RV FEATURE
FINANCIAL STRESS
If you think managing the budget at home while you ’ re earning a regular wage is hard , wait until you try to finance full-time travel with a limited income . It ’ s little wonder one of the most asked questions on caravanning groups is how much it costs to travel full time .
The problem is the answer is different for everyone . Some people seem to be able to travel for little more than $ 1000 per week , while others would find that nearly impossible . Either way , if you haven ’ t thought about your budget or you find yourself struggling to survive on a limited income , it can be the cause of many arguments and may be the reason you end your journey prematurely .
Fortunately , financial management is relatively easy . Have a look at your expenses and divide them into categories . Groceries , fuel , accommodation , pocket money , adhoc expenses , car maintenance , etc . Calculate an average spend on these categories each week and set that as the limit you can spend on each category . Now get yourself a handful of sandwich bags and each week , withdraw the total weekly spend in cash from your bank account and place the budgeted amount for each category in its own bag . Avoid using your credit cards and don ’ t withdraw any more cash from the bank unless it is absolutely necessary .
Each week , you will have a surplus in one category and , perhaps , none in another . How you deal with that is up to you but try to use any leftover cash to bolster your finances in the next week or put it away to save for special events and activities . This will ensure you keep on top of your spending and reduce financial stress .
My wife ’ s budgeting bags . This has helped to keep our budget under control for the last seven years .
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