Nev Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) After seeing the earlier post on ending up broke in Auz i thought this would be relevant, here is our story and some ideas about cheap living in Auz. So after the drama of last year My wife and I with a 11 month old baby decided to sell up and spend some time as nomads in a camper trailer with no fixed address, I can get work as a Microsoft Trainer and have a bit of contracting lined up in that. It has now been 2 months on the road and it is the best thing i have ever done, even if it doesn't work it was worth every second, so far we have covered over 4000 km from Melbourne around the east coast to Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, inland to Dalby, and now close to Canungra on the gold coast, at the end of the week we will be making our way to Canberra for a week of work in Feb, then a few days in Sydney with me needing to be back for a weeks work in Brisbane in March. To those asking the cheapest way to get by in Australia.... this is it, free, safe, and with toilets, camping means zero rent, or for $91 per week (for 2 People) you can stay in a state park with hot showers included. Basic car to get around, then a tent, and basic camping stuff. (Shout if you need to know what this includes and i can put it together) For us it is looking like a lifestyle, If it does work and i can get enough contracting work we are talking about making this long term, with a low cost of living like this there will be a lot more going into saving for retirement (Something that needs a lot of attention), and the win is the travel and family time when i am not working, you have no space for accumulating stuff, so really reduces collecting stuff you don't actually need. Our permanent setup is a camper trailer with front room, water tank, electric pump for running water, hot water system so hot showers whenever we like, solar panels and batteries for power, slide out fridge, lights and to keep the toys charged with an inverter for 240v stuff, stainless steel fold out kitchen, double gas cooker with space for 2x gas bottles mounted on the trailer, queen size real mattress this is a really comfortable setup, total cost of setup brand new is $14k, you could perhaps do it for about $6k used, for us the new one will have paid for itself in less than 6 months with the savings on rent, gas, elect & water. We are currently spending 2-3 weeks in a spot then moving to get new places to explore. I have done quite a bit of research and there is also a ton of opportunity to do casual farm work, picking and packing, and other manual labor type work in more rural areas if there is a gap in my contracting, including some where they offer $24 an hour with food and lodging, This could also be an option for people who want a bit of work as an interim solution, shout if you are interested and i will share the links on where to find the work. From a food perspective we need to make sure the little one eats well and healthy, so fresh veggies, fruit, and good food, with that said we feed 2 adults and the now 1 year old with $400 a month. It is a national retirement thing for the "Grey Nomads" to buy a caravan and do a couple of laps of Australia, I regularly get to chat to them and they have some epic advice on what's and how's and many of them live comfortably on under $14k a year including fuel. Hope this was interesting to some of you, and shout if i can answer any questions Edited January 20, 2016 by Nev 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Sounds like the kind of experience that turns into really epic stories! It's awesome to hear that someone can actually do that in Aus. (Not my cup of tea, but hey, the beverage is available!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joweni Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Nev, I think you have gotta write a blog. Just love the"can do" attitude ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Yep, it very much became a case of "no more excuses, time to make it happen" Blog may happen at some stage, there is a lot to talk about with something like this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhatMyles Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 How does it work when the kids are going to school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 In Australia you can home school them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrendanH Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 I would love to read more about your adventures. This sounds like such an awesome way to spend a year or two exploring before the little one needs to settle into a school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 I have done a lot of reading up on home schooling, there are tons of people who do it and the government is fully setup to assist with curriculum, materials and even financial support for the family. Different states have digfferent requireemnts and setups so with us being mobile we will probably go with victoria as they are the least invasive and straight forwards. There are some schools who offer remote teachers & lessons with some skype type classes and assignment packs, exams and marking or you can do it all yourself using a standard curriculum, your kids then progress through the years just like normal school. There are also a ton of home school play groups all over the place to get parents and kids together for the kids to make freinds and get some interaction with others. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OubaasDik Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Nev, love what you're doing in the post just above. So - um nomadic. Do you behave more like the Romany - or more like Genghis Khan? Neither sound like great neighbours, BTW - but had to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I like bringing my own flavour of nomadic lunacy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Nev. If you passing Sydney again, give me a shout and come park in our driveway for a week or so. Water and electricity supplied. We are 15mins from the beach and just a short hop on the bus into the city. I am being serious! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Nev. If you passing Sydney again, give me a shout and come park in our driveway for a week or so. Water and electricity supplied. We are 15mins from the beach and just a short hop on the bus into the city. I am being serious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 On 22 January 2016 at 8:12 AM, rozellem said: Hi Nev. If you passing Sydney again, give me a shout and come park in our driveway for a week or so. Water and electricity supplied. We are 15mins from the beach and just a short hop on the bus into the city. I am being serious! Thanks Will chat when we heading back to Sydney after Canberra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 @Nev Love it matey. I would love to do this, and after your post I am seriously thinking of doing this. I would like to have some coin in reserve though. My line of work in SAP does not really allow for a week here and two weeks there. Keep up the posts matey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Hey Nev, Looks like you are eligible for citizenship come October. You were granted PR 11 days before I was.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 From what i have read i can actually apply a bit sooner, we were here on a 457 for nearly 3 years before getting PR and some of that time will count, as i have it we can apply in the next few months, but i will need to do all the reading up again to be sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Nev, 4 years residency of which at least one must be on PR. Or at least that was the rule in 2013 when we applied - haven't heard that it has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Thanks Sunnyskies, yep that would mean we are eligible next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Nev, you can just ring immigration and ask. They look up your passport number and give you the exact date you can start applying. I believe you can do it online too, I just rang them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhyss Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Nev, great reading and bloody well done to you and your missus for just getting on and well......doing it!! It's not uncommon for Aussies to pull their mob out of school and head off on an adventure around Aus. I remember when I took a work transfer to Brisbane. We had only been in Oz (Perth) for about 10 months when the opportunity to move to Brissy popped up. Having just moved countries I thought, no worries, we're there! Well I forgot or should I say it was not high on my priorities to arrange furnished accommodation until our container arrived and then of course something a bit more permanent. Not as easy as it may seem so we landed up in a caravan park. The kids loved it! One night I was tucking my 4yr old son into bed and he said, "Daddy, how come do all my friends leave?" I could not help seeing it from his view as most folks were just passing through, staying a few days and moving on. We stayed there for 2 months and it was 2 great months that we talk about to this day. Now the kids are all grown up and the missus and I are thinking that we should ht the road, take a few months of traveling around Oz. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donovan83 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 I read your post and I feel this sense of adventure in me that desperately wants to do the same thing - just sell all the things weighing me down and take on a nomadic lifestyle! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhyss Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Nev, have you been looking for casual work, any type of work when you're in different town? The reason why I ask is that I remember seeing a report on TV a while back about the "grey nomands" who do odd jobs of work whilst they tour around Aus. If I remember there was a website where they register and advertise their skills and services and where you are available and employers can contact you. Work ranged from general farm assistant and fruit pickers to temp teaching positions and even stand-in retail positions. Seemed like a good idea to make some cash for the next leg of the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted March 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 Yep, we did look into it, but my training stuff is starting to happen so looks like that will keep the bills paid. On that note it is slowly starting to work, I have had a bit of work so far and more is lined up, still not nearly as much as i would like, but it is covering the bills allready which is great. nearly 8 thousand km traveled since november so far, definately getting to travel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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