People often think that motorhome travel is an expensive choice for their holiday, not realising that it can actually be one of the best vacation styles on a budget! You simply need to know what you’re doing, and once you’ve finished reading our favourite tips for budget camping in a motorhome, you’ll be ready for a comfortable camping trip that doesn’t break the bank! Be prudent when setting your budget for your trip, do some research and calculations, and then you’ll have no trouble following it with a little planning. Preparation is key!

1. Free Camping

Campsites aren’t too costly, but nothing is cheaper than wild camping! There are plenty of websites and apps to help you find great wild camping spots, or places to overnight park. This is especially ideal for self contained motorhomes rather than VW campervans. You may also wish to do this when you’re near cities, as city campsites are often more expensive than those in more rural areas.  It also allows you to properly explore the nature around and get away from the busy crowds. If you do decide to go free camping, be sure to have solar panels on your vehicle, or for your chargers, as this will ensure you can stay on the grid and still be safe at all times. 

2. Motorhome Hire

This will usually be the chunk of your budget for a motorhome holiday, but after this, everything else can be easily kept to a low cost. Also by hiring a motorhome, you’re combining your transport and accommodation costs, instead of paying for hotels and a car rental. Just make sure to go for cheap campervan hire, so that you’re getting your money’s worth. 

Be sure to consider what you really need in your campervan. Larger, more luxurious motorhomes will certainly be more expensive, but do you need your own toilet facilities, or will you be staying at campsites with sanitary blocks? Will you spend much time in the motorhome and require a lot of storage space, or could you opt for a VW campervan as you’ll be out and about most of the time and pack light? These types of decisions affect your budget.

3. Meal Times

This is an area of motorhome travel that can make or break your budget. It’s confronting to realise how much money we spend on simply eating out during a holiday. And while you can enjoy a few meals out, having a motorhome makes you reliant on it, as you can also cook sometimes and keep a budget. 

You could purchase groceries at farmers markets or local supermarkets to find appropriate  prices, and you can make leftovers to reduce the amount of effort in days to come. Having a fridge in your motorhome will give you the flexibility you crave, as well as a cold drink at the end of the day! Eat out when you want to, not because you have to.

4. Travel Apps

Be sure to download lots of useful travel apps before your holiday. You can use Waze to compare petrol prices, or RoadTrippers for restaurant and food. Another great travel app to help you lower your costs during a motorhome holiday is ParkMe, as you’ll always find the cheapest park when visiting cities. Google Maps can also be super helpful for this. If you select to “avoid toll roads”, you’ll get far more beautiful routes away from the highway, and save some dollars! There are loads more travel apps that make everything simple and cheap, so start downloading and planning your next motorhome holiday!