Shoestring Sailors (Cruising on $500 per month - part II)

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Enough ketchup from Mc'D's makes a fine spaghetti sauce.

I made a spaghetti sauce from bottled ketchup once, just to see if it could be done. It can. As usual, adding spices made the difference. I also had to thin it a bit with water.

Dont see why McD ketchup wouldnt work.

[fish53]

I'm apparently getting divorced at 62 years old, so I'll be living on my 23 ft. Westerly Pageant, solo. I have no debts and about sixteen hundred dollars of Social Security Disability per month to live on. I guess I'll be trying some of that Ketchup spaghetti soon.

[Sea Dreaming]

Sorry to hear about your troubles fish53. But eating cheap is actually pretty easy. Menus, even for 1 person, are essential. Pre-planning enables you to use all of your ingredients before they go bad. I'm not even very good at this but, just putting a small amount of effort into it yields results.
There are two of us at home and last week I spent 60.00 usd. We don't eat out and are still on the hard in a fairly expensive metro area. But that 60 bucks gave us meals all week. And we don't eat rice or pasta. We had chilli, chicken enchiladas, sausage and eggs, tuna salad and brats with beans.
This budget did not include coffee, condiments or toiletries or house hold stuff like toilet paper.
We ate well. We just ate what we had with no waste. And very little snacking.

Like I said, we aren't good at this yet. But I'm proving to myself that the food budget does not have to be out of control.

We are battering down the hatches now as we hope for early retirement in just 3 years. We are 48 and 52 now. But I would rather realistic and eat beans all week than sit on my ass flipping channels on the TV while I work to save for more luxury.

[fish53]

I'm glad to hear you're making it work. Leaving behind the trappings of a consumer society is difficult for many I suppose. Fortunately I don't have that problem, I have very little and I intend to keep it that way. Henry David Thoreau said that most men were going down the road of life dragging a house, barn and forty acres, that was in the 1840's. I like to read and I can just sit and enjoy nature, I guess I'll grow into the alone thing. I might head down to Florida and see my grandchildren. Good luck to the two of you.

[s/v Beth]

I have been following this thread and it's current direction. When I live on my boat (about 2 months of the years) I live well. Lots of yogurt, fresh fruits etc, but it costs quite a bit less than when my wife and I live on land. We end up giving away bags full of groceries at the end.
I have lived off the land (teaching desert survival/primitive living) for many years. I have wanted to live on the land/water interface and just see how expensive it would be.
No I am not suggesting a "into the wild" experience. I do think you can supplement your store bought food with carefully picked wild food, from plants and animals that you are familiar with. Dandilions, for example make excellent teas and salads if you make sure they are not tainted with herbicides. There are many other examples.
You can also set up your boat to be warmed by wood heating, and the list goes on. I am not reinventing the wheel here folks, just suggesting that you adapt a few of the old ways into your lifestyle.

[fish53]

Thanks for the good suggestions. Back in the seventies me and a friend lived all summer wandering around Southeast Alaska. Other than coffee and beer I don't think we bought anything else except gas for the outboard we traveled around in. Lots of good seafood.

[s/v Beth]

I would say people like Sailorchic need to be very careful living around urban areas. The pollution in the bay area is extensive, I wouldn't live there. But a sailboat can go anywhere...

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I would say people like Sailorchic need to be very careful living around urban areas. The pollution in the bay area is extensive, I wouldn't live there. But a sailboat can go anywhere...

Luckily I only go to the urban areas of the central bay once and a while. Most of the time you'll find me far away from urban life.

Lots of heavy metal pollution in the bay

[s/v Beth]

Well we still worry about ya babe. If I ever get down there, count on me for some fresh fish (caught way offshore)

[SimonV]

My wife put us on a diet. She planned the 2 week menu and although smaller meals than I would have liked we eat well and don't skimp on quality. food bill for a month is between 200 and 240 Au $.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by SimonV

My wife put us on a diet. She planned the 2 week menu and although smaller meals than I would have liked we eat well and don't skimp on quality. food bill for a month is between 200 and 240 Au $.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Just wondering was that for both of you or per person? I get $192 a month for food for just myself. (I"m on a fixed income )

[mausgras]

Originally Posted by SimonV

My wife put us on a diet. She planned the 2 week menu and although smaller meals than I would have liked we eat well and don't skimp on quality. food bill for a month is between 200 and 240 Au $.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I have never kept an accurate account but when I live aboard by myself I can eat very cheap and keep food wastage to a minimum.
It becomes a challenging "game". I think your figure is accurate. But I have a fatal flaw. I enjoy a lunch at the lOcal cafe or a pub meal a couple of times a week and that blows the budget big time

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by SimonV

My wife put us on a diet. She planned the 2 week menu and although smaller meals than I would have liked we eat well and don't skimp on quality. food bill for a month is between 200 and 240 Au $.

That sounds about right. G'day from SV Shenoa at Morningside. :-)

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by fish53

I'm apparently getting divorced at 62 years old, so I'll be living on my 23 ft. Westerly Pageant, solo. I have no debts and about sixteen hundred dollars of Social Security Disability per month to live on. I guess I'll be trying some of that Ketchup spaghetti soon.

Save some of that money and get a bigger boat. You need to be able to stand up straight in the cabin or you will kill your back. Thirty footer should be about right. You will do fine on that much money, could easily live in a marina if you want to.

Good luck and God bless.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Save some of that money and get a bigger boat. You need to be able to stand up straight in the cabin or you will kill your back. Thirty footer should be about right. You will do fine on that much money, could easily live in a marina if you want to.

Good luck and God bless.

I agree with the headroom part however there is something to be said for the fact he already owns his current 23 ft boat. More important for now is a head that marinas will accept for him living aboard