Like everyone in the country, grey nomads are being heavily affected by the soaring cost of living but – while some are making adjustments to how they travel – most are trying to take it all in their stride.
Higher fuel prices, rising grocery costs, and generally more expensive site fees are inevitably having an impact on all on-the-road budgets, but the alternative to travel is not travelling … and that doesn’t appeal!
Solo grey nomad Di Douglass travels for several months a year in her motorhome and says it is important to look at it all in a positive way.
“Yes, fuel is expensive, but on my recent three-month trip which took me 7,500 kilometres through NSW and Queensland, my costs – rego, insurance, fuel, sites, and entrance fees – worked out to $43 a day …. this does not include shopping though, as I figure I have to eat when I’m home so I look on that as an ongoing cost, like my phone plan.”
Grey nomads find they can face higher costs in remote areas. PIC: Pexels
Ruth and Bob Cervenka have been caravanning from Victoria to the NT every year for the past 15 years. They say this year their diesel costs were double what they were last year.
“We may have to travel every second year to Darwin if the prices continue to stay this high,” said Ruth. “Or we might have to make shorter trips in our own state.”
Other veteran travellers like Phil Jones are keenly aware that the cost of food can vary dramatically depending on which part of the country you are in.
“What I am amazed at it the naivety of city people to the everyday high prices that country people have to put up with all year round,” he said. “Never mind a bit extra for petrol here and there.” Phil said the following was from a Foodland receipt in September this year ‘from a remote town a long way from the Big Smoke’.
Blk/Gold eggs, dozen ……..$7.95
Bacon, rindless, 400gm … $14.95
Focaccia wh/bun 2pk …… $5.60
Liddells Lact-free milk 1Lt … $5.65
Nescafe Blend 43, 250gm $6.81
Bread, Nat Grain 600gm .. $9.50
Foodland hot chicken …. $14.95
Watties Veg Mix, 1kg …… $11.95
Phil believes ‘city people’ need to have a greater understanding of the financial issues facing others in the Outback before joining the chorus of ‘bleaters’.
In terms of his own trip, Phil said he certainly had to make adjustments … but stressed he had as much fun as ever.
“Earlier this year, we completed our annual 6-7 month meander across outback Oz and loved it, including living with the spike in fuel prices along the way,” he said. “We had our budget and stopped in each place longer than usual, meaning that our monthly fuel bill was still much as planned.”
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You still have to eat when you’re at home so grocery prices don’t count. The cost of fuel is partly offset by not using gas, electricity & water back home. Free camp/bush camp & you’re laughing. It hasn’t changed our travel plans one iota.
Whilst I can empathise with fellow travellers that the cost of travel has increased, on the bright side most of us that own a property would have experienced a higher than normal increase in valuation. Also used caravans, motor homes and tow vehicles have increased in value over the past two or so years. So we are asset rich but cash flow is possibly tighter. As the Monty Python song goes, ‘always look on the bright side of life’!