Being on the road and saving money

A number of good flatbed outfits that train and can keep you moderately happy in year 1. It's no secret how to save money out here and having no home/family commitments, you're 2/3 of the way to 100% savings efficiency. Eat right and frugally (it can be done). You'll need a family member or a some place just to keep your alternate clothes (winter/summer). Would be nice to have a place to retire to (friend or family member) near a service shop for when your truck may be in shop a few days. Also, a cheap car is nice to have somewhere at a terminal so you can run errands, shop, do laundry, go for a massage, whatever.

Don't burn yourself out living like a bumb. treat yourself occasionally to whatever you enjoy. Movies, hotel, good food, whatever. Life's to short to spend 100% of your time in a tin can

 

You can save huge dollars by eating out of a cooler and eat healthier in the process. Once you get into it, you may find restaurant food unappealing and it will be no big deal to swing by Walmart twice a week for fresh veggies and food you can prepare yourself.

 

Go with a good flatbed company right now that hires new CDL grduates; Maverick, Melton Truck Lines, TMC. Join a credit union and have direct deposit for your paychecks & use a debit card, not a credit card. If you're a military veteran use the USAA Credit Union. Consider moving your residence to a state with no personal income tax, so you can save even more; there are 9 of them.

Another way to save is eating as many meals in the truck as you can. That's another reason to go with a company that has APU's so you can cook, make coffee, and have refrigerated foods & frozen foods & dinners. Can stock up on foods at Walmart, Dollar General, etc.

A friend of mine rents a storage facility for around $50.00 a month and uses that as a home address. Another driver that posted a few months ago got a steep discount on a travel trailer lot, no travel trailer though, just a rented lot to have an address in the state he preferred, and picks his mail up at the office when he passes through. You can keep a motor scooter in the storage facility for use when you're in town.

 

One thing you can do to save a bunch of money if you eat out is to drink water. Sounds stupid but until I really looked at my bill a couple times I didn't realize I was often times paying $2.00 or more for a glass of soda.

I despise cooking or preparing food so eating out of the truck doesn't work for me. I figure by ordering water instead of soda pays for at least one meal a week.

 

Just think of how much you could save by cutting out beer....LOL

 

Never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

There are things you can keep in the truck to eat that don't require a lot of cooking, and if you can get a refrig with a freezer on it, that is even better. Cereal, even oatmeal, yogurt, potato, or macaroni salad, salads, sandwich meat, peanut butter, tuna fish or canned chicken with mayo which can have other added goodies. You can use the pasteurized liquid eggs for scrambled eggs or an omelet, or even fresh ones if you eat them quite often. A Microwave helps a lot for speed, just make sure it is one of the ones with a lower wattage, 700-900 watts I believe. If you're worn out a toasted bread and fried egg sandwich is good with a slice of cheese and you can get the pre-cooked bacon that you just have to heat for about 10 sec in the microwave, you don't even have to fry the egg if you nuke it (bust the yolk first if using real eggs or it will explode). A crockpot comes in handy too, you can put a small roast in it, potatoes, carrots, onions and a small can of green beans and a can of mushroom soup (golden, or the roasted with garlic is good), if it is cooking while you are driving just make sure you have it anchored somewhere so it doesn't flip over, the lid can be used on it upside down if you have to.

Subway sandwiches are great, you get a footlong with all the veggies piled on whatever meat, and then save half of it for the next day. if you eat out even one meal every other day and the rest out of stuff on the truck it will help save money and will keep you away from a lot of the over salted preprocessed food.

You will also be able to stop at roadside rest areas if you come across one when it is time for your 10 and not have to worry about what you're going to eat. There are a lot of nice areas if you can get there before everyone else does for the night.

If you get tired of staying in the truck and have enough time off it wouldn't kill for you to stop at a motel for the night occasionally and bum around watching TV.

 

The cheaper way to save on beer is to buy it at home, and not at all when out in the truck. There was one a few months ago I have heard that had 18yrs with a company and got fired for buying some at a t/s. He may have been on a 34, but it didn't matter, no beer. It's a pain, but the CDL is worth more.

 

Hope it isn't kept in the truck? I'm joking! I've been reading to many CSA scores and reports by inspections on guys trucks and they find a container in the truck refrigerator. I wish you well, Save that money and get yourself a small place.