When Do You " Just Do It ". . . Liveaboard

[SURV69]

At what point, does a person feel comfortable or secure enough to move to a boat?

I know that if I had a pension of $1500 a month, the choice would've been long made and I know that some people move to a boat on real shoestring budgets.

My budget is expected to be about $750-$800 per month for 2 years, then about $1000 thereafter with a sizable savings account for unplanned needs.

BUT, right-brained, left-brained, richer and poorer sailors have completely different wants to move to a boat. I tend to think holistically(sp?), so I benefit or suffer from both viewpoints.

I have a paid-for boat and I've been a minimalist all my life. Even when my business did good, I was a minimalist and spent very little money(mostly on gifts and trips for my wife and her father . . . without me).

I think I can live on less than $500 per month . . . I'm sure I can.

BUT, living on $600 and not spending $150 is better.

Eventually, even if I don't plan on spending more than $400-$500, more and more money makes it better and eventually, if I don't watch it, more and more money is what I think I need even if I never plan on spending more than $400-$500 a month(with a decent savings account for unplanned things).

At 62, if I wait a year it probably won't be any better except that I'll be 63. After all, with this economy, 62 was no better than 59.

Kind of like a poll . . . at what point did you decide . . . with all your ducks in a row, or not . . . to "just do it", and what are your perceptions in hindsite?

[Kettlewell]

It's cheaper to live aboard than to live on land, especially if you get rid of the car, the land dwelling, etc., so money is not the problem. It's wanting to do it. I first moved aboard when I was in my twenties because I couldn't afford any place to live and a boat at the same time, so my wife and I chose the boat. First one we lived aboard was 26 feet and barely had standing headroom! Now, we're back on land for awhile putting kids through college, etc. It isn't like you can't go back ashore for awhile, maybe in a new area where something like an interesting job opens up. We always laugh when we go on vacation on our boat because it is actually much cheaper for us to do that than to stay home.