Retired, 161 travel days in 2014 with 155 camper nights (in-laws otherwise), cost $9,000 for campgrounds and gasoline. We rarely eat out so the food cost is the same as at home and we did not miss having a refrigerator (also retired from tent camping for many years). Drove 16,000 miles on four trips ranging from 21 days to 66 days each. Cheapest campgrounds: North Dakota National Grasslands at $5 per night with no water and Great Basin NP in the fall at $6/night with no water. Most expensive campgrounds: California at $35 and Alabama at $33 (one red state and one blue state). No water tank in the camper either which was an advantage in Colorado with 33 consecutive nights in NF campgrounds over 8,800 feet altitude and no hose threads on any water source (used the furnace and fleece sleeping bag liners most of July and August). Traveled coast to coast day hiking only (keeps my weight and blood pressure down and is easy on the wallet). My wife and I can spend 66 consecutive nights together in a Granby (6'x12') and still smile fondly at each other at home. Over 3,000 pictures taken with more of the large mid-October breakers on the Pacific coast than any other (folks from Iowa do not get to see an 18' breaker hit a sea stack less than 100 yards away very often). Most memorable view: pelicans surfing the breakers instead of surfboards.
