Am I spoiled or truly burned out?

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Curious Sailor

Could you describe "frugal"? What's the monthly outflow when living aboard? And I know, it depends on the person and their spending.. But You can generalize and base it on your experience..

I'm in the Netherlands, which makes it difficult to compare. Just the marina alone - I pay per year what most US marina's charge every 3 months or so

But on average, just the boat related costs for me:

Marina: $1700 a year (12 months in the water, including all costs except electricity)
Boat payment: $0 - small boat + good deal = I own her free & clear
Insurance: $250 a year (Netherlands only, full insurance)
License fee's etc: only about $35 - small KISS boat
Routine maintenance: around $500 a year or so.

That averages out to roughly $ 210 a month - but I haven't yet eaten or anything
Health insurance is what costs me most a month but no choice there.

I spent around $250 a month on groceries, which isn't much but I rarely buy ready made / processed food and eating healthy is cheap

Living on a 29' boat is cheap, and since there's no room for stuff, I buy only what I need.
Which, I've learned, is precious little.
(And this is coming from someone who used to run out of space in a 3 bedroom home!)

Edit:
Being frugal, my definition: cook your own (healthy) meals, make your own coffee (don't spent $3 on what Starbucks calls coffee) and replace what needs replacing, not perfectly good stuff just cos there's a newer model or something like that.

[ArmySailor]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies and I greatly appreciate the time you took to think about it and tap them out here.

So.
-Lizzy: I'm not a big spender now. Don't expect that to change. I live off of roughly 2500 a month on land. "It's a very personal decision. Only you know what you really want, deep down." While this is true, I value the input of those that have already gone down similar roads. That's why this community online rocks

-Hudson. Yes option A leaves more options. But if I bow out early, I will have time. And with time... comes opportunity right? As somebody said (rbyham), I could get another job later if it comes down to it. I'm not worthless to society I suppose I could get paid for something. I've got vast human resources experience, have my masters in business, etc. (I also used to be in the infantry before I was wounded and had to switch, but infantrymen are not very marketable lol)

-Ann: thank you for the heartfelt thoughts. Your story is exceptional, and is one I've recognized can happen to me. Stress - absolutely it's a major issue in today's army. We are bombarded by stress reduction seminars, free training, there are even apps the army pushes us to use that take you through simple 3-5 minute breathing exercises. The army is acutely aware of the stress issues that plague the ranks (not just officers, but all of us). Our healthcare is delivered through both private (contracted) doctors, specialists, etc. It's not just a tent from a scene on Mash So I think military healthcare is ok in that sense. (am I assuming correctly you wanted me to get an outsider view / honest assessment of stress impacts etc?) But yeah. The Army is good on that front. But the work is still...yeah. I have no issues with depression or anything bad like that. I'm a very happy-go lucky guy...very positive and easy going on the outside, and much the same on the inside. I read a lot of trippy stuff that you might not expect the rank and file army to approve of. You know, Plato, Alan Watts, Vonnegut, blabbity blah.

-Lakepapa: reassignment is not an option. The army will ask for my "top 3 choices" for the next move (both location and job) and then they will proceed to find the 99th job available. Heh. It's a crapshoot. I do'nt have control.

-I think a retirement planner is a brilliant idea. Maybe a CFP? Fee only of course. I do all of my own finances. I'm not going to pay somebody to manage investments actively so they can fail to keep up with the market, right?

-newhaul: thanks for your time in the Navy. It sounds like you want me to muscle through the 7 years. However, I do still retain all of the army base / marina privileges as a reservist. Can still shop at the commissary, etc. I think I can still hop military flights also on space available basis. That kind of benefit isn't really a deciding factor.

-LLCoolDave : agreed. fee only. I am a big fan of bogleheads. Also, thank you for the bethandevans link. I perused their site and they have a TON of good articles. They are meticulous in their approach. Based on that article about cruising costs, specifically, I fall more or less in line with moderation. Their budget of 20K should be around what I spend. My income should be closer to 25-30, so undershooting that leaves room for our friend Murphy. Not if he comes, but when.

More later perhaps. But sincerely, thank you all for your candid thoughts.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by ArmySailor

-Lizzy: I'm not a big spender now. Don't expect that to change. I live off of roughly 2500 a month on land. "It's a very personal decision. Only you know what you really want, deep down." While this is true, I value the input of those that have already gone down similar roads. That's why this community online rocks

This forum does rock, doesn't it

I just think it's important to do what you really want / love. And don't wait any longer than you have to.

My dad waited pretty much all his life for "later" when he could do what he loved. And he did: he bought a 20m boat, which wasn't more than a half sunk hull, and started building. Never seen him so happy

Then he got sick, and was told he'd have one more summer. We burried him six weeks later and had to sell his boat He never even got to finish it, he went from "strong and healthy" (or so we all thought) to gone in a matter of weeks.

Which explains why I ended up living on a 29' boat saving up for cruising, instead of waiting longer and working longer to buy a bigger boat. I'm not counting on later ... I also make next to nothing (self employed now) but in all honesty ... never been happier

[Curious Sailor]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Edit:
Being frugal, my definition: cook your own (healthy) meals, make your own coffee (don't spent $3 on what Starbucks calls coffee) and replace what needs replacing, not perfectly good stuff just cos there's a newer model or something like that.

Well, I don't like Starbucks but do love the taste of my own coffee! Lol. I guess that's a step in the right direction?

Your marina fees sound very inexpensive as compare to here in the U.S. At least the ones I am familiar with...

Are you comfortable in the 29' ( what kind if you don't mind me asking) or are you looking to go bigger?

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Curious Sailor

Are you comfortable in the 29' ( what kind if you don't mind me asking) or are you looking to go bigger?

What kind of 29': see ← and ↓

Not looking to go bigger. It's just me (and the cat) and we're fine on 29'.
More room for .... stuff! would be nice, but buy a bigger boat = buy more stuff = same problem.

Having said all that ... I sometimes dream about the Hood 38 (Wauquiez). But for just me, that's way too big. And bigger boat = more costs, more maintenance etc. Not what I'm looking for.

Maybe one day a Centurion 36. Not nearly as good looking as the Hood, but wouldn't mind living on one, and cruising it

But this lilttle boat will get me to the coconuts too, provided I don't do something seriously stupid.

[lonesoldier0408]

27+ years, and now at the mercy of the VA. My head is still spinning.
Bad heart valves, dystolic heart failure, etc... Still would find it grand, to go, while at sea. Had planned to retire at 38 with 20 Active Duty years. Enlisted man, family man. Today becomes yesterday and tomorrow is not guaranteed, yet I'm still here. Many of my peers are not.


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[rbyham]

Somewhat tongue in cheek maybe you need to lay off this forum for awhile. I know from personal experience throne can be overly influenced by all the very helpful info from those already out there... ☺it is almost addictive...

[Curious Sailor]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

What kind of 29': see ← and ↓



But this lilttle boat will get me to the coconuts too, provided I don't do something seriously stupid.

How far do you have to sail to get to coconuts? That's a long trip.. Umm for the cat, you know.. Lol.

I have coconuts in my backyard.. I think a 36' would be perfect..

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Lakepapa

Hmmm, walk away from full retirement in 7 years and be able to cut the cord completely or stay tethered to the reserves in Houston.

Tough choice.

But, if the job is sucking the life out of you..

(Is reassignment to a less stressful job a possibility?)

Or, just back off on your current job. It is a government job after all, its not like you are getting compensated for all the extra effort right?

[GordMay]

Are your choices limited to Options A or B right now?
Could you choose Option A at a later date - perhaps trying B for a little while longer; with the option of bailing out later, if you truly can’t handle it?

[pbbmorton]

You can live to retire or retire to live.

Doing worry about the money worry about you happiness. if you do you will find a way.

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[belizesailor]

Money suggestion: you've managed to save up some capital. Conserve it.

If you live directly off capital it will disappeared at a surprisingly fast rate. Just $2,500 a month is $30K a year. How long can your savings sustain that?

On the other hand, $100K at 5% is $5,000/year income. Depending on how much you saved, you could put your money to work and live off the income. This way, you conserve your capital and it can continue to produce income for you...rather than just being broke down the road.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by pbbmorton

You can live to retire or retire to live.

Doing worry about the money worry about you happiness. if you do you will find a way.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

With a little forethought, you can do both.

The OP has already done one very smart thing: save aggressively. Now the trick is to conserve that advantage.

Money wont buy happiness but it sure can smooth out the bumps in the road to that destination...and allow you to enjoy it sustainably rather than just make a brief visit.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Are your choices limited to Options A or B right now?
Could you choose Option A at a later date - perhaps trying B for a little while longer; with the option of bailing out later, if you truly can’t handle it?

Good suggestion. People get locked into the decisions they think they "have to" make....there is always a more adventageous hybrid.

[Curious Sailor]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

Here is a pretty good measure....

http://www.bethandevans.com/pdf/costofcruising.pdf

Thanks LL! Awesome info....