almost everything you have done to it is going to be expensive.

The parts are more expensive. The labor is more expensive and so on.

So when you have a towable, and you’re towing it with a tow vehicle, that passenger vehicle again has so many places that it can be worked on.

The competition is out there, and you can usually repair them a lot for a lot less money than motorhomes.

towable pro #5 – better safety features

The next point is that while you are going down the highway, there’s better safety features in towables.

You know, when it’s a passenger vehicle, they are are pretty much forced to have the very best safety features in them.

And so, all of your passengers, and you, and everybody in that vehicle, has good safety features.

Unfortunately, motorhomes are very often not quite up to that standard.

Some are better than others. But some are really not very safe, especially for your passengers, if you have kids and so on. So it can be a consideration between the two.

towable pro #6 – keep tow vehicle when changing RVs

And finally, if you decide to make a change in the RV part of your rig, if you have a towable, all you’ve got to do is just change out the RV.

You don’t have to change the tow vehicle most of the time. And if that’s the case, all the maintenance you been doing on that tow vehicle, all the effort and the money you spent on it over the years, well you still get the rewards from it.

But in a motorhome, when you make a change, you change everything. And all the work you’ve done on the engine, and your suspension, and everything else on that chassis, well it’s going to go right along with it in the sale.

So that is a little bit of an advantage for towables as well.

motorhomes vs towables – overview

So as you can see there are some advantages either way. But let me make this point- it does not matter which one you choose as far as RVing is concerned.

You may have certain preferences though. You know, what I recommend is as we are going over the list here, determine what are the things that are most important to you.

What’s most valuable in your opinion, your priorities. And that will lead you toward either a motorhome or a towable.

But just understand that you’re not going to make such a big mistake that you can’t recover from it.

Both of those kinds of RVs will take you anywhere you want to go in your RV adventures. And allow you to have great fun and enjoy your time there.

motorhomes vs towables – conclusion

So what I’ve covered today hopefully will be beneficial for you. It will help you in trying to make the decision between the two.

But either way, you’re going to be able to get out there and go RVing and have fun RV camping.

Well that’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels my friends and thanks for listening to my first podcast.

Until next time ….

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