Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Ex-Calif]

CmC - your 800 a month is admirable if all "sustaining" costs are included, especially if the operation of a car is factored in.

I have kept detailed records of my 25 foot boat costs and posted my budget. I sort of got derided for my antifoul costs, but so what.

I would love to see what "minimalist" cruisers, or even owners of sub-30 foot boats are actually spending per month on their budget.

My boat costs alone have run about $500 a month on average over the last 4 1/2 years. I do not hace the luxury of marina dumpsters and craig's list here in Asia. They are likely the worlds best recyclers.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

CmC - your 800 a month is admirable if all "sustaining" costs are included, especially if the operation of a car is factored in.

I have kept detailed records of my 25 foot boat costs and posted my budget. I sort of got derided for my antifoul costs, but so what.

I would love to see what "minimalist" cruisers, or even owners of sub-30 foot boats are actually spending per month on their budget.

My boat costs alone have run about $500 a month on average over the last 4 1/2 years. I do not hace the luxury of marina dumpsters and craig's list here in Asia. They are likely the worlds best recyclers.

Not having craiglist, thrift stores, and suburban dumpsters certainly makes acquiring things more difficult. But, you can still you use Ebay and probably make out better paying for shipping than you would buying most things new. And as boatman suggested, hanging out in the right bars and boatyards might reveal a few local treasures...

The reason craigslist isn't very popular in places like where you are, is because people continue to use their old gear until it fails. Unlike in the US, where stuff gets thrown out or sold for cheap just because something new came out or the fashion of the day changed....so you're kinda on your own there. But it's a good lesson to be learned for the budgeteers

My actual living expenses are as such:
$200 a month for the marina (electricity and water included)
$200 a year on insurance (which is about 16/mo)
$200 a month on both food and gas for the car. All the ammenities here are very close by and work is about 7 miles away, so I spend about $10-15 a week on gas. And I try to keep my grocery bill under $40 a week including hygene products and stove fuel. Sometimes this fluxuates, but not by much...

So that's around $420 so far...

I spend about $200 a month on 'entertainment'

$45 a month on unlimited cell phone usage.
I steal the internet, but I can tether to my phone, if need-be...

What else is there? about $10 a month on laundry..

That leaves around $100 a month for 'maintenance'. Which I'm not actually doing yet. I make about $1200 a month (don't work much), so that 'extra' $400 is going directly to the refit and/or kitty.

If I stop the refit/savings process, I could still cover a 2-year haul-out schedule and paint with about $50 of that extra $100 above.

I'm not going to claim any attempt to go cruise at exactly $500 a month, but I don't see my average expenses changing much once I move things around a little.. no rent, or boat insurance, a drop in enterainement costs, swap car fuel for boat fuel, etc.. and I would have more than enough for regular maintance and still be able to buy a girl a drink whenever I want and use the internet.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

So it sounds like if you want to cruise on $500/mo:

anchor out - need good USED ground gear and good dinghy
Yes... can't anchor if its not used.... reasonable dinghy/canoe... eveb seen a car inner tube with canvas casing and ply bottom...
eat mostly pasta and beans - everything else is "seasoning" including meat
hope to catch a fish once a week, whatever it is you have to eat it
Nah... 3kg spuds 0.99c, 1kg carrots 0.77c, 1kg broccolli/cauli 0.80c, 2 big chicken breasts 2.25, beer 1.75/6pack, decent wine 1.50/75cl....
don't drink alcohol
If its imported... local stuff is usually good and affordable... this is where not being a label junkie is useful..
in Muslim Asia the russian smugggled vodka is excellent.. the State issued alchol is crap..
don't sightsee if you can not do by either walking or taking the local bus
But you are sightseeing.. your somewhere else are you not....?
don't fly home you have seen enough of friends and family already
They're earning... their turn to invest a little luv...
don't have boat insurance (no marina for you)
3rd party is getting mandatory... police do check occasionally
don't have health insurance (stay out of the US)
If your prone to illness/accidents...
don't bottom paint the boat - better be good at holding your breath to clean the bottom every week (can not possibaby be able to afford divers or diving equipment)
Don't sail much do you... saves on diving... learn to tie up to drying slips
IF you have electronics don't plan on fixing or replacing when they break
KISS and its not to painful..
IF you have regrifation don't turn it on because you can not aford the power to run it (either with the engine or buying solar/wind)
But you had it already... one assumes... so it don't matter till it breaks
drink ony water or something like unsweetener ice tea that is cheap to make
Bit extreme here are we not...
don't shower offen because will have to get water and either have to pay for that or put wear and tear on the dinghy to go get
speaking of dinghy - no outboard
Well most anchorages here are by beaches... and they often have fresh water showers... on the beach...
don't go to too many places as this increases check-in and related fees
Pick places with research... if a country's to expensive to visit... is it worth it.. No..
don't sail too offen, wears out the sails (only buy used sails)
Learn to sew....
have only 1 cooking pot on the boat otherwise cooking is going to get complex which equals money
Well... thats most mens limit is it not...
dont hang out with other cruisers ......... unless they are buying
I'm happy if they pay their own way... tho few cruisers hang out where I go...
never put your boat in storage
Unless you've pulled a job to cover the costs....
don't have any lights on your boat, cost of the bulbs plus the power
Why dya think I'm not following the silly LED fashion...
don't have lanterns either because of the risk of fire
Don't like the smell..
speaking of fire, do you really need a stove?
Hell yeah... Need that caffine fix... and its better than Starbucks....

Sounds less fun to me than just going to work each day!

Thats the thing about good things.. sometimes ya gotta work at it.. but less often than on land...

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I haven't really seen any ideas for cruising on $500/mo since the first couple of pages on this thread. Instead all I have seen are how/reasons not to have stuff on your boat.

Maybe the thread should be retitled "how to start with X dollars, buy and outfit a boat and then still have $500/mo to spend for X years"

I see the two as being directly linked - a trade off between stuff that saves money (and time) vs having stuff that may need fixing or replacing.

Choices. choices. choices.........probably buying a cheese grater vs paying "a few cents more" for cheese ready grated ......or mashed potato from the freezer cabinet .

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

So it sounds like if you want to cruise on $500/mo:

anchor out - need good USED ground gear and good dinghy
eat mostly pasta and beans - everything else is "seasoning" including meat
hope to catch a fish once a week, whatever it is you have to eat it
don't drink alcohol
don't sightsee if you can not do by either walking or taking the local bus
don't fly home you have seen enough of friends and family already
don't have boat insurance (no marina for you)
don't have health insurance (stay out of the US)
don't bottom paint the boat - better be good at holding your breath to clean the bottom every week (can not possibaby be able to afford divers or diving equipment)
IF you have electronics don't plan on fixing or replacing when they break
IF you have regrifation don't turn it on because you can not aford the power to run it (either with the engine or buying solar/wind)
drink ony water or something like unsweetener ice tea that is cheap to make
don't shower offen because will have to get water and either have to pay for that or put wear and tear on the dinghy to go get
speaking of dinghy - no outboard
don't go to too many places as this increases check-in and related fees
don't sail too offen, wears out the sails (only buy used sails)
have only 1 cooking pot on the boat otherwise cooking is going to get complex which equals money
dont hang out with other cruisers ......... unless they are buying
never put your boat in storage
don't have any lights on your boat, cost of the bulbs plus the power
don't have lanterns either because of the risk of fire
speaking of fire, do you really need a stove?

Sounds less fun to me than just going to work each day!

I doubt if anyone takes that extreme an approach. Well, not by choice and not for long - for the reason you state. No Fun . But in some parts of the world (including around these parts) some of what is listed is irrelevant or not a problem.....i.e. free water (on tap ) and the tide goes out twice a day, so no need to hold breath for a bottom scrub. Using oars? not rocket science ......I am sure there are other places where similar applies (northern France for sure). Obviously things may be different in well known boat tourism areas, but get off the beaten track and the world does open up - ashore as well as on land.

IMO if folk really want to live on USD500 a month (and see the world in sunshine ) then no boat is the easy answer ......back in the day, plenty of potless Westerners in Thailand shacked up with a Thai woman and living on next to SFA. Some of them not even asking / knowing / caring where her money comes from .

IMO the three biggest impacts on becoming a Budgeteer (whether meeting the USD500 per month or not) are:-

1) Cruising Areas - they differ in resources available, so need an ability to migrate between areas. Just like the birds .

2) Boat Choice (both in design, size and the condition when bought)

3) Knowledge (own and access to the knowledge of others - nowadays that does include the internet, as well as salty old sailors!).

Folk have to realise that being permanently broke (and USD500 a month is being pretty broke - whether ashore or on land) requires a fair bit of hard work to harness resources (own and others) instead of cash - some smarts go a long way as well. Not to say impossible nor always without fun, but won't be a 24/7 carefree existence.

All IMO etc etc of course. Make of it what you will. or not. I don't care. Honestly

[w1651]

As of 01/08/2012

Chilean Peso 1 USD = 504 Peso's
Argentine Peso 1 USD = 4.06 Peso's
Chinese Yuan 1 USD = 6.2 Yuan
Indonesian Rupiah 1 USD = 91 Rupiahs
1 USD = 44 Philippine Peso's

And the list goes on and on. Not to mention the time to get to where your going will increase your account. If you get 500 a month it still takes close to 3 months to go from Panama to the Marqueses Islands. Thats 1500 in your account when you get there if you time it right.
The main cost as I see it is the entry fee's associated with cruising. French territories seem to be reasonable but you have to be french. But don't underestimate the power of the American Dollar.
Don't Believe me ask Zee Hag.

[w1651]

At DOJ

Is that a pic of you self and if it is do you have one of the whole family??

[wildbillca]

OK..Look If you want to go out in the big blue you should plan..I've been looking for the right boat for 30 years.I've had my share of boats and now I got the one thats right .It's been around the world (2) times.And now I'm going to go with my SS.income.and sail.But what I am saying is my god plan for the trip of a life time and get smart.There are some good buy's out there.Find one that is comfortable to your life style.Don't go for less.It's a lonely sea out there and go with friends.Never go it alone.

[wolfenzee]

I not only agree 100% but am pretty much in the same boat/mind set. Only difference being it took me 40 years and my boat has 50,000nm under her keel between Mexico and Alaska. every thing else, including my source of income and the desire to share the experience are the same.

[sailorboy1]

Just a question, but are there any posts on this thread from people who are cruising on, or have crusised on in the past say 3 years, on $500/mo?

[savoir]

Yeah, but he's busy feeding reindeer right now.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Just a question, but are there any posts on this thread from people who are cruising on, or have crusised on in the past say 3 years, on $500/mo?

2 1/2 years.. Carib/Azores/Portugal... 100 euro's/week 90% on the hook...
All I could afford after laying out on the boat...

[w1651]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Just a question, but are there any posts on this thread from people who are cruising on, or have crusised on in the past say 3 years, on $500/mo?

Yes but they are seeing the world, sailing to exotic ports and don't have lap tops or wifi...

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by w1651

As of 01/08/2012

Chilean Peso 1 USD = 504 Peso's
Argentine Peso 1 USD = 4.06 Peso's
Chinese Yuan 1 USD = 6.2 Yuan
Indonesian Rupiah 1 USD = 91 Rupiahs
1 USD = 44 Philippine Peso's

The Euro rates are even higher so should I exchange my $$'s for Euros?

[s/v Jedi]

I know you can get on cruise ships for $100 a day, but wonder what it would cost if you book for a year... or more. Even at $100 you get 5 days out of the $500 budget which is a lot I think considering you can have everything as much as you want except booze.

cheers,
Nick.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

. . . I'm not going to claim any attempt to go cruise at exactly $500 a month, but I don't see my average expenses changing much once I move things around a little.. no rent, or boat insurance, a drop in enterainement costs, swap car fuel for boat fuel, etc.. and I would have more than enough for regular maintance and still be able to buy a girl a drink whenever I want and use the internet.

Went to your blogsite and it is quite impressive - great job. And I would suggest that you are very comfortably within boundaries of a successful $500/month cruiser. A good and simple small boat, common sense equipment and a "real man's lifestyle" interior.

On average when you cast off the lines and head out, you can reasonably expect to shed about a third or more of your current costs as a "static live-aboard" (living/working on land but sleeping/eating on the boat).

Whether you can maintain the $500/month cruising budget is a matter of self-discipline and circumstance. If your actual income (after taxes, etc.) is more than the mythical $500/month there is a powerful influence to fulfill the saying - "How much does it cost to cruise? Whatever amount of money you have." On the other hand if you only have $500/month then you are more or less forced to live on it and make whatever adjustments to lifestyle necessary to make it work. When that time comes the trick is to find a cruising mate who also can share that frugal a lifestyle - or has significant resources of their own.