How do you make this work?

DR1665

Gearheads United
I'm glad I came upon this thread. I've had my suspicions, but it's nice to get some confirmation.

If I'd won that lottery this past week, I was going to order up an EarthCruiser with a matching trailer for the race car and then enter every rally in the world. Of course, I think it's important that I also get just as excited to get my rig (cost me all of US$2000, by the way) up to snuff to spend a week in Death Valley or up on the Mogollon Rim here in Arizona, or even up into British Columbia.

As someone who's spent the last decade (and then some) hanging out in online automotive forums - mostly related to drag and rally racing - I can say with certainty that there will ALWAYS be someone with a flashier machine and more change in his bank account to play cars than you. At the end of the day, it's not the vehicles or the adventure clothing or name brand titanium coffee mugs that makes this pursuit so appealing - it's the spending time with fellow human beings AS human beings, and discovering the ways all the little things we have in common help us realize the potential in our differences.

Press on regardless.
 

BlitzleBlat

Observer
put those Ti mugs are so shiny and purrtttyyy... ;)

I have to say this, as someone just "getting into" this my single largest concern is how to fund the sort of trip worthy of a thread in this forum. Thankfully i can make a living on the road/from home if i have an internet connection (something im looking into now). So who knows maybe in the next year or two there will be a thread on this site "Nerd Nomad".
 

timaus13

Observer
Preparation is Key

Hello there I live on a relatively small island Below Australia called Tasmania.
Some things I do to prepare for my trips and I must admit my trips are usually a couple of days to a couple of weeks, I can afford to tour for around two weeks at a time.

Save money each week by doing the following.
No rental Dvd,s , No takeouts, Shop once for the fortnight in bulk and add things to each grocery shop for my trips, such as Powdered milk, canned foods, dry foods, and other trip related food stuff that has a good shelf life, I allways look for the longest dated products.

I limit my weekly travels in my vehicle and cycle to the shops for any extras such as fresh Milk and bread.
Every pay I will buy one to two things for my truck, such as Fuel filter and oil filter, the following pay I will buy the oil,s and fluids and so on. This way I do not have to find Big $$$ for my Servicing.
I find I can go touring at least once a month and have pleanty of fuel and cash to visit parks and for a campsite in a caravan park to access hot showers and amenities. PS A cold Beer or two also.

Open a saver account and put away around $25.00 per week and forget it is there after 12 too 24 months there is enough funds to do a great trip, as you can afford two add to the savings with any overtime pay or tax return funds as you can afford two.

Commitment to what you want to do is very very important. Place motivating Pictures on your fridge and around the house, Eg Photo,s of a favourite trip you have allready done and maybe wish to go back too.


Also when we travel in a convoy with our relatives we Group shop and cook to save $$$$ and share chores, it is fantastic to be a part of a team that all have the same interests as us. I usually carry all recovery gear and my Brother carries a Boat and Motor / Safety gear for boating, Between all of us we have everything required to go offroad and camp without filling our 4x4 trucks to overflowing and running up massive fuel bills from excess weight. More Trips and good food is also a by product of sharing the trip. Often we will have room for a visitor or two to come along and all they need to bring is sleeping gear and personal care items, we have found that doing this has added to our group numbers and there are more people at the fire to tell tall stories and laugh at LOL.

I hope some of this helps you with your plans.
 

DR1665

Gearheads United
Thank you for sharing so much detail, Tim. I like how you prioritize expenses with adventure in mind as well as find ways to introduce more people to the hobby. Many hands make light work.
 

Jay H

servicedriven.org
Thanks for starting this thread. This is a topic that can not be discussed too much. Seriously helpful as this is the fist real concrete step of starting travel. When you are seriously ready to travel this topic is the one that gets addressed. Seriously I think this is the hard part. It sounds kinda cheesy but this thread serves as motivation for me to keep having crazy out there goals, planning for them and making them happen.

Set your travel goal
make a travel plan
make a travel budget that fits your plan and means
set goals to save to meet your budget
stick to your budget while on the road

The last one can be hard since s#!* happens. On my servicedriven.org trip I got badly burned and had a bunch of medical bills but the journey went on. Sure we could have probably stretched it out longer if nothing bad happened but that is not how it went.

This all looks really easy a set of plans on paper. Execution is not so easy.

If you set goals make a plan to achieve them and follow through any one can travel. My fiance and I are far from wealthy but by doing things like becoming a one car house hold we could afford a year on the road. Yes we did quit our jobs and sell a lot of our stuff but it was a lot easier since we did not like that area we were living in.

The reason any one can travel is because no two travelers are alike. My friends Brad and Shena at drivenachodrive.com, Jim and Wendy at global roadtrekker.com there approaches to the journey are very different but also very similar.

People are shocked that we were able to do a year on the road at 28 and 29 years old. Doing the trip was one of the best decisions I have made. My generation can not wait till retirement to travel as retirement both in concept and reality may not even exist by then.
 

james severus

New member
Excellent points and very helpful.

I once heard a man say "everyone says they want more time, but always opt for more money", it is very difficult to avoid this mindset. I earn only around 75% of what most in my field make, but I am able to spend time with my family. I drive an old toyota 4x4 and I am comfortable never owning a new car, etc...

I know a woman who has a large house. Her electric bill is $1200 USD per month. In my mind I say 'wow I would have to work x hours more every month'

it is all a matter of perception
 
I own a distribution company and a grocery store im lucky enough my dad can run one while my wife runs the other (plus employes) I ask for an allowance X and have a emergency fund just in case I have to fly back or replace en engine etc..
 

UK4X4

Expedition Leader
Doing trips like this are relatively easy, the determination to carry it off is the issue.

The saving
The down sizing
The 300usd runarround and not the 300usd car payment
The sitting in cooking rather than out with the mates on the town.
making a sacrifice to make a life changing trip.

Lots of large employers these days allow a non paid personal leave, if they don't -well just leave.

I think every long term traveller has his life changed by the experience both in the saving down sizing phase and also the trip its self

many never return - others find a home along the way - some fail and come running back to mum and dad.

Most travellers I have met are the most down to earth self content people I have met,

they have been inversley happy with their life.

ie having nothing but a back pack to their name, and experiencing the sunrise over Machu Pichu- or visiting the Gorrilas in Virunga

V's huge bills car payments and a cubicle...............

me I never stopped..........left the UK at 21 and I'm now 25 years and counting !


Mind you as I get closer to 50 I'm tending to lean towards a proper home and a cottage job

I quite fancy learning how to black smith and build stuff in my garage for fun and payment !
 

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