# european budget??



## rugbyken (Feb 1, 2017)

when we planned this trip we worked on a budget of €50 a day, our ferries and 3,500 miles at 25mpg and a fiver a gallon +tolls of  £60 each way divided by the 91 day trip took 13 euros a day leaving 37 euros for fees food and of course wine , we are pleasantly surprised 21 days in to have €294 surplus and intend refining the budget to €40 a day , would like to boast that this is by careful watch on the finance but we really have not watched the pennies and could easily last several days without visiting a supermarket, we have had fewer than usual plat de jours only 4 so far but still have a healthy €84 surplus on reduced rate , we could have stayed away from sites even more with the amount of wildcamping available but our friends don't have solar etc so we are visiting a site every 4 days for them to recharge, so far we have gone to cadiz gibraltar malaga & almeria so far and we are yet to reach the costa brava where i understand there are not as many POIs but will see ,


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## clf86ha (Feb 1, 2017)

I can only get 2 weeks off at any one time, so long term budgeting is not a necessity, so I usually budget 100 euro  per day to include all costs including the tunnel(which is mainly covered by tesco points), the dogs travel fees and vet visit, tolls & fuel (the biggest cost), sites/aires, food/eating out and attractions, but always bring euros home.

It's good to hear that in the future, when i do get the chance to take an extended trip, it can be done on a lower budget and still be enjoyed to the maximum.

Enjoy your trip


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## Hondaboy (Feb 1, 2017)

Thanks for this post rubyken, I am of to France in April and was looking at some sort of budget to work to so you have given me some good info. 
Joe


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## jacquigem (Feb 1, 2017)

i think you will need more in France. Food and drink we found much more expensive. my gut says work on say plus 50% in France for Supermarket food shops


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## rugbyken (Feb 1, 2017)

it's true the longer the trip the lower the daily cost biggest charge is the ferry and fuel divide them by 14 or 90 cost is the same


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## 1888 (Feb 1, 2017)

I must be a drunk. I budget £150 and i think that ended up at £180 by the time we stopped saving. Saying that we always come home what quite a few €100 what just gets chucked in a jar for next again year. We came home with enough for the ferry, fuel and wifes tobacco for the year.


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## wineciccio (Feb 1, 2017)

if I had to budget for my trips abroad like my friends do , well I would not do it at all, what is the point of buying a motorhome and then have to budget where to go and what to eat and how much to spend on food and so forth, i'm not rich or well off, just a decent civil service pension and we enjoy our trips abroad better then our friends who by the way are more well off then us, owning properties two, top of the range  cars and a big motorhome, we own a small Fiat ducato IH TIO R and seem to have more fun than they do when away ie, we eat out almost 6 times a week. I would give it up if I had to budget.:rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:


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## 1888 (Feb 1, 2017)

Dont think i would have a small 50 quid budget wineciccio as i hate watching the pennies when away. I dont take plastic just cash and would hate to run out hence making a high budget but when we start saving its not so much a budget we aim for more a goal so we can enjoy our self's. I just brake it down to daily. I am still to take my site fees and food from what i have a day but yet to spend over.


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## Deleted member 9849 (Feb 1, 2017)

Yes I would broadly agree about the quality of French food apart from the sausage statement,I find french sausage is generally fairly poor and I have never found anything to rival a good old Wall's pork sausage in France.We stopped at a services one day and saw some lovely looking sausages on display so we both had them with  chips.They were the most revolting thing I had eaten for a long time and neither of us could finish them.At the time I described them as roadkill wrapped in a condom.


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## Tezza (Feb 1, 2017)

We have a budget , we rarely pay for sites and maybe eat out once a fortnight. I don't view our time away as a holiday but more of a road trip . We are also away about 6-7 months in a year. If we were not frugal the the time we could be away would be cut to maybe 4-6 weeks a year. So the purpose of us having a motorhome is the freedom to go wherever whenever. Our motorhome allows us a different way of life , not just holidays. Wish I could afford to be away the length of time we are and not have to worry about the money side.  Oh by the way , even on a budget we have a great time. You need no money to watch a beautiful sunset.  Don't need a penny to to marvel at nature or mans brilliance in design. And the Mrs cooks the best spaghetti Bol ever. 
My signature says it all .


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## 1888 (Feb 2, 2017)

runnach said:


> [video]http://blog.flunch.fr/flunch-famille[/video]
> 
> Always have lunch there, prior to hitting the supermarket isles!
> :tongue:



Where is that then? There is no contact us to find out unless my google translator is taking the mick.


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## jacquigem (Feb 2, 2017)

Sorry the point I was trying to make is that we find Spain cheaper than France and UK. French and UK prices pretty similar in our view and I guess depends where you go.


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## walpeter (Feb 2, 2017)

jacquigem said:


> Sorry the point I was trying to make is that we find Spain cheaper than France and UK. French and UK prices pretty similar in our view and I guess depends where you go.



That's what I understood from your post. We also found Spain much cheaper than France last year


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## jacquigem (Feb 2, 2017)

Yeah ok sorry ,I thought you would be able to read my mind.  

I didnt want someone going to France thinking they could live similarly on a Spanish budget.


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## spigot (Feb 2, 2017)

Budget??, sod the budget, I come away with a bundle of dosh & go home 4 months later with a smaller bundle of dosh.
No idea what I spend but it's not much,
I keep well away from wretched camp sites, don't go on toll roads, buy food from markets, fish from quays.
If you start counting the pennies (or centimes) you might as well give up


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## Tezza (Feb 2, 2017)

spigot said:


> Budget??, sod the budget, I come away with a bundle of dosh & go home 4 months later with a smaller bundle of dosh.
> No idea what I spend but it's not much,
> I keep well away from wretched camp sites, don't go on toll roads, buy food from markets, fish from quays.
> If you start counting the pennies (or centimes) you might as well give up


 A rather mean outlook I think. " if you start counting the pennies you might as well give up " and how condescending. So if your not rich or have a huge pension that you can go do whatever you like with  without having to worry then people should give up????? 
It must be really nice to be in your super duper ivory tower looking down on us all that DO have to watch the pennies. Is this how people on this site actually think?  Because I'm seeing it more and more on here. " the exchange rate don't matter to me " signatures showing that they have spent a small fortune on their camper as if it means anything . And as above if you have to budget then give up. Give up what? The camper , or if people are also watching their pennies and budgeting to just survive maybe they should give up too , maybe on life!


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## jagmanx (Feb 3, 2017)

*The main purpose of Budgetting*

Or from our perspective.. More accurately termed "estimate of costs" 
is so that you do not get any nasty surprises or you feel you can enjoy without "breaking the bank"
We do not worry if we go "over budget" !

I estimated £3940 for our trip to Scandinavia.
We spent £3620 (everything inc Tunnel / Ferries Entry fees /  Extras / souvenirs) over 111 days thus under £33 a day
We eat well (although we rarely go to Restaurants) and this included buying alcohol in Scandinavia
Trip outline
So Calais to Hirtsals to Kristiansand often stopping 2 nights
Kristiansand to Nordkapp
South via Finland and Sweden the ferry and bridge to and in Denmark
Finally back to Calais/Dover
Lots of cheap/free camping  6625 miles

This may be of use to others thinking about a similar trip but worried about costs !
All the ferries/eurotunnel were taken during the day

Our time in UK only 1000 miles
£2138 for 73 days thus just under £30 a day
This figure included clothing but very significantly less spent on diesel but a good deal more on camp-sites

Basic motorhome  costs
Tax Insurance MOT Service are not included in either of the above

For the 6 summer (Ha Ha) months whilst we are using the vehicle I "allocate" £300 a week for all costs (ie inc MOT/Service but not insurance)

Being very familiar with spreadsheets the above figures are accurate
I categorise my spending as
Camping
Food	
Diesel / Gas	
Tourist	
Ferry / Tolls etc	
Other

I also record overnight location and mileage on a daily basis (very sad !)

This works for us
I am sure others will have alternatives which suit them

I am sure members are aware of the route planning facility in Google maps
I use this to simply arrive at a basic mileage figure which I then increase to allow for detours and excursions


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## jagmanx (Feb 3, 2017)

*Norway*

BBC - Travel - Driving the ?Roof of Norway?

For those interested
First part of our Route
Overnight near Kaupanger and then Vassbakken (overnight) then to the summit Rv55 149
Google Maps

Drive down and overnight and on towards LOM and then Otta
Google Maps


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## barryd (Feb 3, 2017)

Ive always found France the cheapest and easiest country to stay in out of all the ones we have visited especially around peak season.  Spain may be cheaper for supermarket shopping but lets face it compared to France whats on offer is rotten.  I cant spend more than a couple of weeks in Spain or I get withdrawal symptoms for decent cheese for a start to be honest. 

We use Aires and wild a lot and France, Germany and to some extend northern Italy are perfect for that so you have to think of the money you save that way as well.  We spend so much time in France you get to know exactly whats nice to eat and drink, what is good value and what isnt.  Our weekly shop in France works out less than here for sure and is definitely better quality.  Problem is I like it so much you pay through the nose for the same stuff when your back in the UK.

We dont have a budget, just a way of life but it works out usually between £800-£1000 a month and we eat and live well.  I suspect we save a lot on fuel compared to most though as we dont dash around everywhere in the van.  The scooter tends to do almost as many miles as the motorhome.


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## iampatman (Feb 3, 2017)

Well, we start off with some money in the bank. I check the account and if we've got the same or more at the end of each month = happiness. If we've got less..........then we've got less! 

Pat


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## jagmanx (Feb 3, 2017)

*Aka*



iampatman said:


> Well, we start off with some money in the bank. I check the account and if we've got the same or more at the end of each month = happiness. If we've got less..........then we've got less!
> 
> Pat



Mr Micawber ?


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## Mick H (Feb 3, 2017)

We, generally take about £1000 worth of Euro's, for our trips on the continent, supplemented by using the Halifax Clarity card, for some larger purchases. We don't budget, just spend as we go, and it always seems to work, for us. We usually have more in the bank, when we return, than when we left the UK, 'cos I ain't buying things on Ebay, whilst we are away.

As regards France, we love it, probably not as much as Germany, but Spain & Portugal are also very nice, for motorhoming.

As a sausage lover, I too, haven't found any in France, to compare with the UK. Same, as regards cheese. Even the wine, that we like, isn't French, but "Vin de la Communaute Europeenne", purchased at French supermarkets, or others from Lidl/Aldi, in Germany, or Spain.

Apart from wine, I HAVE to have Cider. Although Brittany/Normandy have some very nice ciders, they too, don't compare with UK cider, so nowadays, I take my own UK cider, with me.

We would certainly miss travelling, within Europe, if circumstances prevented us from being able to. Vive La France.


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## 5andy (Feb 3, 2017)

In relation to budgeting, we clearly need to try harder. I don't write anything down but try to maintain an average spend of 50 Euro a day. I suspect we are close to 60
euro. I guess our approach would be similar to Pat, lol to have the same amount of money in the bank at the end of the month as we started with.


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## spigot (Feb 3, 2017)

Tezza said:


> y
> A rather mean outlook I think. " if you start counting the pennies you might as well give up " and how condescending. So if your not rich or have a huge pension that you can go do whatever you like with  without having to worry then people should give up?????
> It must be really nice to be in your super duper ivory tower looking down on us all that DO have to watch the pennies. Is this how people on this site actually think?  Because I'm seeing it more and more on here. " the exchange rate don't matter to me " signatures showing that they have spent a small fortune on their camper as if it means anything . And as above if you have to budget then give up. Give up what? The camper , or if people are also watching their pennies and budgeting to just survive maybe they should give up too , maybe on life!




Hi Tezza,
             Many thanks for your kind observations,
The fact is, I'm certainly not rich, far from it, I'm existing on a basic government pension, I don't have a posh motorhome like the example in your avatar, I drive a modest campervan which is showing it's age.I don't need money, as said before, I keep away from campsites & toll roads,buy food from markets etc.
We never eat out unless there's some mind blowing gastronomic experience on offer.
Even with my pathetic pension, there's more money in the bank when I return than when I left. 
As said before, if you start worrying about a budget, you might as well give up.
Remember, this thread concerns a European trip, in the UK I am  organising a budget.


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## barryd (Feb 3, 2017)

Just get lost David alright! 

You must know thats my favourite tipple (6.6% to be accurate).  Rub it in why dont you!!

its now about a fiver for a pack of 4 330ml bottles here now.  

You must have got two for the price of one there though surely.

Ah to be sat up a French Alp with a case of Leffe, some well matured Comte and a Brie de Meaux thats so ripe it runs off on its own.


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## Tezza (Feb 3, 2017)

spigot said:


> Hi Tezza,
> Many thanks for your kind observations,
> The fact is, I'm certainly not rich, far from it, I'm existing on a basic government pension, I don't have a posh motorhome like the example in your avatar, I drive a modest campervan which is showing it's age.I don't need money, as said before, I keep away from campsites & toll roads,buy food from markets etc.
> We never eat out unless there's some mind blowing gastronomic experience on offer.
> ...



My van is seventeen years old .  And the only reason we could afford that is by coming in under budget for the last 5 years . And that is why we budget. At home and on each trip. So I'm not giving up . I don't have any income I don't work or have any benefits or pension so my bank balance ( I don't have a bank account) but my balance goes down every week of the year no matter where I am. So to make sure I can carry on doing what I do  and for the time I want to do it means making sure I have the cash. I can either have 1 super duper no worry year or I can have a super decade by budgeting. I budget.


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## spigot (Feb 4, 2017)

I have often wondered Why?, 
Booze in French supermarkets is among the cheapest in Europe.
Yet the same drinks in the bars is the most expensive (Scandinavia excepted).


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## 1888 (Feb 4, 2017)

5andy said:


> In relation to budgeting, we clearly need to try harder. I don't write anything down but try to maintain an average spend of 50 Euro a day. I suspect we are close to 60
> euro. I guess our approach would be similar to Pat, lol to have the same amount of money in the bank at the end of the month as we started with.



What is your budget for, just food? Mine has still to include food and drink, site fees, entertainment and entry fees to attractions and the odd occasion road tolls what i need to look into more for this year.


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## David & Ann (Feb 4, 2017)

I have seen some figures on here which are pretty high. Here is my out lay over 90 days which I have been doing for over 50 years. 2016 outlay. 7000Km@9km to a litre= Fuel £710, Ferry crossing return £114. We are loaded up with dried foods before we leave, like sugar, tea bags, long life milk, juices butter/margarine, etc, etc... So all we buy every couple of bays is the fresh veg, meat is bought once every 10 days as we store  a lot in the freezer. Rough estimate is about 5 Euros a day x 90= €450=£300 All in all roughly £1200 (being generous) As some folks say they save more of their pensions being away from home is a reality. in my case, I always look forward to holidays, always save more than you spend. I am on Goa at this minute for 90 days We save on everything at home as it is all turned off and we do not touch our pensions when abroad. So we have enough saved for the next trip. It is hard work being a Pensioner, believe it is.


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## Ed on Toast (Feb 4, 2017)

Thank you, one and all.

What a fantastic thread, so much information, from so many perspectives.

In the autumn/winter of 2017, I intend to make my maiden trip South, following the migration routs of the _Snowbirds_

There are so many unknowns for me, ahead of my adventure and so threads like this are not only invaluable, with regards to information but also in building my excitement. 

I am not one to eat in fancy restaurants, or mix with the _haut monde_, I am more the street food and chats with the _hoi polloi_, tbh.

Give me my Cadac, some fresh ingredients, palatable wine  and above all good company, you will not find a happier chap.

If it is not a night for cooking, then give me a_ 'Schnellimbiss' _or a Tapas-Crawl, with good company, rather than a a white linen table cloth and _Silver Service_ any day of the week.

So in the autumn of 2017, as some of you fly South, take the occasional look in the rear view mirror, where objects might appear closer than they are but you might also catch a glimpse of Ed on Toast, in Southern migration stalking mode! 

:nicethread:


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## barryd (Feb 4, 2017)

spigot said:


> I have often wondered Why?,
> Booze in French supermarkets is among the cheapest in Europe.
> Yet the same drinks in the bars is the most expensive (Scandinavia excepted).



Depends where and what you drink.  Best thing to to do in a French bar is firstly find one off the tourist trail, sit at the bar rather than some far flung table outside with waiter service and just order a litre carafe of house white or red which will almost certainly be spot on.  Will probably be less than ten euros.  When you think a large glass of wine here is about six or seven quid and a pint about four quid its suddenly not that expensive.

Drinking beer in bars in France as Wint says if you drink like a boozy Brit downing ten pints can be pricey.  Wines the way to go.

If you turf up at a beach or harbour side bar in St Tropez though expect to be ripped off.


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## Ysbytymike (Feb 4, 2017)

See your based in Brittany David. Spent quite a bit of time in Argenton. Its a fab location and I'm hoping now that I have a camper van to be able to spend greater lengths of time out there in the future. We do have a dog which I'm uncertain as to what needs to be done to get him a passport. I was going to start a thread along these lines but I'll do a few searches first to see if this info has  already been covered.


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## 1888 (Feb 4, 2017)

Ysbytymike said:


> See your based in Brittany David. Spent quite a bit of time in Argenton. Its a fab location and I'm hoping now that I have a camper van to be able to spend greater lengths of time out there in the future. We do have a dog which I'm uncertain as to what needs to be done to get him a passport. I was going to start a thread along these lines but I'll do a few searches first to see if this info has  already been covered.



Get all your dogs Jabs up to date. You need a rabies one. All this needs to be done X amount of months before you travel. Your vet will keep you right and also should organise it all for you. They did for me anyway. Pet picture is optional.

On your return to UK you must get your dog a worming tablet at a vet and passport stamped. That has to be 24 hours before you travel and no longer than five days. 

Cant remember price but my dogs jabs were not up to date and it cost me £100. The whole process of the passport was under four weeks.


EDIT: Forgot to say. Microchip is a must


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## witzend (Feb 4, 2017)

Back to Budget surely you need to subtract what you,d have spent if you stayed at home our only extra expenditure really is fuel and ferry


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## 1888 (Feb 4, 2017)

witzend said:


> Back to Budget surely you need to subtract what you,d have spent if you stayed at home our only extra expenditure really is fuel and ferry



That is not in my daily budget. I do a rough calculation with miles and work out what i need in cash. Now i quit the fags they money pays for fuel and ferry. As for paying for the ferry i have been for years putting a £1 coin in a jar each day. This saves more than enough to get a return to Europe and who misses a £1 a day?


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## REC (Feb 4, 2017)

witzend said:


> Back to Budget surely you need to subtract what you,d have spent if you stayed at home our only extra expenditure really is fuel and ferry



Thats pretty much what we reckon, except ours is the tunnel and fuel. We dont budget but spend thriftily as at home. Save on heating and water at home and eat out in local cafes not posh restaurants. Also use a fair bit of tinned and dry food supplemented with fresh every few days. Usually we stay in the Barn in portugal for a month at least ..now THAT is VERY cheap....£150 a year for electric and council tax, free water and wood for heating, electric is minimal and solar supplemented and a bit of calor gas for cooking. When we travel back, we go the long way round via Spain, France in whichever direction we fancy, and take loads of wine (supplied in 5litre containers by the neighbours), BBQ a lot and wildcamp mostly except when we want to be luxurious and have proper showers and EHU which is once a week ish. We dont worry about budget exactly, its a norm for us to be a bit careful, and we just continue it. If we have spent a bit for a few days we just spend much less and eat in camper for the next few days. It works for us but I can appreciate it is necessary to be extra careful for people who are very limited budget! I do think it is possible to eat and drink on a lowish budget in any country as long as you use local produce and dont try and eat same as at home. Just adapt to fit the cheapest prices in country visited.


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## Caz (Feb 4, 2017)

This all sounds a far cry from my trip 35 years ago when I budgeted £5 a day + ferry, which I recall was £26 return. Although I was on a motorbike which, IIRC, did about 75/80 to the gallon, so twice what my current van will do. I think we ate out every other day, cooking on a little Campingaz Bleuet stove the other days. We stayed on camp sites every night, of course, sleeping in a tent.

Just been looking at cost of Chunnel for my planned trip this year and it's coming out at over £250 return.


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## IanH (Feb 4, 2017)

Our last 3 trips to France have worked out, amazingly, almost the same

Costs include:-

Door (here) back to door here
Ferries
Fuel
All food and drink
All site fees (when used)
Indeed..........................everything

Wife is of the Yorkshire persuasion where £5 is a vast sum of money......................so all receipts are kept and Euros spent accounted for

Amazingly, it works out at exactly £1 per mile (each trip was more or less the same!)


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## Ed on Toast (Feb 4, 2017)

REC said:


> Thats pretty much what we reckon, except ours is the tunnel and fuel. We dont budget but spend thriftily as at home. Save on heating and water at home and eat out in local cafes not posh restaurants. Also use a fair bit of tinned and dry food supplemented with fresh every few days. Usually we stay in the Barn in portugal for a month at least ..now THAT is VERY cheap....£150 a year for electric and council tax, free water and wood for heating, electric is minimal and solar supplemented and a bit of calor gas for cooking. When we travel back, we go the long way round via Spain, France in whichever direction we fancy, and take loads of wine (supplied in 5litre containers by the neighbours), BBQ a lot and wildcamp mostly except when we want to be luxurious and have proper showers and EHU which is once a week ish. We dont worry about budget exactly, its a norm for us to be a bit careful, and we just continue it. If we have spent a bit for a few days we just spend much less and eat in camper for the next few days. It works for us but I can appreciate it is necessary to be extra careful for people who are very limited budget! I do think it is possible to eat and drink on a lowish budget in any country as long as you use local produce and dont try and eat same as at home. Just adapt to fit the cheapest prices in country visited.



Now that sounds like my ideal adventure

:bow:


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## REC (Feb 4, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> Now that sounds like my ideal adventure
> 
> :bow:



We are so lucky to have bought the barn derelict when the euro was high and we had time to renovate (ish) . The cost of utilities is  ridiculous there...our council tax DROPPED from 45euro (year!) to 18.92 last year and the neighbours just said not to worry! Very limited "things" in the barn which motorhomers understand anyway...electric only up to 1kw for 4eur month. But its a great lifestyle and made us convert the van for travelling out there. Now got even more reason and time to go out and makes the perfect mix of travel and stay, for us anyway. Raelly scrimped round to acheive the original dream but in the end both the barn and van have saved us money living in UK!


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## iampatman (Feb 4, 2017)

jagmanx said:


> Mr Micawber ?



Yeah, I guess so - but so far without the misery 

Pat


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## spigot (Feb 5, 2017)

In 1962 I flew my car over to France by Silver City Aireways.
We flew from Lydd to Le Touquet & if I remember correctly that cost in the region of £25!.


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## somejest (Feb 5, 2017)

*dog passport*



Ysbytymike said:


> See your based in Brittany David. Spent quite a bit of time in Argenton. Its a fab location and I'm hoping now that I have a camper van to be able to spend greater lengths of time out there in the future. We do have a dog which I'm uncertain as to what needs to be done to get him a passport. I was going to start a thread along these lines but I'll do a few searches first to see if this info has  already been covered.



Its no big deal taking your dog,It needs to be microchipped and have an up todate Rabies jab.On return you need to visit a vet and dog requires a worm and flea/tick treatment no less than24 hours before you intend to cross back into England and no more than 7 days,and that is all there is to it. We are taking 4 dogs down in feb to the Algarve its the only holiday to have. Your vet will explain it all but do go in plenty of time as the rabies jab has to have a booster before it is legal.


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## barryd (Feb 5, 2017)

Mrs D keeps fanatically detailed budget and expenditure records about all our trips (she was, still is kind of an accountant).

Right down to how many litres of gas we use, money spent on sight seeing, food, fuel for both the van and bike, detailed mileage etc.  All on an Excel spreadsheet year in year out.  Im going to ask her to work out the figures for our last Euro trip in 2015 and then see how it would stack up cost wise now.  I think it was four months and cost around £3000 (not sure).  Off the top of my head looking at the huge drop in the exchange rate and the fact that diesel seems to have gone up in France i bet you can add £1000 to a similar trip now. 

The other expenditure to take into consideration on a long trip of course is if you run a home back in the UK its still costing you money.  Our house I think with council tax an other stuff sucks up around £500-600 a month empty.  So if a six month trip like we did in 2012 costs you say £6000 the real expenditure for that trip is over £9000.


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## jagmanx (Feb 5, 2017)

*Likewise*



barryd said:


> Mrs D keeps fanatically detailed budget and expenditure records about all our trips (she was, still is kind of an accountant).
> 
> Right down to how many litres of gas we use, money spent on sight seeing, food, fuel for both the van and bike, detailed mileage etc.  All on an Excel spreadsheet year in year out.  Im going to ask her to work out the figures for our last Euro trip in 2015 and then see how it would stack up cost wise now.  I think it was four months and cost around £3000 (not sure).  Off the top of my head looking at the huge drop in the exchange rate and the fact that diesel seems to have gone up in France i bet you can add £1000 to a similar trip now.
> 
> The other expenditure to take into consideration on a long trip of course is if you run a home back in the UK its still costing you money.  Our house I think with council tax an other stuff sucks up around £500-600 a month empty.  So if a six month trip like we did in 2012 costs you say £6000 the real expenditure for that trip is over £9000.



Yep,
I am a Mathematician with significant Excel Skills having worked in ICT from aged 41 to 62
Thus I do likewise...... some would say all very sad ........but not us !
Does not stop us spending but we know what it is spent on !


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## barryd (Feb 5, 2017)

I dunno David but its not just council tax, water rates, a bit of electric, BT Bills. etc. Mrs D could tell you, I dont get involved but she reckoned it was about that figure.


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## Derekoak (Feb 6, 2017)

*Budget*

Yiu could of course, if you were an accountant, add maintenance, insurances,  road tax, depreciation of your motorhome and assuming your motorhome is not your only vehicle, your other vehicle is still costing those things standing at home.
I assume wildcamping in a motorhome would still be a bargain, if you do it enough.


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## barryd (Feb 6, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> Yiu could of course, if you were an accountant, add maintenance, insurances,  road tax, depreciation of your motorhome and assuming your motorhome is not your only vehicle, your other vehicle is still costing those things standing at home.
> I assume wildcamping in a motorhome would still be a bargain, if you do it enough.



Yep, if you add up the full cost of motorhoming long term it would make you cry. 


Its a good point about your other vehicle(s).  I only figured this out recently but now that its so easy to sorn a car if your away for a few months its worth doing.  Ive always left mine taxed but had I sorned it each time over the years it would have amounted to several hundred pounds saved.


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## rugbyken (Feb 6, 2017)

not really paying to sort my car at the moment  only £40 a year but it's diesel so if some of the threatened measures are bought in may have to look into it,


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## REC (Feb 6, 2017)

Ww are exceptionally lucky at the moment as my son, daughter in law and his son are living with us and pay for the full costs of the house when we are away. They also use and pay for the car so it actually costs us nowt to go. When we are home we split the costs. Previous to this we just saved on heating electric and water (metered) but it still worked out a good saving towards the cost of travel.


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## alcam (Feb 6, 2017)

barryd said:


> Depends where and what you drink.  Best thing to to do in a French bar is firstly find one off the tourist trail, sit at the bar rather than some far flung table outside with waiter service and just order a* litre carafe of house white or red which will almost certainly be spot on*.  Will probably be less than ten euros.  When you think a large glass of wine here is about six or seven quid and a pint about four quid its suddenly not that expensive.
> 
> Drinking beer in bars in France as Wint says if you drink like a boozy Brit downing ten pints can be pricey.  Wines the way to go.
> 
> If you turf up at a beach or harbour side bar in St Tropez though expect to be ripped off.



Sorry barry there is , disgracefully , some awful wine served in bars in France . Doesn't , generally , happen in good wine areas but does occasionally . Fortunately this doesn't happen too often , just very disappointing when it does .


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## antiquesam (Feb 7, 2017)

I fear your opinion on pub wines may be a little dated.


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## jagmanx (Feb 7, 2017)

*AntiqueSam...you ought to know better...*

Than to dispute anything "Uncle David" posts !


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