Month 3 Expenses & Costs of Cruising

[a64pilot]

They are enjoying themselves, some may say living the high life.
I say good, that's why we worked so hard and so long and saved, so we could retire and enjoy what's left of our lives.
Yes they could do it much cheaper, but I like seeing real numbers from a couple that are out to enjoy themselves, cause we intend to as well.
If I had to I am sure we could live on $1,000 a month eating Ramen and only drinking water and buying our clothes second hand.
But I don't want to have to and therefore like to see numbers of people enjoying themselves and not just getting by.

[Teknishn]

Sailorboy1, many thanks for posting your info. Have been watching it closely as I am preparing to repatriate to the States after being gone for 20-years and am planning to move aboard my plastic classic in the Chesapeake Bay area in April of next year (would go now but my old body couldn't handle the winter temps right now). That, and still have to upgrade the boat to be a full-time coastal cruiser.

Looking at what you are spending for 2 people, I can see that with my lifestyle as a single live-aboard on a smaller boat that I should have no problem living well within my estimated monthly budget and still save money for annual maintenance and repairs (Oh, BTW..MacDonald's is not dining....Taco Bell is tho' :-) Haven't had T-Bell in 15 years....can't wait!

Many Thanks again and keep them coming!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

(Oh, BTW..MacDonald's is not dining....Taco Bell is tho' :-) Haven't had T-Bell in 15 years....can't wait!
:

Yuck..!! Vomit in a wrap.. on a par with Tripe and Onions... Puke..!!

[a64pilot]

There is another set of very viable numbers out there, SV BeBe I think, their expenses for a circumnavigation on a large nice boat have run about 5K, but they have some large expenses that amortize out too.

[Sun and Moon]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Wow, good question Sailorboy1. Very impressive coming for you.

Some of us are supporting family members and ex-wives in their time of need due to life threatening medical problems (out of pocket) or maybe bad choices in life.

I could have retired at 50 or so if I decided to not help.

Besides that, I believe there is more to life than being on a boat 24/7. But don't misunderstand, I just left my boat 30 minutes ago and enjoy being on the water whenever I can. You know, the boat I paid $2,000 for that can easily sail wherever your $100,000 plus boat can

I'm hoping you will get a chance to learn a bit about life this time so you don't have to repeat it over and over before taking the next step

Wow, did you find a few sour grapes in your garden? If you stop wasting so much time on CF you could use the time to go out and get a part time job and earn extra income. Eventually you could go cruising, too.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Sun and Moon

Wow, did you find a few sour grapes in your garden? If you stop wasting so much time on CF you could use the time to go out and get a part time job and earn extra income. Eventually you could go cruising, too.

I enjoy wasting time on CF during breaks while working because I like boats and being on the water

Sailorboy1 has sent me several nasty messages in the past either through the thanks method or PM simply because I have corrected the inaccurate statements he used to post here.

I have already "cruised" many of the places sailorboy1 is passing through and will pass through either on a 17'-20' beach cat (while racing) or 16'-17' power boat while I was working a part time job, err..............running the entire contract at the location I was currently at.

The reason I still post on some of SB1's threads is because I'm hoping he will tell me something new about cruising the ICW or maybe over to the Bahamas that I haven't already done or witnessed. Since he is a beginner, I'm hoping he can shed some light.

We used to race to islands out in the Gulf 12-15 miles offshore with our 17' beach cats. Sailorboy1 is working up to that though on his 40 plus foot Hunter condo.

Maybe his new knowledge will help you also ......

[weavis]

We need to remind each other of the be nice rule. It applies to everyone.

[a64pilot]

Thomm,
You sound awfully jealous, stay the course, one day it can be you out there, until then how about backing off SB?

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I do the expensive review monthly when my credit card cycle closes. Since I use my credit card for 99% of stuff that makes it it easy to keep track of. While I do have an MBA and know how to do it, I'm not interested in doing detailed accounting and it all will average out at my death.

So costs from me will continue to be reported in the month they were paid for (things I used cash on) or show up on my credit card statement.

You have an MBA...we'll start using simpler words!! Sorry couldn't resist, everytime someone tells me they have an MBA I still think of that Fedex comercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcoDV0dhWPA

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by pcmm

You have an MBA...we'll start using simpler words!! []

That would be helpful, goes along with why I have to use initials instead of trying to spell things all the way out

[SV DestinyAscen]

You do you and what makes you and your Mrs happy. Don't let the nauseated negativity ruin this thread.

[landlockedsquid]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Only doing the monthly numbers, I take enough grief for this to consider a weekly thing.

There are 2 of us on the boat, wife and myself.

THX. I appreciate the info, and hope you will ignore the crabs and continue to share your adventure.

[smj]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

They are enjoying themselves, some may say living the high life.
I say good, that's why we worked so hard and so long and saved, so we could retire and enjoy what's left of our lives.
Yes they could do it much cheaper, but I like seeing real numbers from a couple that are out to enjoy themselves, cause we intend to as well.
If I had to I am sure we could live on $1,000 a month eating Ramen and only drinking water and buying our clothes second hand.
But I don't want to have to and therefore like to see numbers of people enjoying themselves and not just getting by.

Funny, as someone slightly higher on the food chain than you would probably consider your budget as just getting by, where theirs would be enjoying themselves. Guess it's all relative?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by smj

Funny, as someone slightly higher on the food chain than you would probably consider your budget as just getting by, where theirs would be enjoying themselves. Guess it's all relative?

The point is that it is possible to cruise happily on a wide variety of boats and budgets. It is possible to adapt one's lifestyle so that cruising is possible on pretty limited budgets IF you want it badly enough. We hear from posters who say they won't go cruising if they have to give up this or that feature of their normal lives, and that's ok for them. Others adapt to the available money and cruise away... it's all in the balance between desire and reality.

When SB1 and others post honest reports of their spending, it can be a benchmark for other newbies, or it can give a false sense of what cruising life costs. It's up to the newbie to determine if SB1's life and spending pattern is like his own, and whether the data reflects how he will live and spend.

Having been actively cruising for a lot of years now, I've got a good handle on our expenses. For personal reasons I prefer not to share that info, but I can say that over the years we've had big outlay times and economy times. Most of the big expenses were not predicted... things like dismasting and knee replacements never appeared in our projections; we were glad that we had a decent emergency cushion in the budget. It was a degree of frugality that had enabled that cushion, both before we left and whilst we cruised. Living below your means is a healthy economy IMO, no matter where on the socio-economic scale you appear.

So, for those that care to share the info, post away. It may well be of use to folks in their planning.

Jim

[weavis]

Members who contribute their time and effort to give a synopsis of costs related to cruising are appreciated because it may indeed give a perview for others contemplating taking the plunge into extended sailing.

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