Gypsy Rover...

...went over the hill, doo-ah-doo-ah-dee-day-oh. Except I'm a bit like Gypsy Mary - well not quite like a proper gypsy, but living a life on a shoestring.  Obviously from leaving South America (oh Mary, shut UP about that place..you never quit) life here in NZ and Oz (to come) has/will be more expensive, so I decided to write a blog on how a Gypsy Rover can keep to a budget.  Here are just a few points of how I've been budgeting while I've made my way around NZ. There are others but they are just too ridiculous to include here.

• Find backpacker hostels that have free breakfasts, free soup (for dinner) and free internet.
• Free pick-ups from the bus to the hostel is also a great idea.
• Go to a bakery and pick up some yummy 'yesterdays bread' for next to nothing.
• Even better...Stand outside a bakery after closing hours and get their left-overs that they're going to throw out...what a waste. Have considered doing this, but actually found a hostel that did, so I didn't have to!
• Join a Wwoofing site - bascially work on a farm, non-organic farm for a free bed.
• Join HelpX - a bit similar to Wwoofing, but you get a free bed with all meals included for helping out.
• Have 3 free (yes, I got it free) nights in the posh 'Museum Hotel' in Wellington where a standard 'Premier Studio' (with a queen size bed, 42 inch flatscreen TV, ensuite, writing desk, free gym) costs only $210 NZD or $630 for the 3 nights (get in!)
• Buying budget food from the supermarkets and never throwing it out - think I still have a few crackers lying around in my wee rucksack gathering fluff
• Lower transport prices by typing in 'Promo Codes' into google for bus/ferry tickets around NZ
• Sniff out the budget labels in supermarkets are great - end of the days are better for good deals & prices are slashed
• Find the local library = free TV, books to research, learn more Spanish, free internet/WiFi, toilets and of course heat
• Visit the local 'Op shop' or Opportunity Shop our version of SVDP or charity shops which Caitlin always used to love and I died off at the thought of being spotted going into, so ran in instead. The bargains! Got a nice wee jacket for nothing and a couple of fellow travellers managed to get kitted out for a whole night out. There are loads over here in NZ...the 'in' thing to do. Cosh, I always thought you were smart and now know why!
• Eat breakfast out of a tea-cup with a teaspoon, instead of paying them $40 for use of their kitchen utensils (this has even rubbed off on Audrey!). The spoon can also be used for spreading jam/butter and you can actually cut a few things with it too.
• Use the free laundry powder/liquid from the posh hotel...I must have taken at least 8 sachets to keep me going.

Think the only thing that's missing from this list is standing on a street corner...or joining the winos by sleeping on the street with them!! ;)

So tomorrow will be another new adventure (on a budget).  As I said earlier, I joined a HelpX site so will be making our way to a little island just off the coast of Auckland, called 'Waiheke Island' to help out a man with the cleaning and maintenance of his house, as he has a full time job on the island, and his wife is no longer there.  His two children of 5 and 8 will be joining him at some stage. My family call me 'Mary Mop' as I enjoy cleaning, so am looking forward to this. No doubt my parents and sisters will be whincing at the thought of me cleaning. I tend to buck everything into the bin as I don't get along with 'fluff'. I move anything that has been set down to somewhere no-one can find it. Oh and I have a tendency to break most things I touch. Of course I never mentioned this when speaking to him on the phone. You can't beat it for free meals and a free bed for however long you want.  And you can do this in nearly every country you go to around the world. Mind you, hopin that there are no absolute freakers out there!

Reason for budgeting = hopefully getting back to South America = all good.