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10
May
7 Budgeting Tips For Truckers
At first glance, a career as a truck driver doesn’t require advanced accounting skills. Truckers simply have to earn more than they spend. But to truly prosper financially, truckers should take advantage of the following budgeting tips.
1. Create a budget for each trip.
Track all income and expenses in an excel spreadsheet. Do this for every trip on a monthly basis. At the end of each month and year, review each spending category to see how you might improve the balance.
2. Set goals.
Simply tracking your spending and income won’t help you reach the next level financially. You need to decide what your financial goals are so that you can create an effective budgeting strategy. Know your “why”; that is, why are you creating a budget and what do you want to accomplish?
3. Plan ahead.
Map out every journey before you hit the road. Know which truck stops are along the way and find out if there are gas stations or truck stops offering discounts for fuel or supplies.
4. Meal prep.
It’s tempting to buy a chocolate bar or soda every time you walk into a truck stop, but those few dollars add up and could turn into hundreds of dollars spent by the end of the month. Prepare meals and snacks before you head out for the road and make an effort to stop at grocery stores to restock.
5. Use gas station rewards.
Gas station rewards could help truckers save a hefty sum of money over the course of many years. In addition, being a rewards member could offer perks like free showers or meals.
6. Keep up with preventative maintenance.
If you thought car repairs were expensive, wait until you need your truck towed. Not only are the actual repairs expensive, you’ll also need to take time off and stay in a hotel. To prevent unexpected breakdowns, keep track of maintenance appointments and never leave for a trip without making a thorough inspection of your truck.
7. Buy snacks in bulk.
Go to a big box store like Costco to purchase items like nuts, dry goods, meat, and frozen vegetables in bulk. This will go a long way in lowering your monthly grocery bill.