One Month Snowbird Budget - Including The Drive From Canada To Quartzsite, Arizona!

[@winstonrobinson6732]

So sorry about your pup - glad the vet helped him out - WELCOME to USA.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@winstonrobinson6732 he’s doing great. We love it down here, nice and warm! 😆 Thank you for watching and the kind words.

[@autotomk]

Ya nice job. Breaking travel cost down more For me i always keep track of MPG, and driving conditions with each tank. Maybe do somthing different next tank, like slow down, even speed up??? Just like to experiment and squeeze all i can. Thanks for info.

[@Wayneontheroad]

That's a good idea. I used to focus a lot on that stuff but when I'm towing I tend to to be "let's just get there". When I'm out exploring with just the truck I get much better gas mileage as I'm pretty relaxed and looking for photographic subject matter.

[@janebray9392]

Hi🙋🚗🇨🇦♥️‼️last year I left my homebase in Empress AB and drove to Yuma/Los Algadones and went the north rim of the GC route and have a 20' Taylor Coach travel trailer and towing with a FJ Cruiser, and it cost me $800🇨🇦, bought the LTVA pass $250🇨🇦, and it was money well spent! Oh and I went thru Wild Horse border station. A one man show,lol

[@Clover12346]

This is such useful information thanks!

[@Wayneontheroad]

Glad it was helpful and thanks for watching.

[@tomhughes8794]

RV payment and insurance ?

[@Wayneontheroad]

I'll be covering my insurance in my next video as I pay for it once a year. The RV is owned, no payments. Thanks for watching,

[@hadleyhicks7629]

I am curious, what sort of work do you do that you can do it in Canada and the U.S. ?? Any specific information would be appreciated, is there openings that I could start as well ???

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@hadleyhicks7629 I’m a freelance web and graphic designer working remotely.

[@darylmckelvie2586]

I’m in Quartzsite for the winter from Ontario.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@darylmckelvie2586 definitely warmer! lol. Thanks for watching!

[@lyndaholly]

What about paying for an rv site for one month?

[@Wayneontheroad]

You guys don't miss a thing! I totally forgot about my permit for the LTVA because they require cash and it wasn't on my card statements. I'm doing a new video for my December budget which will have that as well as a few other things and will help to show what I spend when I'm not doing so much driving. Thanks for watching Lynda!

[@exploringnext1111]

​@Wayneontheroad the LTVA would be a good deal if you stay the full 7 months but alot stay 2-3 months so the money you pay is divided by how long you stayed which is considerable if ya only stay a few months. Q isn't all that and a bad of chips...ugly really. Lived a bit in the area

[@jksouthern]

Whats the deal with cellphone usage? Burner phone or new Simcard?

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@jksouthern my Canadian cell plan is cross border with no additional roaming fees. Forgot to add it in though so I’ll be addressing it in my December video.

[@bobmartens1089]

Bit tougher for me as i leave for az from mb in minus 20 temps. No using rv for first 2 days till i hit Tx and hopefull warm enough to put in water and sleep in the rig.

[@HMccafferty-tg7es]

I crossed at Sweetgrass and forgot to declare eggs . It cost me 300 US dollars and they took my chicken and rice, left me my potatoes. But when you leave the house you empty the cupboards and the fridge. We thought if it was frozen it could cross. But Sweetgrass was pulling everybody in and wanted cash from everyone. It was a bit fishy.

[@Wayneontheroad]

That sucks. That's why I just play it safe as you never know what kind of mood they're in when you get there. I also heard that Sweetgrass is a training crossing (for Canadians coming back up). So they may be a little more thorough at times.

[@allanhalladventures]

Do you budget for health and medical insurance while down in the USA

[@Wayneontheroad]

I don't pay for extra health insurance Allan as I'm not "that" old yet and had a thorough check-up before coming down.

[@davidmoore3049]

@@Wayneontheroad. Hi Wayne . Even though you got checked out the unexpected could happen . Out of province medical is a must !!! Taking a huge financial risk not having it . Unless you have it through your work plan, get it. That’s if you’re still working? . Wife and I are both covered by a Canada Life group plan I now pay for. Took over my plan at work. Full prescription coverage and extended medical and travel medical for $235.00 CDN. Must be enrolled in your basic provincial plan to qualify. Dental covered by the new Federal plan .

[@kevc3583]

Hey Wayne good info but what about how many times you’ve dumped your tanks or what about insurance on the truck & trailer ? Just wondering hahahah ..Kev c

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@kevc3583 Hey Kev, good questions! I’m doing a follow up video to show the difference between a driving month and a chilling out month. Will talk about those in it too! Thanks for watching!

[@melt1052]

Hey Wayne, Do you have a solar system for your trailer or do you use a generator for your computers and starlink? From Alberta also and plan on leaving for Quartzsite in January.

[@Wayneontheroad]

Thanks for watching! I DO have a generator and try to use it as little as possible but depend mainly on Solar. I have 825 watts of solar and two lithium 230AH batteries. There are times more so in winter when even down here and the sun is low and the days shorter that I have to run the genny to top up once in awhile. This also depends on my work load and how much I'm running my iMac as it's my biggest draw. I do shut it down when I'm done for the day.

[@melt1052]

@@Wayneontheroad Thanks for the information, we are looking at solar but haven't made the leap yet. Just been using a honda generator for everything.

[@Wayneontheroad]

It can be very intimidating indeed. I started with solar and just kept building/evolving with my needs/knowledge. There's a lot of guys down here that are much more knowledgable then I (hence why I don't do solar videos, lol). They'd be ones to reach out to for direction on a build based on what you need, space you have for panels etc. Don't get duped into buying a "setup" from the Big Tent Show here in January as you'll most likely be overcharged. Get some knowledgeable help determining what you need, then source out the parts yourself and if needed find a knowledgeable guy to help with the install. There's not much to it all really, it's just the electrical math that is confusing for me and making sure you have what you need to do the job as expected.

[@melt1052]

@@Wayneontheroad Thanks, I would just find a person with knowledge, I was at the big tent last year and noticed prices on some things are the same price here in alberta and then you have to add the exchange rate on top.

[@ghostflight73]

Stumbled on your vid. Cheers from Ontario. Enjoy your winter south. Blue skies.

[@Wayneontheroad]

Cheers right back from Arizona. Glad you found me!

[@mark_osborne]

Good video I was expecting your costs for the month to be closer to $2K US Nice job

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@mark_osborne Thank you for watching Mark! Hope it was helpful.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@mark_osborne there’s a couple of other things I’m going to address in my end of December video but thank you for watching!

[@voytek2099]

What was your fuel consumption when you towed the rv?

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@voytek2099 I didn’t really do much math on this as everyone’s rig set up is unique. My old beast gets about 200 miles on a tank when towing, less with a lot of hills etc.

[@ibstryder4736]

From Northern British Columbia in the summer.Arizona in the winter

[@Wayneontheroad]

Welcome and thanks for watching!

[@touchofgrey8922]

My wife and I will become Jr. snowbirds in the next couple of years. I was interested in the cost of getting there. Paying the 1.4 for every USD hurts as a Canuck, but I'm sure with the change in leadership, US prices will be coming down. My last trip to US was to TX in Oct/23 and food cost were the same as Can. but paying with the big $. So it seems you think Musk has gone off the deep end. Mmm, consider this. You are a guest of the USA. Perhaps keep your political opinions to yourself. Have a GREAT Trump day! TOG out!!

[@Wayneontheroad]

Last I checked Elon Musk wasn't a politician. Nor did I mention politics at all. Perhaps you should relax and respect everyone's right to free speech. If you don't like it, don't watch it.

[@touchofgrey8922]

True that. Guess I didn't understand what "the owner going off the deep end meant" at the 21:00 minute mark. Lol!! Vet bill was a nice surprise, that would have cost at least $400 cad in ol cowtown (Calgary AB). Have a great winter, I'm gonna keep watching " gone off the deep end" continue to send rockets into space..and catch them too. TOG out!!

[@Wayneontheroad]

TOG, My comment on Elon was in reference to nothing more than his odd behaviour. I couldn't give a rats behind who he wants to support. And yes, his companies do great things, but the man is a little out there. Just my opinion. I spent my last brick and mortar days living and working in Calgary too, many things aren't cheap in Canada anymore. Hence why I have a good dentist in Los Algadones Mexico now. :) Thanks for watching and engaging, I DO appreciate it.

[@JD-un2zv]

My last purchase from the USA, visa charged me 1.53 on the dollar...painful.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@JD-un2zv OUCH! That’s why I don’t use my credit cards any more than I have to.

[@josephalberta1145]

First time seeing your channel. Its interesting to see it from a Canadian perspective with the exchange on the dollar. When you say 1051 dollars, is that just the fuel to get from Alberta to Quartzite or did you do much driving down there in the month? What kind of mileage do you get towing the trailer? I am guessing fuel there and back would be running around 2000 Canadian. I am also in Alberta but further north by close to a day so I guess my costs would be several hundred more. I dont think my class A would get much worse mileage than a pickup pulling a trailer. Glad to see your 30 year old trailer is holding up better than a lot of 3 year old trailers today.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@josephalberta1145 Hey Joseph, thanks for watching! Most of the gas used was driving down, aside from the 54 mile round trip to the vet there was only a couple of little trips to town and the water station. I still technically have some gas in the tank from that tally. I plan to do more exploring in the coming months and also will be doing a follow up video of a budget here with no long drive.

[@foonus406]

Never did understand this lifestyle. Thing about trying to escape by travel - no matter where you go you take yourself with you.

[@Wayneontheroad]

@@foonus406 I’m not trying to escape anything other than the mundane routine that I didn’t enjoy and I’m quite happy being with myself. Life’s too short. Each to their own I always say.

[@micheledelnigro9259]

Good luck safe travels. 🙏

[@jamesdavidsmith4033]

Very helpful 👌

[@SpykersB]

I like short video endings, u say goodbye, i move on, i dont stick around to listen to musical endings. So heads up if u notice your video statistics shows many not watching to the end, this maybe y! 🍻

[@Wayneontheroad]

I hear ya! I'll keep it in mind!

[@rrain3375]

From Toronto Ontario. What a boring drive. Flat like southern Alberta.

[@Wayneontheroad]

Well since that's where I was coming from yeah. :)