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

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by rtbates

shoestring sailor...One who can actually enjoy living and sailing w/o having all of the land based amenities.. How is that possible???

cannot enjoy shoestring cruising if you use marinas in high season--isnt difficult to live on anchor and still be considered human and hygienically correct..LOL

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by rtbates

shoestring sailor...One who can actually enjoy living and sailing w/o having all of the land based amenities.. How is that possible???

Everyone likes different things (fortunately!).

Some even like sitting in Marinas .

Other amongst us are happy enough being tied to the dock .....whilst living ashore!

[MikeinLA]

Personally, I can't see how anyone can live ANYWHERE on $ 500 a month, but I'm currently re-reading Walden so maybe that will help. However, after reading many of the posts of those who do, let me say that I celebrate your spirit and wish you all the good fortune in the world.

Mike

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by lolarose

Shoestring Sailors

what is shoestring sailor. one that would eat **** if he/she can get it for free. or take own food on boat for thre months cruising, becouse not to spend only single penny.
and then you are suprised why in foreign (even in your ovn) countries no one like to see you, let alone to do "business" with you.

if i ever come in situation to be "shoestring sailor" i would burn my bot and never set my foot on the beach again let alone in the boat.

Dude, you are instantly on my 'ignore list'.

And just a word of advice; Please don't ever buy a boat and go sailing, you would hate it.

[Nemo55]

Maybe people are missing the point here, and perhaps many are well......just to damn spoiled.
The fact is that Millions of Single Parents, Men & Women, with Two,Three, even Four Children survive on what most of you would call a "Joke" income.
For less than a Thousand a month they dress their kids,they feed them, they send them to school,they teach them right from wrong.

Living on a Boat and eating well is a No Brainer,,unless you just gotta have the Caviar and The Champagne.

Anyone (or a couple)who would have trouble living off $500 per month (not including Moorage) has a serious overspending problem.

[Nemo55]

P.S. Lolarose..."Eat My Shorts"

[atoll]

Originally Posted by nixontankgirl

Dude, you are instantly on my 'ignore list'.

And just a word of advice; Please don't ever buy a boat and go sailing, you would hate it.

the funny thing about lolarose, is that in another thread he admitted he lives on welfare checks in the uk!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MikeinLA

Personally, I can't see how anyone can live ANYWHERE on $ 500 a month, but I'm currently re-reading Walden so maybe that will help. However, after reading many of the posts of those who do, let me say that I celebrate your spirit and wish you all the good fortune in the world.

Mike

This thread is not simply about folks living on $500 a month - it's as much about sharing ideas about living on a tight budget (however each defines that) - just because someone has a higher budget does not mean that they can't use a low cost approach for some things - no one has to do "everything". Save somehwere, spend elsewhere - according to own needs and wants.

Basically seem to be 2 approaches, spend beforehand or spend later . Beforehand is going to be capital spending by ensuring boat is 110% before leaving, so ongoing maintanence is cheaper (well, hopefully!) or settle on less than perfection at the start and fix / upgrade as you go - at the price of higher ongoing costs...........Both approaches have merits, with the likely approach being a mix of the two with each deciding towards which end of the spectrum they are comfortable with (or have to accept?).

For the minimum monthly budget (whether $500 or higher) seems that the keys will be:-

a) mooring in places that do not cost (likely on the hook).
b) cruising in places where you have some local knowledge (of what is cheap and where).
c) having a boat that can be afforded (not the same as simply able to buy).
d) boat being well sorted before departing (so only maintaining).
e) boat not having a squillion bells and whistles to maintain (albeit no need to stick with only a bucket and a hairshirt!).
f) being able to DIY as much as possible and where not being able, to diagnose problems (so not completely at the mercy of others).

and probably most importantly:-

g) being able to enjoy life whilst on a low budget (i.e. you genuinely don't miss being able to p#ss money away doing "stuff").
h) that any wife / partner is happy doing the same!

and finally:-

i) not being permanently broke! Being broke is surprisingly expensive simply because unable to take advantage of opportunities and deals as they arise and instead are forced to buy when needed (e.g. rubber dink on last legs (maybe has a year left, with fingers crossed!), you stumble accross a bargain for $200 which would last another 5 years and you could sell what you have for $50 now (instead of zero next year) - if you have $200 spare you get to choose. If you don't - you don't .......and when the dink does go pop (literally?!) next year you are forced into spending more than $200 due to the sudden need - or have to learn how to walk on water ). Cash in the bank as a buffer is always useful (on boats or not).

[mbianka]

Gumbo, mmmm! The thread has just reminded me that I need to restock with "File Gumbo" (sasafrass?) to make my Gumbo. It's not sold locally in supermarkets so I may need to mail order it.

[zeehag]

lolarose drives a desk, not a boat.

is possible to live on 400 dollars per month --sometimes less--depending on your diet, here in mexico when living on a hook only--no marinas. on food for me and and cat alone, i spend under 400 dollars. isnt until i get into summer time that my overhead grows--when i stay inside for hurrycame season...

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by MikeinLA

Personally, I can't see how anyone can live ANYWHERE on $ 500 a month, but I'm currently re-reading Walden so maybe that will help. However, after reading many of the posts of those who do, let me say that I celebrate your spirit and wish you all the good fortune in the world.

Mike

After being in So. Cal. waters last year I have to say you can't make it on $500. a month. Everything cost more down there..Michael..

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by Nemo55

Maybe people are missing the point here, and perhaps many are well......just to damn spoiled.
The fact is that Millions of Single Parents, Men & Women, with Two,Three, even Four Children survive on what most of you would call a "Joke" income.
For less than a Thousand a month they dress their kids,they feed them, they send them to school,they teach them right from wrong.

Living on a Boat and eating well is a No Brainer,,unless you just gotta have the Caviar and The Champagne.

Anyone (or a couple)who would have trouble living off $500 per month (not including Moorage) has a serious overspending problem.

I suspect lolarose just stepped in a real deep pile of you know what here.
Maybe his welfare checks are too big?
-Bruce

[zeehag]

so cal is outrageously overpriced. sail south for reprieve...beyond ensenada....is much better away from usa for affordability--to mazatlan, then prices of docking and mooring increases, but anchoring is still free....and food is less than half priced on average, and much fresher.....good beef is 8 usd per kilo for fillet mignon.....veggies merely a coupla usdollars for more than you need in one meal. the only things overpriced here are items imported from usa.

actually,nemo is partly correct....

mikeinla--in la one will NEVER be able to live under 500 per month--is ridiculous to believe one can in so cal. no, ramen is NOT a food group....

[bobconnie]

Well we can live on that amount, if we anchor, preserve food by canning, and the fact we don't drink beer and very little hard stuff! We drink water and tea and COFFEE. We eat better then most do at home, cus we like to cook and BBQ, we seldom eat out or use marinas. and we buy in local markets or farmers markets where ever we are ! And we are Good fisherfolk ! We eat and can a lot of fish and give some away to others not as lucky as us at fishing! and the big one, Connie loves to bake both bread and sweet stuff !! But then we grew up this way as our folks were working folk who went thru the depression here in the US, so for us saveing on food and stuff is part of who we are !! ya just have to change a little to be able to live for less money !! Now we dont HAVE to live this way we do have some money, but we LIKE to live this way it brings us closer to the sea and nature, at least we think so LOL

[zeehag]

here in mexico the ones unable to successfully live on under 500 dollars per month either have bad habits--alcohol, tobacco, crack, or they overspend on trips to north.
in usa--wasnt bad in gulf coast to live under budget. kali--nfw. doesnt happen. ramen is not a food group. ramen is all folks in so cal on under 500 dollars monthly live on when they dont go for the church hand out foods.