Retire now & go cruising or THIS is what happens!

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by namdes

I am planning to set off soon but getting scared seeing one of the spreadsheets 55000 us of expenses a year times that by 13 for our current currency has got me worried.

Sent from my SM-N910C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I think your budget numbers are off. 55,000 is a lot of dough and might represent more wants than actual needs. It is possible to strike a balance and have fun stuff without breaking the bank. Look over what is in your spread sheet and evaluate realistically.

Oh, and if you are not in the US, US dollars are nit a vary accrate way to budget, the exchange rate fluxuates a lot and location to location. Use your own currency and try to get accurate numbers for the earea you intend to cruise.

[Bulawayo]

Namdes. I often read of people spending giga-zillions whilst they cruise and then read about someone else who just spends $250 per month.
You can easily spend what you have have if you decide to do so. Your budget is very dependent on you, how you elect to live, what you can do yourself and also to some extent where you cruise.
I have read of people saying you dont need a washing machine or a water maker. Perhaps for some people that is correct but for us, with four children, attempting to do the laundry manually would turn life into a great big chore and schlepping the water by hand by hand from the shore......
The alternative would have been to pay others on land to do it. It was cheaper to bite the bullet and install our own gear and be independent. Similar applied with energy - run a diesel generator or the main engine or to invest in solar. It was a no brainer for us.
If you have a disposable income of $2,500 p/m than that is what you shall likely spend. If its $7,500 per month that extra $5k per month shall also likely get spent.

Its your decision as to what you decide what you need to spend each month, but having systems that you understand and can maintain is a veritable money saver as is eating on your boat and using that great anchor you invested in.

If you elect to stay on land it wont affect us but it'll be you missing out on what is out here.

Set your monthly budget and stick to it - dont be caught up in the race to spend.

Originally Posted by namdes

I am planning to set off soon but getting scared seeing one of the spreadsheets 55000 us of expenses a year times that by 13 for our current currency has got me worried.

Sent from my SM-N910C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Bulawayo]

Valhalla, if someone goes cruising with just sufficient cash to feed themselves there is still nothing wrong with that but their vessel should be absolutely basic.

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Let's see: I can spend 4hrs dumpster diving hoping to find a part that I can try to cobble in place or play with multimillion dollar traffic monitoring system for an hour and just buy what I need..... Yes, there comes a time when trying to save a dollar is more effort than just earning another dollar.

I like my job, just don't want to be a slave to it working 60-80hrs per week. It varies but I average about 20hrs per week and mostly can work wherever I am.

[namdes]

Based on someone's numbers I got a huge fright

Sent from my SM-N910C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[conachair]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I like my job, just don't want to be a slave to it working 60-80hrs per week. It varies but I average about 20hrs per week and mostly can work wherever I am.

Good for you, you are very lucky

As it happens I'm doing a few weeks work (which shouldeasily cover 6/8 months cruising)
A little sports event down in Rio. And fun that I t is, nice people, quite satisfying work, the boat is always better
Pretty sure this is common amongst cruisers, long distance cruising on a boat is about as good as it gets

(maybe those that aren't made that way give up quickly)

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by namdes

I am planning to set off soon but getting scared seeing one of the spreadsheets 55000 us of expenses a year times that by 13 for our current currency has got me worried.

When I started checking the numbers to see if i could retire and go cruising the same thing happened to me. I thought i couldnt do it for years.

But

I put my Leave Date 12 months hence and wrote it on the wall.

Within just a few days every time I re-jigged the numbers the total seemed to fall.... Just a bit at first. Then as the weeks turned into months I would see my "do I really need that" scenarios turned from a "Yes, Must Have" to "No you don't need it" to complete deletions of the line.

The more I focused on How to do it by that Date the more the numbers fell. It was as if by magic.

If you set a goal your mind magically alters to help you achieve it. Or mine did.

In business we have goal setting thats a science. But not in our personal lives. I just did business goal setting but my business was me.

I remember two things that I thought were Must Have's:

1 night per month in a marina to make provision shopping easier. $100
1 night per month in a resort to have a proper shower off the boat. $200

Just that $300 per month extrapolated over the 8 years since I retired is $28,800!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what stupid things they were!

Set your date. stick to it. Acheive the goal.

[Celestialsailor]

Sounds like drama to me.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

When I started checking the numbers to see if i could retire and go cruising the same thing happened to me. I thought i couldnt do it for years.

But

I put my Leave Date 12 months hence and wrote it on the wall.

Within just a few days every time I re-jigged the numbers the total seemed to fall.... Just a bit at first. Then as the weeks turned into months I would see my "do I really need that" scenarios turned from a "Yes, Must Have" to "No you don't need it" to complete deletions of the line.

The more I focused on How to do it by that Date the more the numbers fell. It was as if by magic.

If you set a goal your mind magically alters to help you achieve it. Or mine did.

In business we have goal setting thats a science. But not in our personal lives. I just did business goal setting but my business was me.

I remember two things that I thought were Must Have's:

1 night per month in a marina to make provision shopping easier. $100
1 night per month in a resort to have a proper shower off the boat. $200

Just that $300 per month extrapolated over the 8 years since I retired is $28,800!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what stupid things they were!

Set your date. stick to it. Acheive the goal.

That $200 shower must have come with female companionship.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Cadence

That $200 shower must have come with female companionship.

It did at time, actually. I wanted her to have a day per month somewhere nice.

Mark

[Thorne]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cadence
That $200 shower must have come with female companionship.
It did at time, actually. I wanted her to have a day per month somewhere nice.

Mark



Glad you said the above, I was about to say showering off in the rain on the boat is the best shower you can get..........

But I was WRONG........

[sailorboy1]

I can take a pretty good shower on the boat and going in to fill the water tanks is mostly free. If it comes down a night in a marina just to take a shower I'm out of here! Plus the cost of a night in a marina for a shower is a pretty nice dinner out and my wife and I prefer that to "stand under the water for 15 minutes" shower.

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by Skuzzlebutt

Pardon, but I've heard about enough of this not affordable crap. <snip>

That is a seriously fantastic post. I just copied it and forwarded it to my wife. Even though I'm the one who spends every waking minute trying to nail down all of the final details so we can cash out (business and home) and head out into the blue. Guess I wanted her to see that I know we can do it no matter what. Thanks for helping me show her; and thanks for a very, very inspirational message!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

I think your budget numbers are off. 55,000 is a lot of dough and might represent more wants than actual needs. It is possible to strike a balance and have fun stuff without breaking the bank. Look over what is in your spread sheet and evaluate realistically.

Oh, and if you are not in the US, US dollars are nit a vary accrate way to budget, the exchange rate fluxuates a lot and location to location. Use your own currency and try to get accurate numbers for the earea you intend to cruise.

I think that 55,000 figure comes from a recent graph on another thread.

That was a once in 13 year high - looks like a major refurbishment.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2189635

The previous 12 years looks like an average of less than 10,000 p.a.

[Mike OReilly]

Just took my daily shower ... over the side with a bar of soap. Cost: $0. Value: $priceless.

What do you really need? People are trained like lab rats to chase wants, not needs. If you can't break out of that, then you'll never have enough. Pick a date and go. Make it work ... or don't. Life doesn't come with a guarantee. Just go.


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[oldsalt_1942]

“If we’re really going to start a new life, we have to kill the old one. That’s why most people never really start anything new. They’re claimed by old lamps and bureaus left to them by their grandmothers.
Betty Wilson-Away from it All