Month 12 for a middle-aged couple on a modest boat.

[Cthoops]

We just finished up our twelfth month of cruising full-time on our Bristol 29.9 - time flies!

August was spent in Fishers Island Sound and Long Island Sound as we began to work our way south. We were under way to the Delaware Bay by the last day of the month. Our expenses were well under control, and I do believe that we've managed to get them well dialed in. We are debating heading south into the Caribbean for this upcoming year in which case we'll want to get an AIS transponder (currently we have a receiver only via our VHF), radar, and charts/chartplotter chip, but it is what it is. If we do that, those expenses will be in the next few months before we leave for Eleuthera and the Exumas.

Below is 100% of what we spent in August. I don't leave anything out in these monthly reports because I don't believe "not counting" is particularly helpful for those still planning and dreaming.

Expenses:

Groceries/Non-food Groceries/Alcohol: $625.84

Diesel/Gasoline: $56.95

Denatured alcohol for the Origo: $18.00

Medical: $113.24

Cell phone and internet (2 phones, iPad, iCloud storage, Garmin inReach subscription): $354.60. This was particularly high as we fiddled with our plans (and bought a hotspot) to bring the future costs down significantly. One more partial T-Mobile month in September, and after that it will be approximately $100/month total, all-in.

Mail: $28.00

Laundry: $11.00

Amazon Prime: $12.99

Boat Insurance: $472.00 - this is the premium for 12 months.

Boat Expenses: $64.35 (final bill for our transient slip at the club, plus $3 for fuses for the Nature's Head)

Restaurants/Entertainment: $139.75

New York Times subscription: $20.20

Clothing: $20.86

Subscriptions: $272.29 (most of this was for another year of Chris Parker)

Random: $142.59 (hair clippers, photocopies, cockpit carpet, water bottle, box o' rags, games, carpet tape)

Total: $2,352.66

2019 monthly average to date: $3,549.08

2018 monthly average (September – December): $4,465.95

Monthly average since starting to cruise: $3,854.55

I hope this is helpful.

[sailorboy1]

I can do it for less

Where is the new line item of beer/wine? I think you are cheating on the numbers

[RickG]

Thanks, I love these reports. When I retire, I'll pay it back by doing the same.

Cheers, RickG

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I can do it for less

Where is the new line item of beer/wine? I think you are cheating on the numbers

LOL! It's lumped in with the groceries. After all, it's basically another food group.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by RickG

Thanks, I love these reports. When I retire, I'll pay it back by doing the same.

Cheers, RickG

I'm glad you like it. Hopefully retirement is around the corner!