Hello everyone !!!

Galloping Gazza · Veteran Member

Hello everyone !!!

JRH · Guru

Galloping Gazza wrote:

Just saying hello and introducing myself and my wife.. my name is garry and my wifes name is grace...

we have decided that we want to have a go at being a grey nomad so who can help us get on the right track...
where do we start... and please don't say at the beginning

LOL Why not it's a damned good place to start.

Welcome to the forum, I am sure someone will come up with some info for you. As some say here if we don't know the answer we'll make one up.

brickies · Guru

welcome I think the best thing to do is buy the grey nomad guide book and read it . we found that book before we found this forum , so read the book and kept an eye on the forum ask for help and i am sure you will get it

Galloping Gazza · Veteran Member

thank you ever so much for your speedyness of your reply.

Galloping Gazza · Veteran Member

thank you, your suggestion was very helpfull. my wife is actually half way through the bible (the guidebook)..(she reads faster than me and there are no pictures) LOL... but we are still confused whether to sell or do equity loan..

JRH · Guru

Galloping Gazza wrote:

thank you, your suggestion was very helpfull. my wife is actually half way through the bible (the guidebook)..(she reads faster than me and there are no pictures) LOL... but we are still confused whether to sell or do equity loan..

Garry the decision whether to sell or not is entirely a matter of choice on your behalf, but one thing I look at is if you sell up where do you go when you get tired or too old to travel any more. Personally I like to have the option of a home to go back to, but that is only my personal preference.

rosey · Senior Member

Dont do anything so drastic as selling yet!!! Get yourself a second-hand caravan/motorhome or hire one and have a couple of shortish trips to decide what you like and dont like...nothing sharpens ones desires as well as experience! Decide whether you want to take trips from home at intervals or live in your rig full-time. Some people head off in their expensive all-singing-and-all-dancing rig to find they dont enjoy it at all. Others go on to choose the rig of their dreams and travel happily in it for many years.

By the way, welcome to the forum! In amongst all the banter you'll find great people with great helpful advice here.

xina · Guru

Welcome to the Forum Garry and Grace.

Re. selling up, if you get enough for your present house, you might be able to buy something cheaper, so that you have a base, yet still have enough left over to do whatever else you want to. That's what I plan to do. There are heaps of houses under $100.000, depending on where you want to live.

Cheers,
xina.

Disco Duck · Guru

Welcome to the forums GG

I like Rosey's answer because that is what I would do myself. Don't jump into anything. Take your time and do it slowly, step at a time. That way you'll know wether or not you are really suited to the lifestyle fulltime!!

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

joebee · Veteran Member

brickies wrote:

welcome I think the best thing to do is buy the grey nomad guide book and read it . we found that book before we found this forum , so read the book and kept an eye on the forum ask for help and i am sure you will get it

I did the same, I heard about the grey nomads and looked up the website and found the forum, then I found the last book in the bookshop. Then I started to read all the posts in all the subjects. Buying up all the caravan and motorhome mags that I can get my hands on, then I went out and bought two Explore Australia books, one is for caravaning and motorhoming. The other is just the Explore Australia 2009 book that gives all the info on all good places to go and and van parks, dump points, dog friendly places and etc. By the time we get on the road I should know a little bit. This is a great place to get information.

Firefly · Guru

Welcome to the forum guys, there are so many wise owls here you will be guided well with choices thats for sure. Everyone has something to offer.

Terro · Guru

I can only repeat what has been said before. go for it but gently. a bit like your wedding night no less. There are some fun times to be had but not everyone is cut out for caravanning, camping or whatever.

Firefly, your comment about wise owls was a definite HOOT.

Terro.

rogngab · Veteran Member

Hi g and g we are in the same boat we have found this site very usefull and every one very friendly we have purchased our van arrives in july with regards to selling up we will be selling our house but buying 2 properties to rent out while we are away (we are planning to be away for 5 to 10 years) a word of advice from my wife what ever you do dont get out of the real estate market you wont be able to get back in
cheers rogngab

Rolly · Guru

Welcome from me too.

As Rosey said, it would be wise to get a simple and affordable rig and get out there amongst it.

It's amazing how first hand experience can change your preconceptions of what is, and what is not, what you really enjoy.

Go for it.

seonau · Senior Member

Aye, hi and welcome. Me am in the same boat as you.

T' date the lessons i have learnt are.

Only belie'e have o' what you hear
Dont belie'e anythin' me say.
And have trust in granny , argh!

http://gprime.net/flash.php/youareapirate

ibbo · Guru

Seaonau,mate the Forum has inficted the curse of nuttiness on you,"Aye mate,we be all with you.What do you call your parrot.Arr,arr Jim Lad.I have a Parrot called Achmed,don't ask me why he just looks like an Achmed,probably because I put a Sheet over his head(cage) at night.I know he makes a allah of a noise though.Cheers.Ibbo.

Terro · Guru

I read that a few times now I have it down "Parrot Fashion". Sorry Ibbo. I couldn't resist it.

Terro.

Terro · Guru

It ws pieces of eight but with the financial crisis it it pieces of twelve now. Polly wants a cracker!!!!

Terro

Delta18 · Guru

Now I know I'm in the " twilight zone" 15 posts and no mention of foilys, unmentionables or other OT banter.

This forum has gone to the dogs, I'm out of here.

Mwahahaha...see ya's soon

Delta18 · Guru

Chit, while I was typing there were 3 bits of crud....Helloooo I'm back

Galloping Gazza · Veteran Member

ok guys thank you for all your info and it seems you have all the same oponion.. but where are all these cheap properties with houses on them in qld??? and where do you get all the finances???

Galloping Gazza · Veteran Member

If we intend to be on the road for 5 to 10 years how much approx per year are we looking at on average??

Hylda&Jon · Guru

Hi & welcome! Many choices to make which I will list a few
*Caravan or campervan
Some may find this an easy decision & some may find it hard & some may come to regret their decision. If you plan on exploring many places around the towns you visit then you have a few options to choose from.
The obvious one is having a caravan/camper trailer or similar towed by a car which allows you to unhitch leaving your caravan at a caravan park or suitable campsite & go exploring just in the car.
Also you could use a large campervan, Winnabago or converted bus with a car on a trailer or flat towed behind.
Another option is to have a small motor scooter or even bicycles mounted on the back of the winabago/bus etc.
Many people buy small vans, some with poptops which are very convenient.

*New or used
It is always nice to buy something brand new & a new caravan is no exception but there can be some teething problems like minor leaks etc which require the return of the van to the place of sale which is sometimes inconvenient & other times a downright nuisance.
Sometimes it's best to buy one close to new as with luck the teething problems will be overcome & there hasn't been enough time for things to start wearing out or any wear & tear to start.
If you buy one that is quite a few years old then you may find problems like leaks or metal parts corroding & plastic parts getting brittle & starting to break but you may save money in the long run after these things are fixed

*Size of van?
depends on how close you want to be to your partner.....haha
*Off road or normal?
depends on where you want to travel with your van hooked up
*Poptop or solid?
I found the only drawback with a full van is fitting it in a garage or carport. The poptops are reputed to be about the same weight with not a lot of difference with wind drag. you have to raise them & their is often less storage. the material can age and rot.
*Onsuite?
the toilets can be a long walk in the rain at night sometimes.
*Awning? Annex? solar power? aircon? TV earial?
*Sell or just rent your house?

I could go on but I'd start to bore everyone I think
Good luck
Jon

xina · Guru

These figures were quoted some time ago on a Forum, I don't remember which one, but it was for Motorhome and Caravanners, so it will give you a rough idea.   Prices have gone up a little since then.

ITEM                           WEEK          FORT.            MONTH                YEAR

C/PARK                        $ 25.00      $  50.00        $  100.00             $1,200.00

CLOTHES [?]                $ 30.00      $  60.00        $ 120.00             $1,440.00

ENTRANCE FEES          $    20.00       $    40.00       $   80.00             $     960.00

EXTRAS                        $    50.00       $ 100.00       $ 200.00             $ 2,400.00

FOOD                           $ 150.00      $   300.00       $ 600.00             $ 7,200.00

FUEL                             $    70.00       $ 140.00       $ 280.00             $ 3,360.00

INSURANCE                  $    12.50      $     25.00       $    50.00             $      600.00

MAINTENANCE             $    25.00      $    50.00         $  100.00             $ 1,200.00

RAA/ NRMA/ RACQ      $      2.50      $      5.00          $    10.00            $      120.00

REGISTRATION             $    14.58      $    29.16         $    58.33           $       700.00

WASHING                      $    10.00      $    20.00         $    40.00           $       480.00

                                       $ 410.83      $  821.66         $ 1643.33          $ 19,720.00

Cheers,
xina.

jimricho · Guru

Welcome to the forum.....don't let a bit of good humoured repartee put you off. You don't have to be mad....but it is an advantage! wink

I think the caravan park allowance is very light on unless you are going to free camp almost all the time..... maybe you intend to do this, many GNs do. On a recent 2 month trip to NQ (from Newcastle) it cost me $1700 for CP fees and $1200 for fuel. Most other costs were not a lot different to those incurred if I'd stayed home (stay home? how boring!) All but 6 nights were spent in CPs.

-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 18th of December 2009 05:54:21 AM

Hylda&Jon · Guru

You forgot to mention happy hour expenses Xina, unless you home brew of cause

brickies · Guru

Gazza we find we can live cheaper on road than at home . but you have to look at your income source will you be on a pension or self funded will you be looking for work on the road we are all in different situation ,so we all can only give general advice ,you have been given lots of good advice but you may need to talk to a financial planner to pin point whats best for you , i have a friend who has just down graded from their home to give them some ready cash and will be renting out their while on the road which will give them an income but also a home to come back to one day. I have found rent is the big killer for those on a pension because you have no control of it ,but we all think differently and that how it should be we are not sheep

dave06 · Guru

I suggest you "dip your toe" in first, take out some of the equity in your home and buy a suitable car/van combo if this is the way you wish to go and just nick off for six months

see if you like it, if you do then you will have all of your own figures on hand, everybodys figure are different, mine is getting rotund and sorta droopy, hang on sorry wrong figures, I sorta got side tracked for a minute, bubby just came in with a frog cake full of cream, whiuch I had to confiscate for the sake of her health, wouldnt want her cholesterol to get too high

ahhh!! costings and figures will be different for everyone

it depends on your current liferstyle, is it beer and chips or chardonnay and oysters, I'm a little of both and I tend to keep a foot in both camps, I like to "dine out" as one does and i like to "rough it" as a real "bloke" should

my costings, no matter how hard I try to keep them down come in at very roughly $100 per day, but that is dining out twice a week in a restaraunt and c/park at least once a week, some parks are now $50 per night at some times

most other times are free camps, this includes ALL expenses, fuel, food, accomadation and cups of coffee through the day and nibbles

if you like the lifestyle and have your own figures then make the decision after your break, sell, dont sell, rent, dont rent, these are things you alone can decide

if it was me, and it isnt, I would sell up and be gone in a flash, but after better than 40 years of travel I know what is "out there"

but anyway just ask questions and as has been said before, if we dont know the answer we will make something up that will sound plausible

oh and welcome to the forum

Rolly · Guru

Terro wrote:

It ws pieces of eight but with the financial crisis it it pieces of twelve now. Polly wants a cracker!!!!

Terro

Rolly wants a cracker, too, but the crackers take one look at him and say that they have grandfathers of their own. cry

xina · Guru

Personally, I wouldn't be spending anything like the Figures in the example I Posted. To start with, I always free-camp, [so far anyway.] Not a lot of expense for food, as just myself and 2 Chihuahuas'. Biggest expense is going to be fuel, etc.

As I've said before, you have to be extremely careful if you rent out your house. I will never do that. Seen too many wrecked and made unlivable, unless huge expense is paid to either repair or re-build.

Cheers,
xina.