Our cruising costs - month 30 for a middle-aged couple on a 30' boat.

[Cthoops]

Another month in the Bahamas, where it’s easy to spend very little if you choose. We spent most of February in the Exumas before moving to Eleuthera at the end of the month. March is going to be higher because we need to renew our cruising permit so we’ll enjoy this month’s spending for now!

Here we go:

Groceries/Non-food Groceries/Alcohol: $401.05

Gasoline/Diesel: $0.00

Medical: $66.12

Cell data, iCloud storage, and Garmin inReach subscription: $245.75 (This is high. We are keeping our AT&T account in the U.S. active while we are away, plus we are paying for a Skype number and a plan with Aliv.)

Restaurants/Entertainment: $38.00

Subscriptions: $155.07

Random Items: $178.20 (Makers Air charge for watermaker parts, DAN evacuation insurance, trash)

Total: $1,084.19

2021 Monthly average: $1,105.45

2020 Monthly average: $2,758.15

2019 monthly average: $3,457.97

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

Monthly average since starting to cruise: $3,155.61

I hope this is helpful.

[Bill O]

Thanks for the update. Looks like your expenses are slowly reducing as you settle into the cruising life.

Compared to others that stay in marinas, etc., your expense budget seems realistic for many.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Cthoops

Groceries/Non-food Groceries/Alcohol: $401.05
.

Wait till readers find out that you almost 14% of that on bacon and cheese

[In Training]

This is extremely helpful for those of us planning with no long term cruising experience. retired last year and a few houses to sell yet before purchasing a boat this summer. Hope to start our cruising Nov/Dec 2021. Expected high expense months getting ready and starting out. Glad to see how that settles down, otherwise might be a little unnerving when it happens. We much appreciate your posting.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Wait till readers find out that you almost 14% of that on bacon and cheese

That will be in March’s numbers.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Thanks for the update. Looks like your expenses are slowly reducing as you settle into the cruising life.

Compared to others that stay in marinas, etc., your expense budget seems realistic for many.

Originally Posted by In Training

This is extremely helpful for those of us planning with no long term cruising experience. retired last year and a few houses to sell yet before purchasing a boat this summer. Hope to start our cruising Nov/Dec 2021. Expected high expense months getting ready and starting out. Glad to see how that settles down, otherwise might be a little unnerving when it happens. We much appreciate your posting.

I’m glad the info has helped. The expenses have definitely dropped as we’ve gotten used to cruising - and especially after the big upgrades were finished. If we had done the furler, watermaker, etc. before we left then the overall average would definitely be lower, but still likely somewhere in the $2,500/month range. It works for us - others may find it entirely too much or too little.

[Svsumurun]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Wait till readers find out that you almost 14% of that on bacon and cheese

On my 'planning budget' , I just doubled it due to 'Alcohol' being in the category!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Svsumurun

On my 'planning budget' , I just doubled it due to 'Alcohol' being in the category!

Well that can be managed. Yesterday stocked up on soda, $114, and rum to go with it, $9.54.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Well that can be managed. Yesterday stocked up on soda, $114, and rum to go with it, $9.54.

Yes, had we known seltzer/soda ($1.50-$2.50 each can) is more expensive than beer, wine, liquor, juice, etc. we would have put a 'soda stream' on the boat. Probably would have saved us $50 every month. We end up drinking a lot of wine, since it is often the cheapest liquid available! ($2-3 a bottle in french islands)

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by zstine

[...] we would have put a 'soda stream' on the boat. Probably would have saved us $50 every month.x

You're a sailor!

Do the sailory thing and kludge together on your own.
Do the sailory thing and check YouTube, because Nigel Calder doesn't cover the topic in his books.
Here, to save you some time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oCizeyK9lM

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Cthoops

Another month in the Bahamas, where it’s easy to spend very little if you choose. We spent most of February in the Exumas before moving to Eleuthera at the end of the month. March is going to be higher because we need to renew our cruising permit so we’ll enjoy this month’s spending for now!

Here we go:

Groceries/Non-food Groceries/Alcohol: $401.05

Gasoline/Diesel: $0.00

Medical: $66.12

Cell data, iCloud storage, and Garmin inReach subscription: $245.75 (This is high. We are keeping our AT&T account in the U.S. active while we are away, plus we are paying for a Skype number and a plan with Aliv.)

Restaurants/Entertainment: $38.00

Subscriptions: $155.07

Random Items: $178.20 (Makers Air charge for watermaker parts, DAN evacuation insurance, trash)

Total: $1,084.19

2021 Monthly average: $1,105.45

2020 Monthly average: $2,758.15

2019 monthly average: $3,457.97

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

Monthly average since starting to cruise: $3,155.61

I hope this is helpful.

It's looking you couldn't afford to live on land anymore with numbers like that. You've been steadily dropping so I'll assume much of your earlier expense was due to refit items (which will unfortunately be back) It'll be interesting to see where your monthly budget levels off. Two grand a month would be nice.

[jim King]

Why do your costs keep dropping each year. Earlier years (2018) require more refits or expensive equipment or did you switch from caviar and champagne to beer and fish sticks?

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by joelhemington

It's looking you couldn't afford to live on land anymore with numbers like that. You've been steadily dropping so I'll assume much of your earlier expense was due to refit items (which will unfortunately be back) It'll be interesting to see where your monthly budget levels off. Two grand a month would be nice.

Good lord - you couldn’t be more wrong. Some of us just choose not to spend all of what we have.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by jim King

Why do your costs keep dropping each year. Earlier years (2018) require more refits or expensive equipment or did you switch from caviar and champagne to beer and fish sticks?

They’ve dropped each year mainly because the big-ticket upgrades became smaller-tickets each year. Plus, 2018 was heavily skewed since we had to COBRA our health insurance for the remainder of the year.

What we eat has remained the same.

[TN_Tim]

Those cost are encouraging. Thanks for the information.