Month 45 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[sailorboy1]

Traveled from St Augustine to Jacksonville FL. We are staying here for the summer hurricane season and hoping the world opens back up this winter.

Grocery, beer, and supply runs were lower cost during the month. Don’t know if we are drinking less or just eating more of the ship’s stores.

Boat costs were low. Just a battery strap and a can of PB Blaster. But not to worry there are some big-ticket items on the planning schedule.

Communications was just cell phone with internet and data.

Marina costs were 2 days on a mooring in St Augustine ($50) and a month slip in Jacksonville ($307.29). Electric was $20 + Tax for all the power we want at the dock. So that is real cheap for running the air conditioning!!

Medical was just monthly plan premium.

I added up the normal transportation costs with car rentals etc. for the time when we are in a slip long term. From that I decided to try something different and buy a cheap used car instead that I can sell again when time to leave. So that became a $2700 car, $342 for insurance, and $571 to title and register it. I figure we will need to sell it for about $2000 when we are finished with it to be even and even if "even" this way we have a car anytime we want and that really opens up what else we can do.

The total expenses were $5,562.75, pretty cheap if you “not count” the car. Cost breakdown as follows for planners and hecklers and spreadsheet attached:

Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries - $ 757.59
Boat upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 12.52
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 48.64
Dining and drinking out - $ 433.19
Entertainment - $ 11.76
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 125.24
Fees – $ -26.47
Marina - $ 357.29
Electric - $ 21.20
Medical - $ 58.70
Transportation and travel - $ 3,763.09
Gifts - $ 0
Water - $ 0
Registration - $ 0
Insurance - $ 0

[Dogscout]

Thanks Sailorboy

[sailorboy1]

One of the “interesting” things about my doing this series is how it causes me to reconsider upgrades to the boat. It actually makes me pause sometimes. I may, and do, spend lots sometimes regardless. But at least I reconsider it some.

[SailorFrank]

I’ve just retired last year, closed the business, sold the house and bought a Hunter 410 with plans on spending the next decade or so cruising. The past 6 months have been quite an adjustment getting used to a fixed monthly income but I’m getting the hang of it!
I’d be interested in seeing previous posts of this thread if there are any.. Thanks for sharing some great tips.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by SailorFrank

I’ve just retired last year, closed the business, sold the house and bought a Hunter 410 with plans on spending the next decade or so cruising. The past 6 months have been quite an adjustment getting used to a fixed monthly income but I’m getting the hang of it!
I’d be interested in seeing previous posts of this thread if there are any.. Thanks for sharing some great tips.

Well there are 45 months of it, just click on my user name an select more threads from sailorboy1. That gets you the story along with the data, or you can just open the spreadsheet in this thread

BTW - good boat choice

[Gone Gypsy]

Sailorboy, you are our hero. Folks like you, giving to the community, make the community. We finalize the purchase of our cruising boat just this week. Your detailed work helped give us the confidence to make it happen. Will try to pay it forward as you have done. Mike