Month 2 Expenses & Costs of Cruising

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

It's not a contest to see who can spend the least amount of money.

And cruising isn't about sailing. And transiting from one location to another for the season isn't about cruising either.

[Sandero]

Living on a boat will have many of the same costs as living ashore.... food, medical, clothing, maintenance, insurance, travel, etc. It's just that they are different values.

You don't drive the car to the market and load up on groceries and store them in a huge freezer... you shop at the most accessible market to the dock/shore. Local prices will be different wherever you are.

If your boat is in good condition maintenance should not be too bad... like replacing an engine... etc... or even a winch or a sail. .. or a huge bank of batteries These things do require maintenance and reach the end of their service life. These costs are to be expected. The maintenance and operating costs are directly related to the size, type, condition and age of a boat, where it is sailed and how hard it is used and how well it has been maintained.

Fuel use depends on how much motoring and genset (if you have one) use. Food also depends on your palette.

Assuming you want to do more than steer, stand watch, eat, sleep, clean and maintain... you may have variable expenses... for *tourism* or entertainment and of course where you are cruising.

Long and short of this... is that there is no one size fits all budget.

I suppose the issue is that people want to cut the lines and live aboard and cruise and need to know in advance that they can afford the lifestyle.

Count on it costing more than you imagined or planned for. ;-)

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Living on a boat will have many of the same costs as living ashore.... food, medical, clothing, maintenance, insurance, travel, etc. It's just that they are different values.

You don't drive the car to the market and load up on groceries and store them in a huge freezer... you shop at the most accessible market to the dock/shore. Local prices will be different wherever you are. ................

Long and short of this... is that there is no one size fits all budget.

I suppose the issue is that people want to cut the lines and live aboard and cruise and need to know in advance that they can afford the lifestyle.

Count on it costing more than you imagined or planned for. ;-)

I rent a car for short money from a reputable source instead of having my wife hire a cab, pick her up at the airport then do a major shopping trip at the big discount supermarket. The discounted prices are usually more than enough to pay for the car. Then we load up the big deep freezer.

Plan B: Ride my folding bike with trailer to the big supermarket and load up with up to 80 pounds of groceries.

Life is much cheaper when one eliminates ownership costs of an automobile.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

And cruising isn't about sailing. And transiting from one location to another for the season isn't about cruising either.

We stay, enjoy, look around, dine out, meet and get to know the locals, then move on. Then repeat.

Very little time is actually spent sailing.

[ur2slo]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

It's not a contest to see who can spend the least amount of money.

The road to wisdom is paved with the broken rubble of excess.


This has been one of the better threads lately. The info garnered is interesting.

Thanks all

[boatman61]

Don.. you guys are still in 'Novelty Mode'..
It'll change soon enough..

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I rent a car for short money from a reputable source instead of having my wife hire a cab, pick her up at the airport then do a major shopping trip at the big discount supermarket. The discounted prices are usually more than enough to pay for the car. Then we load up the big deep freezer.

Plan B: Ride my folding bike with trailer to the big supermarket and load up with up to 80 pounds of groceries.

Life is much cheaper when one eliminates ownership costs of an automobile.

Try that in St Vincent... report back on how well that goes.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by ur2slo

The road to wisdom is paved with the broken rubble of excess.


This has been one of the better threads lately. The info garnered is interesting.

Thanks all

Read Post #48

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Try that in St Vincent... report back on how well that goes.

So why do you stay there? Maybe that's why we chose the Mediterranean instead. Did you consider that?

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

So why do you stay there? Maybe that's why we chose the Mediterranean instead. Did you consider that?

Why not try offering up something constructive next time.

I started cruising in Southern NE in a temperate climate and chose to head south the the tropics not cross the pond and hang out with Europeans... who I have nothing against and have visited Europe scores of times in my life.... even lived in Italy and the Canaries. The southern shore of Europe is much like NE in terms of development... and so forth... you can find hyper markets and so forth usually. There is one in Guadeloupe however.

Like many people from *civilization* I chose to leave that behind for a few years... and expose myself to a very different lifestyle and various cultures.

The actual sailing in the Caribe was fabulous because of the trades... and the climate... no mistral or tramontana and so on.

Different strokes.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Try that in St Vincent... report back on how well that goes.

So.... You can't ride a bike over there? I don't understand the point you're trying to make.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Don.. you guys are still in 'Novelty Mode'..
It'll change soon enough..

I think once we aren't in the "get south faster" mode that we can basically stay in "novelty mode" and be on budget. Afterall I did budget for the novelty.

I post these threads as info, not as "how can I do it for less". I know how much I'm spending and where it goes, which is way better than the BS "you will spend whatever you have" budget answers.

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

So.... You can't ride a bike over there? I don't understand the point you're trying to make.

If you like biking in mountains... go for it.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Sandero

If you like biking in mountains... go for it.

I do like mountains. Now I understand your post

Have a nice Thanksgiving!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I think once we aren't in the "get south faster" mode that we can basically stay in "novelty mode" and be on budget. Afterall I did budget for the novelty.

I post these threads as info, not as "how can I do it for less". I know how much I'm spending and where it goes, which is way better than the BS "you will spend whatever you have" budget answers.

That's basically what I meant.. on the move all the time make it simpler to go ashore.. and its not exactly white beaches, palm trees and crystal waters.. its the ICW..
Once in your cruising area life will settle down into a more 'domestic?' routine and you'll come down to the $$ region you were planning.
Not being critical at all.. been there, done that.. still do..