This could be a way to help others to survive on the road , I have not had to do this but have talk to people on the road that have number one is fuel the ones that I have talk to say they only travel one day a week if on a single pension 2 days a week if 2 people and don't do big KLM. . you are not on hoildays it a life style take time to enjoy the surronds and meet people
we travel on a pension and find it easier than being house bound.
we stay mostly months at a time in the one spot and pick the cheaper CP to stay in, we do a walk through first to make sure there ok, as long as there are clean toilets showers and the grounds are nice we book for a week and if we are comfortable with the surroundings we stay longer. we dont need a pool or play ground equipment.
we dont do a lot of k's per day as i am the only driver and have shoulder issues (hubby is visually impaired and doesnt drive) i'm the eyes he's the mussle. i love the life style .we did 18months in 2008/09 and are taking of again sept and i for one cant wait to get back on the road.
it can be done on a pension quite easily, we also get a rental allowence from center link and that helps.
regards lyn
-- Edited by lyn-n-ken on Sunday 1st of May 2011 09:23:18 AM
HI, We have been travelling for over ten years all done on the pension you just have to learn to take it slow and easy we free camp most of the time last year we went to Queensland and only paid for showgrounds three times in four months so it can be done you just have to budget Helena.
I agree that you can quite easily travel around on a pension. We mostly free camp & actually save some money. That is why we are able to go off on a cruise - sailing from Fremantle on Tuesday. Of couse you have to have a certain life style - don;t eat out, no money wasted on cigarettes or fancy clothes. We manage a little alcohol now & then though. Cheers
Hi Kandagal we are the same just have to be careful and we do save money when on the road sometimes I think we do better on the road than when we are at home. Helena.
I agree Helena. Never seem to save much at all while home but manage to while on the road even with the cost of fuel. We still have the rent and all other outgoings at home too
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
Thanks for all that - hopefully I will be doing this next year for about six months (or more if I feel like it) - so am storing all info for future reference.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Yes like you Ma we still have the rent at home to pay out for but still manage to save while on the road. it sure is a good life love every minute of it can't wait for the beginning of June when we will be heading off again take care all who are on the road. Helena.
I think it is much harder for single pensioner but I think the secert is not to tackle to many Klms to quickly has fuel is a big cost and might need to set an amount of how much fuel per week and only use that amount stay longer at free camps and smell the flowers
As I said in another thread, I've only done one long trip, last year, so still learning how to manage on a single DSP. I didn't keep track of how much it cost me, but I must have done okay, as I didn't have to dive into my small investment. I had one luxury night in a cabin in a Chinchilla CP. It was my last night and I was exhausted. That's one thing I learnt from that trip, don't be in a hurry.
I'm off again after Queen's Birthday weekend, and this time I have a lttle book to write everything into. I plan to use it as a journal too. My brother-in-law suggested this, not only to keep track of spending, but for photo's too. He suggested loading photo's onto the laptop every day or so and write in the journal, because by the time you get home, you may forget where a photo was taken etc.
I have no set time for being back, but I expect to be away for several weeks. I will free camp almost all the time, and I have friends on the Tablelands who I'll stay with for a week or two. I've been taking note of all the great suggestions from my grey nomad friends.
I keep a daily journal Beth. Just note the major things in it and then every couple of days or so will transpose into a word document. I put little ** when I take a pic and the pic number if I can so that I can marry up the picture with the words.
When I get home after a trip I can then go back into the word document, print our the pics, put them all together and make it into a sort of travel book.
Some people reckon they would never forget their trips but lets face it as you get older your memory isn't what it was and at least you can go back in your "book" and read and see what you have done and where you have been.
I have four A4 binders on my bookshelf now with the three trips we have done and even now it's good to be able to go back and have a look. It is surprising what looking at a pic and being able to read about it does for the memory.
Also good for the kids and grandies to have a look at too.
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
I keep a daily journal Beth. Just note the major things in it and then every couple of days or so will transpose into a word document. I put little ** when I take a pic and the pic number if I can so that I can marry up the picture with the words.
When I get home after a trip I can then go back into the word document, print our the pics, put them all together and make it into a sort of travel book.
Some people reckon they would never forget their trips but lets face it as you get older your memory isn't what it was and at least you can go back in your "book" and read and see what you have done and where you have been.
I have four A4 binders on my bookshelf now with the three trips we have done and even now it's good to be able to go back and have a look. It is surprising what looking at a pic and being able to read about it does for the memory.
Also good for the kids and grandies to have a look at too.
That sounds like a good idea Ma. In my minds eye, I can see places I've been in years gone by, but mostly I can't remember the names of the places, which is rather dissappointing.
I say 'minds eye' because, alas, I don't have photo's of the trips I did with my ex. I left them all when I left him, as I thought I didn't want the memories of my time with him. I didn't realize at the time that you can't obliterate the memories anyway. So I may as well have kept my precious photo's!
If you don't have an extravagant lifestyle when you're home, you shouldn't have one on the road. The occasional lunch out on cheap Tuesday or some other special offer, eat what you'd eat at home, cooked at home. There's always a few bucks for a beer or wine as a treat. Leave the souvenirs in the shop apart from the occasional postcard to the grandies for special occasions. If you go sightseeing plan what you want to see or experience, and if you take a trip like the Kuranda Train and Skyrail, or some other feature, you'll have to sacrifice something just this once. Most sightseeing is the cost of the fuel and a pie for lunch. I traveled about 300kms or less, parked up for a minimum of 3 days, [or 2 years (Cairns)], and somehow managed, until I needed major maintenance on the tug. Then I have to tap into the reserve diesel fund. That's the back up only. Now I can travel without the van, in front of or behind a big truck, AND get paid to do it. I'm loving it!
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I have been wondering how to get into your line of work. I work in transport dept and see pilot escorts occasionally and was thinking that if I have to work then I'd rather be doing that than stuck in an air-conditioned office. I know you have to study up and then do a test but what else is there to do and how do I get a job, please.
With all my plans to run away from home crashing around me because house prices are down, I am worried that it will be years before I can get away.
