Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

...

I have always struggled with the feeding myself end of things. Fortunately, although I do enjoy good food am pretty happy with just about any crap I make for myself. Which is fortunate.


... Sept 30 is the target date for a long hard think about the previous 6 months and the coming Winter and / or next year. ...

Hey, it's a plan - not had one of those for a few years

Yes sir, gotta be some head-nodding among the single handers.

[NorthPacific]

Was just looking at a blog called "Soggy Paws" Experienced South Pacific Sailor. They have done a compendium of cruisier information.

Anyway they decided to sit out the cyclone season in Tahiti and well got caught. Dragged onto another bought and damaged both. I had toyed to not bother with insurance when we head out in 16 months. However after seeing the damage, well errr any advice on blue water insurance for a North American/ Canadian boat?

Seems like this would put a dint into any $500 monthly budget,

[Chattcatdaddy]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Local entertainment ... well what's your pleasure?

I think I`ve found my new cruising grounds.

[NorthPacific]

Thailand is incredible!!!

Thailand is wild

full of Snakes

Has 24000 road deaths each year.

Has corruption problems from Kindergarten onwards


Has a brutal civil war


Has more coups than world cups!

Teakdoor forum is a forum of expats. wade through the expat dribble and some sage advice about Thailand. Me I love it, but it is scary.

Down side

wine and liqueur is expensive. Beer cheap.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by tgzzzz

. . . Another question occurs: Why have our representatives allowed this to happen?

Wrong question - should be "Why did you allow your representatives do this to you?"

Answer is easy - it feels good when money and stuff flow freely and thoughts about the future are just too far away to worry about.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Thailand is incredible!!!

Thailand is wild

full of Snakes

Has 24000 road deaths each year.

Has corruption problems from Kindergarten onwards


Has a brutal civil war


Has more coups than world cups!


Teakdoor forum is a forum of expats. wade through the expat dribble and some sage advice about Thailand. Me I love it, but it is scary.

Down side

wine and liqueur is expensive. Beer cheap.

I go on an average of twice a year. Not sure what the scare is. I get 2 hour massages for $15 and ...well...I like it there.

[NorthPacific]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I go on an average of twice a year. Not sure what the scare is. I get 2 hour massages for $15 and ...well...I like it there.

No argument about the massages. Get mine free :-) My Mrs is from Phuket. So I get to live with the locals. But the roads, the crime and mafia scams just make it necessary to be careful. Don't get me wrong I like Thailand very much. In fact we plan to settle on the West coast, around Phang Nga Bay or perhaps a little North of Phuket Island.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

No argument about the massages. Get mine free :-) My Mrs is from Phuket. So I get to live with the locals. But the roads, the crime and mafia scams just make it necessary to be careful. Don't get me wrong I like Thailand very much. In fact we plan to settle on the West coast, around Phang Nga Bay or perhaps a little North of Phuket Island.

Oh...I know about the corruption and lack of support to their citizens. When I go there, I am hit on constantly to bring them back with me. I'd like to settle in Krabi. But the way I understand it is the Chinese are driving the marina prices up with there Mansion Yachts there these days. It would be fun to build a small marina there and retire...Hmmm...I think I'm on to something.

[savoir]

Call it Marina 44. That should do the trick.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Oh...I know about the corruption and lack of support to their citizens. When I go there, I am hit on constantly to bring them back with me. I'd like to settle in Krabi. But the way I understand it is the Chinese are driving the marina prices up with there Mansion Yachts there these days. It would be fun to build a small marina there and retire...Hmmm...I think I'm on to something.

Here is the new marina in Krabi ...Krabi Boat Lagoon, Krabi Marina

I took a ride down to it yesterday. They offered me 50% off the regular rate since they were basically empty (currently 3 boats in slips). For a 35 footer it worked out to about $280/month + electric and water.

[w1651]

At your current consumption level of $10/day that might be hard for you!

No at 2.25 a long neck bottler that's not a lot. and at over 10 for a 12 pack plus the ice to keep it cold that's even more then 10 a day.
After the Super Bowl I quit cold turkey and haven't had any problems. But thank you for your concern.

[w1651]

Doodles here.

Rio Dulce, Guatemala (inTransit: Episode 17) - YouTube

or

Rio Dulce Guatemala - YouTube

Here are two videos of the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. Lots of Expats and really reasonable prices.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Here is the new marina in Krabi ...Krabi Boat Lagoon, Krabi Marina

I took a ride down to it yesterday. They offered me 50% off the regular rate since they were basically empty (currently 3 boats in slips). For a 35 footer it worked out to about $280/month + electric and water.

Granted, it's a nice facility in a great town but i see there is no electricity. I have a 36 ft. slip for $207. If at $280, it's 1/2 price...yikes! Is there year round anchoring in Krabi?

[w1651]

1. .nowadays I rarely drink (honest!). My last big vice is the ciggies! - but have now gone back on the rollies, so now down from £200 to around £80 a month (about 25% of the budget!) - may look into getting a pipe .
I do smoke a pipe but it's getting harder to find pipe tobacco in the states. And I did quit drinking for the month of Feb. Not sure if I'll pick it up again but maybe just keep the drinks to the week end.
2. no marina for me (that would be about £300 a month, instead of around £8 a month). No electrickery and water free by hosepipe, but have to move boat to fill up. I will be out of the marina in June. Have to do the bottom and all sea cocks and probably thru hulls too. Then back to a different marina closer to work.
3. - for me that is the big unknown, I have always struggled with the feeding myself end of things. Fortunately, although I do enjoy good food am pretty happy with just about any crap I make for myself. Which is fortunate ......will be interesting to see how I make out in practice (I know what my theory will be). I do lots of one pot meals like this. Rice or pasta,1can corn, 1 can cream of chicken soup ,beans,and canned chicken. total cost under 2 bucks
4. At the moment (until 31 March), apart from restricting myself to what needs doing am also leaving the time intensive but cheap to do stuff for later, including putting a few things in the store for later but by no means everything on my "wishlist", so may have to "save" for some things. In some respects it is cheating - but my rules . This is going to get me in June. Until then I am doing all the small simple (Cheap ) things I can.
5 No propane on my boat - but I have a spare gas / propane cooker in the garage somewhere - so I will see how I get on cost wise with Meths (Origo 2 burner). Not familiar with cooking with Meths.

6. such extravagence . Coffee is the killer here. I can get 2 chicken caeser salad wraps at Wendys (And I eat it for lunch when I eat lunch) for 2.12 a day and a cup of coffee runs over 2 bucks. I remember when a cup of Joe was 10cents.

7. My transport is primarily a Vespa Scooter . £15? a month on insurance. Petrol is around £10 a month, if that....IMO that will more than pay for itself by providing easy access to "cheap". Company kia

8. Landline / Internet access at DOJ homebase - £35 a month, until I can fix up something onboard. company phone

So you see living on the cheap can be done in America as well as Europe which honestly I find surprising.
But that just shows what we don't know and what we really can do without.
As far as Entertainment there are lots of things that are free around here to do. I was fishing the other day and a marina customer woke me and asked what bait I was using and I said just a shiny hook. She asked if I caught anything and I told her no. She said I should get some bait and I told her then I would have to get the fish of my nice shiny hook. Rolled over and went back to sleep..

[w1651]

Originally Posted by tgzzzz

Therapy: "If we calculate the inflation rate the exact same way the government did prior to 1990, the inflation rate is averaging around 6.5%, which is basically double the official rate. However, if we measure inflation the same way the government did back prior to 1980, the inflation rate clocks in at a mind-numbing 11%."

What a depressing development. But it feels like it to me. When did oil get to be $5 a qt? Or milk $4 + a gallon? I wasn't born in 1971 so I remember 1980.

Another question occurs: Why have our representatives allowed this to happen?

I don't know about about statistics but the cost of fuel goes up and everything follows. What in this country doesn't get delivered by truck? It aint rocket science and the people in Washington have no clue how hard it is to eek out a living these days.