tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post8972202361916955776..comments2024-03-13T14:21:41.243-05:00Comments on The Retirement Project: The Anatomy of a Cruising BudgetTJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03459069175481821975noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-69644312852797294952016-09-01T14:09:14.175-05:002016-09-01T14:09:14.175-05:00This is the most thorough post I've read so fa...This is the most thorough post I've read so far--thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-29419738169875769022015-09-23T19:24:47.487-05:002015-09-23T19:24:47.487-05:00@Robert - well said. I think you need to do a sepa...@Robert - well said. I think you need to do a separate post about that on your blog.<br /><br />@Carl - You're doing well at 35%. I hope you keep it up!!Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093436662653044390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-5110804058097824082015-09-22T21:52:58.634-05:002015-09-22T21:52:58.634-05:00Great post, we're finding that we will probabl...Great post, we're finding that we will probably spend at least 35 % of our initial purchase on upgrades/repairs/initial maintenance. About 20% was projected initially. Thanks for laying out a little more clear path to rational planning than is generally portrayed. Our monthly expenditures at the 6 month Rinitiation of our travels is all over the place but hits on all your categories. "Helping family" and " eating out with drinks" the most notable. Hope to run into you guys soon.<br />Carl<br />S/V Northern StarCarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02707849113129238018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-3152410619573293752015-09-22T09:37:55.300-05:002015-09-22T09:37:55.300-05:00Some thoughts...
The best money you will ever spe...Some thoughts...<br /><br />The best money you will ever spend on your boat is that required to make your partner comfortable with the thought of going cruising. You want AIS, radar, and night vision before you'll feel comfortable going offshore at night? You got it, honey. Just can't stand the thought of sleeping on that latex mattress? Well let's go buy a nice memory foam or innerspring if that's what it takes for you to feel good about going. Absolutely can't go more than a few days without talking to the kids? Well let's sign up for an Iridium plan. Money spent helping your partner own the dream is an investment in your future adventure.<br /><br />The single worse expenditure we ever made? The set of davits we bought for our previous boat. As we discussed in out post www.lifeonthehook.com/2014/07/01/400-solution/, it was $2,500 to no good end. Much better investing in a good Garhauer engine hoist and working out a good way to lift the dink onto the foredeck. We couldn't help but notice that the couple we sold that boat to immediately took them off. I hope they got a decent price for them!<br /><br />The single best piece of advice we ever received, which has made all the difference in the world for us, was given to us by our broker, rigger, and friend Rick Zern. He told us when it comes time to finally buy the boat you intend to take cruising, look only at freshwater boats in the Great Lakes and central US, and plan to shop in the August to October timeframe. That's when owners are trying to decide whether to sell at a good price or incur the cost of hauling out and storing for another winter. The boats will be lightly used and suffer none of the effects of prolonged exposure to sun and salt water. The cost to transport is a pittance compared to the cost of the major refit a typical Florida boat requires.<br /><br />I often read Boat Bits, but since he doesn't allow comments, I consider the author to be more of a pontificator than a sage. I have much higher respect for those who engage their readers through comments. You know, like you guys!<br /><br />Rhonda & Robert<br />S/V Eagle Too<br />Pensacola, Florida<br />www.LifeOnTheHook.comRobert Sapphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13609822978053443499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-58860227778502658052015-09-21T11:19:57.010-05:002015-09-21T11:19:57.010-05:00@Ellen - just posted it. Let me know if you have a...@Ellen - just posted it. Let me know if you have any questions.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093436662653044390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-55280719534214769182015-09-21T11:16:44.420-05:002015-09-21T11:16:44.420-05:00That would be fantastic if you do a separate SSB p...That would be fantastic if you do a separate SSB post!! Love to get your take on the whole issue. Thanks so much! Cheers - EllenThe Cynical Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047491682363507834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-56131927230359033452015-09-21T08:31:35.894-05:002015-09-21T08:31:35.894-05:00Ha! Not blessed at all when it comes to cash, just...Ha! Not blessed at all when it comes to cash, just can't count every penny else I'd go insane. We find that if you stay out of marinas and restaurants and you are able to get through a season without a boat repair it's all doable on even the lowest budget. It's the surprises that nail you but this is true even on land. Plan for surprises.<br /><br />Budgets are as diverse as the people that are out here. I'd be much younger if I could get back all the time I spent reading and stressing over cruising budgets before we left. <br />Latitude 43https://www.blogger.com/profile/09482326023480150403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-10531390636205464292015-09-21T07:39:49.321-05:002015-09-21T07:39:49.321-05:00@ Bonnie - I agree wholeheartedly. Read the fine p...@ Bonnie - I agree wholeheartedly. Read the fine print. Our monthly reports come from our Quicken spending reports because that's easy for me and less time consuming. Unfortunately, our health insurance doesn't come out of there so it's not in those reports. I have that stated at the toop of that post and hopefully everyone is reading it. Not including alcohol in our report would heavily skew it so I can't imagine not doing that, but everyone makes their own decisions. You're correct that it is just raw data for you to use in formulating your own budget.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093436662653044390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-34765142171805510492015-09-21T07:31:35.077-05:002015-09-21T07:31:35.077-05:00@Ellen- I'll do a separate post on the SSB. To...@Ellen- I'll do a separate post on the SSB. To much information for a comment.<br /><br />@ Paul - The spreadsheets were before we left and were planning our budget. Mostly I now track expenses with our credit card bill. We put everything on our U-Promise card because they put a ton of money in our grand kids college funds then pay it off once a month. Between that and Quicken's spending reports it's pretty easy. Time? We spend a good part of every day writing and time doesn't ever seem to be an issue. <br /><br />I wish we were able to be out here without tracking every penny but that fortune didn't befall us. Count your blessings. Even counting pennies, I wouldn't trade it for the world.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093436662653044390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-68460400894908298252015-09-21T07:22:32.410-05:002015-09-21T07:22:32.410-05:00Good post. I'm curious how you find time to wr...Good post. I'm curious how you find time to write all this and to plug everything into a spread sheet. I haven't seen a spreadsheet since I left work. <br /><br />I always figured that if I needed to track every penny to exist out here then I shouldn't be out here. It can be done, but then is it really retirement as we expect?Latitude 43https://www.blogger.com/profile/09482326023480150403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-77403192025270430942015-09-21T06:50:10.418-05:002015-09-21T06:50:10.418-05:00As always, a wonderful post. It is the little thin...As always, a wonderful post. It is the little things that do add up - like the plastic sheeting I bought for $12 the other day. I only needed a little bit of it, but it only comes in rolls so that's $12 down the drain (or into the bilge).<br /><br />We've been tracking our costs as well (http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html) and find it really helps to focus us being clear about our decision making process - should we invest in this now or later, do we need this or can we live without etc.<br /><br />SV Odin raises a good point that it isn't like comparing apples to apples when looking at other people's cruising budgets, but it does give you some data to work with when thinking about your own. Always read the fine print about what people include and don't and how they categorize their spending. We leave out booze, chocolate, health insurance and storage for our camper. Other people leave that kind of stuff in but exclude other stuff.<br /><br />I'd be interested in knowing more about your SSB receiver. Getting an SSB is on our list, but further down in priority due to the cost. How have you found going with just a receiver instead of the full kit and caboodle?<br /><br />Cheers - EllenThe Cynical Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047491682363507834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-54187339418403466622015-09-21T06:20:28.321-05:002015-09-21T06:20:28.321-05:00I appreciate but dislike the budget blogs at the s...I appreciate but dislike the budget blogs at the same time. To many wild cards. A recent budget blog said, in fine print, "Does not include alcohol & [something else, I forget])." <br />Forget maintenance. My newly retired guy drinks a lot of beer!s/v Odin the Wandererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00183937326005762324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-15365501672272561402015-09-20T21:41:29.167-05:002015-09-20T21:41:29.167-05:00Well said. Get the basics and figure out what you ...Well said. Get the basics and figure out what you need as you go. There is no rule here, just suggestions. We have stuff that broke and we needed to fix and others that are luxuries. Everyone is different and you need to decide what you can live with and without.Triciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06361733460243487689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552422419133819877.post-24981894513817342042015-09-20T17:58:33.833-05:002015-09-20T17:58:33.833-05:00Good post. Well thought out, well written, Thanks,...Good post. Well thought out, well written, Thanks, JCJC3https://www.blogger.com/profile/06074916195858347550noreply@blogger.com