money question...how much do YOU spend?

[truckingtiger]

Just wondering how much you guys, on average, spend weekly. This is for company drivers, not so much for owner operators because you O/O's will spend a LOT more. Im trying to see what I will be able to save while Im on the road.

Ill eat in the truck mostly (if I GET to a truck...lol. That's a different story). Maybe will eat out once or twice per week. Will stock up on drinks/snacks at wal-mart/Sam's club before I hit the road (a months supply becasue I dont wanna come home much).

So, knowing the above...how much do you guys spend on stocking the truck, eating out, drinks/snacks, etc. per week?

get yuorself a plug in cooler, got mine at wal mart for 60 or 70 bucks. you will get sick of cold ham sandwiches though, get some variety. also snacks, water, pop, etc. i am only gone 2 nights a week, and home between those nights, but i save a ton of money just by packing enough food for my 30 hour trip...pack extra for emergencies also.

[chuck3507]

You can also use alot of canned goods. They don't take up much room, won't go bad if your cooler quits, and you can pop them in the microwave and have a meal in a few minutes.

[truckingtiger]

thanks guys...but how much will I spend to actually stock this thing up? Im trying to figure out just how much money I can put in savings per month while I am on the road. What is the average per week that you guys spend on food, etc.?

[Drew10]

Also get a plug in stove, to heat your food, available at the Truck Stops, also has receipt book.
I shop at Walmart Supercenter each week, (monthly would be to much stock to carry in the truck). I spend about 30-40 dollars per week at Walmart. I will eat out maybe twice a week. I occassionally grab a fastfood and eat on the run. Including coffee/smokes...you can come in at less than $100 per week.
Also get the Truck Stop fuel bonus cards, you collect 1pt (1cent) for every gallon pumped. (this adds up fast). Use the points to purchase or supplement the purchase of food and merchandise in the "C" store and restaurant.

[inmate1577]

I average about $80.00 per week for food and other essentials.
I dont do sodas so there is no need to waste money for a cooler.
I just buy a case of bottled water which unlike soda you can drink warm or cold and its better for you.
I buy alot of canned items and have a small sterno stove for heating things so no need to use a microwave.
The only thing that is possibly perishable is bread.

[bullhauler]

get your self a lunch box stove, it plugs in to a power outlet you can cook in it, boil water, it is about the size of a lunch box, small loaf pans for bakeing bread fit in just right, and save a lot of clean up, would not be without mine. you have the cooler, get some cereal a small milk at any truck stop helps it stay fresh. need food in a hurry there you go, always carry water on the truck, you never know when you will need it, just for thirst, or to make coffee. I get the gallon jugs store it on the floor of the closet then transfer in to pint or quart bottles to go in the fridge for a cool drink in summer. pluss, blow a rad hose, and four jugs of coolant are not enough, you have the water, it will get you to a shop.

[PA]

The plug in lunch box heater is a must.
You can load it up and drive. Then about 25-30 minutes til a lunch break,
plug it in and stuff will be hot when you stop.

[Drew10]

The plug in lunch box heater is a must.

Without a doubt...Even cooking Stews, soups, canned pasta, canned veggies directly in the can. Line the lunch box with aluminum foil. Lay a can or two in the box. Takes about an 1-1 1/2 hours (two cans). Hot and ready to eat. Just watch how long you heat it for. To long and the contents will be under extreme heat pressure and when you open the can. Well...needless to say could be a very hot mess.

[Jay B]

I live on about $5 a day on the road. I am extremely cheap and I refuse to spend any money at a truck stop unless it is an absolute emergency. (fuel not included in my not spending money of course.)
I eat canned vegetables, canned fruit, fresh fruit, tuna fish, snack pack pudding and drink water that I fill up in bottles from my well at the house.
I don't smoke any more (1 year now) so I save a bundle there, and a 12v coffee pot saves me at least $5 per day with my caffeine addiction.
You should never have to pay for a shower except in rare cases. Instead of filling all the way up, fuel half at one stop and half at another. That will get you twice the free showers. If you do have to buy a shower, complain if the water was not hot enough, pressure too low, shower not clean, drain too slow, whatever, and demand a refund. I dont feel guilty doing this the way the truck stops are ripping us off with the price of stuff they sell.
Lunch box ovens are good, so are hot cups. A cooler full of drinks will save you cash if you must drink soda or fruit juice or even red bulls.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

I average about $80.00 per week for food and other essentials.
I dont do sodas so there is no need to waste money for a cooler.
I just buy a case of bottled water which unlike soda you can drink warm or cold and its better for you.
I buy alot of canned items and have a small sterno stove for heating things so no need to use a microwave.
The only thing that is possibly perishable is bread.

well you don't need a cooler for un opened soda either ...But be it water or soda I would still buy a cooler , As who the hell like a warm glass of soda or water.


Also get a small propane stove you can cook anything you can ar home on one that you would on your grill of range ...I liked those cheap steaks that look like hamburger they cook in minutes and are full of protein and taste good if seasoned with stuff like A-1 or tabasco ...I spent about 125 a week ,But I eat 6 -8 times a day ...If I ate out of the truck stops I could easily spend $200.00 plus a week and have ,But the nutrition just isn't there in tornados ,and greesy suage ...or bearclaws .

[Uturn2001]

Line the lunch box with aluminum foil. Lay a can or two in the box.

Ever bother to read the instructions that come with those lunch box stoves.

They say not to use them dry. It shortens their life span.

As far as easy clean up goes, when you shop for food at the grocery store, stock up on foil loaf pans. They run 3 for a $1 to around $1.50. Use them as liners for the stove, dump the food in the pan and clean up is almost non existent.

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink. I did eat one meal a day in the truck stop. The other two were meals made in the truck.

[Rev.Vassago]

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink.

:shock:

I'd have to try hard to eat $20 worth of food and drink per day.

[Karnajj]

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink.

:shock:

I'd have to try hard to eat $20 worth of food and drink per day.

Heck, that's easy if you eat 3 meals a day in a truckstop.

Just a safety reminder, if you use propane, butane, sterno or whitegas make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. Many a driver has killed himself not paying attention to that little detail.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink.

:shock:

I'd have to try hard to eat $20 worth of food and drink per day.

Heck, that's easy if you eat 3 meals a day in a truckstop.

Just a safety reminder, if you use propane, butane, sterno or whitegas make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. Many a driver has killed himself not paying attention to that little detail.

i always do my cooking outside the truck usuually when lifting weights ,and i cook enough for a day or 2 which is why i had two 40 qrt coolers . when i ate out of truck stops i always felt guilty ,as my protein intake was at best only between 50-100 grams so out of my 3500-4000 calorie intake that was only 200-400 calories and the rest from prcoessed sugars and saturated fats ,which does nothing for long term heath ,and does not supply the nutrition for good recovery between work outs .

[Cluggy619]

While your thinking on how much you can spend per week while your out, I would start with what your monthly bills are, and go from their.

For example:

• My house uses around $2000 per month total. This is all of the bills, the rent, food, and everything that the home need to survive. I divide that up by 4, and I get $500 per week for the house. This is just the bills. Did you want to save anything? Add it to the bills. And remember, this is the bills that your check is suppose to cover. If your spouse covers some of them, subtract that from the total. I'm the only one working, so I get it all.
  
  So now I know that I have to make at least $500 per week before I can even consider eating myself. If I don't make it, I don't get to eat, or some of the bills don't get paid. See where I'm going?

Now I know I live very cheap considering I have a wife and 3 sons living in our happy little home. If you make more, the amount you have to make will be more. So to live on $20 per day means to add $140 per week that you have to make, all of this AFTER TAXES.

Just something to consider when your making your budget. :wink:

[inmate1577]

I average about $80.00 per week for food and other essentials.
I dont do sodas so there is no need to waste money for a cooler.
I just buy a case of bottled water which unlike soda you can drink warm or cold and its better for you.
I buy alot of canned items and have a small sterno stove for heating things so no need to use a microwave.
The only thing that is possibly perishable is bread.

well you don't need a cooler for un opened soda either ...But be it water or soda I would still buy a cooler , As who the hell like a warm glass of soda or water.


Also get a small propane stove you can cook anything you can ar home on one that you would on your grill of range ...I liked those cheap steaks that look like hamburger they cook in minutes and are full of protein and taste good if seasoned with stuff like A-1 or tabasco ...I spent about 125 a week ,But I eat 6 -8 times a day ...If I ate out of the truck stops I could easily spend $200.00 plus a week and have ,But the nutrition just isn't there in tornados ,and greesy suage ...or bearclaws .

Coolers add weight, take up space and I wouldnt drink warm soda either. But believe it or not, warm or cold water still tastes the same..

[truckingtiger]

While your thinking on how much you can spend per week while your out, I would start with what your monthly bills are, and go from their.

For example:

• My house uses around $2000 per month total. This is all of the bills, the rent, food, and everything that the home need to survive. I divide that up by 4, and I get $500 per week for the house. This is just the bills. Did you want to save anything? Add it to the bills. And remember, this is the bills that your check is suppose to cover. If your spouse covers some of them, subtract that from the total. I'm the only one working, so I get it all.
  
  So now I know that I have to make at least $500 per week before I can even consider eating myself. If I don't make it, I don't get to eat, or some of the bills don't get paid. See where I'm going?

Now I know I live very cheap considering I have a wife and 3 sons living in our happy little home. If you make more, the amount you have to make will be more. So to live on $20 per day means to add $140 per week that you have to make, all of this AFTER TAXES.

Just something to consider when your making your budget. :wink:

If only I had to worry about all of that. I have NO bills at all, excpet maybe to pay back some student loans and car insurance. Wife and I split up, sold everything we had. Ill send me little girl 75 bucks a week maybe 100 and the rest is banked. This is why I was wondering about what you guys spend. It will give me an idea of how much I can save and how long it will take me to save enough for the things I want to buy.

[Rev.Vassago]

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink.

:shock:

I'd have to try hard to eat $20 worth of food and drink per day.

Heck, that's easy if you eat 3 meals a day in a truckstop.

You'll also be seriously overweight, and have health issues that keep you off the road and at home changing diapers. :shock:

[Orangetxguy]

When I was on the road I budgeted about $20 per day for food and drink.

:shock:

I'd have to try hard to eat $20 worth of food and drink per day.

Heck, that's easy if you eat 3 meals a day in a truckstop.

Just a safety reminder, if you use propane, butane, sterno or whitegas make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. Many a driver has killed himself not paying attention to that little detail.

i always do my cooking outside the truck usuually when lifting weights ,and i cook enough for a day or 2 which is why i had two 40 qrt coolers . when i ate out of truck stops i always felt guilty ,as my protein intake was at best only between 50-100 grams so out of my 3500-4000 calorie intake that was only 200-400 calories and the rest from prcoessed sugars and saturated fats ,which does nothing for long term heath ,and does not supply the nutrition for good recovery between work outs .

Call the Paramedics...this kid is a walking talking heart attack !!!

I'm a big guy. I feel bad when I consume 2500 calories.

I'm an O/O..and the Op didn't really want our imput, but....I spend $5.45 a week for bottled water(16.9 oz), 1 case from walmart.

I spend about $45.00 per week stocking canned fruit, crackers, tuna, cold cuts, cheese and fresh fruit. I usually get a 6 pack of bottled (16.9 oz)diet coke ($2.50)and 2 liters of gatorade($2.89 each) as well. Some times I buy a package of bagels and some cream cheese.

I also eat 3 times a week in the truckstop..usually about $14.00 per meal, including the tip. So I spend right at $110 per week for food.

Is that bad for 7 days of living?