Expenses

lyn-n-ken · Senior Member

RE: Expenses

DillyDallyingAround · Veteran Member

Happywanderer wrote:

If I had to budget for anything like $30,000 a year I might as well give up now.
My budget will be around $200 a week but mobile phone will be covered in the home bills which I will have to keep paying online while away.
My biggest cost will be petrol.

Marj, I have just done a little trip of just under 1,000 klms last week, just for a trial run. As you said the biggest cost is petrol. It was up to $1.52 a litre, I filled up twice which cost me $70 first fill and $84.50 to get home. Food wise I went to Coles and Aldi when I could find one. It was like a normal weeks shop. You still have to eat whether you are at home or on the road. I have decided to allow myself $20 per day for food. Not a lot but if you like fresh veggies and pasta that goes a long way. I had done up pasta and spaghetti bolognese at home before I left. It tastes better the next night anyway. All I had to do was reheat it. Breakfast was cereal and milk, certainly not expensive. Morning tea, Lunch and Afternoon tea, I made myself, I did splurge at the bakeries for nice cakes, I did not deprive myself, as what was the use of going. I free camped, loved it. Even seen dolphins feeding early in the morning, I was amazed and sat and watched them for over a half an hour until a fishing boat came and disturbed them.

I felt I was very lucky as where I was camped, a young couple pulled up in a station wagon and slept in that. How cramped it must have been.  They had camp chairs to sit in but were forever scratching around in the wagon for their odds and ends. Must have been hot in there later on in the night as it rained so I doubt if they put the windows down.

On the other end of the scale a hugh RV towing a small car with a tinny on its roof, pulled up and camped in style but not after fooling around levelling the RV, pacing backwards and forwards, looking at low branches on the trees etc. Me, I just pulled up, parked and relaxed.

All in all I had a great time and cant wait to do it again in the opposite direction. Like Ma said, within reason I didnt worry too much about expenses, I kept within my normal budget that I use when I am at home.

-- Edited by DillyDallyingAround on Saturday 5th of March 2011 06:04:06 PM

dogbox · Guru

thank you for this thread
the question has been asked many times "how much" an never been a correct answer because we all will do it diferent you have posted how much it cost you others will adjust your figures to suit their style an give them a place to start their dream

Happywanderer · The Master

Definitely dogbox, and there are things on that list that some might never have thought of. It also helps to view when making a list of ones own, very helpful.

Happywanderer · The Master

So right Dilly, everyones budget will be different but we all have to eat. I spend very little on groceries and don't/can't eat much red meat as much as I would like to. So am happy with a cupboard full of tins of tuna, salmon or sardines and buy fruit and veges in my travels at either road side stalls or markets. I buy a bit of chicken and do lots of stir frys. At home I wouldn't spend more than say 60.00 on groceries and that covers Punkys (dog) food as well.
My breakfast is usually a bowl of fresh fruit with a dollop of yoghurt. Lunch a wholemeal roll filled with salad and dinner a stirfry. Have a few containers full of nuts, prunes and dates for nibbles and a block of chocolate for treats.
I only drink tea and maybe one coffee a day if I find a good cafe for a cappachino. Gave up alchohol years ago as couldn't afford it and now don't miss it at all. Drink lots of water. I enjoy treats like a cake and coffee when out and about but if on the road and keeping to a budget one would probably alter to suit the environment as we travelled about the different places, keeping in mind we might need a bit more money in a particular place if we have been told about a really nice restuarant we should try or something we should see.
Its all a matter of adjusting and keeping a bit aside for those occasions.

Or if funds are getting a bit low, we stock up the fridge and go sit by a lake or river till payday.