Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[gello]

just because you can do it doesn't mean its a good idea.

I have traveled extensively with people on a shoestring budget (<$500/month)
Like the Pardey's, one finds that they depend on the largess of others
to a great extent though they fail to mention the value of "freebies"
in their budgets.

I have read their books.
I know a some of their many friends.
I know the pardey's accept free tows into port for their engineless craft as well
as free dockage from friends when available.

I cannot state anymore about the Pardeys, but
a short list of the things I have personally witnessed many "budget" cruisers accept
is:

Loans of cars.
Free laundry at sympathetic homes.
Free dockage at private docks or in vacant slips.
Of course water wherever there is an unattended tap.
Free car or dinghy rides to wherever.
Free entertainment at beaches and clubs intended for those buying drinks and food.
For those with computers, copies of software and charts.
WiFi, provided for paying customers taken for free outside restaurants and marinas
Copies of weather faxes or an evening sit-in each day to listen to the weather on
someone else's SSB
Email messages on other boats SSB.
Medical attention from cruiser physicians.
Sneak-in showers at marinas.
Borrowed cell phone usage.
Borrowed books and borrowed and copied cruising guides.
That lovely untouched pardey rice and bean dish at the potluck while the
meat dishes seem to be devoured.
Parts carried in from the US to another country by other cruisers who use air travel
to avoid shipping costs.

and the list goes on and on.

Many of these budget cruisers add a flavour and spice to cruising that is much appreciated and i have some lifelong friends who cruised on very little but pride and
refused to take anything even when offered. They were rare.
Many of the things on the list are things we all accept when offered regardless of financial circumstance, but we reciprocate as well (trade you a east carib guide for a west one).

When talking to shoestring cruisers, I wonder if they include the true value of all
the freebies for which others are paying that enable their lifestyle?

I respect anyone who really does decide sailing is worth the austerity and goes
when they can not when they can afford. I usually help them unbegrudgingly where my abilities and their pride allows.

But lets not be pious about how easy it is to simply turn off the consumer gene,
and do it on the cheap. No engine, no fridge, oil lights. It can be done, but it is hard. Very very hard, unless someone else is paying your freight.

i am sure i will be flayed, flamb`ed, and labeled a bourgeois imperialist but it would be
interesting just once to get an honest assessment of what it costs to cruise on a budget independently just like seagypsy2012 says. And as she says, people did it
long before we were born. Of course they died a lot also.

I am on a tight budget, but i don't think i would enjoy being that tight.
its why i say, just because you can do it, doesn't mean its a good idea.

[zeehag]

who gets freebies??? i PAY my bills and food and parts--i just dont pay retail. makes a huge difference. i live within my means and i do it with a big real cruising boat.

[osirissail]

This discussion has been around and around several times in the 123 pages of this thread. A large part of the disagreement has to do with exactly what is and is not included in the $500/mo. It is easy to cruise on a large boat for under $500/mo if you exclude 3/4ths of the total averaged yearly costs for the boat and people on board.
- - Partial year cruising lops off a lot of costs especially when you average in the zero cost months when you are not on or using the boat.
- - A really major difference of opinion arises when you consider that one person's idea of what is needed to keep the boat operating is considerably different from another person's idea.
- - Nobody is "restricting" the discussion to under 34ft sailboats, what we are talking about is the average cost of maintaining a "small" boat is on average less than a "large" boat. It falls under the logic that if you don't have that device/system/equipment on board you don't need to fix it.
- - K.I.S.S. is the operative concept and the smaller the boat the easier it is to operate that way. The lower limit in boat size is also a factor as too small a boat is really not sea kindly in the oceans and seas and cannot hold the amount of parts and supplies needed for long term live aboard cruising.
- - So the "average" of $500/month is easiest to maintain when the "average" boat size is in the 25ft to 35ft range.

[zeehag]

i also live on board, so i am not playing at this lifestyle, i am DOing it. i have fixed income andi live like royalty when out of usa and dont spend nearly what you THINK one has to spend on cruising o rrepairs. is very easy and without the cheater freebies you mentioned.
smooth sailing, may you know what it REALLY is.

[avb3]

Jumping in here because although I am not *yet* cruising, I live in my own house, very frugally, but also very well. As example, my food bill last month was exactly 98.31 for food last month, albeit I still had some moose and deer meat left over from last year (I eat very little meat). I'm a good cook, I don't buy processed anything, and make everything from scratch.

The mayor of my city has notified me by mail that in a population of 60,000 I am in the bottom 100 of water usage. I walk or bike if I can, and spent less than $30 in gas. Etc. etc.

I know frugal. So, with that in mind, I think I can comment on some of your points.

Originally Posted by gello

just because you can do it doesn't mean its a good idea.


as well as free dockage from friends when available.

What is the problem with that? I would A) do the same and B) if had the space, offer it up. I don't see what the issue is.

Loans of cars.

I've lent my truck out, and borrowed good gas mileage cars for longer trips. Friends do that

Free laundry at sympathetic homes.

So? I have had friends use my laundry when theirs broke down. No biggie

Free dockage at private docks or in vacant slips.

We already covered this one above.

Of course water wherever there is an unattended tap.

With permission, no problem. If just "helping themselves", this is not being frugal, it;s being cheap and slightly dishonest.

Free car or dinghy rides to wherever.

If offered, so?

Free entertainment at beaches and clubs intended for those buying drinks and food.

Huh?I don't drink, so what am I suppose to do.. ostracize myself? Forget it! I'll have coffee or water, and be your designated driver.

For those with computers, copies of software and charts.

I rarely pay for software ever. Mind you, I run Linux which is free, as well as most of the programs that run on Linux. And get free upgrades every six months. Safer, faster, need less of a computer, virtually no viruses.

WiFi, provided for paying customers taken for free outside restaurants and marinas

This is a sin? Everybody does that.

Copies of weather faxes or an evening sit-in each day to listen to the weather on someone else's SSB
Email messages on other boats SSB.

Yeah, you have a bit of a point here... should be self sufficient enough to have their own way of getting wx info.

Medical attention from cruiser physicians.

If needed, and they provide, no problem. I carry medical insurance when I travel.

Sneak-in showers at marinas.

Yes, again this is cheap not frugal.

Borrowed cell phone usage.

Hmmm.... occasionally, maybe (as in they forgot theirs on the boat), but if a habit, my habit may become to charge per the minute

Borrowed books and borrowed and copied cruising guides.

OK, there is a book exchange at many marina's.

Also, second hand book stores are a god sent. I read vociferously, and buy at least 50 book a year. I spend maybe $125 a year on these at our local hospsital charity book store (max. charge $4 for hardcover, most $1-2, and .50 for softcovers.)

Almost all get donated back. I lend, I borrow and give books all the time.

That lovely untouched pardey rice and bean dish at the potluck while the meat dishes seem to be devoured.

Yes, this is the cheap side coming out. We agree.

Parts carried in from the US to another country by other cruisers who use air travel to avoid shipping costs.

What the heck is wrong with that!!! If YOUR not doing that when you can, your not being judicious with YOUR funds. #fail for dissing someone on this one.

and the list goes on and on.

And like outlined here, I bet 90% is smart money management. 10% seems to be cheap.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by gello

i am sure i will be flayed, flamb`ed, and labeled a bourgeois imperialist

Not by me you won't. Great post!!

Originally Posted by avb3

What is the problem with that? I would A) do the same and B) if had the space, offer it up. I don't see what the issue is.

Theres a big difference from doing it once or twice, or occasionally when offered, to becoming the anchorage bludger.

1. bludger
Aussie slang for a lazy person.
A boss would say "get back to work you lazy bludgers!!"

2. bludger
One who lives off or profits by the work of others while making no contribution.
Originally British slang meaning pimp, its currency has continued in Australia while it has died out in Britain.
Why don't you get off your arse backside and give us a hand, ya bludger!

3. bludger
Slack arse bottomed prick male genitalia who does **** nothing at all, yet pretends he's king ****in' copulatin' dick see above.
He's a useless bludger; he couldn't get a root in a brothel!

I am sure the vast majority of people living on quite restricted budgets don't fall anywhere near the catagory of Bludger.




Mark

[atoll]

we call them "free food specialists",but then as grandma used to say"what comes around goes around"........kharma my friends.......

[Viking Sailor]

I believe in "paying it forward".

Towed a friend off a sandbar. His friend let me use his berth and car.

Let a bunch of smaller sailboats raft up with me during a blow. Made a member of their sailing club. Cooked for their sailing club get together. Made a non-dues member of a yacht club by one of the sailing club members. Docked at the San Diego yacht club where we where treated very very well.

Helped the locals unload the supply boats for their small Mexican village. They invited us to join them at a fiesta. It was wonderful and they wouldn't accept anything from me. Everybody was friendly and kind to us during the two weeks we spent their.

A young Mexican offered to supply us with diesel for a small charge. He showed up in his old pickup with his wife, small kides and a fifty gallon drum of fuel. He stuck a hose into the drum and proceeded to suck (to my horror!) the diesel in to his mouth. I told him to stop and wait for me. I row out to the boat and brought back a siphon pump. I told him diesel in his mouth was very bad and from now on he should only use the siphon pump to transfer diesel. He and his wife looked at each other with unsure expressions and then realized that I was giving them the pump. His wife took two steps towards me and gave me a hug. I departed the next day.

I repaired a local boats electrical system and VHF radio. Had lunch ashore at his casa with some of his boating friends. Fixed one of his friends depth sounder. All with no thought of payment. When the local heard that I was departing he motored out to my boat and with his thanks presented me a gift of $200 cash.

At a swap meet shortly thereafter, I got to talking with two young couples sailing on an old wooden schooner that where hoping to find some blocks as theirs had all failed. I happened to have the original wooden blocks that came with Feeling Good. The look of joy on their faces when I presented them with the blocks was great. And, what the heck, I had an unexpected $200 in my pocket.

I could go on and on with this kind of stuff. And, yes bad things happened as well. But what I remember most is all the good things that have happened while cruising.

So, my recommendation for successful budget cruising is to -- be kind to others and let others be kind to you, and don't focus on the bumps that sometimes happen.

[w1651]

I'm sure there are Bludgers at every marina in the world. It's the same as every neighborhood has that one old lady and man that complains the kids are on his or her grass.
I'm with viking here. If you think of it as givers gain then it's all good. If you can't afford to give it then don't offer and if you need a water top off just ask. I don't think any harbor master will deny a boat fresh drinking water. And if they say no then go to the next spigot with a jury can and get it in a few trips instead.
Either way the guy that denied you the water will get his they always do. And everyone knows the Bludger at the marina. It won't take long before the guy next to you sees him coming and warns you anyway.In my experience they are the ones you meet first.
Bludger = Great Word I'll start using that one. Thanks Mark !

[NeptunesTrident]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

I believe in "paying it forward".

Towed a friend off a sandbar. His friend let me use his berth and car.

Let a bunch of smaller sailboats raft up with me during a blow. Made a member of their sailing club. Cooked for their sailing club get together. Made a non-dues member of a yacht club by one of the sailing club members. Docked at the San Diego yacht club where we where treated very very well.

Helped the locals unload the supply boats for their small Mexican village. They invited us to join them at a fiesta. It was wonderful and they wouldn't accept anything from me. Everybody was friendly and kind to us during the two weeks we spent their.

A young Mexican offered to supply us with diesel for a small charge. He showed up in his old pickup with his wife, small kides and a fifty gallon drum of fuel. He stuck a hose into the drum and proceeded to suck (to my horror!) the diesel in to his mouth. I told him to stop and wait for me. I row out to the boat and brought back a siphon pump. I told him diesel in his mouth was very bad and from now on he should only use the siphon pump to transfer diesel. He and his wife looked at each other with unsure expressions and then realized that I was giving them the pump. His wife took two steps towards me and gave me a hug. I departed the next day.

I repaired a local boats electrical system and VHF radio. Had lunch ashore at his casa with some of his boating friends. Fixed one of his friends depth sounder. All with no thought of payment. When the local heard that I was departing he motored out to my boat and with his thanks presented me a gift of $200 cash.

At a swap meet shortly thereafter, I got to talking with two young couples sailing on an old wooden schooner that where hoping to find some blocks as theirs had all failed. I happened to have the original wooden blocks that came with Feeling Good. The look of joy on their faces when I presented them with the blocks was great. And, what the heck, I had an unexpected $200 in my pocket.

I could go on and on with this kind of stuff. And, yes bad things happened as well. But what I remember most is all the good things that have happened while cruising.

So, my recommendation for successful budget cruising is to -- be kind to others and let others be kind to you, and don't focus on the bumps that sometimes happen.

I know I am going to upset someone with this comment, but what you describe here is the classic..
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
This is to be commended.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I am sure the vast majority of people living on quite restricted budgets don't fall anywhere near the catagory of Bludger.




Mark

Lard tundering jesus, you Aussies talk strange!

If we ever meet up, I'll buy you a double-double. (Canadians will understand every word of what was just said)

[familycruisers]

Bludger is that ball in that Harry Potter game, cant fool me!

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by avb3

Lard tundering jesus, you Aussies talk strange!

If we ever meet up, I'll buy you a double-double. (Canadians will understand every word of what was just said)

I hear ya eh.. I'm having my dd with milk....

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

I hear ya eh.. I'm having my dd with milk....

Milk??? you guys still drink milk???...

[Jim Cate]

G'Day All,

Vking Sailor has just described the ethos of the long term cruiser, and done a fine job of it, too.

Doesn't matter what the cruiser's budget is, large or small, but the idea of sharing, helping, and not expecting reimbursement for the help is what keeps us all going in the cruising world (not to be confused with Cruising World, which denies all of those ideas).

Well done, mate!

Cheers,

Jim