Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Celestialsailor]

Same here...I've unsubscripted a few times when it went sideways or got nasty.
Latitude 38 occasionally does a survey on the cost of cruising. Usually it is based on a couple or small family on a 40+ ft. boat. While food would surely be more expensive with the amount of people on-board, boat costs remain relatively the same. Some got on for as little as $1200 a month while others 3 times that amount. I had to estimate what it might be for me being single with a 35 ft. vessel. My goal is an average of $800 a month. Keep in mind when I say that, I am alcohol free and a vegetarian. Even on land when I stopped buying food that wasn't conducive to my health, it went from $400 a month to $200 a month. I also think that many cruisers alcohol bill might be in upwards of $15 a day or $450 a month. I notice most people don't like to discuss that. If I anchor out 85% of the time, I think I can pull off $800 a month.

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Same here...I've unsubscripted a few times when it went sideways or got nasty.
Latitude 38 occasionally does a survey on the cost of cruising. Usually it is based on a couple or small family on a 40+ ft. boat. While food would surely be more expensive with the amount of people on-board, boat costs remain relatively the same. Some got on for as little as $1200 a month while others 3 times that amount. I had to estimate what it might be for me being single with a 35 ft. vessel. My goal is an average of $800 a month. Keep in mind when I say that, I am alcohol free and a vegetarian. Even on land when I stopped buying food that wasn't conducive to my health, it went from $400 a month to $200 a month. If I anchor out 85% of the time, I think I can pull it off.

I think you should be able to do this on $800.00. My wife and I did it last year on $625.00 and would be short the last week of the month. The farther south you go in Calif. it get's more expencive. The weather was not good last year off the north coast witch did not allow anchoring out much. Hopefuly it will be a better year 2012. Good sailing..Michael..

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

The farther south you go in Calif. it get's more expencive.Good sailing..Michael..

,,,Boy, no lie! It's ridiculous in S. Ca. Plus, Mexico is following suit based on those prices and the exploitation from Latitude 38's haha.

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

,,,Boy, no lie! It's ridiculous in S. Ca. Plus, Mexico is following suit based on those prices and the exploitation from Latitude 38's haha.

Boy, We found that out first hand, not sure where to go next. The world is changing fast, alot has changed over the past 30 yrs.
So much for SS retired old coot. We may have to die floating around in the Pacific I guess. Oh well, I can't quit now, Losted all in 2008 crash.
Michael

[Wavewacker]

Well, if you want the thread to die you should have told me, I kill lots of threads!

Can you cruise on 500 bucks a month? Absolutely! If you have an economical boat, you can move it often enough to meet your definition of crusing....

Now, limit your access to money to $500 a month. When you run out of money, sit there and wait until your next "payday".

Keep some food and water for your survival during the lean times when you run out of money. Many areas have kitchens, food banks and provide assistance to the less fortunate.

So long as you don't do anything stupid to injure yourself, you probably will not die spending $500.00 a month.

I think following this, you can be on a boat, move about and "cruise" and enjoy yourself living the great life, what ever that might be in your own mind, sence dreaming doesn't cost anything, nor does convencing yourself that you are happy!


The Thread Killer

[sailorboy1]

Almost 3000 posts now, but not much real detail of/by people who are current cruiser or recently cruiser (for a few years) on $500/mo. So lots of "talk" but I just don't see any proof! Lots of things to help keep cost down here maybe. I haven't seen any of the "interview with a cruiser" where they got by on $500/mo.

For those that say it is possible how about posting details on your boat, how many people, where you went, what your money really went to.

PS - just what is an "economical" boat anyway. is it one you allow to fall apart?

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

Boy, We found that out first hand, not sure where to go next. The world is changing fast, alot has changed over the past 30 yrs.
So much for SS retired old coot. We may have to die floating around in the Pacific I guess. Oh well, I can't quit now, Losted all in 2008 crash.
Michael

I know...Marquasas is next with the Latitude 38 puddle jump. The more cruisers they get the sharper their pencil gets. I have a plan for myself where I will cruise and how long and where I will hold over during the bad weather season to work. You're right though...it's tough with all those heavy spenders in there McMansion Yachts throwing money around. A lot of the anchorages in Mexico have been replaced with mooring field$$$ or marinas. It would be $500 a month just to stay at one. You might as well fly instead!

[nwdiver]

I haven’t commented in this tread until now, but I’m looking at $1000-1200 in costs for 2 on a 38ft boat prepped before departure and carrying spares, this has all been said in the -3000 posts of this thread.
If one had $500 in SS or other retirement money, what did they do until retirement? Don’t they have some marketable skills they can use while cruising?
I have cruising friends that are plumbers, Dive Instructors, several that take on paying “guests”, the most interesting is a guy who was a Kindergarten Teacher (his dear departed wife was a high school math teacher, we never understood the dynamic), he regularly finds 2-3 week jobs (at $800-1000 a week) on large yachts all over the Carib as a nanny and its all word of mouth, he does speak 4 languages.
If you are young with $12,000 for a 2 year cruise, get a marketable skill before you go, it might be computer related, you could make the odd $100 helping an older cruiser set up a blog or teach them to use free navigation software, or clean boat bottoms on SCUBA.
The barter economy is alive and well and I see riggers trading mechanics labour all the time.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

. . . Now, limit your access to money to $500 a month. When you run out of money, sit there and wait until your next "payday". . . .

Like I said there are always nuggets of truth popping up here and there in even the most overdone, over-worked thread subject.

Want to cruise on $500 per month - simple don't have access to anything in excess of that amount . . . it ain't rocket science. You make do with what you have and use your brain and ingenuity instead of lots of dollars.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Almost 3000 posts now, but not much real detail of/by people who are current cruiser or recently cruiser (for a few years) on $500/mo. So lots of "talk" but I just don't see any proof! Lots of things to help keep cost down here maybe. I haven't seen any of the "interview with a cruiser" where they got by on $500/mo.

For those that say it is possible how about posting details on your boat, how many people, where you went, what your money really went to.

To be honest I am not really sure how helpful that would be.

Does it really matter to me if someone else can (or cannot) live on $500 a month? especially given that I won't be living my life exactly as they are living theirs (nor vice verce) and on different boats in differing conditions etc etc etc - and likely also we will in different places with the differing cost of living (some items higher, some lower).

I figure that if I can't at least roughly work out what I need to feed both myself and the boat, then the answer (for me) is a simple no - even before I get aboard. Of course I accept that what I think now will be different from the reality (maybe I won't need 27 gallons of bubble bath? )....but that is all provided for within the plan, until I learn my own numbers.

To my mind tips, tricks, advice and suggestions are of more use than "hard" figures (not to say they would not be of interest, just not of much use to me).....not to say that I will copy any of them exactly, but IMO all good for assisting in the fundamental skill that a Budgeteer requires - being able to work things out for self .

And for me advice etc is also welcomed from folks who are not living on a strict budget, nor would ever consider doing so. Just because someone is living on $5k a week (afloat or onshore!) doesn't mean they don't know where the cheapest / best / sleaziest bars are etc etc. "Back in the day" I know I did .

PS - just what is an "economical" boat anyway. is it one you allow to fall apart?

I think the answer to that one is often a Yes. and many times starting with a boat the PO(s?!) did the same on......neccestity being the mother of invention it is surprising what can be lived with, enjoying doing so is another matter........

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Well, if you want the thread to die you should have told me, I kill lots of threads!

Gonna need to try harder than that .

So long as you don't do anything stupid to injure yourself, you probably will not die spending $500.00 a month.

One of the things I learnt from my travels abroad is (to be rather un PC ) that becoz I iz a whitey I ain't ever gonna starve to death no matter where I am in the world....and if you start from that point everything else is simply a plus .

[w1651]

Okay I did this on another post on another thread but I will do it again.

1. Boose biggest expense up to last month @ 300 a month. My dad left me with an unquenchable thirst. Dam my English/Irish heritage.
2. marina 300 a month (electric and water included)
3. food 25 to 30 a week (including hygene products and paper towels)
4. boat maintenance supplies 75.00 a month Another expense that will come down after I get everything handled the last guy didn't.
5. propane 10.00 a month. I am guessing here I bought a cylinder two months ago. One pot meals don't use much gas at all.
6. Lunch and coffee at meetings 14 a week.

If I think of anything else I will list it. But I don't think 761.00 a month is not bad and that's with booze and maintenance. Loose the booze alone and I am just under 500 a month. And I live in the United States in a marina. I don't want for anything and I do own my own business. But the vast majority of things I get for personal use I by myself.
Outside the U.S. it will be even cheaper in the right cruising grounds. Why you people go to Mexico I'll never get but hey to each his own. Down south of Mexico is a lot cheaper and some would argue better to cruise in.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by w1651

Loose the booze alone and I am just under 500 a month.

At your current consumption level of $10/day that might be hard for you!

Why you people go to Mexico I'll never get but hey to each his own. Down south of Mexico is a lot cheaper and some would argue better to cruise in.

I wouldn't judge too quickly until you've tried it. The internet and cruising guides don't tell the whole story.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by rubyjean

I think you should be able to do this on $800.00. My wife and I did it last year on $625.00 and would be short the last week of the month. The farther south you go in Calif. it get's more expencive. The weather was not good last year off the north coast witch did not allow anchoring out much. Hopefuly it will be a better year 2012. Good sailing..Michael..

With the inflation that has occurred during the years---- this thread has been running I am hearing $800/month quite a bit.

No

Cheers

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by downunder

With the inflation that has occurred during the years---- this thread has been running I am hearing $800/month quite a bit.

No

Cheers

The thread is two years old, so that would mean a 27% inflation rate! Here in the US it has been running about 3%, so the $500 should still be good.