One Month On The Road
We’re getting the hang of this thing!
Here are our totals:
Lodging/Fees Gas Costs
Week 1 $112.20 $70.11
Week 2 $140.00 $72.00
Week 3 $160.00 $78.12
Week 4 $40.00 $120.08
Totals $452.20 $340.31
Add $412.70 for groceries and we have successfully completed our first month of living on the road for under $2,000 a month, our goal.
Total expenses (rent) this month was $1,205.21
Cost of trailer, completed: $4,300.
Monthly cost to tour the country: $1,200
Worth it!
Every night is a little different, there is definitely room to do this for cheaper and way more ways to make it cost more. It’s exciting to realize that our goal is achievable though. We expect things to get a little pricier as we go east too. I suppose we will see.
Here are some of our favorite moments:
This little guy came wondering through our camp. He was a little ways away when we got back but walked right up to the camper. Our kiddos and dog were safely inside the car. James and I used caution and paid attention. It was cool to see such a HUGE wild animal this close up. (these are everywhere around our camp right now by the way, literally, as I wrote this one walked 20 feel outside our trailer window!)
These two kiddos have collected two of the 59 junior ranger badges for National Parks. The get a little activity book that we can sit and do together which really just encourages discussions about nature. There is some coloring, some mazes, maybe some match games and then they have to get brave enough to turn it into a ranger. The ranger goes through their work with them, asks them questions, sees if they have any questions and then they pledge to watch after nature and are given a badge. It’s been pretty cute. Miles is a wild card but Hazel has been taking it pretty seriously. The last place one of the questions was for the junior ranger to make one of the sounds of the animals on the sheet. Hazel yipped like a coyote. Adorable.
These two being best friends is amazing to watch!
This one having the time of his life and the comfort of his bed… we’re so glad to have brought him! Sometimes he has to wait outside with one of us but most places have been very welcoming of him.
There have been plenty of challenges so far but James and I are tackling them one by one. It’s pretty great to get to see the country as a family. We’re looking forward to continuing on!
Wow! How fun! You were wise to be cautious around bison – they can outrun a horse. Enjoy your journey! I’m sure the kids will remember this trip for years to come.
wonderful pictures! keep them coming!!!
If you pass through Cedar Rapids Iowa stop by and we’ll give you a hot shower and meal! Would love to pick your brains on camper restoration. We have our 1965 Bee Line down to the frame and starting basically where you guys did! Enjoy the adventure.
I’m sure we will be, probably Augustish!
Macy, glad you made it to the road as you intended. Perhaps I should use one of your other portals but here I am. I’m writing a column for the Statesman business section about affordable housing again. This will be a story about a woman who purchased a lot on Silver Street just each of Collister and last Monday moved four modular houses onto it. Built by Kit Homes of Nampa. This required that she get permission from the city which apparently has not been granted previously. Once they are sold she will do it again. So…what happened for you with the city? I last heard the story when you had been told you could not stay where you were. Was any progress made with citing tiny homes in Boise? Or anywhere else? When you get a moment I’d appreciate an update. Including any people I should talk to here as well.
Hi Jerry! Nice to hear from you. I remains an ongoing issue but the city has been fantastic to work with thus far!
There is actually a pretty important meeting coming up on Tuesday that is open to the public. In short we have been a part of an effort to write codes to accommodate tiny houses in the international residential code. We succeeded in that last December but the codes won’t be in effect until Idaho adopts the 2018 IRC. I’ve been talking to the state code board to adopt the appendix early and they will be voting on the issue on Tuesday. You can find the info and agenda here if you are interested in attending, https://dbs.idaho.gov/boards/bbboard/bbmeetings.html. Hopefully some of that helps, i am happy to chat on the issue further. I am in town this week (we drove back specifically for this meeting) and then we’re off again, my email (mizacy@gmail.com) is probably the best way to get a hold of me if needed. Thanks for keeping tabs on this important housing issue!
Maci, I don’t know if you have discovered this site yet, so thought I would share. Seems, it would be great to help keep expenses down, especially when you are just passing through an area. https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/
Thank you!
Curious if your monthly expenses has stayed at an average of $1,200/month. My husband & I built our tiny home and just hit our first year mark while expecting our first baby this fall! We have such big dreams to show them the world and LOVE what you guys are doing. We thought about building out a van slowly now, but it costs a LOT to buy a Sprinter-type van.
Anyway, just dreaming of when our family is ready to hit the road in a few years or so…