Cruising Budget, Part II

[boatman61]

My 'Budget' is grateful my stomach/mouth hates fish....
So's Rui and Jorge... the owners at my favourite bars...

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by John A

by the numbers:
!. I never do that
2. None
3. Walk or maxi-taxi (35 cents per trip)
4. $100 per week, average
5. $7-$10 every two weeks
6. $200 a month if I stay away from resorts and chartering locations
7. $200-$300 a month - depending
8. I sail,

As you can see, it depends on what your lifesytle is comfortable with.

By the numbers I don't need. What I need is "What are you spending money on", not how much.

I know not everyone has a slip, I may or may not depending on the time of year, location (I have access to a few houses that have docks). I know others will purchase a junker car to get around if they plan to stay someplace for a while, others will walk/take public transportation. In some countries public transportation can be very cheap, in NYC you have to mortgage your boat to take a taxi. Everyone pays for food and laundry, unless they do nothing but fish and grow their own veggies, and clean their stuff on the rocks. Intertainment varies month to month, and place to place. As far as fuel, yes, you sail, but do you ever run a generator? Motor into a harbor? Use propane or alcohol for cooking? I'm looking for any expenses I didn't list. If I got everything then my inflow and outgo will balance, if I missed something I will be unpleasently surprised.

[John A]

Sorry if the answer was unsatisfactory. So I'll give you the standerd respons- it depends on what you like to spend money on.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by John A

Sorry if the answer was unsatisfactory. So I'll give you the standerd respons- it depends on what you like to spend money on.

No, your answer was fine, I just didn't explain the question right.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

I think Don is thinking more of a liveaboard budget as opposed to cruising.

I would add 2 emergency funds- one for unexpected boat expenses and one for medical/personal emergencies.

Mimsy is right. A budget for living aboard at a marina is way different than a kitty while cruising.

An Example -

NE Florida to Miami
Dollars spent while underway - none
In Miami - fresh provisions, beer, diesel, water(free), new inverter for the blown one that runs the freezer.

Miami to Cartagena, Colombia
Dollars spent while underway - none
In Colombia - Entry Fees, Beer, Provisions, Water (free), Diesel, 3 T-Sirts and a Cap.

[SaucySailoress]

I don't see anything in your budget for clothes and shoes... These will need replacing eventually...

And I also don't see a budget for flights. You know, weddings, funerals and ski trips...

Water - does that come under the grocery budget? Visa stamps for entry to new countries; and bribes.

[scallywag]

Insurance - Dental, Health, Medivac, Yacht
Flights to visit friends, relatives, or attend funerals
Replacement of Engine, Sails, electronics (not necessarily covered in maintenance)
Maintenance-impellers, fuel filters, lines,

[Don1500]

OK, I give up. Everyone has expenses, and nobodys expenses are the same as anyone else's.

1. Slip (Including utilities and "liveaboard" fees) -=> This may be $25 a foot at a marina or $0 on the hook, it still needs to be counted. (On the hook with $5 an hour to park your dinghy)
2. Insurance - Most marinas require it, some people like to think that if they hit someone that someone should pay for the damage (How are you going to pay for a $30,000 boat you just sunk? "Opps, sorry" doesn't get it.) Even the best sailor's have accedents.
3. Transportation (Land) - Walk or take a limo, it counts
4. Food (including House keeping staples) - Common to everyone
5. Laundry - Live naked or wear filth - or pay to get it cleaned.
6. Intertainment - Sitting on the boat, watching people is heaven for some, hell for others.
7. Emergency fund - Emergencies crop up, either the boat or you, this is to plan for that occurance. At the end of the year you can use this to have a bottom painting party. (Hers or your boats, whichever needs it more.)
8. Fuel - Everybodies got to burn sometime. Motovate, heat, cook.

Did I miss any expenses that happen to everyone, even if some do get around some of them? How much will I spend, I don't know for sure but I need each catagory to get a starting point.

[Don1500]

How will I determine if I have enough?
First I will plug in some estimates:
Slip $400
Insurance $50
Transportation $50
Food $100
Laundry $10
Entertainment $140
Emergency $200
Fuel $50
Health Insurance $700

Estimated Total for that is $1700. My income is about that and will increase in two years because of a pension that will kick in and Social Security. I will jump start the emergency fund with whatever is left from the boat fund (Price of boat + refit) and $1000 more. As far as "Can I afford to do this?", that isn't the question. The bigger question is, "What will it cost me to do a more traditional life style, without moving in with my daughter?". The answer to that one is "MORE", and I would hate it.

I can sustain this with the money I have on hand for the next 30 years. Not one male in the history of my family has seen 85 years old, I don't expect to either. I'm more than covered. And if I can get 5% on my investments (Their running 6.5% now) this can go on indefinately.

[RTB]

Have you looked at Livia's thread? http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ing-56694.html

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Did I miss any expenses that happen to everyone, even if some do get around some of them? How much will I spend, I don't know for sure but I need each catagory to get a starting point.

Don1500, the problem here is that we all do it differently. The only expense that everyone incurs is food. There are many cruisers who consider a slip to be a needless extravagance. On the other hand, there are cruisers who wouldn't dream of heading offshore without a sat phone. Do you need a sat phone? I can no more advise you on that question than on the question of whether you need propane. People have circled the globe without burning any propane, and yet I use at least 25 gallons per year. Why? Because I cook a large percentage of meals on the BBQ. But there are zillions of cruisers who have no need for a BBQ. Or an oven.

Your list includes "needs" that are not particular to all cruisers, such as "entertainment." When you say you'll use Netflix, that won't make sense to a lot of cruisers. Where is Netflix going to mail your movies? Do you plan on only anchoring in coves with a Netflix dropbox? I suspect this is why people think you've confused "cruising" with "living aboard." A lot of liveaboards subscribe to Netflix, I should think, but not a lot of cruisers.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Saucy Sailoress

earning an astounding .5% interest. ...

Don't tell me you have it in a Savings account! Even a CD will bring in 3% if you look hard enough. And remember the more you have to invest with a company the higher the interest rate you can get.

[tager]

I just have to brag. My expenses are REALLY LOW.
Slip $348
Insurance $0
Transportation $0 (CHEAP bicycle)
Food $200 (Work in foodservice, so only buy raw organic veggies, I get all the free coffee/carbs/unhealthy junk I could eat.)
Laundry $10
Entertainment $60 (Mostly spent at the bar)
Emergency $0
Fuel $5 (About a gallon a month!)
Health Insurance $0

Woo hoo! More money for ME!

[PamlicoTraveler]

tager....hopefully you don't get sick or drag anchor. I kinf of like the concept of self-insuring, but I'm not brave enough to do it.

Health insurance is a real tough one for me to sort out.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Saucy Sailoress

and bribes.

Troublemaker! Congrats on your new "MOD JOB"!