No worries Idy. We don't really
budget but do try to make the best choices to minimise unnecessary expenses and monthly expenses change a lot depending in the area we are sailing and what we are doing. For instance we found in the
med we needed to use marina a bit more often, but still managed to
anchor out up to 4 weeks at a time between those periods. Often a marina is just a one night stop for provisions,
laundry, boat
cleaning etc, but sometimes it's a one week or more to sit for favourable
weather to continue.
Jen keeps an accurate expenses spreadsheet but I'll give you a rough idea of ours for the last 12 months
May, June picked up boat in
France, stayed almost 2 months in
marine having
solar, WM etc fitted and doing some land travel. I won't include boat upgrades as they are part of the boat, one off costs.
May
Marina - 1000
Groceries - 500
Annual
hull and
health insurance per month - 400
Eating out - 500
Land travel - 1000
Communications/internet - 100
Entry
fees, cruising permits etc -
Doctor,
medical, vet
fees - 200
Fuel and gas - 150 (started with a full tank ex factory)
Total 3850 x 2 months
July - October. Sailing from
France to
canaries with a brief stop in
med for some
morocco land travel.
Marina - 100
Groceries - 500
Annual
hull and
health insurance per month - 400
Eating out - 300
Land travel - 300
Communications/internet - 100
Entry fees, cruising permits etc - 50
Doctor,
medical, vet fees - 50
Fuel and gas - 200
Total - 2000 x 4
Nov sailed to
canaries to the part in Atlantic odyssey crossing to
Martinique, spent a month anchored around graciosa and 2 weeks in marina prior to departure. One week free
docking with the rally. Filled with fuel and provisioned for the crossing
Marina - 300
Groceries - 1000
Annual hull and
health insurance per month - 400
Eating out - 500
Land travel - 500
Communications/internet - 100
Entry fees, cruising permits etc - 500
Doctor, medical, vet fees - 200
Fuel and gas - 400
Engine service - 400
Total 4300
Dec -
Atlantic crossing and arrival in
Martinique
Marina - 1 week included in rally in Martinique, then anchored out
Groceries - still using last months provisions
Annual hull and
health insurance per month - 400
Eating out - 200
Land travel - 200
Communications/internet - 500 satphone fees
Entry fees, cruising permits etc - 50
Doctor, medical, vet fees -
Fuel and gas - 550
Total 1900
Jan - April. Sailing north from Martinique to BVIs and now back in
antigua headed south.
Marina/mooring buoys - 100
Groceries - 500
Annual hull and health insurance per month - 500
Eating out - 300
Land travel - 300
Communications/internet - 100
Entry fees, cruising permits etc - 50
Doctor, medical, vet fees - 50
Fuel and gas - 100
Total 2000 x 4
So as you can see the cruising area and style will effect the monthly costs. We could easily reduce some costs or increase, but we live comfortably, eat out when we feel like it and do whatever activities we feel like without thinking of a budget, we just think is it worth it. We also did a few dives with dive schools, had
tanks filled etc and they're included in the land travel costs above. Jens spreadsheet is much more detailed but that's the basic costs above with less categories. Land travel included hiring cars or scooters in most islands, as well as organised tours, some months it might be 600, some zero..
I'd expect our stay in grenada over hurricane season to be something like
Marina - 1000
Groceries - 500
Annual hull and health insurance per month - 500
Eating out - 400
Land travel - 400
Communications/internet - 100
Entry fees, cruising permits etc -
Doctor, medical, vet fees - 50
Fuel and gas - 150
Total 3100 x 5
Apart from
engine servicing there's been no maintainance costs except
cleaning products, maybe $100. We will probably
haul out and antifoul next November so that will be around 2400, and also
service engines for another 400. We haven't really spent any
money in chandlers since we picked up the boat. Maybe $200 on
courtesy flags and a
dinghy light and replacement
anchor for the one I snagged in
dominica.