Mum Shares Her Extreme Budgeting Tips for Endless Family Holidays

Sheri isn’t just into budgeting, she’s what you might call an EXTREME budgeter.  She set the internet on fire sharing her tips for spending a whopping 45 days on holiday, every year, on a single income.

Sheri’s Step by Step Guide to Endless Holidays on a budget

Get yourself a decent second hand 4WD 

“I can’t afford a brand-new fancy 4WD but I picked up a solid second hand Land Cruiser at an auction in Japan.  Japanese cars aren’t allowed on the road very long because of emissions standards there, so secondhand cars can be picked up very cheaply.  You have to add the shipping costs but it still works out a bargain.” She said.

Next: Get a quality offroad caravan

If you get yourself an offroad caravan with a toilet and shower, you avoid paying “premium” fees on accommodation during school holiday periods.  An offroad caravan can set up on a beach, on a mountain side, or in a valley, without paying for camping fees.  

“This was where I splurged a bit because I wanted an off-road family caravan that was very reliable and from a reputable company.  I am doing the drive alone with three kids, I wasn’t going to be stuck somewhere without support”. 

Her tips include opting for the smallest offroad hybrid caravan you can get, that way you keep your fuel costs down – and you don’t want to be cooking inside the van anyway.  An outdoor kitchen with an annex turns a very small van into a livable space.

Then:  Maximise your holiday days

Sheri works full time so making sure she could do big trips annually and smaller trips regularly, meant reassessing how to maximise her annual leave for holidays. By booking smarter annual leave, she is able to explode her 20 days a year into 45 days, including two major trips and mini-breaks monthly.

Finally, where you can, live off the land 

Sheri’s family are water lovers, and pescatarians.  Her kids are adept at both fishing and foraging, and are in charge of finding breakfast and “catching dinner” most days.  

“We carry a pretty solid fishing kit and even a crab pot.  All my kids are adept at fishing, gathering cockles and crabbing.  We also have a pretty good knowledge of bush tucker, so more often than not enjoy a breakfast of fresh berries and fruits.  Of course, we do purchase food on the road but where we can, we eat fresh food found nearby.” She said.