Month 35 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Always interesting to watch these revenue discussions. I know next to nothing about it all, and have minimal direct stake in it all.

Instead of focusing my energies and resources on the revenue side of the balance sheet I've tried to increase our overall wealth by focusing on the expense side. As any business person knows, you can improve the bottom line b increasing revenue OR decreasing expenses.

So much discussion here, and indeed in our wealthy societies in general, is focused on the revenue side. That's fine, but people tend to ignore the other side of the equation.

I agree with you 100%. A penny saved is a penny earned... a second coat of varnish went on the stairs today, decided against taking a nap because I wasn’t tired. Wife is asleep taking hers.

Todays total expense: dinner for two including a drink: €17

[LauraleeG]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

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

Attachment 198247

Lived in Greece on land ( nothing to do with the boat discussion/argument/sarcastic banter going on now) for 2 months last year. Absolutely positively cheaper to eat out.
My meal was always greek salad and chicken right on the beach ( took home half). That would cost about 8 euros. the same meal that I made at home would be more than that. Have no idea why...go figger!! I was surprised too cause I am pretty cheap did not believe it myself so did a few experiments.
Oddly enough--Greek yogurt is way more expensive in Greece than Canada.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

and I thought this about boating

And I thought it was about “Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat.”

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

All of it was equipment purchased well over a year ago and then taken off the list to be used on the 62 when we decided to sell the 53. In May, it was all put back on the 53.

A mute point now, as we’ve decided to keep both boats. I expect the 62 to cost more in the neighborhood of $40 per day due to a higher insurance premium.

I guess in the context of your budget then that makes the items free.

So how much of your 15 euro a day goes to insurance and how much to maintance?

[jmh2002]

This is basic economies of scale. Using the earlier example, in very simple terms, the restaurant/cafe is not paying the same supermarket price to buy the chicken breast (and other ingredients) that we would pay if we were to make the dish at home.

And it gets worse, because when we cook at home we normally only add up the cost of the ingredients, and don't add the electricity, gas, water, labour, etc that is used to make the dish.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I guess in the context of your budget then that makes the items free.

So how much of your 15 euro a day goes to insurance and how much to maintance?

Quite frankly Paul.... I really couldn’t care any less if you believe me or agree with my daily accounting. I’m only trying to open some minds as to how inexpensive other places can be, and how much farther a cruising buck can go if the boat is self-sufficient.

Have a wonderful day! It’s glorious here in Greece.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Quite frankly Paul.... I really couldn’t care any less if you believe me or agree with my daily accounting. I’m only trying to open some minds as to how inexpensive other places can be, and how much farther a cruising buck can go if the boat is self-sufficient.

Have a wonderful day! It’s glorious here in Greece.

There's really nothing to believe because you don't post enough detail to understand what you are claiming . Just claiming all is cheap is totally meaningless.

And if you care, it's pretty nice here in Indonesia.

[dwedeking2]

Instead of focusing my energies and resources on the revenue side of the balance sheet I've tried to increase our overall wealth by focusing on the expense side. As any business person knows, you can improve the bottom line b increasing revenue OR decreasing expenses.

Like a number of people here I see the lack of fundementals in the market but I've learned that "they" can keep kicking the can down the road for a long time. We may never see the laws of math come back into play until after I'm long gone. So like Mike, I've been focused on lowering my expense side since 2008 (when I lost all trust in the system). My money has gone into fixing my old boat with quality systems that will last past any downturn in the economy. I'm hoping they will keep kicking that can until I get everything done so all I have to worry about is buying food.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by LauraleeG

Lived in Greece on land ( nothing to do with the boat discussion/argument/sarcastic banter going on now) for 2 months last year. Absolutely positively cheaper to eat out.
My meal was always greek salad and chicken right on the beach ( took home half). That would cost about 8 euros. the same meal that I made at home would be more than that. Have no idea why...go figger!! I was surprised too cause I am pretty cheap did not believe it myself so did a few experiments.
Oddly enough--Greek yogurt is way more expensive in Greece than Canada.

Sometimes you can eat out for less, it’s economy of scale, the restaurant doesn’t buy a dozen eggs at the supermarket, they buy a gross at a time from the place that supplies eggs to the Supermarket and therefore gets them much cheaper.
However if you really are eating out for less than you can buy and cook it yourself, then their profit margin is vanishingly small, and that is a problem for business health

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

Like a number of people here I see the lack of fundementals in the market but I've learned that "they" can keep kicking the can down the road for a long time. We may never see the laws of math come back into play until after I'm long gone. So like Mike, I've been focused on lowering my expense side since 2008 (when I lost all trust in the system). My money has gone into fixing my old boat with quality systems that will last past any downturn in the economy. I'm hoping they will keep kicking that can until I get everything done so all I have to worry about is buying food.

Right on!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Sometimes you can eat out for less, it’s economy of scale, the restaurant doesn’t buy a dozen eggs at the supermarket, they buy a forks at a time from the place that supplies eggs to the Supermarket and therefore gets them much cheaper.
However if you really are eating out for less than you can buy and cook it yourself, then their profit margin is vanishingly small, and that is a problem for business health

Much of it is also that we’re paying too much for products in the US. Just take the dairy industry as an example. Over here in the Eastern Med a liter of milk which has a shelf life of sometimes a year, costs only 73 cents. The US government props up many food prices in order to supposedly keep large farming industries profitable. Americans are paying inflated prices, so the lower prices in other countries somehow seem unbelievable to those who haven’t ventured far from home.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Sometimes you can eat out for less, it’s economy of scale, the restaurant doesn’t buy a dozen eggs at the supermarket, they buy a forks at a time from the place that supplies eggs to the Supermarket and therefore gets them much cheaper.
However if you really are eating out for less than you can buy and cook it yourself, then their profit margin is vanishingly small, and that is a problem for business health

It's doubtful any restaurant is big enough to get a better deal on food than a large grocery store. Either way the difference on "saving" cost on something with only a 3% margin is kind of meaningless.

Personally I dine out when I want to. Just like I cook food I like and not just bean and rice.

Now if you are buying those eggs at the "yellow" or "blue" store in the Bahamas that's a different story.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

It's doubtful any restaurant is big enough to get a better deal on food than a large grocery store. Either way the difference on "saving" cost on something with only a 3% margin is kind of meaningless.

Personally I dine out when I want to. Just like I cook food I like and not just bean and rice.

Now if you are buying those eggs at the "yellow" or "blue" store in the Bahamas that's a different story.

I wasn’t saying that a restaurant was getting it cheaper, but likely at a similar price.
The Supermarket has a mark up that you pay, the restaurant does to of course, so it’s possible that the prices can be very similar.
It’s how “food troughs” like the all you can eat Pizza places etc. can make a profit from $5 meals pizza, pasta, salad and desert.
It’s cheap food, bought in mass.

I learned long ago that homemade ice cream was much more expensive than buying even good quality ice cream for instance

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Much of it is also that we’re paying too much for products in the US. Just take the dairy industry as an example. Over here in the Eastern Med a liter of milk which has a shelf life of sometimes a year, costs only 73 cents. The US government props up many food prices in order to supposedly keep large farming industries profitable. Americans are paying inflated prices, so the lower prices in other countries somehow seem unbelievable to those who haven’t ventured far from home.

I think you may find it’s just the opposite, where you are the Govt. if food prices are that low, are likely subsidizing food.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

BTW: That wine would have cost you about $5 at most places around the Med.

Panilonco Cabernet Reserve (from Chile), Trader Joe's, USA $3.99 / bottle
Amazing quality.
No, really.
Shh, don't tell everyone.
(hottest tip in this thread)