Month 56 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[sailorboy1]

Spent a week in the Bahamas and the rest in Florida. Spent a week in Florida on vacation at a timeshare.

General living – Had a couple of family dinners that I always end up paying for. Probably spent some extra money on food while on vacation. Did some post Bahamas alcohol restocking.

Boat – freshwater pump was back flowing into water tanks and cycling so ordered a new pump ($125). The pump of course flushed itself out so now I have a brand-new spare to go with my used spare that did same thing. Got some hinge pin kits for my hatches, $40. Got a new pump head for my Spectra Watermaker, $222. Got a circulation pump and chemical to clean the air conditioning system, $85.

Dining and drinking out- Out of the $768 total $160 was one last meal of fried conch in the Bahamas.

Entertainment – a Kindle book, fee for week of timeshare, some museums etc. while on vacation.

Communication, shipping, and storage – month of cell phones, month inReach service, shipping of a package

Fees were credit card cash back.

Marina cost was 2 days on a mooring in Vero Beach Fla ($40) and 1 day in a slip at Spanish Cay Bahamas ($160).

Medical/dental was monthly ACA plan payment.

Transportation was an Uber and some gas for daughter’s car.

Gifts – son’s birthday plus some eyeglasses and other stuff for mother-in-law.

Insurance – boat insurance payment

The total expenses were $ 4,026.00. Cost breakdown as follows for planners and hecklers and spreadsheet attached:

General Living - Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries, other - $ 1,400.34
Boat costs - upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 468.44
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 201.50
Dining and drinking out - $ 768.47
Entertainment - $ 336.94
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 207.57
Fees – $ -38.08
Marina - $ 180.26
Electric - $ 0
Medical - $ 46.99
Transportation - $ 49.24
Gifts – 195.33
Insurance - $ 209.00

[Lowcountry]

JFC! $160/night for a 41' at Spanish Cay Marina? That's outrageous. No wonder that place is always empty.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

JFC! $160/night for a 41' at Spanish Cay Marina? That's outrageous. No wonder that place is always empty.

"In season" rates and there were only 3 boats there and I was by far the baby. Yet they said the next weekend was completely booked due to a fishing tournament. I wouldn't have stayed if not to checkout, do laundry, and get rid of weeks of trash.

[Svsumurun]

Thanks as always SB1! Getting closer for us- hopefully we'll meet up some day, and I'll buy the drinks to help lower that part of the budget that month!

..........But something tells me that it'll just be additional to the normal total........

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Svsumurun

Thanks as always SB1! Getting closer for us- hopefully we'll meet up some day, and I'll buy the drinks to help lower that part of the budget that month!

..........But something tells me that it'll just be additional to the normal total........

Drinks paid for by others is money well spent

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

JFC! $160/night for a 41' at Spanish Cay Marina? That's outrageous. No wonder that place is always empty.

Yep. at that price they should provide the sheets and mattresses, towels etc.

[fred4936]

Thanks again! I see this month had more going on, so expenses rose accordingly. You had a few months of lesser expense, so it all balances out.

[SV Bacchus]

Another excellent, in depth report. Thanks so much SB1.

I, like the others, choked on my beer when I read the marina expense. I was sure it was a typo but kept reading and realized no, it was real. Ugh..

[dfelsent]

Fan pier marina in Boston charges $7.75/foot. That’s real pain.
But you can get a mooring in Boston for 75 a night.
Or anchor for free if you can find a dinghy dock.
But yes $160 is not real fun.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by dfelsent

But you can get a mooring in Boston for 75 a night.

wow, just 5 years ago the $$$ deal was at Provincetown at $55. I did see 3 years ago when a sailed up for the summer that the Mass Bay area moorings have gotten way to much $$$$ IMO

really cuts into one's alcohol budget

[sailorboy1]

Half way through the month and half way through the target monthly spending amount. But think it is currently way heavy on the drinking and dining out category. Oh the horror and the people that were reading this series back in months 1-6 would be going crazy with advise on how I can change my evil ways

On plus side, I take some satisfaction in having worn down most of the hecklers and continued the monthly thread series.

But I am currently a little bored and am trolling for thataboys

[Mnbear]

Thanks for the monthly’s report. Now when I pay overnight docking I don’t feel so bad. Nice to see how other people do it. Thanks again

[daddio862]

Thanks for allowing us a glimpse at an accurate monthly budget. We will be heading south in a few months and appreciate having a starting point to plan our budget.

[CruiseN]

Thank you.