Do some OTR truckers really spend $60 a day?

yes, it's completely possible. If you eat a lot and buy from truck stops and fast food joints. That's why some of us buy food at grocery stores and cook on the truck. Schnieder's site is probably averaging three meals a day at the normal $20 a meal.

 

No. We pack food and drinks from home. We cook in the truck. Only takes a few minutes and is far better for you.

 

@miss elvee Sorry for my rudeness. I wrote that comment in spite of the bad day I was having. My apologies.

 

I doubt many average $60.00 a day though it wouldn't be hard to do.

Most couldn't afford that and one of the most important things for a new driver is to know how to eat well without spending a fortune.

 

Like its been said it depends on the person if your going to orientation eat at the hotel for breakfast, they provide u lunch and dinners on u if I remember correctly

 

when I ran the road, i'd eat twice a day, and many times, it was the buffet table for cheaper than the regular meal. surprisingly, I did NOT gain much weight, as with the buffet table, I choose lots of salads and went to town, constructing a huge pile of all sorts of veggies.

I'd then maybe go for the chicken, or pasta, or Salisbury steaks. and I made sure I used the biggest salad bowl for the desert of pudding..!!! no small pudding bowls for me...

if it were the breakfast buffet, i'd go for the ham, eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns or home fries and a short stack of pancakes. what ever I chose to eat that day, plus coffee or soda, then a tip was all of about $15 dollars, twice a day, for $30 per day, back then.

I ate well, I DID NOT gain weight, and I survived back then, with out the benefit of a fridge.

if I were to do it all over again (and I WILL NOT), i'd go and buy a fridge, if the truck does not have one, stock up on prepared salads, lean lunch meats, wheat bread, water, soda, PB crackers and dried fruits.

and even though it is still summer, I can say that for winter, a lot of PB crackers and water stored away, will sustain you in the event you get caught up in severe weather and you are stuck for a day or two.

 

When I had the luxury of having a sleeper I would bring food from home, keeping my daily expenses below $20. Most of my career however has been spent in a daycab car hauler, so I sleep in motels a lot when going OTR. This is comfortable but does not allow for carrying much with me in the way of supplies so my average daily expense is close to $50 in food. $8 for breakfast, about $15 for lunch, and a good $20 for dinner plus a drink or two during the day. As an owner operator the motel also comes out of my pocket, average about $70 per night. Fortunately I usually only run long distance or require a motel during the winter season, summer I get to stay local and get home nightly so I only have to buy lunch on the road.

 

I pack my food. First I had stuff to make sandwich n stuff but I find it easier to buy already made food than make it in the truck... so I decide to pack pre made food in a sandwich bag and that seem to help.

I buy coffee every morning, and a thermal of hot water to make oatmeal and more coffee later on the day with instant coffee. So min. $2 a day but sometimes I do cheat n buy a meal sometimes

 

I am guilty of spending too much money out here. I weigh 135 lbs, I dont eat 24/7 but EVERYTHING ADDS UP. I've decided to cut back and eat more out of the truck. Typically id eat out once a day. There is lets say 25 right there. 10 in energy drinks (pointless), 3 in tobacco. That's 38$ in a day, if I grab some fast food somewhere for lunch too, heck that's easily $45 at the end of the day. It is really easy to get caught up in wasting money out here. I quit smoking and went to rubbing and saved myself from buying two packs a day but wound up wasting that money on snacks. Some days are better than others but if I can waste that much only god knows how much others are wasting out here!! Thr figures dont suprise me.