How do you save money when on the road?

1 can of chili, healthy choice, soups, or whatever comes in a can. Find a secure place on the motor for an hour, break out a pack of crackers and you got it made. It is nice to have the little lunch box heaters. 1 bagel, buddig package of sliced ham, and a slice of swiss chesse with a can of soup and a few crackers and that will get the job done as well. But get out and have a sit down meal at a decent place once a week anyway so you can keep your sanity. Anyway there are many ways to save money on food on the road. Good luck.

 

That sounds like what I'm used to any way. I no the first year is the hardest any way .More tips to save $$$$ are very helpful

 

I have a fridge w freezer, microwave, toaster, one burner, coffee maker and toaster oven, pots and pans. I can cook about anything in here. need to get a george formen. Stuck in bitter creek wy for 2 days this winter. The homemade chix noodle soup was yummmy! I also carry 2 coffee thermos and hot water theomos and a ice water jug I fill up everyday saves alot and most is free.

 

Whats your shopping list for food items? Sounds like you do some cooking in there??

 

I keep chix broth, veggies, noodles, tyson chix precooked, eggs, butter, whole grain bread, canned chix, cream cheese, chedder cheese, guacamole, all kinds of soup. You can pu anything u need at walmart.

 

BTW you will need bungie cords and s hooks for your cooking stuff. you can wash stuff at rest areas.

 

I planed on doing all that you have said. All the posts are great to read.

 

Start out by not worrying about "cooking" in the truck! Until you're in your own truck just don't think it. Second if teaming you have to think of the team mate and room in the truck. Third, cooking too much in a truck like with a hot plate, crock pot boiling or any thing that produces a lot of steam and cooking odors can make a truck start to smell. YES I KNOW! Those of you who do a lot of cooking do not notice it just like a smoker doesn't smell that rank nasty arsed smell that comes out of their trucks because you "live" in it! So you can't say it doesn't because it does start to hold onto odors. So be courteous of the owners of the trucks equipment. I would eat about 3 times a week in a truck stop or other restaurant to get out of the truck and to socialize with people in person and not on a cell or computer! I could still make 100 last me for a week and that included scales and tolls not paid by EX Pass or other small costs.

When you finally get on your own I had an AC powered coffee maker and a microwave and no cooler and that was it. I didn't drink sodas as they cost too much, add to much sugar to your diet, and because of their life span I didn't need the hassle! All my food was in cans, or packages, my 8 gallons of water came from home and were stored in milk crates under the bunk and I had paper plates bowls and plastic flat ware. I did NOT wash pot's pan's or dishes! If it was in a can and I just had to have it heated up it was nuked in a bowl in the micro wave. I had tried those DC powered trash items found in the truck stops but as I said they were trash! DC power is not very good for producing heat with a little cigarette lighter plug or 12 volts! There is one idem the "lunch box" one that was featured on Food Network that does work but for the actual hassle of buying the meat, veggies and preparing in a place not designed for food prep then cooking it you could have gone in eaten and gone to sleep by the time it was ready! Not to mention the mess if you spill it and yep you will and nope, cleaning greasy food off the floor of a truck, digging it out from around the seat frame, cleaning it out of that cheap carpet in the truck or out of your blankets and sheets AND that high dollar cheapo mattress just isn't worth the money you thought you were going to save! I'm tried it and it wasn't worth it. Beans and vienna's make a good hi calorie high protein and fiber meal fit for a king! Add those Ritz crackers you did good. Those "cup of soups' all you need is the coffee maker to run a little water through to fill it up with or nuke a cup of water. Ramden noodles you can do in a bowl in the microwave.
But then that's me! I was still able to live on that $100 a week without extra cook ware in the truck that takes up too much space.

The inverter was hard wired to the batteries. This will be you main cost. 20' of 2-3 gauge cables with clamps at the batteries not the type on jumper cables but the bolt on clamps, you'll need a circuit breaker for the positive side of the cable at the battery to keep the truck from burning to the ground in case of a short. This can make a company a tad bit upset! Tie wraps for mounting the cables to frame, wiring harnesses and hose for protecting the cables from rubbing at spots.
a GOOD inverter. 1500 watts is about all you need. Then get ac operated appliances at Wal-Mart or where ever!
DO NOT buy food or snacks at a truck stop! EVER unless it's hot dogs at 2 for a dollar or food from the restaurant. I mean stay out of that high freaking dollar convince store! The ONLY things you buy from the store is things you can't buy any where else EXCEPT for CB equipment and truck related stuff like oil marker lights and chrome dash crapola! Well unless you can get the same thing at a big box store cheaper. Not usually but sometimes you can.

Don't even use the ATM's at truck stops! They add twice as much on the withdrawal fee than your bank! I wait till I stop at Walley's place or where ever and buy my supplies THEN get my allowance when I check out! None of that $3 crapola to get my money!

 

If he's going to be a company driver, make sure he checks with the co. regarding having a inverter. A lot of companies don't allow hard wired ones, and the small plug in ones won't run most cooking appliances.

He can get a small lunch box sized heater that will run off the power outlet. It's a bit easier to use that putting a can of something in the engine compartment. Put your can of soup, chili, or whatever, in it a few hours before planned meal time, and it will be good to go. It will also do heat sandwiches or meal items prepared at home. I think you can get them at Wal Mart, but they aren't real expensive at a truck stop, either.

Most trucks will have a space for a small electic cooler, with a separate 12v socket. Definitely buy one, again at Wal Mart. It will help save money over the long run.

As others have mentioned, he should get out of the truck and eat a sit down meal at least once a week. Even if he doesn't want to jaw bone with other drivers, it still is almost a necessity to keep ones sanity at times.