Shoestring Sailors (Cruising on $500 per month - part II)

[captain58sailin]

I have to agree, I once bought a pair of 8 D batteries from a guy on dock, and I carried them home, on the way, I thought " I might have just paid a guy $20.00 dollars for a couple of dead batteries" since I didn't test them. I got them home, hooked them into my solar panel and used them for five years without a spot of trouble.

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by sneuman

My philosophy has always been - if it's broken, don't be afraid to take it apart. What's the worst that can happen?! It's already broken. 60 percent of the time, I can fix it and put it back together; 30 percent of the time, I can't fix it (or realize it's not worth fixing) and throw it away; 10 percent of the time, I can't fix it and can't get it back together -- so go to a pro with the pieces for him/her to fix.

100 percent of the time, I've learned something, even if it's that I can't fix a particular marine dohicky by myself.

Also: a few things I'm sure have been mentioned many times before.

A) Don't be afraid to go shopping at Dumpster Marine. Everything is free and a lot of it is surprisingly functional, though some of it smells like rotten fish.

B) Never buy fenders. Fenders are native to marinas. They will approach your yacht timidly, where they can be easily snared with a boat hook. Don't be tempted to throw the small ones back. They take patience to catch, but they are plentiful. Rinse, repeat. Keep the best ones, give the others away.

C) Hoard all line and cordage. People will laugh as you cut out the bad parts of bits and pieces of line, burning and whipping the ends. But those same people will come knocking for a spare line when preparing for the next hurricane or nor'easter.

my husband laughs at how incapable it is for me to throw line away.

I'd just add to go to boaters flea markets ( go early, before they open ). though I'm sure it's been said before, it bears repeating.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by o_q

On a subconscious level, you are valuing your money more than yourself. The decisions you make reflect your beliefs.

The women who want to stay with you are staying because of who you are. Your beliefs about how expensive women are, as well as any other belief will leak out, not as words, but as a vibe. And the women who stay with you will perpetuate your belief of women because they are the only women you experience.

I've recently become a gigalo and disproven your theory completely.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by Group9

I've recently become a gigalo and disproven your theory completely.

Working while cruising!

[o_q]

Originally Posted by Group9

I've recently become a gigalo and disproven your theory completely.

You did this all for me?

[captain58sailin]

OG, if you, befriend your local commercial fisher, they almost always have some odds and ends around that they don't want, if you let them know what you are looking for they will put it aside for you. If you bring them some brownies or chocolate chip cookies, they will even deliver when they bring back the plate. The longline fishers have scads of small line around and they really like cookies and brownies!

[Group9]

Originally Posted by o_q

You did this all for me?

I admit there were some selfish motives as well.

[Lonestaralaskan]

This and the previous thread on shoestring sailors kept me up til 3am. Couldn't quit reading. Though there were some good tips here and there, mostly the read has made me more worried that I can't survive on $1500 a month, let alone $500. Not sure I'd even want to try that...

But kudos to those who can manage it. But seriously, stop stealing all the Mexican flatware!! Hah.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Lonestaralaskan

This and the previous thread on shoestring sailors kept me up til 3am. Couldn't quit reading. Though there were some good tips here and there, mostly the read has made me more worried that I can't survive on $1500 a month, let alone $500. Not sure I'd even want to try that...

But kudos to those who can manage it. But seriously, stop stealing all the Mexican flatware!! Hah.

The $500 is a made-up number. And an old one at that. But we know of Sailorchic who is hanging in at $600. And I'd bet Callmecrazy is right there too. Capt Tager is doing it I think. I'd like to hear from the solo gal on the mini-trawler about expenses. Zee likely doesn't spend a lot more than that.

Odds are the folks living that simply aren't online a lot.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

The $500 is a made-up number. And an old one at that. But we know of Sailorchic who is hanging in at $600. And I'd bet Callmecrazy is right there too. Capt Tager is doing it I think. I'd like to hear from the solo gal on the mini-trawler about expenses. Zee likely doesn't spend a lot more than that.

Odds are the folks living that simply aren't online a lot.

Well I'm boatless so that's me out...

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Well I'm boatless so that's me out...

Coupla new guys in town from CT. Been here a month doing odd jobs and bumming. One guy now has a 20' something he got for nothing. The other has a Hunter 27 for $600. Lots of action like that. You know the drill. Come on over.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Coupla new guys in town from CT. Been here a month doing odd jobs and bumming. One guy now has a 20' something he got for nothing. The other has a Hunter 27 for $600. Lots of action like that. You know the drill. Come on over.

Stranger things have happened.. even if I did say... "Never Again.."..
But... knickers now untwisted so anythings possible.. and there are a couple of folk I need to catch up with...

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Lonestaralaskan

This and the previous thread on shoestring sailors kept me up til 3am. Couldn't quit reading. Though there were some good tips here and there, mostly the read has made me more worried that I can't survive on $1500 a month, let alone $500. Not sure I'd even want to try that...

But kudos to those who can manage it. But seriously, stop stealing all the Mexican flatware!! Hah.

As you may have noticed, I have mentioned a few times in this thread that the $500 is not meant to be taken literally, the thread is a much about throwing up ideas for folks on a budget of any size to save costs (for some a necessity for others to spend the money elsewhere)....and equally importantly to say to folks that there are others living on a small budget - boats ain't all about 50 foot of shiny straight out of a brochure ..........some wit and effort goes a long way in both keeping budget down and being safer (no amount of money buys "safety").

FWIW, although not "out there" (I kinda adopted the subject and set up this 2nd thread after INDY got booted from CF as I thought the subject worth keeping alive - this thread pops back up fairly regularly).........my take is that easier to live on a zero budget than a fixed $500 a month!........and for that the secret will be - making money! (if you can crack that in a way that works for you then have a pot that never empties .......of course if that was easy then everyone would be doing it!)......another (long!) thread around with lots of ideas, of varying practicalities .....no easy answers, just like boats gotta puzzle out own solution.

In any event, even on a $500 month budget you won't have $500 a month to spend, that being an average - some months will be higher , which means that in the other months the "normal" (expected) spending will be lower!, how much lower likely depends on condition of boat and use / location.........on which note, on a low budget likely that paying for mooring is gonna be a luxury item.....that and work (if doing any) will dictate cruising area - albeit depending on where and what doing for work and how often can use the magic of Mr Jumbo Jet to travel for that.

Boats is all about choices - on a tight budget some hard ones as well. Not doable by everyone, but that mostly by not wanting to as not enough fun - but for some (with low financial needs, and some wit) a tight budget is doable, even if not a forever thing.

Finally, I will say that likely the No.1 secret to a tight budget is the boat - in not buying a money pit!!, no matter how cheap the purchase price. The better condition (and likely also the less gizmos onboard) when you set off the less the monthly costs will be, and will let the boat budget (cash and time) go on preventative maintenance rather than fixing stuff when broke.

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

OG, if you, befriend your local commercial fisher, they almost always have some odds and ends around that they don't want, if you let them know what you are looking for they will put it aside for you. If you bring them some brownies or chocolate chip cookies, they will even deliver when they bring back the plate. The longline fishers have scads of small line around and they really like cookies and brownies!

I'm on it ( my husband just groaned)
You can never have too much line

[captain58sailin]

A lot of the $500.00 dollar a month budget has to do with mind set. For many years I lived in a 12' X 16' one room cabin (Think ala Ted Bundy) in fact I thought it was my house when I saw it on the trailer. Anyway I got a better job, built a slightly bigger house with running water, inside facilities etc... and some money in my bank account. Previously when I got in from a fishing trip I had enough money for my land payment, 1 shot, 1 beer at the local watering hole, and 3 days later, I would go out on another trip. I was sitting in my house and wondering if I was any happier than when in my cabin, and the answer was no. For me possessions or numbers on a bank statement does not determine my level of joy in life.