Month 35 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[Stewie1]

There is no doubt about it almost anything, anywhere in Europe, with the exception of the UK, costs less than the USA. Dining out and booze, about one third of US prices. Food, fruit and veg costs way less.

[tarian]

Not many people cruise to SB,s Budget and I cringe to see some of the Costs , but its their money spend as you like.
And as an observation I do belive this is a forum for like minded people to be able to critque in a helpful way and for adults to take it on the chin
I like seeing other comparisons from the real world of cruising , and not some ones large oyster in a Marina with their AC on with Netflixs on ordering Lobster and watching their rather large TV , but again that is me and I do not mind being poked fun at for my scrooge ways.
If you want to post on forums and the like expect a little comeback , it makes then more intresting

[brendanwalls]

I welcome both perspectives. I'm dreaming about eventually living on my boat (as did the PO) and then maybe cross the pond and do the Mediterranean Loop in order to select a good port to retire in and eventually die. I find it hard to believe there are slips to be had for free anywhere. I thought there was no such thing as a free lunch? I would love it to be more affordable than $5K a month.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Ha! I can beat you all. This month’s expenditures are $11.95 for a museum, perhaps $32 for cell, and $45 for our inReach.

… always fun to watch these threads. Keep it up SB. And don’t mind Ken. In so many ways, he lives in an alternate universe.

Maybe so... We’ve found Greece to be so beautiful and affordable, that along with having a boat with good bones, self-sufficiency and lower operating costs... we’ve decided to keep both boats. It doesn’t have to be on an Oyster, but if folks strive for self-sufficiency, it’s truly unbelievable just how affordable the world can be outside the USA, Canada, the UK and a few other first world countries.

I’m sure the cruisers living in Mexico feel the same way when viewing the USA monthly cruising costs. I fully expect the Caribbean to cost more in the neighborhood of $40 per day on our 62... we’ll let you all know.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by brendanwalls

I welcome both perspectives. I'm dreaming about eventually living on my boat (as did the PO) and then maybe cross the pond and do the Mediterranean Loop in order to select a good port to retire in and eventually die. I find it hard to believe there are slips to be had for free anywhere. I thought there was no such thing as a free lunch? I would love it to be more affordable than $5K a month.

If I wish to stay on the town dock Med moored with the other cruising boats here in Greece, our daily fee is €10.... sometimes free. Just check noonsite if you don’t believe me... since some seem to think I live in an alternate universe.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by brendanwalls

... I find it hard to believe there are slips to be had for free anywhere. I thought there was no such thing as a free lunch?...

Slips all cost money (even with lunch); but it's free to anchor everywhere I've ever been.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Ha! I can beat you all. This month’s expenditures are $11.95 for a museum, perhaps $32 for cell, and $45 for our inReach.

… always fun to watch these threads. Keep it up SB. And don’t mind Ken. In so many ways, he lives in an alternate universe.

I enjoy Sailor's Boys threads too, very much. It always starts some interesting (and usually friendly) alternate ideas.
But Mike based on your comments above, Mike what do you do for food?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by grantmc

I enjoy Sailor's Boys threads too, very much. It always starts some interesting (and usually friendly) alternate ideas.
But Mike based on your comments above, Mike what do you do for food?

Food does not have to cost anywhere near what Americans pay for it. We pay less than 50% for what the same products cost us in America, and waste much less.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by grantmc

I enjoy Sailor's Boys threads too, very much. It always starts some interesting (and usually friendly) alternate ideas.
But Mike based on your comments above, Mike what do you do for food?

I’ve been off the dock for more than a month now, sailing around the northern tip of Newfoundland. I’ve got a fully stocked boat that is equipped to be self-sufficient for long periods of time. So, not much chance to spend money, even if I wanted to.

But I was just trying to interject a bit of humour into this discussion. It always seems to take on the same character every month. SB posts his data. Some people thank him, some pick at the details, and a few make silly statements (like mine ).

My total expenses are significantly lower than SB’s. But if you remove his discretionary spending, and consider that my dockage/marina costs are much lower up here, then we often come pretty close.

[svspirited]

Originally Posted by grantmc

I enjoy Sailor's Boys threads too, very much. It always starts some interesting (and usually friendly) alternate ideas.
But Mike based on your comments above, Mike what do you do for food?

I think the food thing is what throws people off. Food in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and a few other places in the Med is absurdly cheap when comparing to the US, Bahamas, Carrib, etc. Lots of other things in the Med are expensive but food and wine are not among them. I know plenty of well pampered people that come back telling me how amazing it is to go into a nice restaurant in Greece, get wine for 1 or 2 EU a glass and a meal for 4 for under 50 EU. You can easily get a couple of weeks worth of groceries for under 100 EU. I don't know why it is so cheap there but it really is. The same meal in NYC would have set them back hundreds of USD and good luck getting a week's worth of groceries for under $100USD anywhere in the states, unless of course you eat nothing by ramen noodles...

[wolfgal]

Thanks Sailorboy, for this, much appreciated. your posts always interest me

and hats off to Mike for keeping his spending (and, when we think about it, carbon footprint) so minimal. i appreciate this input.

and yes, it is amazing how food can be less expensive in greece, spain and portugal.

and i agree with Ken concerning Greece. i spent 3 weeks sailing there a few years ago. we would eat breakfast on the boat, sail all day long and (sometimes swim during the day or at night when anchored out); and then we would usually eat in a restaurant in a different port at night. i was absolutely amazed how i systematically spent less than 6 euros for an amazingly ample greek salad most every evening!!! (i miss the feta cheese and olives just thinking about it!).

this may not sound like it was enough calories so to keep me sailing/swimming each day, but i always felt as though i was getting enough. the rather warm temps and beautiful sailing surely helped for that.

[thomm225]

Thanks for the post Sailorboy1.

Maybe you will inspire others to sail to the Gulf Coast at the hottest time of the year and totally in hurricane alley.

When I lived in Pensacola (for 12 years not a couple months), we had maybe 8 hurricanes with Ivan in 2004 being the worst. Cat 3/4.

Ivan was one of the new style hurricanes with Katrina following in 2005. The eye came right in Pensacola Pass. There were numerous tornadoes accompanying this storm. I was at a lady friends house and while she was huddled under the stair case I was having a few beers trying to view the storm but had to hit the deck several times due to wild increases in air pressure.

Ivan had a 14'-18' surge depending on where you were.

I almost moved back to my beach side apartment in August of that year, but it didn't work out. That apartment had 8' of water in it during the surge

Katrina had a 26' surge. It hit in August.

Hopefully you will not have to experience that.

Ivan hit thankfully in Mid September so when we lost power for 2 weeks it was tolerable. I'll never forget the 2nd morning after the storm while brewing coffee at 4 am on one of the apartments grills. I had some matchlight charcoal which allowed me to do this. Point is with all the power off the sky was clear and there were TONS of stars

We were on curfew and had to be back home by 4 pm during this period due to the looting of destroyed homes that had been abandoned by owners that left before the storm. This was enforced by the National Guard and police but lots was stolen before hand

Maybe 80% of the homes had tarps for a roof afterward

Then the ripoff contractors arrived.....

https://www.google.com/search?q=2004...=1566162705084

[daletournier]

Im not sure how some do it so cheap.

We live mainly on the hook, the boat is self sufficient , solar , watermaker etc. Sukha is in better condition than many cruising boats, i havent hauled out in 3 years as I have dive gear and clean bottom etc myself. I do all work on the boat myself, Im an ex motor mechanic. The boat had a major refit when I left Australia 3 years ago, new sails rigging etc.

Its costs me approx $100 usd /day, i record all expenses daily. This $100 includes all costs, some days are nothing, in fact i had a whole mth this year with not one expense BUT somedays cost 1,000's ie a tax bill etc. We eat out several times per week but nothing flash.

My boat most likely does more miles per year than many here, this could and should account for some extra cost BUT when you take all costs into account, this includes absolutely everything it would be hard to get the daily expenses down......cur the meals a shore out and I may save 100 bucks per week....may.

I quiz other couples I cruise with and most that I talk to are around this figurevor higher, these are long distance cruisers.

Im hauling on Thursday, im likely to drop 8-10k by the time Ive finished, I could delay this but thats all it is, a delay, the cost is still coming or the boats deteriorating.

[RickG]

I always enjoy reading these budget posts. Living on the Chesapeake Bay, we pretty much needed the a/c about half the time in the summer. That drove the need to have a marina base. The weather in the Caribbean is cooler in the summer, until the trade winds die in September. We're looking for to living on the hook this winter cheaper. If cheaper is possible in the Virgin Islands. Food is a lot cheaper on Puerto Rico.

Cheers, RickG

[Quadrille in JB]

I cruise in the summer with a couple on a 41” Morgan in the Med. Their budget is $2500 usd per month, including fuel, marinas, food, eating out, entertainment, maintenance, etc. It doesn’t include insurance. And they live quite well on this amount, staying mostly in marinas. Traveling thru the French canal system from Port Napoleon near Marseille to Amsterdam we often stayed at city docks for 2€ per night including electricity. What a great way to live.