Cost to Cruise Jan 2016 (They're back!!)

2016 is kind of a 'fresh start' for Kristi and I.  No taking a year off to move to the midwest.  No "sort of cruising" while also packing in 6 trips. No more 'special cases' that just become too much.  Nope, 2016 will be a nice simple take-the-boat-out into waters and 'mess around'.

And with that we will resume our Cost to Cruise posts, where each month we list up what we spend to live this lifestyle. Being as we stopped them last year (exceptions just became too much), here is a kind of refresher on the Rules we use when tracking costs:  We include all costs with the following exceptions:

• Income and business taxes (Sales taxes are included as they are 'built into' the price of items)
• Business-related travel (Airfare, auto rentals, etc)
• I do report meals (Still got to eat)
• We include costs for moorage of Viking Star during travel - Kristi often gets the place to her self :-)
• We do include 'personal' travel costs.
• Gifts given - such a personal choice.
• Others - Always an others - and case-by-case. 

In short, our goal is to represent what it might cost someone to live the lifestyle we are living.  Two 50-somethings in a 50-something-year-old boat cruising full time and currently located on the northwest coast of North America  (Puget Sound, BC, Alaska).  We spend 8 or so months 'out there', coming into a port some time typically in November for the winter and leaving typically at the end of Feb.

OK, with all that said - here it is, January 2016 Cost to Cruise:

Kind of lonely, being only one month...   Aside from being lonely, it is kind of high.  Here are some reasons:

• Maintenance:  We are getting ready to redo the cushions, and this includes fabric as well as some other supplies to get started.  (There will be more, specifically the Foam)
• Moorage:  Our monthly cost for winter moorage - this will go away soon!
• Dining Out:  WOW - we need to get out of port, those coffee shops are killing us!
• Medical:  My favorite [sarcasm].  And as always, still the SINGLE LARGEST % OF SPENDING WE HAVE
• Misc:  Mostly fees for the state park marine pass, as well as yearly taxes on the boat + dinghy.  Oh, plus a few loads of Laundry :-)

Well - there it is.  We are looking to leave port the end of Feb, then start working North some time in April. Will be interesting to see how things balance out over the coming months.  Make sure to click on the COSTS label to see prior months, as well as a comparison of costs while we were afloat vs. on land.