Can you travel just on a Pension

Shazza5 · Member

Can you travel just on a Pension

Shazza5 · Member

I am on a pension and I was wandering if there are many out there just on a pension traverling.

Is it hard to manage just on the pension?

I will be in a campervan and have back up money for repairs and services but just have the pension for everyday expenses.

Shazza

shadyandme · Senior Member

Hi shazza I am in the same position as you, if I run a little short before pension day I just free camp for a couple of days till the pension comes in, it can be done with a little budgeting, good luck, Norma

yeoeleven · Guru

Hi Shazza,

providing you are happy with free camping it is very easy to travel on the pension. I started with a fixed amount and have been able to live on the pension as well as buying items that I needed as I went.

I am even going to Bali later this month as an experiment on living on the pension and do not intend to touch my starting float.

It can be done but then I don't smoke or drink and have inexpensive eating habits.

John

Happywanderer · The Master

You would be surprised just how many of us only have the pension.
Some are on the road fulltime so all the pension covers their travel and living expenses.
Others like me still have a home so only part is used for travelling as some has to be kept for househould expenses etc. I don't travel fulltime but by budgeting right and freecamping I am hoping to be away for 4 - 5 months over winter.

fireheart · Senior Member

Thanks for bringing this topic up Shazza. Today I am beginning to do costings of changing my lifestyle to becoming a full time GN. It is interesting and I am finding out about things that I never thought I would have to. I am quite proud of myself actually. I am self funded, however still will be on a strict budget so all tips and ideas from the more experienced will be once again gratefully looked forward to.
Good luck in your planning. I am really looking forward to becoming part of a travelling group of people who are interesting, diverse and seem to be a lot of fun.

Sharon.

jimbo · Guru

I tried it a couple of years ago when I went to Cannonvale Qld With my Coaster I struggled.....Free camped most times I don't smoke But I like a Red evry night Two glasses now......Price od Diesel then was $1 15 to $1.20....I had too dip into my own Money for a while........

Ma · Guru

If you would like to pop round for a cuppa when we get home Shazza it would be great to meet you. Send me a PM if you are interested.

johnq · Guru

Cost to run and maintain the rig would be the big worry to many.

That would trip the scales towards smaller rather than larger. Self sufficiency says more gear but running costs say small and light. The other alternative is less travel and long stays.

Tight budgeting is not limited to people on pensions. Self supporting retirees would have to have considerable fat in income and savings to be moderately comfortable, that is without Murphy intervening with health and rig surprises.

ChiChi1 · Guru

I'm self funded. But, I don't have all that much. It's all I'm going to get, and its got to go a loooong way. Hence, on a very tight budget. The more I spend now the sooner I'll have to sell and give up travelling. Thats about what it comes down to. Costs with maintenance issues on the van have pulled me up short this year. I think its important to have sufficient funds to keep up with "rig surprises"

Happywanderer · The Master

You have to realsie there are a lot of costs in there some of us will never come accross.
The total being $28,000 would be way outside anybodys budget on a pension.
Accommodation wouldn't be added in if you were free camping.
Fuel for the year $4666 is well outside my budget. Thats not taking into account a week stopped beside this lake and a week stopped beside that river etc.
Tourist items, $4000, thats $80 a week. No pensioner could afford to spend that much.
As was also said in that same thread if I recall. Some on pensions have a budget of 200 - 300 dollars a week, that only equates to max $15,000 a year. It can be done.

Edit. Incidentals I think it said over $6,000 for the year which included cigarettes, scripts etc. thats $120 a week. Not everybody would have all if any of that.

-- Edited by Happywanderer on Saturday 11th of February 2012 09:17:48 AM

Sunshine · Veteran Member

One of the nomads posted this. It may help.

Travel & Fuel statistics for the trip so far 2010

Total Days Away 364

Distance Travelled klms 25122

Total Fuel used Ltrs 2024.74

Avg Fuel Consumption Ltrs/100k 13.78

Dearest Fuel /Lts $1.87

Cheapest Fuel /Ltr $1.00

Average Fuel Price /Ltr $1.35

Average Daily expenditure $78.60

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary of Costs for the Trip

Accommodation 1216.08

Fuel for car 4666.80

Groceries 4115.49

Incidentals (Tolls/smokes/medication etc) 6404.01

Meals out 1987.37

Tourist Items (Admission fees etc) 4084.70

Vehicle Maintenance 6134.21

TOTAL $28,609.48

vehicle maint includes insurance and rego for car and van, we also replaced cooper tyres as i wasn't happy with them.
tourist items include $1442 being ferry fare to tassie
Incidentals include things not covered by other catagories, eg, medication, smokes etc.
Free camped 95% of the time.
Internet and mobile costs are included. We use prepaid internet and mobile.
vehicle maint includes......
2 x oil change and filters on tug
2 x transmission flush + 1 filter
5 new tyres
3 puncture repairs
insurance and rego on car and van
gas bottle refills (part of van)
replaced self levelling suspension with coils and poly bags

Groceries.
We buy day old bread and cakes from bakeries
Only shop for specials, most supermarkets have discounted meat late afternoons and we fill waeco with them.
Codiments, snack foods etc are bought at places like, cheap as chips, reject shop etc. The van is fitted with a large pantry so we can carry about a months supply of non perishables.

Fuel,
Diesel, the $1.00 a litre was actually free (20L from a station in the flinders) but so not to screw up our figures it was put down at $1.00.

Incidentals includes
medications, smokes, clothing, books,phone and internet,birthday and xmas presents, haircuts, etc.

The treasurer is very pedantic with recording every cent spent so i can say with all honesty the figures supplied are accurate.

Sunshine · Veteran Member

I might add ~ there were 2 of them and they were towing a van. Cheers

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks so much for that rundown. Thats exactly what I was after just now. In the throws of trying to work out how much I might need to do my trip. Very thorough and detailed.
cheers
Tess

Sunshine · Veteran Member

Good morning Tess ~ You are welcome.

Thanks must go to the couple who posted it originally....can't remember who

Knew I saved it for good reason. Cheers

fireheart · Senior Member

I agree with you H W, that not everyone would have ciggies etc, however it is a rough outline and for a starting point it gives some indication on where to start calculating costs. I spent yesterday doing that very thing when my poor Financial Advisor nearly fell off the phone when I told him what I was going to get up to next. Like to have him work for his money too. I was thinking by the end of my calculations it might be cheaper for me to stay at home, however I am now seeing I have been way off beam with a lot of costs and after speaking with the guys at Adelaide Winnebago they echoed what you are saying about getting to a great spot and just putting down roots or tyres as this case may be and staying for awhile.
I think that is going to be one of the big changes to get use to, getting the notion of not having to be somewhere by a certain time. I guess also if one is fit and able to, there is always seasonal work to pick up along the way to add to the coffers. It is all interesting and great to hear how others do it.

Sharon.

bill12 · Guru

I find that it depends how much you are on the road. My biggest expense is fuel, and the more you drive , the more you use. I try to budget on $50 a day, and do better, sometimes and worse.Fish are handy for free meals, and good presents or giveaways.If I stay at one spot , and buy at woolies or other economy places I can do it. Its good fun trying to get the budget right.Bill

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks HW I agree with you totally. It was encouraging to see those figures for me because I immediately shaved several thousand off the top for the ciggies, tourist stuff, accommodation etc etc. It made it all seem more doable. The fuel is the biggie and like you have all said, learning to slow down and realise you don't have to be anywhere any time is the big thing. Having been on call for so many years it might take a little doing but looking forward to the challenge.
WHat a great Saturday morning activity, discussing with like minded folk "doing nothing" and enjoying yourself just coz you can...
Suns out again, best put out the sheets, god is there no end to the workload???? Roll on April May. I also vacuumed this morning for the second time this year whether it needed it or not !
Tess

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

By the way Bill12 I loved the idea of fish being a giveaway/present. What a great idea. I have a big birthday coming up this year so I hope I happen to be at the same place as you some time over the year..... Should I meet up with a fishing type person on the road I would very much appreciate some fishing tuition. Have sat and held the rod for my uncle but not done much else to contribute, I feel it is time to learn. Any fisher men or women out there, Id love some lessons.
Tess

dawa · Guru

i think that so long as you don't rush off every morning for another 6 hours driving fuel cost can be kept down.

i plan to stay a minimum of two nights at any time and more where possible. free camp 98% of the time will save me heaps and as i eat simple and dress like a dag no big costs there..LOL

Yes you can do it on a pension and if you slow down you can do it easily

Dawa

beiffe · Guru

Fuel cost should not be the BIG item.

If you are out there enjoying the country, do just that, enjoy.

Every week I have a rule that I stay somewhere for three days and as soon as I move the week starts again.

You will find that sometimes the length of stay is governed by the food or water you have onboard.

NEVER leave a site you are enjoying if you can stay. The best heaven there is is the one that you are in at the time.

I often make a tank of fuel last for several weeks, but then sometimes I might do only 200Ks a weekend sometimes less.

I cook my own food on a wood fire each night and any left overs are eaten for breakfast etc until it is gone.

I live comfortable on the pension and can sometimes have money for a splurge now and again.

I hope to keep traveling until I drop.

Regards
Brian

Jack Mac · Senior Member

Looking at C/link website the couples rate of pension with supplement is $29000+ and the single rate is $19000+. Obviously I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

Obviously fuel, running expenses etc. are basically the same for single as couple but most of the consumables (cigs, alcohol, food, entertainment etc.) would be approx 50% depending on circumstances.

Cheers,

Jack

nomadic1 · Senior Member

I hope you all realise that if you don't own a house (or unit) and you're travelling in your van all the time then if you're on a pension you can claim rent assistance every day you stay in a van park. I'm sure that if you go and have a chat with Centrelink they'd be able to tell you more precisely the amounts you can claim.

ChiChi1 · Guru

For me, I could get around 30,000kms for $5000. I use around 10ltrs/100per klm. or, if you travelled average of 200ks per day it would take you 5 months thereabouts.

-- Edited by ChiChi1 on Tuesday 14th of February 2012 04:17:42 PM

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

Yes you can. As previously mentioned free camping at least twice per week makes a big difference. Also look at wilderness park camps ($5 -$7.50) per night. A number of roadhouses also have c/p or camp areas available ( Victoria River Road house and Hotel, $5 p/n powered site) Doing the tourist things costs lots . I wanted to do some barra fishing in Kunnunarra, but the cost was $255 per half day. You can BUY a lot of barra for that money. Great time to give away smoking, save thousands in smokes and hundreds more in medical bills. Slowing down from 100kmph to 85 kmph gave me an extra 50ks per tank. Use you slow cooker and cheaper cuts of meat will also save a tidy amount, Of course , there are always those unexpected expenses, in my case shock absorbers, that cant be covered on a pension only. But I still managed to have my couple of tinnies , or a glass of vino at the end of the day

dawa · Guru

And if you free camp most of the time the finances will be healthier.

Boy that is a big price to go fishing....like you say can buy a lot of fish with that much cash.

I am setting up for 12volt and solar and i think i shall do OK financialy

dawa

Happywanderer · The Master

There are a couple in a caravan here at Greens Lake who have been here 3 weeks, so Michael tells me.
The more free camping you do the further your money will go.
You also eat less when free camping. I am estimating my consumption has halved to what I eat at home. lol

dawa · Guru

also less repairs etc on yr rig if you stay in one place for a couple weeks

fireheart · Senior Member

I am in the process of doing up a budget of sorts for my advisor. I think I have things in check pretty much from speaking with different people. My son worked out that around $5,000 per year for fuel would be a good generous amount to start with. Are we way out of the league either way or would that be an amount for a tenative budget?

dawa · Guru

well I for one don't want to be driving 200ks every day.

My budget is about $80-90 litres of fuel a month or 400 ks approx.

so once again it is how fast you wish to go.