The Best $5 Meal Plan for RVers | Free 14 Day Trial

The Best $5 Meal Plan for RVers | Free 14 Day Trial

Meal planning and grocery shopping!

We all have to eat, and as much as we wish we could eat out every night or have a fancy chef cook our every meal, in reality, that just doesn’t happen. So, if you are tired of wasting time making a grocery list or trying to figure out what’s for dinner every night? You’re not alone!

For us, eating out happens only on occasions! Therefore, we have learned to cook at home and purchase the right ingredients for our planned out tasty meals. However, that wasn’t always the case.

What Made Us Start Meal Planning?

For years I would go to the store, walk down every aisle, grab items off the shelves and then later figure out what was for dinner with what I bought.

I knew my way of grocery shopping wasn’t working when too many of our perishable items would rot and wither before we had a chance to make a meal. Also, when Matthew and I moved into our RV full-time our fridge just wasn’t as large as an industrial one and our pantry storage became almost non-existent.

I did always try to purchase the Ingredients for basic meals like Tacos, Chicken w/veggies, and Spaghetti. Although basic meals are easy and quick, they can get repetitive and boring.

I specifically remember my husband saying, “what do we have for dinner?”

And I replied; “chicken and broccoli with rice”.

He said “Again?”

That’s when I knew something had to change. We needed new recipes and new ideas!!

We couldn’t continue with our normal routine because we either ended up with not enough room or eventually wasted food. Wasted food equals wasted money, right? We definitely had no room to be wasting money! Especially when we are on our way to becoming debt free which you can read about here on our monthly goal posts: Our Journey to a Debt Free Life. 

So I went on to Pinterest and started searching. I came across a blog post regarding meal planning and they recommended the $5 Dollar Meal Plan service. I instantly became interested clicked on their link in the post.

Through my scrolling of www.5dollarmealplan.com website I, of course, read the whole page and the reviews. After all, the reviews are so important.

After about 5 minutes, I realized that this service was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to save money, save time, and most importantly stop buying items and ingredients that never get used. I saw this service as being the answer to my problem. 

So, we signed up for the 14 free day trial to try it out. As soon as we did, we received our first planned meals. I also did some searching on my own to see what kind of recipes they had as options.

Do we like the meals and service?

So far we have loved the service! Every week we receive in our email a complete list of meals for the week including a detailed grocery list at the end of the recipes. The list is downloadable, printable, and saves so much time.  

We take the list, mark off any items we already have in our fridge or pantry. Then when we go to the store we purchase the items that we still need. The service has been great!

What do you get with the service? 

You get a full week of meals sent to your inbox every Friday, with cooking instructions and a grocery list.

The option to build your own perfect plan according to your specifications.

Search for meals designed by cooking method. So, if you love using just one pot for your meals to save on dishes there are recipes for that. They also have meal specifically for crock pot/slow cookers, meals that are freezer friendly, meals for baking, meals for Dutch Ovens, and more.

Search by dietary preferences such as gluten-free, paleo, dairy free, soy free, or vegetarian there are specific meals for you.

Search and create meals plans for the time of day. If you want to plan meals for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner there are plenty of recipes for you to add variety for weeks.

Search by ingredients like beef, salad, beans, chicken, eggs, and more.

They really have thought about their customers with a great meal planning service. Plus, Free Coupons that you can print for your grocery shopping to save even more money. Here are some images of the dashboard and what to expect by searching the categories.

Is it worth it?

Well, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial to see if the service is something that will benefit you and your family. We did exactly that and after the 14 days decided to purchase the full service at only $5 a month.

I feel like the price is definitely affordable and reasonable for the amount of time it has saved us and can save you.

How has the product benefited us?

By using the $5 meal planning service we have saved over $100 a month on groceries by only purchasing what we needed and using the coupons they provide with the service. This, in turn, has prevented us from eating out and wasting food.

I now have more time to focus on playing with my dogs on the weekends, writing, and spending time with my husband, instead of spending my Sunday trying to meal plan and create a grocery list.

If you’re single, a couple, or a family with children this service has so many benefits. It also allows variety for your weekly meals. Before we would always eat chicken, pasta, and tacos, those were my go-to ingredients when I went grocery shopping. Now, we have opened up our meal options and have tried a variety of fish dishes, vegetarian dishes, nutritionally packed smoothies and more!

So save your weekends for the family and let Shane, Erin, and Jim do your meal planning for you! You can start your free 14-day trial here! 


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Should You Buy a New or Used RV? Analyzing the Pros & Cons

Should You Buy a New or Used RV? Analyzing the Pros & Cons

Should you buy a New or Used RV?

When it comes to buying your very first RV or even your second or third, there are so many things to consider. There is also the age-old debate that has many people confused about whether purchasing their RV new or used will be the better option.

For us, we thought about this the entire time we were searching for our home on wheels. We read Facebook groups, asked questions, and saw other people ask the same questions. We found that the majority of people said to buy “used”.

However, I was still so skeptical. Is buying used really the best option? During our research and purchasing timeframe, I set down and examined the pros and cons of purchasing an RV New VS purchasing an RV Used.

I also always kept in mind that I was purchasing our home. This was a place we will sleep, cook, play games, and live life full-time. I did NOT approach this purchase as the same as buying just a normal vehicle.  After all, a car doesn’t have a bathroom, fridge, sink, or propane tanks and generators.

So, let’s get to it and first examine the Pros and Cons of purchasing your RV New Vs. Used.

Pros and cons of purchasing a Used RV

Used – Pros

  • Usually cheaper than purchasing brand new. This make’s it easier to pay cash instead of financing.
  • Less guilt if you want to make any renovations whether major or minimal.
  • All the “Kinks” are worked out from others “breaking it in”.
  • Anything that needed to be fixed has usually been taken care of by the manufacturing warranty if the previous owner took advantage of the warranty.
  • Easier to negotiate price.
  • Lower Insurance
  • Less Depreciation from your point of purchase.

Used – Cons

  • Usually Sold AS IS without any warranties
  • If purchased used with a loan, you will usually have a higher Loan Interest Rate.
  • Unknowingly could purchase a LEMON or one that was not been maintained properly.
  • Could have mold, leaks, or more.
  • Unable to have your true pick of floorplans.
  • If purchasing a Motorhome, less fuel-efficient than a new motorhome.
  • Hidden Maintenance Issues.
  • Other people or pets misuse now becomes your problem.
  • Usually outdated appliances and décor (Unless you are going to be making décor renovations and upgrades, this isn’t a con)
Pros and Cons of Purchasing a New RV

New – Pros

  • It’s yours! No one has ever owned it before. (Nothing in the tanks that are foreign to you)
  • New Appliances, new furniture, and that new home smell.
  • Greater options and flexibility to search and choose the right amenities and floor-plan that is best for you and/or your family.
  • Manufacturers warranty
  • Ability to purchase directly from Manufacture and customize to your liking

New – Cons

  • Premium Price (Don’t be afraid to negotiate and check the prices nationwide for the same RV)
  • High Depreciation
  • Higher insurance
  • You have to work out the kinks and issues yourself

Now that you know the pros and cons of purchasing a used RV vs. a new RV, which is better?

Honestly, it really comes down to your own finances and your own personal reasoning. What is important to you and/or your family? Is it the money and not wanting a loan or is it making sure your floorplan and amenities supply the right needs for your family? I feel like there is really no “right” answer to the new vs used debate.

 

What we chose and why…

For Matthew and I, we searched all the floorplans and prices. After 6 long months of conducting comparisons on RV Trader and going back and forth on buying new or used, we found what we needed.

Ultimately, we decided to buy brand new, took out a loan, and got the perfect floorplan that fit us. We made the decision to buy new because we were going to live full-time and it needed to fit our needs. Making sure we were comfortable, happy and had a Washer/Dryer prep in our space was a top priority.

Also, we realized with our research that the type of RV we needed and wanted was the same price new as it was a few years older.

When you buy used, all the “kinks” are worked out, right?

Honestly, you can purchase a brand-new RV or a used RV and still have problems. There is no true guarantee that it will be perfect. We have only had one leak in a side window that was an easy seal up. So far we have been full-time living stationary for almost a year now.

So, just figure out your priorities and needs that are personal to you. I hope this helps and don’t forget to check out RV Trader to search for your perfect RV, whether you’re looking for a used one or a new one!

 

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Why We Chose To Live In An RV

Why We Chose To Live In An RV

Why did we choose to live in an RV? There are many reasons and we are going to discuss our process and why we made the decision.

But… First, I would like to mention how much thought went into this major life decision of ours.

We have never bought a house, but I feel that we put just as much time, energy, and thought into the buying process of our home on wheels, as we would have if we were buying a brick and mortar home.

We chose to live full time in an RV for a combination of reasons, but one of the main reasons/goals was to save money and to become debt free.

Prior to moving into our RV, we were enjoying living together as newlyweds, in our first one-bedroom apartment. We were loving life with our two fur babies, a view of a gorgeous park from our balcony, close to family, and commuting even distances from our jobs.

However, those commutes were becoming monotonous. I was also becoming listless about my work and felt that we needed a change. I wanted to explore life outside of my hometown and begin a new adventure.

Thankfully Matt was on the same page and just as eager to see what the next step would bring.

We discussed purchasing a house but ultimately felt that it wouldn’t help us meet our goal of being debt free, not to mention that we didn’t have a clue as to where we wanted to settle down.

We also considered moving to Florida, where some of our family friends live. But that would mean we would have to completely start over, and let’s face it, that is a big feat that we weren’t quite ready for.

The Beginning Stages

During the time we were contemplating our next step, my sister in law mentioned the idea of living full time in an RV. Without hesitation, I began researching the possibility. It intrigued me!

Being an opportunist, I don’t usually cast things aside without consideration and research. I scoured Pinterest, Instagram, Google, and even found Facebook groups dedicate to full-time RV living.

After much research, I felt that this could be the change and adventure we were longing for! This could be the answer to us becoming debt free, giving us the ability to travel, and live life on our terms.

So I mustered up the courage to talk to my husband about it, fully expecting some reservations on his part. To my surprise, Matthew was all for the idea!

The Planning Stage

Now that we had a goal and the next step was decided on, we had more research to do. The planning and preparation process took many months. I would be lying if I said that during that time we didn’t question our decision and wonder if we were crazy. I would think,

Are we crazy? Shouldn’t we be purchasing a home, building equity, and having kids?


 

The Doubting Stage

Being in our mid/late twenties, and newly married, there seemed to be some social pressures about settling down in a house and starting a family. And even though it was easy to look at others our age and feel like maybe we were wrong to not follow the same path, we had this dream to do things a little differently.

We reminded ourselves, and still do, that everyone’s dreams and ideas of happiness are different. It is okay to take the road less traveled.

Even though we had overcome our own doubts, that didn’t mean we wouldn’t face doubt or disapproval from others about our choice. After deciding and announcing our decision to RV full time we were met with comments like “RV’s depreciate.” “You’ll never get equity out of it.” While those comments were true, those facts weren’t factors for us. We weren’t worried about building equity or depreciation.

We dreamed of traveling and we were motivated to pay off those student loans and personal debts! To us, that was worth investing in.

What do we have to lose stage

Experiencing our beautiful country, with all of its magnificent wonders, without worrying about a ton of monthly loan payments is a dream! A dream that with a couple years of hard work, and budgeting could become a reality for us.

We felt like we had nothing to lose, but everything to gain by choosing this lifestyle. We had the opportunity to travel if we are able to or stay stationary. That is Freedom with our home base.

Update

April of 2018 was our beginning journey in living in our RV full-time. We have lived in our RV stationary on our Families land for about 2 years now. We had a surprise baby in 2019 and he has blessed our lives more than what we could have ever imagined.

I think with everything in your live, you must be able to pivot, to change, and go with the flow. Nothing is going to go as planned, but you have to keep going and taking those risks to make your dreams a reality. So if living minimally and traveling in an RV is your dream, GO FOR IT!

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