Is Camper Living for You?

Noah and I have lived in our camper for nearly a year and have some things we would like to share that may help you in your decision making process if contemplating camper living.

1. Why we chose a camper instead of a tiny house

   1. More campsites allow campers and do not always allow tiny homes

   2. Cheaper

   3. Easier to move from place to place

   4. Easier to find resources for repairs

2. How much does living in a camper cost?

   1. If you buy a new camper it will be around $30,000 or more

      1. We bought new because we were in a rush to find one that could withstand harsh winters and wanted one that wouldn’t have existing damages.

      2. Our monthly payments are around $400

   2. Campsite rental

      1. Monthly sites are usually cheaper and we have stayed in the range of $500-$700 a month.

      2. Most campsites charge for water and electricity separately but some do not. Our current campsite is $500 a month. This includes water and electricity.

      3. Weekly rates at a campsite can be up to $1000 a week with monthly rates being around $800. We found this to be true at campsites in Colorado.

      4. There is public land where you can stay for free for up to two weeks at a time; however, there usually is not water or electricity available at these spots and it might be risky without a security system.

   3. Cost of propane

      1. Cost of propane depends on your camper. Is it heated primarily with gas or electricity and does the stove/ oven run off of gas or electricity?

      2. Our camper is primarily propane dependent so I can only speak to that. Depending on the temperature, we have spent as much as $200 a month to heat our camper when temperatures are below zero. During the summer $100 can last us a long time. Winter is a lot more expensive in regards to gas consumption.

      3. Some campers are able to be heated by portable electric heaters which decrease cost but our camper is only able to tolerate one electric heater going at a time before our electricity is overwhelmed and turns off.

      4. Also, if you are using water in the winter, you will want the camper’s heating system to work instead of portable heaters so that the underbelly heats and prevents the pipes from freezing.

         1. We have opted to not use water in the winter.

   4. Insurance

      1. Living in a camper full time increases insurance. Ours is about $120 a month.

   5. Repairs

      1. We have not added up the cost of repairs but our camper has indeed needed a few.

         1. Water pump is not regulating flow and needs to be fixed, not replaced.

         2. Fresh water tank crack from the water pump allowing overflow into the fresh water tank

         3. Water damage from fresh water tank and water pump

         4. Oven has stopped working

      2. It is important to note that the manufacturers are mass producing campers as quickly as possible. Mistakes are often made and things shake and break when traveling with the camper.

3. Space

   1. Our camper is about 33 ft long. We currently have one dog (was two), one cat, two adults, and a baby on the way. We find it to be spacious enough for us; however, I imagine that as our baby becomes mobile we will either upgrade in size, choose a different living arrangement, or adapt… who knows.

4. Is it worth it?

   1. Yes, we think so. We love our little camper.

5. What would we have done differently?

   1. We would have bought a used camper and not invested in a warranty. Things are going to break and warranties do not cover most major things.