How Margie and Tim Actually Fund Their Own Big Lap
We get asked how we afford the big lap more than almost any other question, so we wanted to actually answer it properly, using what we do ourselves as one real example rather than a generic list. We’re not doing anything above an average income here. We’ve just stacked a few different real methods on top of each other.
Our short answer is: we do an extra of everything.
We Still Save Up a Buffer Before We Leave
Even though we work while we travel, we still like to depart with a pool of money knowing that’s our backup. It’s not the whole trip funded up front, it’s a buffer, so the pressure isn’t entirely on the income we earn on the road. This is the same “save up before you leave” idea we cover in our companion post on saving for your Big Lap before you leave (linked under “More on this” below), we just don’t rely on it as the only source.
Our Income Comes Mainly From Renting Out Our House
While we’re travelling, our main income comes from renting out our house. The bank takes a little bit of that too, so it’s not the full amount, but it’s a genuine, steady piece of the picture. This is one of the specific options we mention as part of the “rent out your house” thread, it just happens to be the one that carries the most weight for our own family.
Margie Works on the Road as a Freelance Writer
I work on the road. I’m a freelance writer, so I’ve got my regular clients that I write for as we go. It’s a lifestyle change more than a holiday, and it’s genuinely out of reach for a lot of families to have everything paid for, us included, which is exactly why working on the road matters as much as the savings side.
We Also Earn Through Facebook Ads and PDF Sales
Full disclosure too, we do earn some income through Facebook, through ads, and also through some of our PDF sales, the same spreadsheets and guides we put together to help you save up for your own big lap travel. It’s not the biggest piece of the puzzle, but it’s a real one, and it’s part of the same “freelance and work for yourself” thread as Margie’s writing work.
There’s No One Right Combination
We want to be really clear that this is just what works for our family, not a template to copy exactly. Some families leave with the full amount saved and don’t work at all. Others do a rotation like FIFO, or stop and pick up local work as they go. We landed on savings buffer plus house rental plus freelance writing plus a bit of ad and product income, because that’s what fit us. Have the conversation with your own family and see what combination actually fits yours.
Related reading
- How to Make Money While Travelling: 5 Realistic Methods
- Your Guide to Online Jobs for Travellers in Australia
👉If you want to work out your own real weekly number the way we did ours, our Big Lap budget calculator can help. Check it out here.
