Costs

Almost at the same time that the idea of ​​"leaving" on a sailboat was growing on our heads we also had emerging questions of how we would cover all the expenses of to this style of life. Doubts still persist but, somehow, we think that they will dissipate as we settle into the new style.

We were able to secure collaboration with the weekly newspaper O Clarim in Macau, where we will publish everything that is going on during our trip. It was also agreed a collaboration in English with the monthly magazine Fragrant Harbour from Hong Kong. I already write to both publications for several years, so it’s not really something new but more of continuity.

However, this cash flow will not, by itself, be enough to cover all expenses, so we hope that we can have more collaborations during our journey and help us to cover all the expenses.

NaE has also secured collaboration with a monthly magazine in Thai language and it will also help to “plug some holes”!

However, and as we have to be creative in the solutions to generate funds, we decided that I would take the surveyors course for fishing and pleasure boats from the United States Surveyor Association, having completed it in April 2013. I’m now a Master Surveyor (!), licensed by the USSA. In practice this license allows me to do inspections on vessels anywhere in the world. So if you need any inspection of a boat, and if we are in your area, do not hesitate to contact us!

We know from the experience of others with the same lifestyle that costs of day-to-day (not including exceptional maintenance), turn out to be much smaller than we normally have on land. No water bills, power, phone, etc ... and there is no rents to pay, no cars or trips to the cinema or the restaurant every day!

It is difficult to find information on expenditure in this lifestyle because each crew is a different case. If we choose to have the same lifestyle we had on land, eating at expensive restaurants and traveling all the time, of course we will end up spending fortunes. But this lifestyle it’s exactly to escape all of that and engage in a more relaxed life, leaving all these "vices" behind.

Currently, with the lifestyle we lead on land, we spend roughly € 2,000 per month on food, fixed expenses and other extras. Not counting the house rent (or amortization to the bank), gasoline, car park, etc… So, hopefully, in the life aboard such expenses will be reduced substantially.

We will try, at least the first few months, to keep a list of food costs, maintenance and other running costs, so that we can get an idea of ​​what will be necessary in terms of budget without going into unnecessary expenses.

If you have any ideas, please share them!