1.
I had a hard budget to make because i had things that had to be payed back home
but for sailing i budgeted with spending 1000$ dollar pr. month. It has proven
to be easy to swing both ways. In places like Isla Margarita in Venezuela where
gas is 9 cents a gallon it is easy to save up a bit while French Polynesia with
European prices is harder. I would recommend to make a sailing plan that allows
you to spend a long time in cheap countries like San Blas, Cartagena or
Margarita rather than Aruba and St. Lucia. There is a lot of money to be saved
this way but eventually it is up to you and how disciplined you are :-)
There are all kinds of
people out sailing. Those with a big boat will use more on the boat than those
with a small boat. An auto pilot for a 52'fotter can easy cost over 3000 dollar
while the autopilot for a 29'footer is about 350 dollars. The spending for
ordinary people in ordinary boats with ordinary budgets normally vary between
1000 and 1500 dollar pr. month. Normally you save at least 30% by being more
than one in the boat. This is very individual and varies a lot but as i said it
is up to you to make it. If one does not have an accident or like me have to
purchase a new engine everyone can keep a budget.
Remember
that sometimes shit happens. As mentioned i have to get a new engine, this will
totally ruin my budget because it is costing a lot more shirts than i had
planned to wear this year. To compensate i have decided to spend a long time in
Thailand next year where shirts are cheap.
2. Hmm,
did my budget for the first year bust? Well of course but this is
expected. When you make a budget it has to be tight and one has to think
positive but it should not be a surprise when it fails. If you have a surplus in
youer budget you will probably be so happy that you go out and spend the money
you should have saved, at least i would so for me it is better to make a tight
budget.
Kjell O.
Stave |