Would it surprise you to learn that 35% of adults in the U.S. want to become snowbirds? Texas’s Rio Grand Valley had 53,000 winter households, with an average of two people each during the 2021-22 winter season. If you want to be one of these winter Texas residents, you must know how to be a snowbird on a budget.
Becoming a Snowbird on a Budget Starts With … a Budget
Your first task as you investigate how to be a snowbird on a budget is to create a budget. You need a 3-6 month emergency fund before any expenditures. Then, calculate what you will pay for housing, groceries, insurance, internet, TV, utilities, and other incidentals, including healthcare. Consider both your permanent home and winter bills. Add in your travel costs and anything you need to purchase while you are away.
Search for Free or Low-Cost Activities
Almost every location has free activities. You can visit parks, festivals, and open-air markets. If you are eligible, take advantage of discounts, especially senior discounts. Community centers and churches may also have activities. Finally, bring your hobbies with you, such as photography, painting, and reading.
Create a Transportation Plan
The next step in how to be a snowbird on a budget includes developing a transportation plan. If you fly to your winter location, you will need to find a way to get around. If you drive, you may experience higher travel costs due to the fuel cost and the need to maintain a vehicle. Include these costs in your budget.
Cook For Yourself
Eating out gets expensive. You could save significantly by making your own meals. This can be challenging as a snowbird unless you can access a kitchen or BBQ area. However, by just cooking two more meals per week, you can save up to $1,000 per year or more. Preparing your meals should cost $4 per person per meal or less. Shop at the local grocery store or farmers market and prepare your food.
Stay in an RV Park
As of February 2024, the average price to purchase a house in Texas is $403,983, and the average rent can be over $2,000 per month. Housing is typically the highest cost most households experience. As a snowbird, you may have to pay your mortgage payment at home and rent on an apartment or home in Texas. Therefore, if you want to know how to be a snowbird on a budget, you must reduce your housing costs.
One of the best ways to do this is to travel in an RV and stay at an RV Park. These parks offer heated pools and spas, pet-friendly spaces — some with a dog wash station and pet laundry center — playgrounds for your children, BBQ pits, and picnic areas. They also have gyms, fishing ponds, and activity areas like pickleball, tennis, and basketball courts.
These parks offer laundry, shower, and bathroom facilities; some even offer marina access for your boat.
Lease Your Home Out
When you aren’t home, you can lease out your property, especially if you spend months away. Not only can you make money, but you have someone looking after your property and paying you to do it. If you choose alternate housing options, such as staying in an RV, you may be mortgage-free for several months of the year if you rent out your home.
Start Small and Limit How Long You Stay in Texas
You should test the waters first as you learn how to be a snowbird on a budget. Start small and go away for a few weeks or a month before you change your whole lifestyle. This allows you to try out different areas and budgeting strategies. You can test the rental market or see what staying in an RV long-term is like.
Also, be flexible with your travel times, especially if you plan to fly. Choose lower occupation dates, and be willing to shorten your stay based on your budget.
Review Your Insurance
Contact your health and homeowners’ insurance companies. Make sure your health insurance covers you on your travels, ask about rate increases, and consider supplementing your insurance with a health savings account. Also, your homeowner’s insurance may change because your home will be empty for several months, or you may turn it into a temporary rental property. You should also carry travel insurance.
Consider Seasonal Work
The availability of remote work has dramatically expanded snowbird opportunities. However, you can also pick up seasonal work or serve as a delivery or rideshare driver and can ease into how to be a snowbird on a budget.
FAQs
Is it expensive to be a snowbird?
It can be expensive to become a snowbird.
If you lease a home, go out to dinner all the time, stay in hotels, and live like a tourist, you may feel surprised by how quickly the costs increase. However, you can significantly reduce your snowbird costs by learning how to be a snowbird on a budget.
What is the most cost-effective way to snowbird?
The most cost-effective way to snowbird is to reduce your housing costs.
Housing costs tend to be your highest bill. If you can find a way to reduce these costs, you can significantly reduce what you pay out. If you lease your property at home, you can offset these costs. Traveling in an RV or purchasing a condo in Texas that you lease in the summer may also reduce your costs.
How can you be a snowbird without buying a house?
You can live as a snowbird without purchasing a house.
You can invest in timeshares or sign short-term leases that allow you to enjoy warm weather during the winter. If you want a place that is all your own, you can purchase a fifth-wheel trailer or RV and stay in an RV park throughout the winter.
Learn How To Be a Snowbird on a Budget
Now you know how to be a snowbird on a budget. Contact us to learn more about all that winter in Texas has to offer and how you can become a winter Texan.