Cruising on $5,000 / Month

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by fishwife

The reality of cruising is that it's do-able for far less than $5,000 a month. A sum of $1,500 a month can still leave you in a comfortable place if you are careful, especially if you start off with a boat in good condition.

Seems one might have to work a bit to get hold of a "boat in good condition".

[sailorboy1]

Guess I'm disappointed that what I hoped to be a list of good things to do when cruising because money allowed, became more a social status discussion instead.

[BC Mike]

I would not change anything.
My boat is just under 34 feet and I would not go larger.
I would spend the same amount on food and stay in reasonable shape.
You start with the largess programme, and your health will suffer.
The boat only requires so much maintenance.
So short answer, I would have a lot left over to buy motorcycles with for when I am on land.

BC Mike

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Guess I'm disappointed that what I hoped to be a list of good things to do when cruising because money allowed, became more a social status discussion instead.

Actually this thread was trying to get there until the folks who cannot afford to cruise in anything more than survival mode budget style got tired of the $500/mo recipe thread and moved over here. Same thing happened with the Jessica Watson early threads.
- - $5000/mo or more accurately $60K year allows you to cruise in a comfortable, safe modern mono-hull boat with all the modern technologies and technical comforts you would demand in a land-side home or condo.
- - Going where you want and having fun ashore, touring and visiting family back home, not getting stressed out over most boat problems requiring technicians to fix or parts to be flown in.
- - This amount per year allows you to reduces the stress and anxiety of having to scrimp and penny-pinch over boat repairs and part replacements. It frees up considerable time and effort to be used to enjoy the cruising life in a comparable style to what you lived back on land. And you don't have to avoid places because they are too expensive. In short it brings you freedom and a wide variety of choices in your cruising.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

list of good things to do when cruising because money allowed, became more a social status discussion instead.

A good lesson for you to get over now.

If you let social status start hurting you then you are a long way behind the 8 ball.
$5,000 per month is chicken feed to some boats you will be tied up next to. Their huge sailing or motor boat will be able to afford the marina while you sell the first born to park next to them; then you jump the taxi after the rich bugger has got out and the driver expects you to give the same $10 tip.

We are currently tied up to the town dock in some idyllic Greek Isle see the photo below, Sea Life is on the far right. See how the restaurants are right at our stern. How romantic! How Mediterranean! Think of it: Dining in the restaurant at the foot of your own boat in the crystal clear water of the Aegean! Isn't it what the dream is all about? Wouldn't we love to be able to afford to eat in the damn restaurant?




But we eat on deck our beautiful dinner made from the best produce available in the little shops and markets and home cooked on Sea Life. We eat and watch the folks 10 feet away in the expensive restaurant looking at us thinking we are the millonairs, dreaming about being as lucky as us to be on our own boat.

The truth be known about cruisers is the folks on $10k per month, $1,000 per month and half way in between, will all share a beer together and not know nor care about budgets and social status. We are all cruisers and nature is the big social leveler.


Mark

[sailorboy1]

I had typed that I didn't hold anything aganist those who can spend a lot more than the $5000/mo I used, but took it off the post. As memtioned by some of the posts $5k/mo isn't that much to some people and I'm happy they can take that position. But I believe it would allow eating at that resturant at least a few times.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

If you let social status start hurting you then you are a long way behind the 8 ball.

I was making this very point only yesterday. To the Butler

We are currently tied up to the town dock in some idyllic Greek Isle see the photo below, Sea Life is on the far right. See how the restaurants are right at our stern. How romantic! How Mediterranean! Think of it: Dining in the restaurant at the foot of your own boat in the crystal clear water of the Aegean! Isn't it what the dream is all about? Wouldn't we love to be able to afford to eat in the damn restaurant?




But we eat on deck our beautiful dinner made from the best produce available in the little shops and markets and home cooked on Sea Life. We eat and watch the folks 10 feet away in the expensive restaurant looking at us thinking we are the millonairs, dreaming about being as lucky as us to be on our own boat.

Perception is everything I see a typical continental style waterfront - created solely for Tourists. To me that indicates likely overpriced and less than great quality. Not quite Mc D, but.........

.......not to say I wouldn't eat there - I ain't always fussy on my food - but I'd probably be sitting there thinking: "this would be a great view if only it weren't for that collection of floating tupperware"..........

.........of course could be that I'm a snob

But after the 2nd bottle of red I usually don't care what country I am in

The truth be known about cruisers is the folks on $10k per month, $1,000 per month and half way in between, will all share a beer together and not know nor care about budgets and social status. We are all cruisers and nature is the big social leveler.

Boats is a great social leveller - albeit for some hard to give up on the social positioning thing (whether classified by Class or Money) and hard to deal with that most other's truly don't care whether you be (onshore) a Milkman or a Millionaire. But the exceptions tend to find each other

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

$5k/mo isn't that much.... But I believe it would allow eating at that resturant at least a few times.

Yes it would!!

That would be bliss!

And $5k per month would allow a night in a little hotel up some of the impossably steep little alleys that wind up over the harbour. To sleep on crisp white sheets after a long bath and overlook the boat below in the harbour could be in that budget too. Just often enough to make it really worthwhile

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I was making this very point only yesterday. To the Butler

You speak to yours? How very.... egalitarian.

[Jetexas]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Crusing on 5K a month? Hmmmmm. Could maybe bring the Butler

I thought all real cruisers already had indentured man servants that they'd saved from cannibals or something. Now you want the manservant AND the butler?!!!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Jetexas

I thought all real cruisers already had indentured man servants that they'd saved from cannibals or something. Now you want the manservant AND the butler?!!!

In the Philipinnes they have Boat Boys. In Thailand it's Lady Boys..............I feel safer sticking with the Butler.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I feel safer sticking with the Butler.

I'm not commenting on that line!

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by NYCSavage

A few people on here have said $5,000 is an easy target......the only time I ever made that type of money was when I sold used cars and I don't think I would make as much money if I was at sea! lol Please tell me how you guys make this an "easy" target! I beg you, my next boat begs you!
!

It's not "easy" - but it's certainly do-able. $60,000 a year is a bit above the median, but it's still pretty much a solidly middle-class income (if you're on land).
For us: My husband works 2 jobs. Up until the baby was born so did I, now I work 1 job and also take care of her full-time to save us the expense of childcare. We certainly would like to work less, and we will in the future. The plan has always been to work-work-work like crazy now, so we won't have to later. We are now getting to the point where we can start looking at our finances for a serious jumping-off point, and as rough as it's been the last few years, I'm sure it will be worth it later.

[NYCSavage]

Thank you Mariness, for your truthful and helpful reply.

I blew all my money on drinks when I was in my 20's, and now I am in my 30's my daughter gets it all spent on her! I have started saving though and will be an owner by next year, thats a promise!

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by Mariness

It's not "easy" - but it's certainly do-able. $60,000 a year is a bit above the median, but it's still pretty much a solidly middle-class income (if you're on land).
For us: My husband works 2 jobs. Up until the baby was born so did I, now I work 1 job and also take care of her full-time to save us the expense of childcare. We certainly would like to work less, and we will in the future. The plan has always been to work-work-work like crazy now, so we won't have to later. We are now getting to the point where we can start looking at our finances for a serious jumping-off point, and as rough as it's been the last few years, I'm sure it will be worth it later.

This book.