Full Time Detecting

Now here's a serious question for everyone. "Can one person on their own survive financially".
lets say, ya got no mortgage to worry about, ya got usual household bills but you shut the house up and switch the power off, get the phone cut off so ya only got the mobile and ya only worry is the mongrel council rates.
Do you think one person doing full time detecting can make enuff to buy fuel and supplies and survive.
Now by supplies I mean food, beer and cigs for the smokers like me. Food can be supplemented by shooting the odd roo here and there.
but the main thing is finding enuff to buy fuel taking into account you will be camped out in the scrub and not driving everyday, maybe once a week to change areas or hit town.
Add into the story, ya got some money in the bank as a back up but you don't need to attack it for at least a few months.
Sad part is, if it doesn't work out, you can always go back to work and bugger that   
What's ya thorts ??

Cheers

hi cliff, from what i have seen it can be done, dont know if you will get rich but i think you can just live off it. need to be fit and willing to travel/walk miles. not for everyone and most wont make it through a year. must take summer into consideration and all that time not detecting or travel over east to vic goldfields for summer.

be good to do a budget of minimum amount of income to live on comfortably work from there i guess, there are a few out there doing just that ATM and still alive. could be a lonely lifestyle but it doesnt have to be. i would say it would be tough going moving around all the time chasing gold Cliff but not impossible and you never know do you.
thinking of chucking it all in mate, dont blame ya, Karen feels the same with 13 yrs working at the same place day after day, she is over it completely and retiring next year.
as you say you could always come back to work...   why not give it a go

Martin, it's getting a lot of serious thort from me    
and yeah I've had a gut full of being a wage slave     being treated like a mushroom and fed on bull*  

Gday Cliff, Martin
I did it full time back in the 70's/80's for seven years, heaps more alluvial around then. I still reckon it wouldn't be a big stretch to average 1/2-1oz a week if you know what you're doing. One good patch every now and then and you'll be away. Best job in the world I reckon.
Only way you'll find out is to have a go. Good luck.
cheers
Brett

no where your coming from there Cliff,have been in a similar situation.At our age if your not happy in your job,chuck it.Life is too short to get stuck in a rut.As long as you have a bit stashed away to fall back on thats all you need.Alternatively if its possible take 6 months off,even without pay and reassess things after the prospecting season.Depending on your life-style you can live relatively cheap.Big decision though.

Cheers

Phil

Go for it Cliff.

While you can still swing it, not just at the moon and sixpence.

  

Ryan

Nothin wrong with the moon & sixpence    
I figure if I take my super, I can survive 2 years maybe 3,  even if I don't find any filthy gold.
I can always go back to work.
a few grams a week will do the trick, just need fuel like I said.
plenty of roos and goats to eat.

Stretch it to four years and you have the pension.

almost forgot, and there's nothing wrong with 2 minute noodles   

You won't regret it mate.

Roo stew all the way with fresh yams.

Imagine the coin you will save at ten dollars a pint perth prices!!

Your bound to get enough for noodles at least.

Now that's an idea.  go to the red dot or red spot store and get a 6 months supply of noodles for $2    
I got some planning to do   

geez cliff when was the last time you pulled a piece of yella man and ya want to get by on it   
the members on here all think the same, well most anyhow and some are doing it.
just getting by is the correct wording here, make a living might be pushing it I'm thinking.
for heavens sake take ya 5k and use ya smaller coils for bread an butter and I reckon ya can do it.
the more you delay the less gold out there for you.
jase

Jason,
it was the whole reason for my original question, is it worth it ?
Call it insecurity on my part if you like but I had to ask.
Depends on your personal circumstances I guess.
Do I stay put as a wage slave for the rest of my life and regret not taking the chance ??
For me the answer is simple now, I gotta take the chance and take the consequences.
I'm like a lot of other people, I like to hear opinions before I make the big decision and I do have a big decision to make and it's a bit scarey.
But what the hell, ya only live once and I only got a few years left in me    
Cheers

Here's my story Cliff.
In 1980 I was 43, a stuffed marriage, 2 kids (15/17) and an Engineering Design Consultancy practice.
Pleny of work, but developers etc. being the way they are, a very inconsistant income stream.

Misses peed off, kids wanted to stay with me. Daughter (eldest) off to Uni., son apprentice with State Rail NSW.
Shut the consultancy, had a gutful, suddenly foot loose and fancy free.
Joined up with a mate to go chasing gold, sluice and dredge on old creek claims (mentioned about previously). We were fairly lucky, was before new regs. were fully impemented and averaged around 4oz./week.
Great lifestyle, lived cheap (mostly camped) and also indulged my other hobby,flyfishing. ( I didnt mention booze, did I?)
Mate then got married, I poked along ok, a stint as a shearers cook but plenty of fishing and tippling.

In 1989 met and married a new lady who seemed to like me, my dog and my lifestyle. We chased gold for a little while but we both liked the idea of small scale sapphire mining in Qld. Had 3 surface claims but battled to stay afloat. A bloke we met in a pub was heading SW to the opal fields and wondered what we thought. Decided to go along for a look see and met a local in Quilpie who was looking for an offsider on a share basis.
That was in 1996 and we progressively became a 2 couple partnership with a 25t. excavator, D7 and 4 open cut leases.
Three years ago we were offered a good price and with the pressures from OH&S and other gov. red tape took the money and bolted.

So for the last three years we have been coming over to WA looking at the detecting scene. Not with the idea of hitting the big time, just our love of remote regions and the fact at going on for 77 cant keep on long distance travel forever.

Is it worth the risk? Well we have never been short of some sort of work/income to get back into the bush again when things went a little tight. (as they will and do) We have also kept a home base to retreat to for the needed break/family visits etc.

I reckon do a bit more research Cliff and if your health is good, go for it.
Mike

Wake up to yaself u old goat--  

ur too old  

u smoke too much  

u drink too much  

u don't have a mrs  

u don't have a dog  

u don't own a car  

u don't know were to start  

u don't know anyone that u can steal from  

u wont b able to run the forum  

u wont b able to abuse anyone anymore  

u cant swim  

u cant cook to save yaself  

u cant collect water  

u haven't got a tent  

ahh the list goes on...  

least of all if yah mate catches up with u he'll want to make love to u..long live the general..    

so now that u r organised jump in yah car and go..  

regards
oneday

I like ya post ray....classic

cliff I know how you feel. I'm not a salary slave so to say but still have people above me to answer to. Massive run in with my builder I subbie to, having issue's with a new supervisor that's only been in our country for 6 months, and apparently my 25 years exp in the trade and approx 9 years devotion to the same builder stands for nothing. Anyway long story short I told them to stick it on Thursday and i'll never lay another brick for the mongrels.
soooo ... to get to my point, I can cook can I come  

Thanks for the encouragement Ray     I really needed it

1. I can cook coz I'm a fitter and turner    

2. I don't need water coz I drink beer    

3. I do smoke too much but cigs go well with beer     

4. I used to have a dog but she divorced me years ago     

5. I don't wash so I don't need water SEE POINT 2    

6. Read points 1 to 5 again

7. Vehicle is on the horizon    

8. Where am I   

9. I remember now, I do know where I'm going and it's straight to hell    

10. Got 2 tents and a swag, so that's covered  

And last but not least, I don't steal     and ya just made my decision a whole lot easier    

And if I sell the bloody house which is more commonly known as "VILLA COSTA LOTTA FOR UPKEEP", I'll never have to work again    

live the dream guys whilst you still can is my motto. gave up working for the man 20 odd yrs ago and worked for myself since income varies but averages out ok and I only work when I need to.
Its only the last few years I have realized all my experience counts for nothing unless you use it to better yourself. so i intend to hit the goldfields harder each year to see if we can manage with our findings, investments and savings.
go for it Cliff, I am sure you will enjoy the company of many members at regular enough visits to keep you sane. the forum will survive I am sure, and its not like you will drop off the planet. i would get a vehicle now and set it up and give it a real good drive (flogging) b4 heading out with it. you want to know your vehicle issues here not out there.

put yah house on the market and give them a 60 day settlement--that way u wont b homeless in a hurry and then having a member bail u out--but first things first--u need to get organised.

that's hard for a meat head who is regimental--  

regards
oneday

Go for it, fellas. If I had my time over, I would have been in the West with my new Garret deep-seeker.

But no guts and now too old. But I will be around Sandstone/Nullagine this winter.         

Regards Roger   

I just spent 10mins writing a reply and it went missing in cyber space.....I'll try again

Well I'm not young but not completely old yet and it is a big decision to make.
I'll be doing a lot of thinking in the next few months but I gotta make the decision before mid July.
I reckon my beer and cigarette consumption is about to go sky high    

Hi Cliff,
Yes I think it can be done but you will need to be well prepared to do it FULLTIME.

I know five  guys doing just that, all have good vans and have a partner either with them or at home, except one guy who has just pulled the pin as he is around 75yrs old and worked alone.
Also had a mate who did it FULLTIME and lived in his house in Kal, he is now dead and went from boom to bust several times during his prospecting life.

If you intend to hang in the goldfields in summer then a good a/c van will be a must unless you are a pilbara boy then a cardboard box will do !!!
All the people above leave the bush in October and either work in caravan parks on the coast or have some kind of pension to carry them through till the next winter.

Are you in a position to take leave without pay before you quit and chase the golden dream?
Would you loose your house if you got sick?
Do you have the money to cover an engine replacement if needed ?
Just a few things to think about

I quit a secure, well paid good job some years back to go to WA to try more prospecting and anything else that took my fancy and it was one of the best things we ever did as a family. My wife was working FULLTIME in Karratha and I was detecting and working part time so money was not a problem for us.
After 3 yrs we came back to SA for our daughters education, my wife got a job and I packed the swag and detector and headed west prospecting everyday for 5 mths.
My 4x4 is 14yrs old well equipped and maintained and I spent some time solo and some time with mates that know many areas and were happy to show me some of them.

I came home with 9oz, lost weight, lived cheap and enjoyed it very much. I missed my family, my dog and my comforts, I didn't drink any grog,don't smoke and WAS fit and 57yrs old.
I then got very very sick and I can still remember laying in a hospital bed with death hovering over me and thinking I don't want to die but if I do Im so happy I've lived my life and tried the things I wanted to do
My message to You is if your not happy with work or life find a way to change it before its to late
Good luck mate
You can do it
Regards Snapper

pilbara snapper

thats the the best advice i have read you are spot on, you need money behind you if things go ass up.

good comments there Snapper..

maybe that's a start for cliff--take long service on half pay..

Until I either sell the workshop or do something totally different like take on a half share partner then its a wait and see game for me..

U can always have a go dry blowing but u need to get over 20 ozs befor u see a wage..not what I call inviting but have repayments to meet unfortunately as well then theres the running costs...

regards
oneday