How much money to take?

Those truck stops gouge you if you use the ATM. Your bank will probably charge a few bucks and the truck stop will tack on about 5 bucks....

 

Bus fair runs up to 150

 

Figure $20 a day easily for food. If you get a good trainer that stops at a grocery store to restock this will be considerably less. my guess is $600 will leave you a buffer zone. what is extra you can always redposit AFTER you actually see a pay check. First paycheck may or may not come to you anytime soon.

Also your time out seems a little short. You may be looking at 6-8 weeks.

 

You can always buy stuff with your debit card and get cash back at places that do that. No fee that way

 

Here's what I've discovered:

Your going to need a debit card. ATMs at truckstops are complete rip-offs. You get lower fees at ATMs in service plazas along toll roads. That's because the ordinary traveling public isn't going to tolerate that extreme gouging crap.

It's best to do an occasional trip to a Walmart, buy a few things you need and then choose "Cash Back" from the exchange, as livinlife suggests.

20$ a day for food, scales, etc is a good rule of thumb, but for food alone, only if you are a chronic overeater.

What you don't want to do is get in a habit of getting cash advances--thats usually the worst way to get cash. Plus, you'll piss me off holding up the line in the truckstop.

 

The $20 is a variable. It is not an absolute. It is however a safety. You may only pay 15 per day. Yet the point of figuring 20 is that some times you may want to splurge. Say stop at some place you normally would not. Then that 20 is gone quicker than you wish it did.

As a budgeting concern I plan on 20, its the way I am. It is not the way I live. Yet the nice part was that one time when I was in Montgomerry NY I saw a lad that looked like he was getting ready to shoplift. His mom had declared they didnt have the money for a $5 trinket. I gave her a twenty I had as it was a surplus that I had from that same budget. Both the lad and Mom were grateful. I am more grateful as it kept that good kid from going down the wrong road in life. I am sure though, that same kid will realize the kindness of truckers and perhaps aspire to find the generosity in their heart some day to help others as I did for them.