MARGIE AND TIM • BUDGET GUIDE
How Much Does It Really Cost to Travel Australia?
The cheat sheet for working out YOUR daily number — not someone else’s.
⭐ YOUR STARRED CARDS
HOW TO USE THIS:
Search any term above to filter cards. Click ☆ to star your favourites. Tap the tabs to switch between budget styles. Click the orange tip cards to expand them. Test yourself with the Quick Check quizzes at the end of each section.
01
THE GOLDEN RULES
Why Every Budget You’ve Found Online Is Wrong
This Is Not Your Number
Most budget estimates online are for Americans, years out of date, or so vague they don’t cover your family’s style of travel. The only number that matters is YOUR number — based on how YOUR family lives life.
The Numbers That Matter
$30
Daily Difference
Between budget styles adds up to $10,950 over a full year
20–30%
Underestimate Gap
What most families get wrong when planning their travel budget
30–40%
High-end Shortfall
How much the comfort/extravagant style typically goes over budget
It’s the Little Decisions, Not the Big Ones
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It’s not the big purchases that blow out your budget — it’s the quiet daily choices you forget about. One coffee becomes a coffee and a cake. An ice cream here, a souvenir there. Those sneaky little costs compound over months on the road and have the biggest impact on your overall budget.
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QUICK CHECK
What causes most family travel budgets to fall short?
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ANSWER:Not the big decisions — it’s the small daily choices (coffees, ice creams, spontaneous stops) that compound over months and quietly blow out the budget. Fixed costs back home are also commonly forgotten.
02
THE BIG THREE
The Costs That Move the Needle
Your Three Biggest Travel Costs
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Accommodation
Free camping vs caravan parks is your biggest lever. Even a few paid nights per week adds up fast.
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Fuel
How far you travel AND how you tow matters. Gentle pace on fewer km per day = significant savings.
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Food
Cooking in the van vs eating out is the other major variable. Be honest with yourself about which one you’ll actually do.
Accommodation: Budget vs Blow-Out
SMART APPROACH
3–4 nights free camping, then a caravan park top-up
Choose family-run parks over big chains (Discovery, Big 4)
Try HipCamp or outskirt-of-town options for value
Plan wash/water/battery top-ups around paid stops
COMMON MISTAKE
Assuming free camping is always possible indefinitely
Defaulting to major chain parks without checking cost
Forgetting that caravan parks serve a real purpose
Underestimating the cost of back-to-back paid nights
The Meal Prep Hack That Saves Real Money
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When you’re packing up breakfast, make the lunches at the same time — sandwiches, snacks, whatever. If you’ve got good food ready before you get hungry, you’re far less likely to pull over for a meat pie. Make a second coffee at breakfast and pop it in a travel mug. Small habit, big savings over months.
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QUICK CHECK
What are the three biggest costs in Australian caravan travel?
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ANSWER:Accommodation, fuel, and food. These are the three that move the needle the most — but it’s the small daily decisions around each one that determine whether you stay on budget.
03
BUDGET STYLES
Finding Where You Honestly Sit
The Three Travel Budget Styles
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BUDGET END
Heavy on free camping. Slow travel pace — 100 to 150km per travel day, then 3–5 nights in one spot. Cook everything in the van (99% of meals). Lunches made at breakfast time. Free activities: beaches, national parks, community events. Works well if this matches how you live at home. Margie and Tim’s rough number: ~$750–$850/week.
Be True to Yourself
There is no point budgeting for $2.50 a day if you know you’re going to buy the coffee. If two adults are travelling together, sit down and have the conversation before you leave. Open communication about money on the road saves a lot of stress.
Why Most Families Land in the Middle
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Most people genuinely plan to travel budget-style — and end up in the mid range anyway. It’s not a failure, it’s just reality. The gap between those two numbers is exactly why savings targets often fall short. Know which one you’ll actually choose before you start saving, not after you’ve left.
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QUICK CHECK
Which budget style do most Australian travelling families actually end up in — even if they plan otherwise?
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ANSWER:The mid range. Most families plan for budget travel but end up with a mix of free and paid sites, some meals out, and occasional paid activities. Planning for this range from the start prevents the savings gap.
04
CALCULATE YOUR NUMBER
Working Out Your Real Daily Figure
How to Calculate Your Travel Budget
01List your fixed costs (loans, insurance, phone, internet, house costs that keep running)
02Estimate your running travel costs (accommodation, fuel, food, activities)
03Add a 10% buffer for unexpected costs, maintenance, or just-in-case fund
04Multiply your daily number × number of travel days
05Add any setup costs (van finance, gear) to get your total savings target
Know Your Cost Categories
Fixed Costs
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Costs that keep running regardless of travel — loan repayments, insurance, phone, internet, health insurance. Easily forgotten but they don’t stop just because you’re on the road.
Running Costs
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Costs specific to travelling — accommodation, fuel, food on the road, and activities. These vary by travel style and are where your daily number comes from.
Buffer (10%)
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An extra 10% on top of your calculated budget for unexpected maintenance, illness, or anything that goes pear-shaped. Having this means you can bail yourself out without panic.
Setup Costs
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One-off costs before you leave — van purchase or finance, gear, modifications. Add these to your savings target separately from your ongoing daily costs.
Daily Number
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Your total weekly spend divided by 7. Build your savings goal backwards from this — it’s more useful than a vague dollar target like “save $20k”.
Building Your Savings Goal
DO THIS
Work backwards from your daily number
Include fixed costs back home in your budget
Budget for paid experiences you actually want (whale sharks at Ningaloo = worth it)
Build in a 10% just-in-case fund before you leave
NOT THIS
Set a vague target like “save $20k” without knowing what it buys
Forget insurance, phone, and home costs still apply
Budget for budget travel if you’re a mid-range traveller
Leave without any buffer for maintenance or emergencies
QUICK CHECK
What’s the most effective way to set a savings target for travel?
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ANSWER:Work backwards from your daily number. Work out your daily spend first, then multiply by your travel days. A vague dollar target doesn’t tell you how long you can travel or what lifestyle it supports.
05
FREE ACTIVITIES
Stretching Your Budget Without Missing Out
Free Activity Finds on the Road
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Beaches
Australia’s coastline is world-class and almost entirely free. Some of the best spots are the ones without the big signage.
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National Parks
Many are free entry. Some charge fees, but plenty of the best hiking and scenery costs nothing.
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Local Libraries
Underrated travel hack. Hub of community info, free Wi-Fi, resources, and a way to meet locals in every town.
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Community Events
Local Facebook groups, community centres, school events. You might end up at a pizza night in a remote WA town — and it’ll be one of the best nights of the trip.
The Crowd Goes to the Paid Ones
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The crowds tend to flock to paid attractions because that’s where the reviews are. The free spot around the corner? Often just as good — sometimes better. Don’t skip the free options because they’re less famous. Some of the most memorable experiences on the road cost absolutely nothing.
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QUICK CHECK
What’s a free travel hack most families overlook when visiting a new town?
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ANSWER:Local libraries and community centres. They’re hubs of information, often have free resources, and are a genuine way to connect with the community and find out what’s on locally.
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