Travelling costs

accomodation costs depend on whether you always stay in caravan parks (and if so, maybe a membership with big4 or something may be worthwhile) or look for freeby places too.

On a trip we try to average out at $100 per day for 2 adults and 3 kids and this covers fuel, food, accom when needed, repairs if needed

but for 2 people it could be the same or cheaper depending on what sort of soendings your good at doing..!!

does this help???

Laura

Hi John

The Cook and I, will be doing the same thing in the near future,
we have purchased a new van and 4wd, to eliminate break downs
and repairs ect, there will allways be preventative maintenance to be carried out, registration and insurance can be reduced if you are
on a "pension", you did'nt state this on your thread, we have been
doing short trips away ect to get the feel of towing the van and
getting to talk with like minded people in caravan parks ect, as
Laura said, Free Camps will save you money, and taking your time
travelling, and staying in places longer will help with the fuel costs,
it allso depends on your life style, re: do you enjoy eating out ect,
and doing the tourist bit, re: entry fees and day trips ect,
We will be going away for a month, and then comming home to
work for two months with the business, and then retire and do the trip around the block, hope things go well for you, there is
plenty of people out ther doing it.

Cheers
Daza

Thanks for all the responses. Very helpful.

I am doing these sorts of sums primarily because we are tossing up whether to go the tent/campertrailer/caravan/5th wheeler/motorhome route or whether it might actually be cheaper to simply stay at motels.

I know that there are many other things to consider other than costs alone but it is a significant factor nevertheless.

So far, my sums lead me to conclude that for anything with a capital cost upwards of $80,000, it will work out cheaper than motels but from $80,000 upwards motels win the day.

As I said though, we know that costs are but one factor in the equation, possibly not even the most important. Enjoying a good glass of red whilst watching the sun set over a remote lake will beat the view from a motel window every time.

John

Hi johnic, We find (as everybody does I guess) that the fuel is the major expense out there, we don't really budget our trips as such, just a rough estimate (heay we may not go if we did LOL).

Depreciation happens even if the vehicles are sitting in the yard, Insurance, Registration all have to be paid anyway so I wouldn't include those in the cost for the trip.

Food, works out cheaper for us if we are out in the back blocks than if we were home but we don't do much in the line of "dining out"

Caravan Park costs, after a long time we have started to free camp and love it, so there is a major saving. Our last trip was out to Birdsville & Innamincka, (tenting), we were away for a month and the camping fees for that month were $233, and two of those nights were in a motel, (I hurt my back and had trouble tenting) We did buy a SA desert parks pass (not included in the camp fees) which we needed anyway and that covered camping around Innamincka and Coongie Lakes.

Additional fuel, well that is always going to be a big one, not much we can do about that.

Repairs an unknown, just take it quietly and hope for the best.

What else? depends on what you like doing, tours, flights over scenic spots, exhibitions that you come across on your travels, museums etc. Pick what your budget allows for.

Just go out there and enjoy your travels, if you can afford to do the trip don't worry about the cost of things, cross your bridges as you come to them and don't put things off until later as later may not come.

Cheers

D

Hi Johnnic,
One thing to consider when comparing van Vs motel costs, is that at the end of the trip you still have the van - it can be sold, or used for further trips. We did much the same exercise about ten years ago, when planning a 3-5 year trip and decided to buy van. What we did not foresee was that the nomad bug would get us to the extent of continuing to spend 5-9 months each year on the road. Van was thus a great investment.
What else? Food, beverages. Costs of tours, admissions, national park passes, etc - some do a lot of these, some less - it is under your control. Purchase of maps, guidebooks. Purchase of newspapers, books to read while travelling (book exchanges!). Photo costs (printing). Communication costs - mobile phone etc; will you need internet connection?
In 2007, we did 5 month trip, much of it in Kimberley - not the cheapest place to travel! Spent $3199 on accommodation, for 153 nights. Cheapest was free camps. Dearest was a Broome Caravan Park where we had to book in for a week, even though we did not want to be there that long, having been there before - that was $36.50 per night. Think it averages out about $20 a night, which might be a guide for you. Could get km and fuel figures for you, if interested. Do know that the cheapest fuel (diesel) was here, the day we left, and dearest was at Kalumburu, at $2.20 pl - seemed huge then, but reckon it is even more this year!
When we set off, in 98, allowed per week, $100 for fuel, $100 for accommodation and $200 for everything else - and did it very comfortably. To do it the same way now I reckon would take $600-700 per week.
We do more free camping these days, in order to lower costs a bit.
Hope that helps.

Just did a trip...solo.

5 Months...17,000km and my total cost was $13,200 which included a service on the LC100, fuel, van parks, helicopter flight, other tourist things and beer.

Averaged around $100 a day...and you should be able to keep it around the same...so, if you budget for $120 a day..you should be ok, but this means you have to sit it out at a nice town for a week or two. Which is a bonus I reckon.

John, we budget $2 per litre for fuel ( always have money left over)
Buy most of the food at large centres/towns (if possible)
But Col and I don't need so much when we are away...and we loose weight as well...... : )
Before leaving home which is in Australind in WA, I buy most of my vehicle needs ....hoses, belts, filters, etc...it is cheaper and readily available here, but usually cost more in the "bush".
We love to free camp and only try to stay in caravan parks for those special times away...ie Exmouth, 80 mile beach, Barn Hill, etc then you are exposed to seasonal price fluctuations...ie school holidays, Xmas, easter, etc

My Parents travel and i intend to do the same - allow $1000 per week - not just for survival basics but for wear and tear, servicing, a few tours etc. That's from their current experience and other nomads they travel with from time to time.

Good friends of ours travel 9 mth year on old age pension and save money from the fortnightly pension. In 5 yrs they have not been into a caravan park. They do buy a parks pass in SA.
They dont drink or smoke and eat fresh and dont buy packaged food. Have everything on board solar powered. Have learnt heaps from them and slowly setting up my own van the same.

John

I will simply repost my reply to another poster some time ago. Inflation will have made a big impact.

"FWIW
Everyone IS different! A very brief summary of our trip.

Sold home here in NZ.
June 2003 Purchased 1996 Winnie 4L Misti Canter motorhome $52000
Travelled 85000km over the next 3 years. Fuel cost $13604

Spent almost exactly $60K = $20k/year. It can be done.
Food $130/week, Fuel $100/week. Accomodation perhaps $5/week. Clothing $0 (we carried far too much). Vehicle repairs $0, only the necessary lubes etc. and a set of tyres. Rego and insurance (1 broken windscreen).
Bush camped and saw the inside of a caravan park perhaps once a month.
We spent a lot of money initially but after you have seen 50 museums and paid for a few tourist rip offs you quickly discover there is more than enough to see and do for little or no cost. Wife and I have made many life long friends.

Sold motorhome April 2006 for $50000
Bought another house May 2006 and do we have itchy feet!

Enjoy your travels."

PS. YMWV! We met some pensioners living on half this and other fellow travellers spending three or four times as much.

Neville