Crossing the country on a low income

[skyl4rk]

Here is a thought that came up while reading another thread:

If you have a low monthly income, but want to move to another climate or a long distance, you could travel slow.

Follow a strategy of driving about 50 miles to the next camp or town, then stay three days before moving.  One would move 50 miles ten times a month, or 500 miles. At 15 miles per gallon, that is 33.3 gallons of fuel.  At $3 a gallon, it is $100 a month for fuel cost.  As long as you keep heading in the right direction, you can cross the country eventually.

This would probably work best if one were to explore each area on foot or by bicycle, rather than driving the van.

 

[John61CT]

Gas is the least of it, maybe only 20% of running costs.

Being ready to deal with expensive repairs is IMO the greater challenge.

My budgeting method, gives plenty of flexibility:

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?pid=353330#pid353330

But yes, the critical realization is that when you're poor (or just broke ATM), you have to keep the miles per month as low as possible.

 

[MrNoodly]

Fuel costs in dollars per mile is the same whether you drive 2,000 miles in four days or in four months. So, yeah, it comes down to how much money you'd have when you need to refuel. Just plan so you don't get stuck waiting for money in a crappy place.

 

[A Savage Adventure]

While the cost of travel is the same, no matter how much you move per day, I think what skyl4rk was trying to say was that by moving smaller amounts at a time, taking your time, you'll travel less per month and therefore use less of your fuel budget for travel per month. That makes sense and is actually part of how I was planning on doing things.

When I drove to CA from ID the fuel cost was several hundred dollars driving up over those mountains. Definitely wished I had taken more time to do it instead of 3 days.

 

[DannyB1954]

Fuel is one consideration but the other is food. I can go 500 miles on about $10 in food. How much would a month of food cost?
Say it is $300, (at $10 a day). That would buy you a hundred gallons of fuel or 1,500 miles at your 15 MPG. So for the same cost you could go three times farther. Probably enough to get you where you want to be.

 

[rm.w/aview]

^ I like the way you think ^

 

[lenny flank]

Well, I generally spend about four weeks in any city before I move to another one. (And I always take the local bus system to see all the local sights.)

So my gas bill runs between $50-100 per month. (Out West, the cities are further apart, so I spend more: back East, I spend less.)

By biggest monthly expense is food--I run around $400/month. (That includes eating out at least once every day.)

 

[Wanderer]

I have been thinking on those levels. One thing people need to consider, is where they park. Three days? Heck some cops chase you off after 12-24 hours.

 

[John61CT]

I feed 4-7 people on less than $100 a week.

It is really worth learning how and equipping yourself, and - most difficult if you don't have the habits - going to the daily trouble of avoiding any foods prepared elsewhere.

We get a cheap meal out 2-3 times per month, and they are special celebratory occasions.

 

[Deb_A]

I can't believe how much people spend on food. I've been budgeting $200 a month for food for years, and most months, I have at least $15-20 left over. The only reason I spend that much is that I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, but also eat way too much snack food. If I cut out the snack food (which I'm going to do to lose weight and get in shape), I could easily eat on $125 a month.

I know that a lot of people don't know how to cook, so eating out is a necessity for them. I'd say the first thing you need to learn before you hit the road on a low income is how to cook basic meals.

As far as gas, I plan to mostly city dwell, and I want to visit small towns and stay at least a week or two (depending on how much I like it) in each one. That way, I spread out the cost of gas so that I can get income coming in during my layovers. That's the only way I can afford to travel, but I think it's the best way. I don't want to "see" the country. I want to "experience" it.

 

[Dingfelder]

Strongly agree that learning to cook is hugely beneficial, Deb_A, and even more so when you have a limited income. It doesn't cost any more to cook well than to cook poorly, either.

 

[DLTooley]

Follow a strategy of driving about 50 miles to the next camp or town, then stay three days before moving.  One would move 50 miles ten times a month, or 500 miles. At 15 miles per gallon, that is 33.3 gallons of fuel.  At $3 a gallon, it is $100 a month for fuel cost.  As long as you keep heading in the right direction, you can cross the country eventually.

This would probably work best if one were to explore each area on foot or by bicycle, rather than driving the van.

That's my basic approach - I think it works better in the West where there is enough public land to do this.  Instead of driving in to Town to resupply just keep going out the other side towards your direction.  There are lots of situational variances to this, but the principle is solid.

When I camp I like to take 1-2 hour camp walks - to each point of the compass, more or less.  I come away with a really good feel for the country, a few new campsites, and a few places to go deeper the next time.