Save me some money!

[Carmel2]

For good cheap clothes in France keep a look out for a place called Magic Stock.

For the internet get one of these http://www.wifispark.com/webshop?pa...page=flypage.tpl&product_id=54&category_id=14

For washing get one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Ideas-Washing-Machine-644/dp/B000VPG64I

 

[FullCircle]

For good cheap clothes in France keep a look out for a place called Magic Stock.

For the internet get one of these http://www.wifispark.com/webshop?pa...page=flypage.tpl&product_id=54&category_id=14

For washing get one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Ideas-Washing-Machine-644/dp/B000VPG64I

I have the washing machine same price from Maplins. Very economical on power, and it works, but a bit heavy on water use.

 

[Conachair]

We all know how much you can spend on charts. But there is money to be saved here...

Many island seafront tourist shops sell charts with waterproof ink for a fraction of the admiralty equivalent.

These often include details missed out on the marine charts.

And can be used for drying dishes as well

 

[Ional]

Once further south the spring/summer weather is so much better.....washing dries in an hour or so around the boat, saving on driers! Plus you won t be wearing heavy clothes, if any!
We also have a force 4 bucket machine, great for small things but best tip is to buy this magic ball......you dont need detergent at all, therefore no need to rinse and you save on water and effort!
www.lakeland.co.uk/23139/Lakeland-Laundry-Ball.

Food really cheap in comparison in Portugal, and wine too.

 

[Nostrodamus]

There have been some wonderful suggestions on this thread that have helped me and I hope helped others.
Sometimes it is only by doing things you find out, often the hard way.
After our first year we have discovered various areas of major expence that can be drastically reduced with forthought.

1) Anchor when possible. Marinas, especially in summer will rip your budget to shreads.
2) Take anti foul and service items with you as these items cost 3x as much abroad.
3) Make sure you have a good on bord shower and a lot of marina showers are poor and expensive for limited time.
4) Laudry can easily cost 20 euros a time so any alternatives soon become cost effective and saves lugging bags. All marinas do not have Laudry and it can be a long walk.
5) Eating out is a treat as it can be expensive. Eat what the locals eat when you can and aboard 99% of the time.
6) Use a good water filter to save on the expence of buying bottled water and lugging it back from the shop
7) Have electricalitems you can use, specially in marinas with free electricity and save your gas which can be expesive.
8) Sail rather than motor when ever you can for as long as you can. Saves on fuel, and other consumables and is so much more fun. It may sometimes take a couple of hours more if tacking but that is sailing.

 

[ccscott49]

Just as an aside, antifouling if old, IE a year or two old, reduces in efficiency, as the chemicals get old and tend to not work. Once its about three years old it stops working entirely, so dont take a couple or three years of antifouling with you.
Buy your antifouling locally, but NOT from the yacht chandlers, virtually every fishing port on the meddy has a fishermans cooperative, where it can be bought very cheaply, getting into and dealing with the cooperative, I will leave to you, but I manage or did, I now have coppercoat. Also great for cheap rope.|Also dont buy named brands of paint, like international etc. Go to the local shops, you will find, In Portugal, Spain and Greece at least, local marine paint! Much cheaper and good! It doesnt last that long in the meddy anyway, even international etc. so why buy expensive stuff?

 

[binch]

France to Greece without charge

France offers good cheap cruising for the live-aboard provided some elementary rules are followed.
Firstly, of you go to the yottie fleshpots, you will pay, pay. pay because the facilities are swamped by holiday-makers and charter-boats who actually WANT to spend money. Even so you can get bargains if you shop around and siieze opportunities. For instance we had a winter's mooring in Antibes for our 15m ketch for about £150 per month..
But essentially, the same holds true for both France and GB. You get ripped off in Cowes, Beaulieu, and Lymington Similarly on the French south coast.
We wintered last year in France. Within 400m of our alongside berth (15 amps at 220v available, car pasrked on quay) we had a choice of three restaurants. One offered a 3-course meal with wine included for 15 euros, another the same with better choice for 20 euros. The third was haute cuisine for about 35 euros. You CAN find reasonable eats at low peices if you look around.
Laundromats are expensive every where. Long experience tells us that live-aboards must, MUST aim for self-sufficiency. We had a portable washing machine, and once a week went into a marina, topped up with water, plugged-in the washer, electric iron etc Our third live-aboard boaT (length 12m for our old age) has tout ce qu'il faut..
I do have an edge. I was once liaison officer to the French navy, and I speak good French, so I have learned a lot about the country and itss people. It helps.
And if you go to Greece, it will pay you to learn Greek. And the same applies to Turkey and Italy. I'm talking "market" French, etc. It's not that big a deal. Something to do in winter.
And live-aboards should have modest expectations. That way, you do not get disappointed.