Is $300 too much money to last a month over the road

Both my husband & I are brand new at this - him a brand new trucker & myself a brand new trucker's wife.

What is the usual amount that most of you wives give your husband while they are on the road? When my husband went back on the road from being home a few days & besides him stocking up on water & snacks, I gave him $300 & he wanted more but I told him with the holidays approaching & me being laid off, that was an impossibility.

And also what didn't help matters, my Mother said to me that you let him spend over $100 on snacks & water at Wal-Mart & you give him $300, that was way too much money.

Also my husband is not the type that would stock up on home cooked meals because he told me he shares the truck with a team driver & his team driver on the truck, it is his truck & he told my husband that there will be no refrigerator on here because his team driver is married also but prefers to eat at truck stops.

So again both my husband & I are new at this & his team driver is the one that told my husband that as long as you have snacks & water on the truck, that $300-$500 a month or 6 weeks till we get home next would be sufficient!

Is that sufficient or is my Mother right by saying that is way too much money?

Comments for Is $300 too much money to last a month over the road

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Mar 15, 2014
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Seriously? NEW
by: Symbiont

Maybe you should ask yourself the same question Luv......and to make it as fair as possible........strip away all expenses of the home and any operating costs associated with him being OTR....can you survive on 8-10$ a day feeding yourself and staying clean....I doubt it. You'll at least have the benefit of a shower at home and possibly a washer and dryer - he won't. His team mate has just taken away any possibility of keeping food cold or fresh and in most team situations he can carry a max or 3 bags of stuff - clothes, toiletries, books, videos, pillows, sheets... etc.

Now ask yourself if 300$ a month is realistic. Maybe in the 70's. Now that you're asking these questions, what are YOU doing with the money he allots you?

Jan 12, 2014
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Mmmm NEW
by: Jake

Your husband said he's going to find a local job once he gets the experience mmmm... Sounds like exactly what I said when I started driving, but I have grown to absolutely love long haul... Especially the hook and book part of it (local jobs have you as a driver unloading and loading the trailer).

Jan 10, 2014
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government NEW
by: Anonymous

allows an otr driver to write off up to 80% percent of his receipts for numerous items includes all meals travel lodges showers clothes and any emergencies that arise out of pocket on the road...
keep your receipts for tax time.

Jan 10, 2014
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money for a month NEW
by: trucker yitz

there is a reason why the govt allows a per diem for otr drivers and others 41 dollars a day might just cover two good meals, a few drinks, coffee bottled water soda etc.... shower and if you can do that with out doing junk foods from a doller menu for all meals, (driver will be sick in two weeks on the dollar menu) then thats a minimum. want clean cloths once or twice a week 5 doolars might clean and dry cloths.

Dec 17, 2013
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... NEW
by: Anonymous

okay stop the bickering children....

If you want to find out how much it cost to be out on the road for a week there is what you can call a breakdown method....however, this will come over time. You must consider all the elements of the truck driving environment.

Someone can not possibly "tell" you how much you will need if they have never worked at that job. Especially your Mother (with all due respect) she really needs to stay out of it unless she was a truck driver she really doesn't have a clue okay??

So over a 6 month period consider the Winter months and the Summer months (I wont bother with the fall/spring months) keep all receipts of purchases. Then consider:

1. Shelter in the case of: accident/breakdown/road closures etc.. which will have to come out of his pocket (but are write offs on taxes).

2. Showers everyday. @ lets say 10 bucks at a time.

3. Clothing accidents (I think you know what I mean??) Emergency money is needed on hand even if he doesn't spend it. (these items are tax write offs as well).

(Scenarios)
4. What if he leaves his I.D. at a truck stop while getting his diesel... oh shit...he will need money for a taxi to the nearest DMV to get a new one because he cant drive ANY truck or ANYWHERE in that truck without it no matter what!! He gets caught they shut it down then he is in deep shit with company and gets fired! Emergency money is needed! (I dont know who he works for)

5. The truck blows a tire! The company doesn't give them extra money for this emergency and what if its night time and the office is closed and no T-check can be sent for repairs?? (this is not the only truck problem that happens out there running into the hundreds) Yes, you got it he has to pay for it until he gets back to the yard and he then gets it reimbursed (usually right then)

So please take into consideration the danger he is in and when you are trying to hold back money because you are unemployed...he could end up unemployed too...you should be more worried about that. Since your Mom has a say in your family matters well then ask her to pay your costs until you get back to work! If my Mother meddled like this you betcha she would be paying all my bills...

This message is coming from a woman who has been a trucker wife for 25 years and I do not "tell" him he cant spend his own money I am just his tax preparer and record keeper and give him advice on how to cut corners and yes I have saved him a lot of frustration and he is free from worries while he is working because I have family out there on the road and a frustrated driver is a deadly driver...Keep it simple just saying...:)

Dec 15, 2013
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Where to stick it NEW
by: Anonymous

To the person that commented where to stick it - you sound like an incompetent blundering moron! I feel so sorry for you that you have a troubled lifestyle. You probably were an abused neglected child whereas I had a loving bringing up. My Mother always taught me that if you have nothing nice to say to people, don't say anything at all & believe me if my husband were to tell my Mother where to stick it, he would be wearing her cane over his head! If you are a trucker's wife, you sound like you don't give a damn about your husband & if you are a trucker yourself, oh well, you probably have no one in your life to care about you! And by the way I am so glad my husband will not be doing OTR trucking for long! He just wants to get OTR experience & then he can get local jobs! I know my Mother is glad because she has read postings on this site from wives & truckers & she has said they are in a whole different lifestyle than the rest of the world & if you have negative comments on this, I know where it came from & it will show just how unintelligent you are!

Dec 14, 2013
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lmao NEW
by: Anonymous

you sound so concerned for your husbands welfare!

If it were me I would tell you and your mom where to stick it!

I am sure he will in short order!

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