From the cost of getting set up to on-road financials, travel budget examples and funding your trip.
Cost of Getting Set Up
How Much Do Hybrid Campers Cost?
Average costs + comparison charts for hybrid camper prices in Australia.
Everything You Need to Know About Caravan Insurance
The full run-down on caravan insurance in Australia + premium price comparisons.
Everything You Need to Know About Caravan Registration
State-by-state costs and requirements for caravan registration in Australia.
Everything You Need to Know About Caravan Roadside Assistance
Make sure you’re covered for breakdown & accident with this full guide.
On-road Finances
Ambulance Cover for Travelling
Everything you need to know about Ambulance cover for travelling Australia.
Travel Expense Tracker
Spreadsheet designed for logging & tracking expenses while travelling Australia!
- Automatically calculates totals
- 16 categories
- 150 subcategories
- Summary & Pie Chart visuals
- Monthly + Year-to-date sheets
Funding Long Term Travel
One of the main questions most people looking at long term travel want to know is – “how do you fund it?”
My number one tip is that you’ve got to be smart with your money. This is the page where you’ll find budget break-downs, tools, tricks and hacks for travelling smarter and longer.
Your biggest expenses on the road are definitely FOOD, FUEL & ACCOMMODATION!
FOOD
Your weekly at-home grocery budget may stay pretty well the same on the road, depending on your family’s eating habits. Our food budget definitely increased simply by having everyone ‘home’ full-time, rather than heading out for the day with packed lunches.
You also need to take into consideration the higher grocery prices in remote areas. Also, many of the smaller towns only have a Foodstore or IGA, rather than the big supermarkets that we are so used to in the cities.
| MONEY SAVING TIP! When travelling through rural & outback areas, look ahead to see which towns have the big supermarkets and plan accordingly. Stock up on toiletries & pantry items so that you only need to buy fresh food from the smaller, more expensive stores. |
FUEL
It can be hard to estimate what your personal fuel costs on the road will be as every single traveller will end up with completely different figures.
3 main factors that influence your fuel bill:
- SET-UP – size, style & weight
- SPEED – what speed you’re doing on the highway + how many kilometres you’re travelling each week
- FUEL PRICE – the cost of fuel at the pump each time you fill up
To keep track of your fuel usage, kilometres travelled and running costs, I recommend using the Fuel Map Australia app, which is a great free tool.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation can potentially be another huge expense while travelling, but it doesn’t have to be.
The more self-sufficient your set-up is, the more regularly you’ll be able to Free Camp and save on accommodation costs.
Factors that will help you Free Camp more often:
- SELF-SUFFICIENCY – plenty of solar & battery storage, extra water tanks, on-board shower & toilet
- GET OFF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY – explore outside of the main tourist spots & big cities
There are plenty of Free and Low Cost Camps around the country, but when you head to the larger cities and popular tourist destinations, it can be a bit more difficult.
While some travellers choose to only Free & Low Cost Camp, others utilise those cheaper options to help balance the cost of Caravan Parks in the more popular destinations. It all comes down to personal preference.
Budget Examples & making money on the road…
BIG LAP Budget Spreadsheet
Easily calculate how much money you’ll need to get set up for travel, plus fund your trip.
- Plan your travel budget
- Plan your set-up costs
- 7 Calculators
- Summary & pie chart overviews
Saving Money on the Road
How to Get Set Up for Free Camping
Free Camping is the biggest money-saver on the road. Here’s how to Free Camp like a pro!
Stay for FREE by House Sitting
House Sitting saves money on accommodation & adds to your experiences. Here’s how to get into it.
5 Apps for Finding FREE Camps
Use one of these top 5 apps to find Free Camps and resources as you travel.
