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06-28-2017, 09:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: SW USA
Posts: 927
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Getting nowhere fast
So im about aweek away from leaving on the trip around the US taking the south route I10 with a stop in Texas (lake fork) for a few days (reduced the stay duration since i dont have a boat) and then going from there about 300 miles per day to get down to the Tampa Florida area.
Here is the challenge, I only get $1100 per month right now and that will go up to $1300 per month in two months. So talk about having to budget things.
So i sat down tonight to try to figure this out after the stop in Texas and plan ahead. There is just not enough money to get to florida in one month.
Fuel at 2.50 per gal - 26 gal per tank = $65
16 MPG without the 5th wheel will be down to about 10 MPG with it.
That will get me roughly 300 miles per day give or take a few.
Leave Lake Fork Texas and first stop that day (300 miles)is Alexandra LA, stay one night then fill up again and
get to New Orleans that day, then stay 2 two nights (one day in New Orleans is just not enough)
and then leave and get to Pensicola Florida,
Then to Gainsville,
then to Hillsborough River state park near tampa.
Planning to stay the rest of the month till i get paid again and then head north up the coast - destination PA.
The problem is that fuel is gonna be about $400, the park at $24 per day is gonna be about $480 (even if they give me the 50 percent discount for my disability since i have the card) this will still not leave me much to do anything at all with my friends while i stay there as i know florida is expensive.
That does not include groceries, other normal bills i already have, or entertainment.
Whats happening is that i cant get to my final destinations on one check, i have to go as far as i can and then stay the month. This does not bode well for trying to visit my sons in PA and getting out of the Northeast before winter sets in (mid to late sept)
Especially since my next distination is go see my birth place in Maine before i leave the Northeast
Its just cutting it too close i think. Maybe the best thing to do is to just get to florida and stay there till next spring then by then i can save some money and go see the boys without worring about cost, plus i will have more time.
I dont want to stay the summer in LA, sorry but the food is too hot, the weather is too hot, and its not where i wanted to be for the summer.
I guess i just have to accept that i can only go where i can afford to go and when i can afford to do it.
I just dont see a way on my limited income that i am gonna be able to get to PA by my birthday in August.
Even if i just tried for PA first and then came back to FLA i would be in the same jam, i would have to stay 3 dif places for a month each till my next check.
If i had left the first of june as i was suppose to maybe i would not be stressing over this, but when you are sueing an attorney who was incompitent at his job and commited legal malpractice, it tends to hold you down where you can go anywhere. It makes me so mad that he wont just do the right thing but he is trying to be a chicken &%^$ and trying to get out of paying what he promised he would.
__________________
Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway!
The earth is round but the world is square.
2007 Gulf Stream Conquest Surpreme
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HD cooling
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06-29-2017, 12:52 AM
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#2
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RV LIFE Support Team
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That is a very low budget to do anything. Boondock instead of cgs would help and make use of the Gas Buddy app..........
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Sue
2015 Winnebago Vista 36Y + Honda CRV
RV LIFE Support Team
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06-29-2017, 03:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
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Getting nowhere fast
At $65 per 300 miles, $1300 disappears in 20 days. Nothing left for pizza or a soda or camping.
Good news is that you can do 6000 miles if you don't eat or sleep! JK. Best wishes
Boondocking and longer time between travel days is critical.
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06-29-2017, 04:37 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
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BTW, Albuquerque to Tampa is about 1800 miles. If you stretch out the travel time you can make room in the budget.
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06-29-2017, 05:20 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,387
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You could skip the expenses of Florida, which is also hot in the summer, and cut north to PA sooner.
Shepard State Park in Gautier, MS has very reasonable rates ($18 regular, $13 senior) and has fishing all around. Just water and elec with dump station but it would be a cheap stop with fishing.
You could head north from there and catch the Natchez Trace at Jackson, MS and have as many free nights as you would want to boondock at at Jeff Busby Park north of Jackson and Meriwether Lewis Park in Tennessee.
The Trace is an easy drive at 50 mph (saves gas) and will take you almost to Nashville. That's a whole lot closer to PA and you can avoid a lot of the east coast traffic.
Just a thought.
Good luck with your planning.
__________________
Larry and Prissy Sharp
2006 Allegro Bay 37DB
2012 Toyota Yaris
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06-29-2017, 05:31 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: SW USA
Posts: 927
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Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions, some tell it maybe its better to wait 1 more month to see if i get my settlement or not, at least ill have more money if i stay the month at my folks house and hook up to their utilities. But i dont want to do that, i like my freedom.
Any way i do it im sacrificing something. Its probably bettter if i just plan to spend the summer and winter someplease east, then next spring go from there to PA, ill have more time, ill have more money, and more time to stay and visit the boys.
Just have to weight the options.
Thanks so much
__________________
Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway!
The earth is round but the world is square.
2007 Gulf Stream Conquest Surpreme
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HD cooling
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07-01-2017, 06:09 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: SW USA
Posts: 927
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Well after cutting and patching and tristing and grinding the budget i think i have finally come up with a solution what works.
Every month ill go as far as i can on half my check and then use the rest of my check for bills and living expenses.
That means that ill have to stay at the lake in texas for the month of July. Then ill go from texas to florida on the next check in August. That means i wont see my boys till next spring in PA.. But at least i have a plan now that works and wont leave me busted every month.
It also means that i can be closer this month to home just in case my legal case should settle i can run home to NM and get the mula.... then continue the trip.
The positive thing is "hey im gonna be at a lake for a month" whoohooo
__________________
Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway!
The earth is round but the world is square.
2007 Gulf Stream Conquest Surpreme
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HD cooling
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07-01-2017, 09:45 AM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 325
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Dave, Can't argue any of your points about Louisiana.... except the food "too" hot! Your eating in the wrong places!!!True Cajun food is "not" hot!! Only the "wanna be", Cajun restaurants. Cajun, properly done, is a blend of many spices giving much flavor.... and you shouldn't be able to pick out any one spice! But.... when you drive through, be sure to buy some Community Coffee Good Arabica Bean coffee.... established about 80 years before Starbucks ! And...far less political
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07-01-2017, 09:52 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 3,542
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You might check in to work camping at places, that'll save you the cost of the campground.
Maybe there's something you can do to make a little extra cash along the way? I don't know what skills you have that you could use to pick up a few bucks - maybe helping folks work on the RVs - or something along those lines.
__________________
2013 Winnebago Sightseer 36V
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07-01-2017, 10:38 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: SW USA
Posts: 927
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Thanks, if i still drank coffee i would for sure. I stopped smoking 6 years ago, when i did i also stopped drinking and gave up coffee too. It was too hard for me to do those things and not smoke.. I dont miss them much anyway.... But i might pick up some for my folks, they drink coffee like crazy.
I am a PHP programmer and developer and i do have some software on the market that gives me a little bit each month. Im not developing much now days as i need to get away from the computer and smell the fresh air and do some fishing. So all i do now is just support what i have now, which is not hard because im really good and my stuff works really well. So im just getting a few sales a month on the items i have already and some cafe press tshirts once in a while. So pretty much a hobby now...
Im limited on what i can make on the side, and besides i cant promise anything on any kind of schedule at all, even if it was just a few hours a day, considering my conditions. I have to be able to lay down when i need to, or walk away when i need to, i cant be tied down to any schedule or work environment for that reason. Thats why what i do now helps and its something i can get up and go lay down if i need to. But im alittle burned out.
__________________
Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway!
The earth is round but the world is square.
2007 Gulf Stream Conquest Surpreme
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HD cooling
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07-02-2017, 12:21 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 8,824
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I can't really comment too much on your plans here, I just wanted to suggest checking out Indian Creek recreation area in Louisiana, it is about 15-20 miles south of Alexandria, just a few miles off I-49. Nice lake and RV park, RV camping rates start at about $22 per day, reservations are required though (they have their own online booking site), 14 day max stay (they do offer monthly rates in the off season), it is a bit of an oddball place as it is operated by the Louisiana Dept of Agriculture and Forestry, it is located in a state forest, and is also their only recreation area .
__________________
2002 Safari Trek 2830 on P32 Chassis with 8.1L w/ 400 watts solar 420Ah LiFePo4
2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland & 2007 Toyota Yaris TOADs with Even Brake,
Demco Commander tow bar and Blue Ox / Roadmaster base plates
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07-02-2017, 07:23 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 325
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Isaac-1, My uncle worked their for a year or so right after it opened. I haven't been there for years,but it's a nice area. Went swimming in a (very) cold, clear creek near the ages times,as a kid.
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07-02-2017, 08:51 AM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by memtb
Isaac-1, My uncle worked there for a year or so right after it opened. I haven't been there for years,but it's a nice area. Went swimming in a (very) cold, clear creek near there ages ago,as a kid.
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I was going to edit my previous post....but can't figure out how!!! So to Isaac-1, The swimming hole was actually near Forest Hill.... a few miles away!
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07-02-2017, 10:17 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 749
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Gas is certainly a budget item you can somewhat control. Drive less, spend less. Food, well some of us eat more than others. But unless you are a well sorted out boon docker or hanging out at all the free places such as Walmart, Crackerbarrel, etc. camp ground fees even as cheaply as $20 per night really add up.
I know I will get some serious blow back on this, but IMO there is no cheaper way to full time, with respect to camp ground fees, than a Thousand Trails membership. Buy a resale on line through the outfit in Florida (assuming they are still being offered) pay your $600 a year dues via monthly budgeting and move park to park for up to 3 weeks at a time. Not for everyone, but on a limited budget, it works out to less than $60 per month after your resale purchase.
If you'd like more information please feel free to private message me. Good luck.
__________________
Bill and Debb---2010 CT Coachworks Siena 35V
1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport---Roadmaster Falcon 5250 -
1 Cavalon (Scooby) 1 Papipoo (Bella- DOB 5/06/18)
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