Welcome to the `Cost to Cruise Blog'

Yes, we have been so neglectful of the blog these past months - two posts in two months...  Shameful.

Promise, will work to get another post or two out this week.  Short:  Kristi and I are in the Portland area for Christmas, holding up from the snow and ice...  Have some thoughts on the dehumidifier we are trying out, have made lots of progress on the 3rd generation of the open source Alternator Regulator.  Plus we are ALL going on a diet - Kristi, myself, boat...   So, maybe some things to add..

Till then, here is November's costs:

Viking Star Cost - November 2016

Moorage caught up with us mostly from the deposit at Friday Harbor.  Maintenance/Upgrades is negative this month due to a check we deposited from the surplus seller  (Some rope, an unused anchor - more to say when talking about Diets).  Transportation is high as we took TWO auto trips down to Portland, and of course personal represents the access to internet / shopping after the summer...

OK, there it is.  Year looks a little high, over out in the 20s target.  Will have more on that when I review the total year after December.

Cost to Cruise Sept and Oct 2016

In my prior post I shared our belief that "Cities make our wallets thin and our bellies fat".  Well here in September and October we can see that trend continue:

In September we  largely were traveling down Canada to get back into the USA, guess we did not spend too much time at The Bus on Saturna Island.  And we largely eat the boat down in preparation for the border crossing.  Though September was not too bad cost wise, we sure made up for it in October!  During that month we not only restocked the boat after entering the USA, but also meet up with several friends and my Son came to spend a month with us.   We visited several ports along the way and dined out A LOT.  All told, a wonderful month - just hard on the wallet.  Now November finds us back in Friday Harbor for the Winter - will need to see how that shapes up...

Cost to Cruise August 2016

I have a saying, “Cities make our wallets thin and our bellies fat”.  And you can see that in August.  Though not truly Cities, in August Kristi and I spent a lot of time visiting different marina’s as we began to wrap up our time in the Broughtons.  In addition to our monthly stop in Port McNeill to reprovision, we visited Sointula, Alert Bay, a couple of the remote marina’s (those that advertised Cinnamon Rolls were selected ---  see the connection here?).  All were enjoyed very much, and all took their toll to the budget.  As you can see here:

Viking Star, August 2016 Costs

If you ‘back out’ the fuel in July we had been running around $1,000 / mo.  this summer.  Visiting the ‘Cities’ raised that significantly, Oh Well….  It is a choice, and we did very much enjoy each stop.


(A side note:  I had to correct July, the health care insurance did not get added in.)

Cost to Cruise July 2016

July came, July went - and again we busted the $1K mark.  This time: Dead Dinosaurs.  Being our 1st time in the Broughtons / Desolation area,we spend a LOT of hours motoring around checking things out.  Rather than our usual pace of moving, staying for 4-5 days, moving, we often moved every 2 days.  Not really sure why, but we did.  Combined with the rather unseasonably cold and wet winter (more generator time, more heater time) in July we found ourselves having used about 2/3rds of our fuel supply.

Penciling things out if we indeed slowed down some, and if indeed the Sun finally came out, we might have been OK - or we might have been on the fence.  In the end we elected to take on 160 gallons of fuel.  To make sure.  But will tell you the Cheap in me still is in a huff over this.  $1.09cad per liter comes to $3.14us per gallon.  Significantly above what we pay in the US (Spot check just now, $1.95)  Sigh, well - the boat rides better with the extra weight.  When we fuel up this fall we'll see if that 160 gallons was really needed.

OK, enough.  The rest of the month was rather typical it seems.  Moorgage is up a little because we are purposely visiting each of the major marinas in the area, just to get a feel for things.  Future visits we will unlikely repeat this way.

OK, here is July:

Viking Star - Cost the Cruise July 2016

Towards the end of August we will start making our way back south.  We need to be out of Canada before October 8th, or plan on having a conversation with the Canadian  IncomeTax folks.  We are kind of figuring on hitting the 'rapids' which separate the Broughtons from the Desolation area after Labor day, then slowly work our way down by the end of September.  Hopefully we will have some sunny days these next couple of months!

Cost to Cruise June 2016

As expected,  June was another low-cost month - but it did break over  the $1,000 mark:

Viking Star Costs for June 2016

And there are two reasons for that:
  1) We went into town, (Kind of twice if you also count the night at Sullivan bay Marina).
  2) Towns make us Fat (we eat out), and out Wallets Thin (we eat out).

Outside that, not a bad month.  For July I expect we will also bust the $1,000 mark.  Kristi and I are kind of 'visiting' the major marines in the area.  Figure on our 1st time in the area it is nice to actually see for ourselves what they look like.

Cost to Cruise May 2016 - YES!

May 2016 was spent largely in isolated anchorages with one trip to 'town' for a major restocking.  And it shows!

In May we (for the 1st time) broke the sub $1,000 mark.  No coffee shops, no wide spread access to the internet for 'shopping'.  Just us, the boat and nature.  See, Cities are BAD when it comes to $$

We did spend a couple of nights at Heriot Bay Inn & Marina to make a trip up to the store (several trips actually) and found a coffee shop there.  That, plus a local burger stand and one great dinner at the Inn (a belated anniversary dinner) accounts for the Dining out at Entertainment cost.  Medical is our monthly ACA exchange healthcare premium.

Outside that, rather low key.  Will be most interesting to see how the summer progresses, see if the trend holds up.

Cost to Cruise April 2016 - getting there

In April we executed our escape from the Cities, well almost.  The 1st part was spent in Victoria visiting with friends and enjoying the Coast Harbor marina.  We walked the streets, had Tea at the Empress, stocked up at stores (and took advantage of our friends car at the same time!).  In all had a great time - including taking advantage of all that the City can offer...

Well, the direction is right (as in getting lower each month), and even under our 2013 average month of around $3,000 / month.  But we think there is still more to go, and being a bit North this summer will be a good test.   We have a saying, 'Cities makes our bellies fat and our wallets skinny'.  Oh how true.  OK, with that some notes:

•  Fuel:  Topped the tanks off from our winter stay in port (heater - but also had a month of cruising in there as well)
• Misc:  Fishing license for Canada.
• Moorage:  Our stay in Victoria.

Will be interesting to see how May shapes up.

Cost to Cruise March 2016

March is the 1st month we were 'away from the docks'.  And it shows.  No access to coffee shops (well, limited access), no more maintenance projects, no more 'mail order' stuff.   Just out there.  But even so March was still a very expensive month as we resume tracking and reporting this year:

Taking a look at some of the details:

• Maintenance consisted of the need to replace the fuel pump in our heater ( @ 5,700hrs, think it had done its job).  Because we had to get the part right now it was about 2x what would have cost had I been carrying a spare. And also resulted in a night at the Anacortes marina.
• Groceries are a bit high as we kind of stocked up just before leaving Friday Harbor on the 2nd and again during an overnight stay in Anacortes.  Preparing for our summer up north.
• Moorage and dining out represents the few times we DID come into port:  Once in the aforementioned Anacortes, and another overnight in Friday Harbor to pick up mail and see the Dr. for some routine lab work.
• Medical. . . .   Always the killer, and this time with a little help.  Over the summer Kristi started to be bothered by abdominal pain.  In the Fall some tests discovered there was a slight hernia in her belly button.  Simple surgery in Feb fixed it up, with the bills trickling into March.  Even with all my griping of the US medical system, have to admit:  These costs are fair game.

And a couple of special notes to make.  March includes two large 'refunds':

• -$350  in Moorage for the refund of part of our deposit to Friday Harbor last fall.
• -$815  in Medical  reflecting the year-end 'adjustment' of our Healthcare Exchange shared premium costs.  (We overpaid each month in 2015, and it was all reconciled in our 2015 fed tax return)
• Side note (soap box):  Though am perhaps happy to see the reduction of our monthly healthcare premium, I am still most disturbed by what the cost is to US (US = United States).  Our individual costs are largely now covered but Uncle Sam is paying a bit north of $800/mo. for what amounts to little coverage.  That surgery Kristi had:  We wrote the checks to several folks for all of it. . . .

Outside of that perhaps we will start getting into a more typical month to month routine.  In April we start our travels into Canada,with lots of opportunity to stay away from cities (we have a saying:  Cities make our bellies fat, and our wallet thin).  Just compare the monthly costs shown here; once one backs out the medical stuff it is so obvious how costly being in port can be, too many opportunities!   Now if Kristi can just manage to keep me away from The Bus on Saturna Island as we travel north, we might find April also a rather cost friendly month.


(ed. note:  The Bus = Wild Thyme, a coffee shop in a double-decker bus)

Cost to Cruise Feb 2016

Another month comes, another month goes - and where is what it cost us:

February was the last month we were 'In Port', having depart for the summer on March 2nd (and are now snugly huddled down in Blind Bay waiting out a series of spring storms as they pass over).

Big hits for this month?  Mostly maintenance as we upgraded our aft head.  Outside that about typical I think - though this month medical was not the biggest expense for us.  (But wait, there is more to over the next couple of months...)

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.

Where have all the Costs gone?

Perhaps you are one of the readers who come to this blog primary for the detailed tracking of costs we have published over the years: http://mvvikingstar.blogspot.com/search/label/Costs

If so, you likely have noted that I have not published updates for a while.   And I am here today to explain why.

In short: last year we took a break in Minnesota; hence the postings listed 'Cost to Not Cruise' during 2014.   I had been looking forward to resuming our true Cost to Cruise blog posts this year - but again 2015 turns out to be an odd year.

See, I try to 'filter out' things which are not really related to costs associated with cruising.  Example, when I take business trips I did not include Airfare nor hotel, but do include moorage costs while I was away.  I had a set of 'rules' for these adjustments - but 2015 is a bit complex and I felt things were getting out of hand.  We had our trip to the BVI.  Then there was a family trip in the spring.  We are right now taking another trip to Minnesota to help out with harvest.  And we have three more trips planned after that.

So many exceptions, oh so many adjustments.  Things just seemed way too artificial and manipulated. So we made the decision to suspend the Costs posts for 2015 - and I was lazy in posting an explanation - until now.

But never fear.  2016 is looking to be a much more 'normal' pure cruising year and we intend to restart the costs posts come January 2016.

Cost to CRUISE Jan/Feb 2015

Though I blew by January, am back to tracking and reporting our costs aboard Viking Star while cruising.  And with this post we kick back into a true Cost to Cruise.

Notice Jan and Feb are back in the Blue  (get it, Blue - water, vs. Green = land).  Note also the rolling average will cover only blue months - up till we can again start a 12mo rolling look-back.

During these past two months we were busy getting Viking Star back into shape, entertained a band of kids, and still had access to a car.   This is reflected in the Transportation and perhaps somewhat the Dining Out.  Am a bit surprised how the Grocery costs raised so much, esp considering there was very very little 'adult beverages' purchased.  perhaps it reflects the cost of Island Living.  And am also noting the dramatic reduction in Personal costs.  I myself attribute this to Kristi being: A) Rather Busy with Grand Kids, B) Rather Busy whipping Viking Star into Shape, C) Rather Busy attending the Oh So many Coffee shops, and D) Rather Discouraged as she looked for places to stuff the accumulated purchases over the past year.  (Boredom + VISA + UPS = Danger)

Misc largely contains park pass fee's as well as Washington State Boat Tax's.

Going forward we can expect picking up fuel costs (tanks are down to perhaps 100Gal), and I am looking to haul-out this summer.  Plus we might have a few 'trips' to account for in some way:  a planned BVI charter and maybe a trip back to the farm during harvest season.  But that is oh so far off, will see..

"It's so much cheaper to live on a boat", or is it??

We have been collecting and publishing our living expenses for going on 4 years now (just follow the 'Costs' label to see them all).  And when Kristi and I took a year off to help out her folks, we continued our tracking - as a way to allow comparison between costs for us to live on land vs. on boat. Now that we have resumed the water-life, let's take a look at the two sets of numbers:

2014:  - A year on Land

Viking Star Cost to Not Cruise December 2014
(Click for larger view)

2013: - A year of Cruising

Viking Star, Cost to Cruise December 2013

At first blush they look somewhat alike:  $35K vs. $37K, with the life-afloat being slightly more costly.  But as is often the truth, the devil is in the details.  Before that, perhaps a review of the 'ground rules' we use is in order.  In short, we work to include all costs associated with the 'life style', but do reserve some items that are not really directly related, or perhaps a more of a personal choice.

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)
• Though 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 include 'personal' travel, example the trips Kristi took back to Minnesota, as well as my travel back to Viking Star last August.
• Gifts given - such a personal choice.
• Others - Always an others - and case-by-case.

A comment on the 'Others'.   It seems Others is just a way to account for poor-planning, or a way to hide details one would not wish to be known.  So far we have not excluded anything outside what is noted above, but in 2015 we will.   We are intending on doing a charter trip to the BVI, and will be handling its costs much like we have business travel:  include costs for Viking Star, meals, and such - but not airfare, boat rental, fees.  Cruisers often travel, but what value does a read gain when that travel can be $10,000 to France for a month vs. $500 to a friends beach cabin?  IT is a judgment call, and one we will make case-by case, as well as rarely.  (BTW, to further mix things up - our BVI airfare costs will be under $100, using up flyer miles..  So there!)

The Details:

In comparing the two years one must also keep in mind a major detail:

1. We own Viking Star free and clear.  There is no boat-payment, but there is insurance and maintenance.
2. While in Minnesota this past year we had NO housing costs.  No rent, insurance, nor maintenance.   We did however split groceries, and Kristi and I covered utilities the last few months (placed under the Misc category).
3. Likewise we had no car expenses (though we did pay for Gas when we took long trips)

These details can make a bit of a difference.  Even if we owned our own home there would be taxes, maintenance, and insurance, as well as utilities.  Depending on where one lives perhaps $5-6K or more depending on needed maintenance.  Add on mortgage payments and we are easily in the $15-20K range, maybe more.  Even renting would be in the $10-15K range or more (again, depending on where one lives).  Toss in another $1,000 operating costs for an auto (and auto payments if one does not own their car).   Utilities brings in another $4K or so for water, power, garbage, internet, etc.  But as we would be boat-less take out the maintenance and moorage (about $5K) and that leaves us with at least an additional $10-25K, or even more on top of the 'land spending'.

Even using the bottom $10K of this range, our land costs are now adjusted from $35K/year to $45K/year.   Vs. the $37K for the boat life.

It is fun to look at 'data', but that is often not information.  Kristi and I talked a bit about the differences, and here are some of our thoughts:

• Groceries is interesting - it appears to be half the cost on land vs. water, some factors to consider:
• While on a Boat we can not drive to Winco or other discount stores - food costs us more.  Maybe 30% more.
• We tended to have a (eahm) larger Booze Budget on the boat than on land.  Sundowners vs. the mostly 'dry' prairies.
• Dining Out / Entertainment - also appears lower on land
• Kind of the same as above.  Hard to get a burger for under $20 at waterside establishments.
• Plus, we had little to no access to coffee shops on the prairies!
• Personal - MUCH more costly on land than water
• Access = opportunity = action.  
• Kristi and I learned a long time ago to keep costs down, stay out of the cities while boating.
• However on land there are lots of services (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc) who are more than happy to 'bring the city to you'.  (Yes, we could have stuff brought in via Beaver plane - but come on)
• Medical and Insurance:  About the same.  We were after all still in the USA.
• Transportation:  Kind of a wash - but remember the above re: automobile
• Communication:
• A bit unfair data shown on land as we did not pay for communications outside of our personal cell phone. 
• What is a typical monthly bill for internet and TV these days?  $100?  $150?
• Misc:
• Here is where we tossed in items that we had not created a category for, example:  Utilities, purchasing a new appliances for the household, etc.  

So what is the bottom line?  I would say:  Overall all it is less expensive for Kristi and I to live on our boat.  Maybe by $10-15K a year, once making all the adjustments talked about above.   And remember, that is comparing things to costs in rural / farmland Minnesota; not the 'cities' (which are sure to be even higher)
 
Plus, we get to vacation 8+ months out of the year!

We do hope our efforts to collect and share this is helpful to some.  I know when we first started looking into this life, cost data was hard to come by.  And we looked to break that trend over the past years.

Cost to Not Cruise Dec 2014 - And a Transition. . . .

December 2014 has come and gone.  And for us it represents a transition month on oh-so-many fronts.  We transition from Care Givers to Memory Holders, from Minnesotans to Washingtonians,   from 'Farmers' to 'Boaters', from Dirt Dwellers to Nautical Nomads - from Not Cruisers back to Cruisers.  It was quite a year for us and everyone.  And one that Kristi and I would not trade for anything.  "The whole idea is freedom..." starts that quote, and we are so glad we HAD the freedom to chose the life we did this past year - hmm:  Maybe we were still 'cruisers' in 2014 after all?

So with December of 2014 comes the last of the 'Cost to Not Cruise' posts - going forward we will still track our costs under the flag of Cost to Cruise.  (and the background will change back to Ocean Blue from the Grass Green of the past year).  But before we get to that, here is December:

Viking Star Cost to Not Cruise December 2014
(Click for larger view)

First thing one might notice is WOW!  Almost $6,000 for the month, way to end the year with a Bang!   Well, bang it kind of was.  Three highlights in there that pumped up the sum:

1. Our slow driving trip back 'home'.  Transportation (gas) and Misc (hotels) getting the bulk of that - but also some dining out.
2. Kristi got some presents for Christmas:  Some Bling, and a new computer - into Personal.
3. We did eat out a LOT while in Portland, it is the American Way to socialize. . .

And it all adds up.  One of the secrets for Kristi and I being able to enjoy this lifestyle so relatively early in our lives is being somewhat conservative in the way we do things.  (I know, there are many who would not see the conservation in our spending, but then there are also many who would call us paupers).  December 2014 was a 'pull out the stops' month.  One we will not repeat often I am sure. 

Soon will do a post comparing our lifestyle on land vs. on water.  To address that question:  it is really oh-so-cheap to live on a boat?




====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we took a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks January of 2014.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - November 2014

And here we are, November.  Kristi and I are out of Minnesota (but still talking with the folks about the -3 and -11 temperatures - not to worry, it did get over 20 for a few days..), and making our way back to Washington and Viking Star.  The Cost to Not-Cruise for November looks like this:

(Click for larger view)

November was 'Move Month' for us, and this is reflected in almost all the line items:

• Groceries are low - we eat out a lot while traveling across country.
• Dining Out is high - we eat out a lot while traveling across country.
• Personal is high - we spent 4 days in San Fransisco!
• Transportation reflects the gas for the car to drive cross country
• Misc reflect costs for Hotels, as well as $135 or so for shipping of our items back to Washington.
• Misc also contained the Utility bills while we were in Storden.

What can I glean from the above?

• Well, 1st - the categories selected for life afloat do not align well with life on land.  (Utilities, hotel, etc all in Misc). 
• Dining Out, despite being costly, is not THAT much more so vs. purchasing groceries for each day??
• Access to Shopping is a BAD THING!  (But then we already knew this, as we noted a spike in our costs when ever we anchored near a city)

 We will do one more month of Cost to Not Cruise; and start the new year back in the Blue so to speak. And at that point will do some thoughts around the whole "How do costs on land vs. what it costs to cruise full time" - well, at least for us.



====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we took a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks January of 2014.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - October 2014

As with September, October had a funeral in it, and with that a bit more on the Dining Out and Transportation costs.  Other than that, not too much different.  We are winding down this 'Not Cruising' phase of our life, looking to get on the road Tuesday or Wednesday of next week making our way back West.  Likely will finish out the year as a 'not cruising' summary, and then do some comparisons with the prior year.

(Click for larger view)

====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we are taking a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - September 2014

Wow, more than 1/2 way through Oct and still have not posted Septembers results, well - here it is:

(Click for larger view)

The passing of Maynard perhaps accounted for additional grocery and dining out costs - with all the Family arriving and such.  It also accounts for the increased transportation costs - driving around a lot, including a trip to 'The Cities' to fetch folks from the airport.

Medical/insurance, well - have been on my soapbox enough about that already...  Will just continue to note it is by far the largest single expense we have - 25% of our spending at this time.

Things are changing. Kristi and I may well be leaving Minnesota at the end of November - a bit of time in the Portland OR area for the holidays and then back to the Boat and resuming our wandering life.  But do not take this as a PLAN, it is perhaps a thinking at this time.




====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we are taking a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - August 2014

August brought a couple of notable events:  I traveled back to Washington for a 10 day 'work on Viking Star' session - and Kristi's folks both moved into a local nursing home.   Here is our cost summary for August:

Viking Star cost to NOT cruise - August 2014

Transportation was large, reflecting my trip (Car Rentals, Airline fees 'Oh, you wanted Ox on the plane?  Did you bring your own??') while Maintenance reflects local purchases as needed.  And of course, medical..

As a reminder Kristi and I took a '1 year' break to help out her folks, and it looks like that might be winding up.  Going forward things will be a bit dynamic for the next few months as we start to return to the Cruising life.  Likely we will be moving back in a couple of months, perhaps taking a 'road trip' to visit family - esp over the holidays.  But then it will be back to 'Normal' - what ever that is :-)





====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we are taking a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - July 2014

July had nothing special in it, except perhaps the medical invoices from Dr. Visits continue to work their way 'through the system'.

Click for larger view

There is a bit of consistency between June and July, August will have my costs associated with my travel back to Viking Star for a week of maintenance and preparation for the coming winter.  Kristi and I are still looking to remain in Storden MN - at least until Christmas time; things are a bit dynamic here these days and we may be returning earlier then our 'planned' end of March 2015.  See, the 'P' word just does not work - even on land :-)







====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we are taking a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right for even more cost data.

Cost to not cruise - June 2014

With the arrival of June we now have half a year of 'un-cruising' data to look at.  And though we continue to see a decline in the average month costs (largely I think due to further amortization of travel costs over a greater period of time) perhaps things are starting to starting to settle down some in terms of the 'average'.    Each month still has some wild swings - though these days it is as much about how we share costs with Kristi's folks than anything (ala, the Groceries in April reflect a 'balancing' of things between us all).

Sharp eyed folks might notice the Medical costs.  They are 4 reasons:

1. We had to drop our IMG international policy as we are no longer outside the USA more than 6 months out of the year.
2. We had to take up an ACA policy, as we are not outside the USA more than 11 months out of the year.
3. We had to take up a policy in Minnesota vs. Washington State as we now claim Minnesota as our state of Residence.
4. I (Al) am working through a developing medical condition.  (Sigh)

Points 1-3 combined resulted in an increase of our yearly insurance cost from $1,400 to over $2,300, as well as a doubling of our maximum deductible/out-of-pocket for these 'catastrophic' insurance policies.   Point #4 is a life thing, don't want to make much of it - as it is manageable -  but it will add a bit to our ongoing medical costs.  And does go to show why one should get on with life:  "The whole idea is freedom, go simple, go cheap, go now"


With 6 months of averaging perhaps we can start to compare the cost to cruise vs. the cost to not-cruise.  Simply put:  $3,100 a month vs. $2,200 a month.   When looking at these monthly averages, keep in mind a few things:

• While cruising, we did not pay for moorage - outside of transient times and winter months (Nov..Feb)
• While not-cruising we have moorage, but are not covering 'housing' nor auto costs - that is part of the deal for Kristi and I helping out her folks.
• We do however share food costs (Groceries and dining out), as well as pick up any personal items.

For me, the most interesting lines to compare are:

• Boat Maintenance:  How much does it cost to use it vs. store it?
• Groceries:  Automobile = access to different stores, plus we have cut down on 'adult beverages'  (Hard to have sun-downers while fighting off the Mosquitos)
• Personal:  Oh So Much Time On Ones Hands + Oh So Easy Access To Internet + Oh So Simple To Have Things Delivered To Us....  (Each day brings a new surprise at the post office!)
• Medical, well - kind of talked about that above - and it really is more of a USA social issue than a cruising thing.  Until we are able to leave the USA for 11+ months out of a year we will be under the highest cost medical system in the world.  (Oops, that box was sneaking out again).  But given it still represents over 20% of our budget this is a major cost item and consideration for anyone looking to live life on a budget.

There you go.  July will be kind of low-key, August I fly back to Washington for 10 days of boat maintenance and preparing her for another winter alone.



====================================================================

And now here is the standard explanation: If this is your 1st time looking at costs on our blog, and want some more background on why we are reporting what it costs to not-cruise on a cruising blog - well, we are taking a break by moving back to Minnesota to help out Kristi's folks.  And we thought it would be interesting to be able to compare our costs on Land vs. on Sea., see more here:   mvVikingStar.blogspot.com/.../cost-to-not-cruise-january

For reference here is a summary of what it did cost us to cruise last year:

For Reference, Costs for Cruising in 2013

Again, following the link above will give you access to more details, or you can click on the Costs label to the right.