Month 30 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[kmacdonald]

My wife and I get a $100 each back on insurance if we get blood work done with our yearly physicals. I put everything on my credit card and get cash back (a lot) on that. It really is smart not to leave steak on the table.

[lfalco]

No comments, no heckles, just thanks for being so diligent in posting every month. I’ll be joining your ranks soon and this is all excellent info to get a jump on things and better ideas on what to anticipate. Keep posting!

[MV Wanderlust]

Sounds like you had a nice vacation, SB. Good for you to get away. What’s the $300 marina expense, a mooring ball? Did they let you leave your dinghy ashore the whole time of did they provide water taxi service? I ask because we’re not far from casting off and will likely be doing the same.

[sailorboy1]

I was still at a slip. That was the monthly cost. But I've left my dinghy at a dinghy dock while on mooring for a week. Some places have a launch but it rarely works out far as time of day,

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I was still at a slip. That was the monthly cost. But I've left my dinghy at a dinghy dock while on mooring for a week. Some places have a launch but it rarely works out far as time of day,

That’s a heck of a deal for a slip rental. No wonder your expenses are so reasonable... you’re a hell of a negotiator. 😉

[sailorboy1]

And it had all the electric you wanted for $20

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks Don. Always good to see how others live.

Interesting that if you remove your entertainment and dining-out expenses, and if I swap out our marina costs with yours (a lot lower), then your costs get pretty close to mine.

[sailorboy1]

see, I'm frugal :-)

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

see, I'm frugal :-)

I always knew you were one of us .

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I thought that this attitude was what cruising was all about! At least, it is for us...

But SB, while I neither envy nor desire your style of cruising, posting your fairly detailed and specific data may well help others with planning. It would be good if some other dedicated folks whose style is more minimal would post equally detailed info, something to show folks who aspire to a more economical cruising adventure some equally real data.

I'm far too lazy myself... are there any volunteers?

Jim

I would, but my costs area all over the place.
We are cruising the Bahamas on a few hundred dollars a month, but only cause we spent thousands on filling the boat with spare parts and food before we left, so we shifted expenses, it’s not sustainable.
In truth, I know I have x amount of money to spend every month, I try to put $1,000 a month in savings, so far that has kept us good, for when Insurence comes due etc.
Since real full time cruising, we have been able to save at least twice that amount.
There is an initial shake out of new systems of course, but once a few months have gone by and the systems are dialed in, it seems it takes very little to actually maintain.

Other than living under a bridge, I can’t imagine living cheaper than on a boat, actual cruising will of course increase expenses, but not as much as many might think.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I thought that this attitude was what cruising was all about! At least, it is for us...

But SB, while I neither envy nor desire your style of cruising, posting your fairly detailed and specific data may well help others with planning. It would be good if some other dedicated folks whose style is more minimal would post equally detailed info, something to show folks who aspire to a more economical cruising adventure some equally real data.

I'm far too lazy myself... are there any volunteers?

Jim

I’ve been posting our expenses down to the penny since we cut the dock lines in September. Interestingly, last month was our cheapest by far and that post had virtually no comments. I think people prefer disaster porn, as I call it.

[thomm225]

For the amount of money you spend just to anchor or stay at a marina along the ICW, many could own a home and have a boat and do the same thing. Possibly an apartment also.

For those of you considering the ICW Cruising Life, don't sell your home until you've cruised for a couple years

[sailorboy1]

Well that’s just wrong.

For those considering cruising, don’t take advise from those that haven’t. Don’t accept budget answers from them either. Here on CF there a lot of current and past cruisers, but to my knowledge only 3 posting real life documented costs. If you dig in cruiser blogs you can find some that have cost numbers also.

Your costs most likely will not match my costs. I try to provide enough details to allow readers to adjust my numbers to their expected lifestyle and choices.

[sailorboy1]

all fun got sucked right of the thread

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I try to provide enough details to allow readers to adjust my numbers to their expected lifestyle and choices.

And therein lies the truest value to those of us who are close to casting off the lines. We appreciate it and I, for one, intend to pay it forward when our time comes. The fun hasn't been sucked out, SB. Thanks again.