Frugal RVing

[MsBHaven]

Some of the things I learned in seminars at the Gypsy Journal Rally:

Average cost of campgrounds for full-timing RVer - $35.00 per night
Gypsy Journal owner, Nick, averaged $4.67 per night in the past year (includes propane).

Free or almost free places: Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, Flying J, Elks, VFW, Eagles, Moose, city parks, fairgrounds, BLM land

[avalen]

and lets not forget casino parking lots too, they would love for you to come in and spend
your money but not everybody does, they do have good food though.

[oregontocal]

I went to his seminar at the Life on Wheels conference and learned a lot about frugal RVing. And now yesterday I found a wonderful site online:
http://www.overnightrvparking.com/ It costs $17.95/year, but I think it's well worth the price as it includes a searchable database containing over 4000 RV Parking and No Parking locations in the USA and Canada. Search by City & State/Province or Zip/Postal Code. Downloadable PDF files are available on their affiliated Yahoo Group so you don't have to have your computer on while traveling --you can search ahead of time and print out the results. I sent my money through Paypal today and have been trying it out this afternoon while planning my way to Kansas. It shows which Wal-Marts do and don't let you park there overnight as well as many more places such as casinos, city parks, and so forth.

[Bethers]

I'll check that out. I do know that there are a couple sources about which Wal-marts do and don't allow rvers. I'm glad I went in and asked on one I was told don't, because when I asked, I was told I could - that they appreciate those of us who follow that courtesy of coming in to ask. So, even if the book says you can stay there - go in and ask. One time when I did that, it happened to be a Wal-mart with security in the parking lot, and they sent security out to show me where to park - to make sure I'd be in an area they'd be in all night.

And, Margie, I've stayed at lots of those places. BLM land is mainly in the west, but you can also find lots of federal land in eastern states - I stayed on some wonderful federal land in Maine. Here are some of the websites I use to find places to camp - not parking lots:

http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/index.html
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en.html
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/
http://www.eugenecarsey.com/camp/default.htm
http://www.forestcamping.com/index.htm
http://www.publiclands.org/home.php?SID ... 4922.28593