When I wrote Monday’s blog about Surviving an RV Trip With Your Kids or Grandkids it dawned on me that sometimes the biggest children we travel with are each other. The miles get longer, the butt gets flatter, the conversation begins to dry up, little irritations get amplified, and the next thing you know there’s a big bust up over something fairly trivial. Now you two are stuck in a confined space with a destination in mind and everybody is grumpy, or has hurt feelings, or are just in a mood to verbally scuffle for awhile. So today I ‘d like to offer some suggestions as to how to avoid these on-the-road blowouts.
Money — this subject can cause trouble so fast. Everybody has an idea how it should be spent, everybody has their own list of priorities as to the use of it. To avoid any confrontation over spending, plan out a loose budget for the trip so that the cost of arriving at your destination is not a shock to anyone involved. It doesn’t have to be an itemized, to the last red cent accounting procedure, but rather a round number estimate the cost of the trip with fuel, food, lodging (if required), and the average run-of-the-mill repairs you might need en route. Let’s face it, every RV or truck/trailer has it’s own idiosyncrasies and you know your rig better than anyone else so plan accordingly.
While you are creating your travel budget, please don’t forget to add something in for treats… and by that, I mean whatever the two of you consider a treat. Whether it’s a movie, a round of golf, or a couple buckets of ice cream, be sure and include them in the budget because it’ll make a long trip easier if there are imminent things on the horizon to look forward to.
Oddly enough, also budget for some alone time. When you’re on the road and out of your regular schedule, you have a natural inclination to stick together because in a lot of places you are the only two people you know. Sometimes a little solo time can go a long way towards keeping the peace, so don’t be afraid to take it!
I hope these tips help, and if you have any thoughts, or suggestions please add them below in our comment section. And please visit us at PPL Motorhomes.com for all your parts and accessory needs.