Month 35 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by scallowayuk

i cruise on less than that but im singlehanded.in the last year i averaged 57 euros a week. but i dont do marinas.

The categories that a singlehander spends less are food on boat or ashore and entertainment. That would increase the expenses little and proportionally. Some think that one person spends half of a couple but on a boat that is not reality.

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

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.

That's all well and good, but some of us have grown accustomed to first world living (it's all I've even known )

I'll keep to that, even if it costs me a bit more, you can have your second (or third) world living.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Mike,



I’m quite sure if you were over here in Greece cruising along side us, that our monthly expenditures would be roughly the same, due to our boats having been prepped similarly before our cruising days began and our frugal spending habits. The only difference being, that you’d probably eat out more often. Many times we’re finding the restaurant food to be costing less than the cost of the ingredients to make it ourselves.

Quite possibly. Hard to understand how a restaurant meal can be cheaper than making it at home, but if you say so...

But this would mean I'd be anchoring close to urbaness. Here's my idea of the perfect spot

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

That's all well and good, but some of us have grown accustomed to first world living (it's all I've even known )

I'll keep to that, even if it costs me a bit more, you can have your second (or third) world living.

Greece, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Montenegro and Italy... Third World???

Really?... You can’t be serious..

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by daletournier

All though many of us do big fitouts prior to leaving theres still the upgrades along the way, not necessarily needs but wants.

Few of us "dont" add stuff as we go, I'm abit of a boat geek therefore I like making it better.

Eg, I had a old RL70 Raytheon plotter in the cockpit, it's really outdated regarding chart purchasing for a rtw cruising, I recently replaced it with a Raymarine Axiom, did I need to? Nope, could of kept using a tablet upstairs and open cpn downstairs BUT I dont like things that dont work well on my boat, therefore another boat buck gets thrown away. Can I afford to spend on luxury like a axiom? I dont know, ask me in 20 years time and I'll know...lol.

That’s a good point. Sailorboy’s comment about our maintenance costs piqued my curiousity so I took a look at what they consisted of. 75% of the total were upgrades - furler and converted sail, autopilot, Engel fridge, along with a $2,000 repair after an unfortunate run-in with a damned underwater dike in the Delaware Bay. These ideally will be one and dones, which bodes well for our future expenses.

That being said, I do agree that there generally isn’t a significant difference in maintenance costs - especially if you DIY - until you’re get to the big ticket items (sails, rigging, etc.), which fortunately for all of are infrequent expenses.

[Dan Mosby]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

And perhaps most importantly, we have zero debt. Everything we own, including the boat, is free and clear.

SSSHhhHhhhhhh.....they'll hear you.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

That's all well and good, but some of us have grown accustomed to first world living (it's all I've even known )

I'll keep to that, even if it costs me a bit more, you can have your second (or third) world living.

You really don't have to. It's actually much more fun to go up the market, talk to people, get fresh food, get a local bus for pennies, row ashore and have a chat on the way to some fishermen, do your own maintenance etc, etc, etc. Which all can be done instinctively with just a little practice. Just google neuroplasticity - you can rewire your brain

Much of 1st world living is behavior programed to make you spend more, not be happier

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Greece, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Montenegro and Italy... Third World???

Really?... You can’t be serious..

Those are second world, you know, in between first and third. Mostly because of their, shall I say corrupt (and/or completely insane) legal systems. (didn't Italy fine and/or jail some geologists for NOT forecasting an earthquake?)

Being poor in a first world country is like being rich in a third world country.

You don't wan't to go up against the law (which is unreliable at least, completely corrupt at the worst) in a second world country.

You don't want to be poor in a third world country.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

Those are second world, you know, in between first and third. Mostly because of their, shall I say corrupt (and/or completely insane) legal systems. (didn't Italy fine and/or jail some geologists for NOT forecasting an earthquake?)

Being poor in a first world country is like being rich in a third world country.

You don't wan't to go up against the law (which is unreliable at least, completely corrupt at the worst) in a second world country.

You don't want to be poor in a third world country.

Unbelievable.... I actually thought you were joking.

[jmh2002]

Non americans don't really rate the legal system in the USA either you know...

And having lived in many countries in europe, also including ones that would be classed as second and third world in the context being discussed here, I can easily state that in a lot of cases living in those countries is way better in many ways than so called 'first world living' stateside.

Better food, better everyday standard of living, better healthcare, better public transport, safer, the list goes on and on...

It can be surprising how 'first world' many second and third world countries can be, and conversely how 'third world' some first world countries manage to easily become

[daletournier]

Isnt the US 1st world, 2nd world and 3rd world depending on which parts of which cities you live in?.......let me just put my flak jacket on

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by conachair

You really don't have to. It's actually much more fun to go up the market, talk to people, get fresh food, get a local bus for pennies, row ashore and have a chat on the way to some fishermen, do your own maintenance etc, etc, etc. Which all can be done instinctively with just a little practice. Just google neuroplasticity - you can rewire your brain

Much of 1st world living is behavior programed to make you spend more, not be happier

I do all of that here in the US, mostly to keep the cost of first world living within my budget. I get my produce at a farmers market (actually on a farm) in season, so I know the people who grow some of my food. I do all my maintenance (house and auto, I don't own a boat). I have bought fish dockside when chartering on LI Sound.

I'm debt free except for my mortgage, which is less than monthly rental on a two bedroom apartment (I have a four bedroom house) in my area, and I get to cash that out when no longer needed. I live on 7 acres less than an hour from NYC. I pass more farms on my way to work than traffic lights. Best of both worlds (rural/urban) really.

So, I'm quite happy, while it sounds like some of you have limited your options because of your frugalness.

You get what you pay for, and for me, cost is not the first issue. Quality of things purchased and enjoyment of the time spent is more important to me.

Do you want to spend more for front row seats, or be stuck in the bleachers?

[sailorboy1]

I see from various posts I'm wrong again! Im not even going to borther saying otherwise. I just post my data and my opinion from a couch in my parents basement in Ohio. Hard to believe anyone really believes any of it. ;-)

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

I do all of that here in the US, mostly to keep the cost of first world living within my budget. I get my produce at a farmers market (actually on a farm) in season, so I know the people who grow some of my food. I do all my maintenance (house and auto, I don't own a boat). I have bought fish dockside when chartering on LI Sound.

I'm debt free except for my mortgage, which is less than monthly rental on a two bedroom apartment (I have a four bedroom house) in my area, and I get to cash that out when no longer needed. I live on 7 acres less than an hour from NYC. I pass more farms on my way to work than traffic lights. Best of both worlds (rural/urban) really.

So, I'm quite happy, while it sounds like some of you have limited your options because of your frugalness.

You get what you pay for, and for me, cost is not the first issue. Quality of things purchased and enjoyment of the time spent is more important to me.

Do you want to spend more for front row seats, or be stuck in the bleachers?

I’m presently limited to Italy, Croatia, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Turkey, the entire east Coast of the United States and Canada along with the entire Caribbean “because of [my] frugalness.”

[jhulmer]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I see from various posts I'm wrong again! Im not even going to borther saying otherwise. I just post my data and my opinion from a couch in my parents basement in Ohio. Hard to believe anyone really believes any of it. ;-)

SB some months the discussion just gets a little lively. Quite entertaining really.


Once again, Thanks for posting your expenses.



I am normally in Point Cadet Marina but have been on the hard doing a complete refit about an hour and a half north.



However, let me know if you need anything, I'm always paying it forward to fellow sailors. Just got big help from a fellow sailor in Machias Bay up in Maine while crewing on a friends boat last week.


If a storm blows up contact me if you wish, I have my favorite holes up the river I can help you find.


Hope y'all Enjoy your stay!


Jim