>>1965921Prior to hitting the road I saved a fair chunk of money which enabled me to travel uninterrupted for 18 months. Once the reserves started dwindling I returned to an area that I had enjoyed exploring to work as a hiking/4wd guide for the tourist season which is around 4 months. As the job was remote, board and food were included, so I had no expenses during this time and could save a heap of cash. Been doing this for the last 4 years. 4 months of work followed by 8 months of travelling. I would love to travel full time again but it's near impossible unless you have the funds. I've made peace with the fact that I can't currently do it full time. Interestingly enough I still manage to save enough during the work season to have money left over at the end of my travelling stint, so I'm not going backwards financially.
While on the road I live pretty cheap and travel slow. My budget is ~$400 dollaridoos p/w; $250 for diesel, $100 for food and the rest for misc like National Park fees, regular vehicle maintenance and special occasions. I haven't paid for accom/camping the whole time as I always free camp. Meals are always bulk cooked to cheapen cost but we eat very well, it's something we don't skimp on. My biggest expense by far has been unexpected vehicle maintenance, a product of traversing rough country eg corrugated roads, water crossings, 4wding etc. It definitely pays to have good insurance and learn yourself some basic mechanic skills.
