Hi there everyone, we are thinking about going around oz in February next year, what are the MUST we should take with us And any tips would be much appreciated . Also should we turn power off back home, and how do you pay all your bills ie bloody rates insurance etc. thanks in advance.
-- Edited by Michelle on Wednesday 14th of October 2015 10:39:08 AM
We have found that the longer we're on the rod the less "stuff" we need but if you're just doing the one trip I guess a lot would depend on where you're going, when and how long you're going to stay there. For example, its probably summer across Australia or at least temperatures are beginning to rise so there may not be a need for stacks of winter clothes. Depending on whether you're free camping or using caravan parks would influence what cooking and cleaning stuff you need to carry (if your trip is short you may well decide not to bother with taking cleaning stuff). Are you taking a caravan or a motor home? Are you planning to stick to the bitumen or go off roading? How often do need to shower? And so the list could go on and the only people who know what you need are you and your partner but reading through the posts on this and other RV sites may help you decide what to take.
In respect to paying the bills; most places (banks, councils, government departments etc) allow bills to be paid electronically so you just need to have some way of connecting to the internet while on your travels and that should take care of most of the bills. As we travel full time and don't have a fixed address we have a post office box that is regularly cleared by one of the kids. They open it and give us a call if they think there's urgent stuff and if necessary they'll scan it and email it to us. Other than that they have pre-paid post bags that when full are dispatched to a post office that we nominate (the longest this has taken was 5 days).
I can't give you any advise about what to do with your house because we don't have one :)
For me a must is the laptop. Some form of instant heating if you are in the southern states.
Get a calendar and write all the bills into the appropriate months, then take copies of paid renewals with you for reference/account numbers and a few weeks before they are due again ring/email the companies and ask them to email you those renewals. Some can be set up with permanent emailing addresses but a few will only email on request once the renewal has been generated.
Our kids collect the mail like 'D and D' above and sort the rubbish from the important and ring or post on if necessary but we have found that snail mail is getting less as companies improve their technology.
Internet banking is a simple and easy way to deal with bills if regular direct debit is not possible.
If you are away for an extended period and don't run a fridge or freezer then I'd turn the power and gas off unless you have a security system that requires a battery system to be kept charged.
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Jenny and Barry
2009 Roma Elegance / 2013 Colorado. Permanent travellers 2011-2015 now just travel for 4-6 mths
Rates are pretty much the same every quarter ? If Yu like elect / water could be direct debit ? Shouldn't be too high anyway.. I figure the family will cut and water the lawns , plants etc while your away ? I have an under turf soaker hose on 20 min timer.. If I'm away during summer.. Leave note on letter box.. No junk mail ..
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Sunday 22nd of November 2015 05:00:58 AM
Have you considered using a house-sitting agency while you are away? I haven't used one myself, but a close friend does a lot of travelling and swears by them - it means you don't have to worry about having an obviously empty house, and the garden will be cared for etc. You could even get them to forward your mail. Just google it to check out what's available in your area if you're interested.
What to take is a very personal decision as it depends on what you consider to be 'essentials' or the things you can't live without. For some people that's a toilet and washing machine, for others (like me!) there's very little. It also depends on how far off the beaten track you go - remote area requirements are different to rural areas.
We do what Villatranquilla does - knowing when the bills are due and how to pay them means you won't miss any (unfortunately!!!) - it also has the added bonus of helping you to budget and plan your trip finances. We've found that most utilities (I'm in SA) can be notified by email these days. Check your house insurance too - many companies have a clause with penalties if your house is empty for a certain period of time (eg 90 days) - you might need to check with the company and find out what they consider acceptable (eg a house sitter or regular visitor MIGHT be OK).
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
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Red Nomad OZ Find me at www.redzaustralia.com OR www.facebook.com/RedzAustralia
Make a note of when all bills are due take a laptop with you and setup your bills online then you just pay through bpay just makes things so much easier .. we are planning our big trip around oz in 2017 leaving in may up to Darwin from Melbourne travelling in the winter months to avoid the big wet .
