Sailing around the world on a budget

[lustyd]

this year i have sold about 20k in tools and machines, im doing well on that front

Haha yes I’m doing similar right now. EBay becomes a full time job if you’re not careful!

As a sabbatical. Which might cure an itch or fire up a change of life, who knows?

We did 2 months in 2022 and confirmed it’s what we want. Best decision I ever made was that sabbatical

 

[spindly_killer_fish]

Haha yes I’m doing similar right now. EBay becomes a full time job if you’re not careful!

We did 2 months in 2022 and confirmed it’s what we want. Best decision I ever made was that sabbatical

oof I found FB marketplace to be the best place to offload my gear. I wanted to do a sabbatical but my bloody company scrapped it.

 

[veshengro]

" i should have a about 200k for a boat plus an income of 20-30k as well as the wifes pension, that should probably get me somewhere "

Times (and exchange rates) have changed but looking back I managed fairly comfortably on about £1200 a month. Obviously the kitty took a battering during annual haul out and overhaul, but it balanced out in the summer, so I think £1200 is about right, and I was never skint. BUT... I anchored most of the time in the Med and always in the Caribbean. The only time I went alongside in the Caribbean was in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Wintered where I could get the best Marina deal which often meant Spain, although I much preferred anywhere but Spain. Shopped in local markets, did my own repairs and maintenance, although swopping skills with other voyagers often paid off. I made a new forestay (6 strand) for a Canadian couple in Sliema in Malta one winter and he fixed my VHF as I didn't have a clue of it's innards.
I never flew home or ate in posh restaurants ashore, but apart from a few hairy batterings at sea which frightened me and getting bitten in Portugal by a Wasp type thing the size of a Lancaster Bomber, I had a great time.

Always happy, met some really nice people of all Nationalities, managed to get on well with Lords to Beggars everywhere, and generally loved every day of the 17 + years that I was living aboard and just wandering with no schedule or time table to keep. Highly recommended..if you are well prepared and go with an open mind/heart.

 

[mjcoon]

... Highly recommended. If you are well prepared and go with an open mind/heart.

Ah, good point; my heart has been opened and stitched back together again. It now has battery-assist. So I am contra-indicated on all criteria!

 

[veshengro]

Ah, good point; my heart has been opened and stitched back together again. It now has battery-assist. So I am contra-indicated on all criteria!

That's the spirit. Stock up with a few spare Duracells and you're outward bound...

 

[capnsensible]

Nooo, a what's the best battery argument!

 

[Sea Change]

Re: ongoing costs, this varies just add much as boat purchase/refit.

A family we know have shared their costs for each of the last two years, which is frankly quite brave of them. They've been spending about $70k per year, which is a jaw dropping amount to me.

We don't keep detailed records but a glance at our bank accounts suggests we're spending about £20k.

We haven't found a huge difference in cost between the Med and the Caribbean. Food in the Caribbean is much more expensive, but we literally do not ever use marinas here, and we motor much, much less, which balances it out.

 

[lustyd]

I imagine alcohol will be a big impact on budget. My sums are based on £1k/month which I think should be achievable. If not I’ll do some work, but hopefully will get a rental property to up the budget.

I don’t even spend £70k at home with a mortgage, what are they up to?!

 

[veshengro]

" I don’t even spend £70k at home with a mortgage, what are they up to?! "

I never had any electronics, only VHF and GPS, so I really don't know, but are Satellite comms agreements expensive? The type that allows people to 'phone home from mid Atlantic and the weather forecast type comms that send visual weather charts, or would those sort of costs not amount to much?

 

[lustyd]

" I don’t even spend £70k at home with a mortgage, what are they up to?! "

I never had any electronics, only VHF and GPS, so I really don't know, but are Satellite comms agreements expensive? The type that allows people to 'phone home from mid Atlantic and the weather forecast type comms that send visual weather charts, or would those sort of costs not amount to much?

Mine is £90/month and if I use it outside of territorial waters it’s £2/GB. The only way I can see to get to £70k is a live in hooker and a coke addiction

 

[Sea Change]

" I don’t even spend £70k at home with a mortgage, what are they up to?! "

I never had any electronics, only VHF and GPS, so I really don't know, but are Satellite comms agreements expensive? The type that allows people to 'phone home from mid Atlantic and the weather forecast type comms that send visual weather charts, or would those sort of costs not amount to much?

They run Starlink on the boat and have a local SIM card each for use off the boat.
They have three kids, a 40ft cat which they keep in good nick, and they pay for both health and boat insurance. They have also had a few flights home, and inland trips which involved paying to store the boat and then renting a vehicle.

I don't think their lifestyle or expenses are unusual amongst the family cruisers. We'd probably end up doing some of the same things if we had the budget. Fortunately, none of these costs are essential and you can live perfectly happily on much less.

 

[lustyd]

I don't think their lifestyle or expenses are unusual amongst the family cruisers

I guess it depends on the company you keep. I can’t even imagine what kind of wealth you’d need to make that sustainable without working but it would certainly run into many millions.

 

[doug748]

Someone said - if you are an deeply miserable person, running away to sea won't solve anything. A few words on the subject from John Diamond:

Reasons to be cheerful

John died 3 months later.

.

 

[Tamar]

Lots of people sell up and sail away from their problems only to find that they are the problem

 

[JRCO26]

How does the pension work in the Old Dart? I am 10 years away from the magic number of years to qualify down here in Kiwi land, but current law is if you leave the country for more than 6 months, they stop your pension...

 

[spindly_killer_fish]

How does the pension work in the Old Dart? I am 10 years away from the magic number of years to qualify down here in Kiwi land, but current law is if you leave the country for more than 6 months, they stop your pension...

here they dont stop your pension, but they do freeze any increases due to inflation etc,. if you leave the country without returning.

I do also wonder why people keep assuming if you want a different lifestyle you must be running away from something :/

that $70k PER YEAR sounds like BS, unless they completely refitted their cat with all high end electronics, new sails/rigging on top etc. etc.

 

[capnsensible]

Couple of budget tips we found Caribbean cruising.

Wine to drink aboard is much cheaper in the French Islands supermarkets.

On other Islands, rum can be very cheap but needs a mixer. The local grapefruit soda, Ting, is fab.

Local bars ashore, like any tourist place, are cheaper and far more welcoming in most places than people expect. Being footy fans, we found some great places to cheer along with locals. Same with cricket.

Non French Islands generally have a good few Chinese supermarkets. We often shopped most days for fresh meat, fish and veg in these places. Combines a good walk excecise too. Same with locals laundries.gives you more of a fitting in feeling rather than just a tourist.

Enjoy.

 

[Marsali_1]

Nooo, a what's the best battery argument!

If he's planning on sailing south all he needs is a small solar panel on his hat and there would be no need for an argument

 

[Wansworth]

Couple of budget tips we found Caribbean cruising.

Wine to drink aboard is much cheaper in the French Islands supermarkets.

On other Islands, rum can be very cheap but needs a mixer. The local grapefruit soda, Ting, is fab.

Local bars ashore, like any tourist place, are cheaper and far more welcoming in most places than people expect. Being footy fans, we found some great places to cheer along with locals. Same with cricket.

Non French Islands generally have a good few Chinese supermarkets. We often shopped most days for fresh meat, fish and veg in these places. Combines a good walk excecise too. Same with locals laundries.gives you more of a fitting in feeling rather than just a tourist.

Enjoy.

On arrival in Cangas I took my shag carpet to the local washing place,it was originally white.Caused immense hilarity with the locals…….thirty years on everybody has a machine or uses the latest business a washeteria

 

[Sea Change]

I guess it depends on the company you keep. I can’t even imagine what kind of wealth you’d need to make that sustainable without working but it would certainly run into many millions.

It's one of the interesting things about cruising. You end up fraternising with people from a wide range of backgrounds and income levels.

I would say, at a guess, that we are in the bottom third in terms of cruising budget, amongst the family boats at least. Many of our friends think nothing of eating out not that once a week, they'll hire a car at the drop of a hat, and they'll pay someone to service their engine or do other fairly basic PBO-level stuff. They are living very differently to us but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy sundowners or trips to the beach together.

By the way the family in question are still working, but remotely. Pretty common these days.