Five money-saving tips for long-haul truck drivers

With the cost of living continuing to rise, smart preparation can save you hundreds of dollars on the road. trucksales spoke with three experienced interstate drivers – Tim, Laurence, and Dale – to uncover their proven money-saving strategies.

Pre-trip meal preparation is your biggest money-saver. Modern sleepers come equipped with fridges, microwaves, and 12V to 240V inverters – giving you a mobile kitchen that can save you $200-plus per week compared to buying meals at service stations.

What the drivers say…

Tim (multi-combination fuel tankers, east coast): “My wife does a fair bit of meal prep for me – she preps my breakfast and dinner, which is 10 meals total, and that’s what I take with me. Whatever else I spend along the way is at a minimum because it is quite expensive. The meals are hot meals – my wife makes chicken thighs or even a couple of steaks with roast veggies, and portions them out into containers.”

Laurence (multi-combination fuel tankers, WA): “I don’t really buy food on the road unless I absolutely have to. I pack all my food before I go, which is typically just sandwiches and things like that. I’ll take things like a punnet of cherry tomatoes or blueberries – things you can eat on the go. I bring frozen meals like Lite n’ Easy – you just put them in the microwave for four or five minutes.”

Dale (road train tippers, Vic/NSW): “Every Sunday I go to the supermarket and get new frozen meals, plus things like muesli bars and food bars for breakfast and snacking during the day. I use frozen meals called ‘Off the Menu’ that you can buy from Woolworths. I try to stay away from spending mega dollars every day on food at servos and truck stops.”

Modern truck cabins can accommodate surprisingly sophisticated cooking setups. The key is understanding your power management to avoid draining batteries, as Laurence explains:

“As long as the truck engine is running, you’ve got unlimited 240V power. There’s a sticker that says when you’re running your microwave or whatever, just make sure the truck engine is running so you don’t drain the batteries. The 240V power outlets are inside the truck, so if you’re using a hot plate outside, you’d need an extension cord.”

Tim’s setup:

“We’re pretty well set up here with both a stand-up fridge and an under-bunk fridge. I’ve got enough room that I could put a whole slab of water in one of the fridges.”

Dale’s coffee savings:

“If you’re a coffee drinker having three coffees a day, that could be $6 to $7 each just for coffee. Having that inverter to run a kettle is great. The microwave doesn’t take a lot of power to run.”

Common equipment includes fridges, microwaves, kettles and, for keen cooks, air fryers and hot plates that run off inverters.

Your phone is essential for navigation, communication, and entertainment, but data costs can quickly blow out your budget if you’re not strategic. Here are some essential apps and tips our truck drivers swear by…

Tim’s recommendations:

Dale’s budget phone strategy:

“I got onto ALDI prepaid – they use the Telstra network for their service. I pay $49 a month to recharge it and that gives me unlimited everything, including international calls. What’s good about ALDI is that whatever data you don’t use, it rolls over and gets added to the next month. For the most part, I never run out of data.”

Consistency with fuel brands pays off when you’re buying hundreds of litres at a time. Stick with one or two major programs rather than always chasing the cheapest price.

Dale’s approach:

“I get to keep the points. My boss probably doesn’t really care as long as we’re trying our best to get the best price [for fuel]. The points add up and you can get free drinks, free lunch, or chip in for fuel.”

Keeping receipts for road expenses can result in significant tax savings. Many drivers miss out on deductions they’re entitled to.

Often overlooked deductions:

Tim explains:

“With overnight allowances, the ATO allowance is up to $120 to $130 per night, and not a lot of companies pay that full amount. They pay you a certain amount and then whatever you spend up to that limit can be claimed. You should keep all your receipts for coffees, meals, snacks and so forth – it’s all tax deductible up to the overnight allowance limit.”

If your company pays $80 per night but the ATO allows $120, you can claim that $40 difference plus additional expenses up to the limit. Over a year, this adds up to thousands in deductions.

Smart preparation and the right systems can cut your weekly road expenses from $400-plus down to $150 to $200, while improving your quality of life on the road.

The initial investment in equipment and planning pays dividends trip after trip.

*This article contains general information only. Seek independent financial and taxation advice that considers your own circumstances.