Inside this newsletter👉
- Time frame: how long can you travel for? Work this out first!
- How to get the boring stuff done first.
- The tool that we use to help plan and budget: Budget Planner​
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Good morning from Adelaide,
Winter is here, and we're counting down the days to head somewhere warm! We've just picked up our new van, and can't wait to show you! We'll be releasing a video soon on our YT channel, I'll let you know when it's up and ready :)
Let's dive into today's email - tips for preparing for a longer trip (right on topic too, as we'll be going through this with you!)
Time Frame and Budget Come First
How long can you actually go for — a week, a month, the full year? Work out what's realistic: long service leave, holiday leave at half pay, or a chunk of unpaid time off. Your time frame is what your budget gets built around.
We travel slow, a couple of hundred kilometres every couple of days if that, so our fuel bill is tiny compared to families who cover more ground each day. Your own daily number is going to be different to ours and everybody else's — that's exactly what the Budget Calculator Planner helps with
Life Admin Is Boring, But Get It Done Early
No way around it — sort this months before you leave. House: rent it out, sell it, or lock it up? School: homeschool, or a school exemption? Medical: if you're on regular medication, some scripts can't be filled interstate, so talk to your doctor well in advance if you have any medical needs.
A quick word from our sponsor today:
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👉 Planning your route once everything else is sorted? Hema Maps is a good place to start.
Van Setup, Then Finally — Route
This is personal — you don't need an Instagram-perfect rig towed by something with twelve cylinders, just the comfort level your family actually needs. And route genuinely comes last: your time frame, budget, life admin and van setup all determine it.
Once those constraints are set, Australia is too big to see in one hit — pick parts of it. Our last big trip was about 11 months, down to Margaret River in WA, up to Exmouth, and back. Next up, we're planning around six months through the Victorian High Country.
If you're interested, here are a few articles to have read:
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​The Big Lap Planning Mistake Most Australian Families Make (And How to Fix It)​
​How to Work Out Your Big Lap Budget (Before You Hit the Road)​
Have a lovely day
Margie
PS Want to work out your own daily number before you plan anything else? Grab our Budget Calculator Planner here.
PPS click here if you're interested in being a tester on our new budget planning tool :)
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