How To Find the Best Deal on an RV
If you’re like many of us, you love camping. There is no other activity you’d rather be doing in the summer. You’ve been using a tent, which is a lot of fun, but a lot of work also, plus the ground can be a rough place to sleep sometimes. You’d like to buy an RV but you’re worried about the costs. I get it. When I bought my first camper, I had some of the same questions you do. Where do I find a cheap trailer? How do I get the best deal on an RV?
Finding the best deal on an RV is easier than you’d think. You have to set a few boundries and stick to them, and you’ll find exactly what you want. It may take a little time, so as in everything, patience is very important.
Budget
When looking to find the best deal on an RV, you have to know your budget. It’s a sad fact of life that money makes the world go round when it comes to buying toys. You have to know how much you can afford, so set a hard budget and stick to it. A hard budget is the maximum amount you can spend and still be clear for your other bills and expenses. After examining your finances, let’s say that you have decided you can spend $11,000 on a new RV. It can be tempting to go over, even by just a little. But if you really want the best deal, you have to stick to your budget.
It can be so easy to get into trouble with the budget, too. You’re at an RV show, or at a dealership and the sales agent is showing you some options. Trust me, I know the feeling. I had to learn to change the way I think when it comes to major purchases. It’s a matter of want versus will. When you see something that is over your budget, instead of saying, “That’s more than I want to spend,” say, “That’s more than I’m willing to spend.” Want means you might do it, will says you won’t. Have a strong will and stick to your budget for the best deal.
Research
If you want the best deal on an RV, you simply must know exactly what you want before you buy. For one, you need to know what you want so you can determine that, when you find one, if it is actually a deal. A friend of mine recently bought a used truck. He had a budget set, but wasn’t sure he knew exactly what he wanted. What he bought was within the budget, but afterwards he realized he could have gotten a lot newer and nicer truck for the same money.
How do you avoid that kind of mistake in buying your RV? Research! Know exactly what type of RV you want. Go through the options and accessories you need and don’t need. See what similar RVs are selling for on the market. If you’re getting a loan for the purchase, talk to your bank about values and depreciation. Your insurance agent can help with that too.
Shop around
Impulse buying is a sure way to not get the best deal. You may find the perfect one right off the bat. If you do, great! But for most of us, be prepared to wait it out and find the perfect unit. If you’re buying from a dealership, see what the competition has. Traveling to get a deal can often lead to some serious savings. One of my cousins recently bought a new camper trailer and drove across five states to get it, but he saved so much that it was well worth it, and he and his family used it all the way home.
If you’re buying used, go in with an open mind and a firm grasp on your wallet. By this, I mean, go into looking at an RV that seems like exactly what you want, but be on the lookout for anything that can make the deal not as sweet as it appears. Keep in mind some simple tips on buying a used RV.
Once you find the right RV that fits the budget you set, and you’ve researched it and have confirmed that it is a good deal, it’s time to pull the trigger and make the purchase. After that, the rest is easy – go camping and enjoy it. That’s the best deal going.
