A Mistake Corrected

Readers of this blog know that I try to avoid staying in "pay-for" campgrounds like KOA etc. and instead try to stay on free camping land.  As I meander around the country free camping isn't always available sometimes due to the route I'm traveling or because I'm in a state that doesn't offer very much free camping (looking at you Minnesota!).  It seems at least once a month I'll bite the bullet and fork over the full cost of a one or two night stay at a commercial RV park....begrudgingly.

All those times I've paid full price (sometimes as much as $45/night) I could have paid half price instead!  How is that possible and why the heck wouldn't I take the half price instead?  The first answer is that there is a RV discount card you can use that gives 50% discounts at thousands of RV parks nation wide.  The second answer is ..... I dunno.

Passport America is the discount card I'm referencing and I'm embarrassed that I've been full-timing for almost five years and I just got mine last month.

50% off sound good?

Since early March I've used the card three times and have already saved MORE than the $44/year the card costs!  I'm kicking myself for not having gotten the card the day I set out to full-time in the Tank, I would have saved hundreds of dollars by now.  A couple of caveats:  not every RV park accepts the discount card  (go to their website:  Passport America Park Map ) The second is that many member parks put rules up on the usage, like limiting the number of discount nights you can get or the season you can use it in, like not during the busy season in Arizona from December to March.

Because I'm a member of the Escapees RV club Passport America adds an extra three months onto the subscription for a total of 15 months for $44 so if you get one check to see if any groups you belong too are eligible too.  The cool thing is the flexibility the card gives you on your travels -- instead of shying away from a $35/night park now you have the option of paying $17.50 for at least the first couple days.

I made a mistake as a newbie full-timer in not having this card with me the day I headed out and it cost me hundreds of dollars in full-priced stays, now you'll be able to avoid that mistake.

Thanks for reading!