Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: frugal living (page 3 of 7)

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – October 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the East Coast.

October was a rough month for us, in terms of discomfort, stress, frustration, and bad luck. Nothing, truly nothing, went according to plan. But we persevered and, once again, friends came to the rescue. I’ll explain when going through the numbers.

Mark, Maya, and I arrived in the Houston area of Texas several weeks earlier than planned, because our brand-new, state-of-the-art $1,400 Isotherm fridge had to be replaced under warranty. The most economical way for us to arrange this (from Colorado) was by picking up a replacement 1,100 miles away, in Seabrook, Texas, ideally as soon as possible. This would give us “plenty of time” to make sure fridge #2 worked as advertised and expected. Well, it didn’t, and to this day – now out of the country – we are trying to diagnose the cooling issue. We bought extra tools and gear to keep working on this in Colombia.

Delays of the ship that would bring Thirsty Bella to Cartagena had us pinned in Eastern Texas even longer. And, believe me, there is another story coming about that as well. This post of last month was just the beginning. I think Mark and I could produce our own drama series or soap opera by now!

But, let’s get back to our expenses. The grocery category ($354) was on the high side, because we had emptied our fridge the previous month, since it had to be replaced and we had no cool space in 100-degree Texas to store perishables. So, we started over, with a similar goal: finish eating all/most of the food by the time we’d leave the country.

Texas is big, but we figured that once we had reached Houston and Galveston (from where our camper ships), we’d stay put for the month. Fuel is pretty much the cheapest in the country here. Yay. Maybe we could get by on one tank?

Nope. The weather chased us around, from county park to the beach, onto the mainland, and back to grassier environs. Incessant heat, 90% humidity, being sandblasted by wind, and a good sprinkle of mosquitoes had us drive the two-hour distance between Galveston and Anahuac multiple times.

We also did more preemptive car maintenance ($120) in preparation for the big trip: changing the air filter, transfer case fluid (one extra top-up needed), and coolant (three flushes) in our engine. These were tasks that couldn’t be done in sand, on windy days, in parks, surrounded by mosquitoes, or during the heat of the day. The tolls were paid to cross a $2 bridge between Galveston Island and San Luis Island, where we hoped to spend a week and finally relax a bit, but the wind had something else in mind. More driving.

Mark and I bought three bags of dogfood ($131) for Maya to give us a head start in South America. Since our girl is allergic to corn and chicken (and a lot of other things), finding suitable food will be a challenge. We also stocked up on another container of her fish oil supplement ($49) to keep her coat shiny and her health optimal.

The alcohol category was surprisingly high ($81).  I guess we tried to drink some of our worries away. We also hung out with friends and bought wine and rum to share.

Our new grill in action! (Photo by Duwan Dunn)

For the first time in years, there was an accommodation cost! One we happily obliged to. Our Houston friends, John and Harriet, graciously offered us the use of their condo right on the beach in Galveston, when we met up at their house in the city, the end of September. Our only contribution would be the cleaning fee at the end of our stay. We eventually planned on using this accommodation for our last week in the US, during which time our camper would be shipped. We’d be able to see the car carrier leave from the condo’s balcony!

But the anticipated schedule was not to be, delays messed everything up, and we felt no need for a condo when we could still live in Bella. So, we cancelled our reservation for the end of October. Our camper was to be dropped off on November 7th at that point, with our plane to Miami leaving the same day…

As most of you know, Mark and I never stay in and pay for campgrounds. We wouldn’t be able to afford this lifestyle otherwise. We boondock pretty much 100% of the time, which means we camp without facilities and amenities. Not that electricity hookups would matter, since we don’t have an air conditioner on board. And this is an important factor: nobody lives, let alone camps, without AC in Eastern Texas this time of the year. After weeks of suffering from the high humidity, we finally realized why we were always the only RV wherever we parked for the night…

So, when it all became too much – the sweating, the running around, the stressing over issues and logistics, the bugs – we inquired about the availability of John and Harriet’s condo and snatched a glorious week there to cool down, take a deep breath, keep working on the fridge issue and more logistics, go for long beach walks with Maya, and… be sick. Maybe it was the AC? Maybe the culmination of everything going on? Maybe it was finally “letting go” for a bit? It was mostly Mark being under the weather last month, but now, here in our Airbnb in Colombia (with AC), it’s my turn.

The cost for our utilities ($48) was similar to previous months. It was the last time we paid for our fantastic unlimited AT&T data plan of $35 a month, which doesn’t exist anymore for new subscribers and which we managed to sell on. The rest of the amount was for propane. Frugal as we are, we only bought two gallons, since our tank needed to be empty in order to ship our camper (which is another incredible story for later). Then, Mark discovered a propane leak. It took weeks to diagnose and fix that issue, and more propane.

The last week of October, our good friends and fellow nomads Duwan and Greg joined us in Texas. We started out at Fort Anahuac Park for three nights (a permit is needed) and – contrary to what we were told previously – discovered we couldn’t stay at other Chambers County Parks for another week. The hunt for free camping in the region then had us stay at a boat ramp, rest area, and Harvest Host brewery location, finishing up at the beach in Galveston again when the wind finally subsided.

When camped at the Equal Parts brewery in Houston, our group went out for drinks and appetizers ($30) on their patio and street tacos at a Mexican food stand ($10). My (bad) Spanish was rewarded with a free Agua de Jamaica (hibiscus juice) and meat taco. 😊

As always, we cooked and ate most of our meals at home, by ourselves or with friends. Mark spoiled me with his favorite recipe a couple of times: mushroom burgers on a bed of lettuce with aioli and jasmine rice.

I finally met Lexie, a fellow adventurer whose blog I have been following for years. She treated us to lunch and gifted us Texan goodies, which we savored for days.

Meeting blogging friend Lexie in League City

The money spent on household items went to yet another clock and stain and brushes for our new cabinet. I’m still baffled at how we managed to pick the perfect color from memory – no samples and no photos had accompanied us to Home Depot.

During our 24 hours in the big city, Duwan, Greg, Mark, and I also enjoyed free entertainment in the form of historic buildings, street art, a walk in Buffalo Bayou Park, a glimpse of and in Rothko Chapel, and a stroll through the impressive and fascinating Menil collection.

To top it off, our total expenses for October were not bad at all – under our monthly average. Maybe this is the start of affordable living again…

(PS: We did have $101 of Lance camper expenses in October as well – diagnostic tools and extra parts – as preparation for our upcoming multiple-year South America trip, but since we budgeted for that, it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs in the future.)

October 2022 Overview:

Groceries:

Car (fuel: $153; maintenance: $120; tolls: $4):

Dog (food: $131; fish oil: $49):

Alcohol:

Accommodation (condo cleaning fee):

Utilities (internet: $35; propane: $13):

Drinking out:

Household (clock, batteries,…):

Computer (hosting site):

Clothing (hat Liesbet):

Dining out:

Gifts:

 

TOTAL:

 

$354

$277

$179

$81

$80

$48

$30

$24

$20

$12

$10

$8

———

$ 1,123

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – September 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the East Coast.

A lot has been going on the last few weeks (again), which means I barely have time to breathe, let alone keep up with my diaries, answer emails, practice Spanish, read a book or blog posts, write, research products and destinations, or work on my own blogs. This one has been ten days in the making, half an hour each time I make an attempt, not my usual approach.

It’s been busy on the road – driving huge distances, dealing with logistics to get us all to South America, returning wrong Amazon packages, fixing items that shouldn’t break, maintenance on the car, dealing with failing equipment, disappointments, and limited customer support, and keeping up with our current life – finding free camping spots, locating stores to buy specific items, picking up packages (which require an address), finding the resources we need, and hopping from store to store and campsite to campsite and fuel station to fuel station.

I’m due for an update here on Roaming About, but first we have to find a decent (and free) location to sit for a while. This proves to be hard in the Houston area. Maybe next week. Back to our expenses of last month…

In September, Mark and I drove a lot – from the middle of Oregon through Idaho, Utah, a tiny piece of  Colorado, and New Mexico to the Houston area in Texas. And then a bunch more in this state as well. With our crappy fuel economy (10.5 miles to the gallon), it is no surprise we spent $900 on gasoline to drive 2,000 miles.  The idea was to sit still somewhere, once we arrived in our last US state, but the weather has not been cooperative. High heat and humidity, nasty bugs, and heavy wind have kept us moving about.

We did another oil change and bought spare parts for our engine.  Our grocery expenditure was relatively low. One of the reasons for that was needing to empty our fridge, because we had to “swap it out” and staying for a few days at a decent beach without shopping for food beforehand. I really enjoy getting rid of things – whether it is by eating food or donating material belongings.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we keep on buying and buying for this upcoming South America trip – mostly on Amazon. Mark and I purchased new KEEN hiking shoes (you can find Mark’s here and mine here), ZEEPORTE snorkel gear (Mark picked grey ones here and I chose blue ones here), and a new CUISINART grill (which you find here). We are still considering replacing our 5-year-old COLEMAN camping chairs before leaving.

The advantage of this particular CUISINART grill is that the regulator is easily removed and it allows you to use the low-pressure propane from your RV tank. As always, we researched these products, checked their reviews, and bought them at a great price (at half their original price or heavily discounted), because they are Amazon warehouse deals – the perfect way to save lots of money. To see if there is a warehouse deal on the product you are interested in, click on the “New & Used” box at the right side of the purchase page. The same Amazon rules and conditions apply.

Finally we own a grill again – this has been since 2015 on Irie as well

Side note: My parents usually give us Amazon gift cards as New Year and birthday presents and I asked these in advance this year, because we won’t be able to order stuff down south. The money is to be used for “fun stuff”, not camper parts or necessary items to sustain ourselves. Yet, based on the timeline and returns and refunds for wrong parts, the categories of these might change over time. Our end-of-the-year expense report is therefore more accurate in terms of categories and amounts. The personal goods in this report are supposed to come off the gift cards, which are currently used for spare parts, car maintenance items, and household necessities as well.

The alcohol and gifts (dessert goodies) last month came with us when visiting friends and family, and we paid the annual fees for one of four website domains. The total for our hosting fees is around $200 a year. I hereby want to thank everyone who has donated to this cause, so far.

This truck passed us at a 75mph and – no doubt – scratched the driver side of our camper. It was hard to catch up with him to take this photo. Luckily, the damage was negligible but we did chew through extra gas as it took twenty minutes, before we caught up!

Accommodation last month was free again, thanks to friends inviting us to camp on their property or offering a guest room and us boondocking everywhere else.

We also never paid for sightseeing – once because our friend Christine has a National Park pass; other times because the destinations and activities didn’t cost anything.

September wasn’t a cheap month, but it brought us to Texas (prematurely, but more about that another time) and we are now biding time in the Galveston area, which is where we will ship Thirsty Bella from. Plus, we stayed under $2,000. Maybe that should become our goal, instead of the usual average of $1,300. It is certainly more realistic. For now.

(PS: We did have $1,711 of Lance camper expenses in September as well – mostly to buy a new fridge – as preparation for our upcoming multiple-year South America trip, but since we budgeted for that, it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs in the future.)

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without extra cost to you.

September 2022 Overview:

Car (fuel: $913; maintenance & parts: $294):

Groceries:

Clothing (new hiking shoes):

Household (grill, oven pans, filters,…):

Entertainment (snorkel gear):

Utilities (internet: $35; propane: $14):

Alcohol:

Computer (hosting site):

Gifts:

Dog:

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1,217

$267

$141

$130

$72

$49

$41

$20

$17

$1

$0

———

$ 1,955

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – August 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the East Coast.

In August, I finished up my visit to Belgium and stopped over in Newburyport, Massachusetts, for a week of medical check ups and time spent with my in-law family and friends. I returned to St. Helens, Oregon, on August 9th to join Mark and Maya in our Lance 830 truck camper.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

This past month, things were slowly turning normal regarding our expenses and doing a few fun things. There were still extra costs, we worked hard on our camper, and we hit the road once more. We also shared many meals with friends.

After 11 weeks parked and camped on the driveway of friends (Ellen & Scott), we drove to the Oregon coast on august 18th to spend a long weekend with other friends (Katherine & Brandon, whom we met in Baja, Mexico this past winter), before settling into the house of yet another friend (Patti) for a good week in Bend, Oregon. This comfortable stay concluded a hot month of driving, working on camper projects, socializing, and sightseeing.

Grocery expenses were pretty high (blame inflation) and this is probably the first time that Maya hits the #2 position on the list. We are stocking up on medication for her. Her itch relief medicine Apoquel is super expensive at $2.25 a pill and that’s only when you buy 100 tablets at a time. We also bought a couple of Seresto collars (flea & tick medicine), because they were on sale. Each one of these lasts eight months.

Maya’s Seresto collars

We didn’t drive crazy amounts in our pickup truck Thirsty, so the $284 we spent on gasoline can be called “reasonable” in this climate of – still – high fuel prices in the Pacific Northwest. The computer category is high, because, guess what? I bought my very first SmartPhone. Yes, me, the person who didn’t want – and still doesn’t want – a phone. But, don’t get too excited about me joining the ranks of practically every other person in the western world. I don’t have a SIM card, so can only get online via a WiFi signal and I can’t make calls. This phone will replace my camera, which has been falling apart for years. That’s the idea anyway.

Why did I cave? My brother gave me an old iPhone8 of his and Mark discovered a deal online; we could swap this phone and receive a brand-new Google Pixel 6a phone by paying an additional $160. These phones usually cost around $450. So, I blame my husband (and my brother) for making me buy – and use – an extra gadget. Let’s hope I don’t lose/forget it or have it slip out of my hands. I’ve come close to all these scenarios already!

Because we have been staying with generous friends most of the month, “thank you” gifts were in order. And, we bought a few improvements for our household: a new set of Corelle plates and bowls ($33), an electric chainsaw to cut those pesky branches that prevent us from reaching cool campsites ($25), sturdy bags for our new Separett “composting” toilet ($27), and a non-ticking clock ($10). This last item took a lot of trial and error – and returns!

The other categories were reasonable. The $34 we spent on propane was a waste, since the valve of our tank broke right after filling it. Therefore, it became useless and we swapped it for another, less fancy, tank, paying for propane again! I had a haircut at SuperCuts in Massachusetts. Gone are the days to get one for $20 including tip. I will stop going to hairdressers, unless it costs me $10 or less, like in Mexico.

The $27 transportation amount is also unusual. That’s what I spent for trains and buses to get to my mother-in-law’s place from Boston’s  Logan airport. There used to be a direct bus to Newburyport, but this service was cancelled two years ago. Instead of one hour, it now takes about three – and much more hassle – to get to or from the airport.

Our accommodation – camped on the driveways of friends or moved into their guestrooms – was free and we managed to attend a few events with no cost as well, like the Toledo Wooden Boat Show.

We paid $10 to get my new glasses shipped to Colorado, after they were prescribed to me during my visit back East. And, we reserved a particular hike near Bend, but cancelled. The fee for the permit was non-refundable. Mark, Maya, Patti, her dogs Koozie and Pekoe, and I did manage to go on another stunning and special hike in the mountains, for which Patti snatched the permit. Here is a glimpse of that one…

(PS: We did have $617 of Lance camper expenses in August as well, as preparation for our upcoming multiple-year South America trip, but since we budgeted for that (so far), it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs in the future.)

August 2022 Overview:

Groceries:

Dog (food: $42; meds: $295):

Car (fuel: $284; parts: $6):

Computer (new phone: $170; MS Office license: $7):

Gifts:

Household (& tools):

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $35; propane: $34):

Health & fitness (supplements: $33; haircut: $27):

Alcohol:

Transportation (Liesbet Boston):

Drinking out:

Medical:

Entertainment (hiking permit):

Clothing:

Miscellaneous (copies):

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$375

$337

$290

$177

$121

$117

$74

$69

$60

$31

$27

$23

$10

$3

$1

$1

$0

———

$ 1,716

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – July 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups and extensive care, we return to the East Coast.

July was another unusual month. The first part, we both worked fulltime on camper projects in our friends Scott and Ellen’s yard, cooked most of our meals, listened to free live concerts on Thursdays, and “endured” Independence Day.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

On July 4th, weeklong fireworks in the neighborhood reached their peak with the town’s display. Maya was in hell. All the other weeks (ten of them!), she really loved being at our friends’ place.

The second half of July, Mark and I lived apart in a reversed way than in June (he and Maya stayed in Oregon this time and I visited Belgium) and there were two super high expenses. I have to give up on my desire to stick to our $1,300 monthly average of previous years, what with living costs and fuel having risen hugely and preparations – for this camper and ourselves – regarding our upcoming multiple-year adventure in South America. And, we haven’t even gotten into the logistics of getting there yet! Luckily, our accommodation the last months has been free.

Our truck in front of Washington’s state capitol

The annual car insurance for our 2016 Ford F-350 pick-up truck was due and this took a fat chunk out of our bank account at almost $1,000. Once we leave the country towards the end of the year, we will get some of this reimbursed, just like when we drove to the Baja peninsula (Mexico) for a few months in January. In the state of Massachusetts, there are minimum insurance levels you need to have, even when not in the US, which basically comes down to liability insurance. We are researching ways to get around this useless fee.

Mark had to escape a terrible weeklong heatwave in the Portland area, since our camper does not have AC and our parking spot there was in the blazing sun. So, he drove to the property of other friends who are renovating a house along the coast of Oregon. The difference in temperature? Thirty degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius)! While it was in the upper nineties in St. Helens, on the coast, a 2.5-hour drive west, the high was upper sixties.

That trip, going to look at another Lance 830 camper in Tacoma, Washington (which we passed on), our five-day “test drive” in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, and a couple of rides to PDX (Portland airport) back and forth is where the high fuel cost comes from. Mark also bought an OBD reader for the truck to diagnose faults and car issues. We had this for Zesty as well, which came in handy.

The other high expense was for Mark’s new computer/tablet hybrid, a Surface Pro 7+. He had been on the lookout for this particular device (and returned a similar one already) for many months, patiently waiting for a deal. The $480 price includes a keyboard. A card with extra memory to improve the tablet’s performance was purchased the previous month.

I renewed my Belgian passport in my parents’ town – a story in itself – which, luckily, arrived before I left again, despite our national holiday (July 21st) being smack in the middle of my two-week stay. We bought another bag of dogfood for Maya and heartworm medicine for a year. Stocking up on drugs and essentials for her will add hundreds of dollars to our expenses the coming months.

The other categories for July were quite normal. Groceries were relatively low (because my parents took good care of me in Belgium), as well as alcohol (we barely drank booze). The $7 entertainment amount went to our cave visit in the National Monument. Mark bought a $2 lottery ticket since he coincidentally found himself at a local bar with our coastal friends the day the Mega Millions pot was at an all-time high. Not that it mattered. He mistakenly bought a ticket for a different lottery. His numbers wouldn’t have made a difference either way…

Mount St. Helens before the heatwaves hit…

(PS: We did have $1,040 of Lance camper expenses in July as well, but since we budgeted for that (so far), it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs in the future.)

July 2022 Overview:

Car (ins.: $952; fuel: $295; parts: $28):

Computer (new Surface Pro 7+ Mark):

Groceries:

Customs & Immigration (new Belgian passport Liesbet):

Dog (food: $32; meds: $36):

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $35; Skype: $5):

Drinking out:

Household:

Clothing:

Alcohol:

Entertainment (NM):

Postage:

Miscellaneous (lottery):

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1,275

$480

$232

$72

$68

$41

$40

$16

$13

$11

$9

$7

$5

$2

$0

———

$ 2,271

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – June 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Last month was unusual to say the least; our expense categories, our location (mostly apart from each other), and our focus. Plus, the weather was extreme: rain almost every day Mark was gone and upper nineties Fahrenheit (mid-thirties Celsius) for three days shortly after his return…

(Click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Mark flew to Newburyport, Massachusetts, for three weeks to help out his mom who injured herself, arrange the funeral service for his dad, Stanley, who passed away in February, and receive health check-ups, which caused extra stress and grief. He was super overwhelmed and busy those weeks.

Maya and I stayed in our recently-purchased Lance 830 truck camper on the property of friends in the Portland area of Oregon. Yes, the opposite end of the country. I organized our life inside (as we had quickly “moved in” two days before Mark’s departure), caught up with a bunch of internet tasks and work, did an interview as a presenter for my first Van Life Summit, and completed small projects.

Taking care of Maya and providing her with enough exercise also took a chunk of time and was much more fun when the sun peeked out.

No crazy high categories in June. Our grocery costs were reasonable and we paid for fuel once in MA for Mark using the car of his mom and once for the truck here in order to drive it back and forth to PDX, Portland’s airport. Parking fees are steep in Boston, where some of Mark’s health check-ups take place.

Extra categories involved paying for one third of Stan’s funeral service, providing drinks for the gathering afterwards (recorded as a gift; on hindsight, it should probably have gone in miscellaneous as well), and spending too much money on annual credit card fees, because we forgot to cancel one of our cards in time. As I mentioned, too much else going on. While $95 might not seem like a lot to some people, it does make a difference for us.*

Mark bought accessories for a new computer, but ended up returning the device. He will be able to use the parts whenever he decides to finally purchase a replacement laptop. I bought a few more items to organize the interior of our camper.

And, I finally gave in and purchased a raincoat, a garment I haven’t owned in years. There are three reasons for this decision: Oregon has been wet, I’m sure I need one in South America, and I want something with pockets to stuff them with goodies on the plane ride back from Belgium as I’m only allowed to take one personal item for a three-week trip! (Two weeks in my home country and one week in Massachusetts before flying back to Oregon.)

We ordered an expensive pizza for take-out one evening, have been enjoying free music in town on Thursday nights with our friends (hence the drinking out), Maya needed a few items, and – for some reason – one now has to pay out of pocket to prep for a colonoscopy. Sorry if this is too much information. No taboos on this site.

On a positive note, we didn’t spend a dime on accommodation, courtesy (again and still) of our friends here in St. Helens. And we have primarily been cooking our own meals and sharing some of them with our hosts.  Once Mark was back, we dove into projects again. Stay tuned while we try and figure out our next move, which remains incredibly tricky and stressful…

(PS: We did have about $500 of Lance camper expenses in June as well, but since we budgeted for that (so far), it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs.)

*UPDATE: We called our Chase bank to cancel that credit card and they will refund the $95 annual fee (so our total expenses for June 2022 are closer to $1,230).  Apparently, this is their policy and courtesy when you cancel within 41 days of paying the fee.

June 2022 Overview:

Groceries:

Miscellaneous (memorial service):

Bank fees (CC annual fees):

Car (fuel: $117; parking: $14):

Gifts (drinks for memorial event):

Computer hardware (parts):

Alcohol:

Utilities (internet: $35; propane: $19):

Household:

Clothing (rain jacket Liesbet):

Health & fitness (vitamins Mark):

Dining out:

Medical (colonoscopy prep M):

Drinking out:

Dog (fish oil, shampoo, treats):

Transportation (train from airport):

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$267

$225

$190

$131

$86

$77

$74

$54

$44

$39

$35

$28

$26

$26

$23

$7

$0

———

$ 1,332

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – May 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Last month was quite crazy for us; on many fronts. Our circumstances – hunting for a different camper, picking it up, moving locations, preparing and delivering our original camper that was for sale, fixing imminent issues and systems in our “new” home on wheels, a terrible accident in the family, my mother-in-law breaking her shoulder, Mark having to fly back east, me booking a plane ticket, … (read about it all here) – hugely affected our expenditures in May.

(Click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

The largest cost by far was gasoline for our truck, as we drove north in California, crisscrossed this state a few times between Auburn, CA, and Boise, Idaho, made a “detour” to Twin Falls, ID, to drop off our Cirrus camper, and headed west to St. Helens, Oregon. We knew we were spending hundreds of dollars over those weeks, but were still flabbergasted at the total sum of over $1,000!!! There is only one solution for our frugal budgets: sit still for a long while. Because of all our upcoming camper projects and issues, we kind of have to anyway.

Speaking of which, our Lance camper expenses are actually much higher than any other category, but since we budgeted for that (so far), it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to dedicate a separate post for those projects and costs.

Some of our US car insurance money was still due, as we had paused this policy when traveling throughout Baja, Mexico, for four months. And, after all the driving, Thirsty was due for an oil change, which Mark performed a few hundred miles ago back in Boise. Being able to do most tasks and projects ourselves – now, in the past (also when sailing), and in the future – saves us a lot of money, stress, inconvenience, distrust, and disappointment.

The cost of plane tickets – nationally and internationally – has doubled compared to last year as well. It was another shock to us when we browsed tickets for Mark (and me later this summer) to fly back to Massachusetts and for me to visit my family in Belgium. We used multiple one-way tickets through inconvenient airports, with funky layovers, and without carry-on luggage (yes, that’s a thing now – “only one personal item allowed”) to make these jaunts as affordable as possible. My dear parents covered my legs to Belgium. Thank you!

Our other expenses were normal. Before we sold it, we had to repair a couple of things on the Cirrus camper after our extensive travels on the Baja peninsula this past winter. We also thanked our hosts for their hospitality with a few items we knew they enjoyed, and shared some rum and wine with friends to ease our worries a bit.

Our entertainment in May was free and comprised a one-hour stop at the magnificent Shoshone Falls in the town of Twin Falls, Idaho (usually $5 parking fee per car, but the kiosk was closed during our morning, weekday stop), before dropping the Cirrus camper off with its new owners and a quick visit of Idaho’s capitol in Boise, the day we left the area.

Getting a cashier’s check to pay for a big-ticket item, like a used truck camper, costs $15 with Bank of America. While it’s not that much, costs like these annoy us. The same with fees for administrative dealings, although the time, energy, and hassle involved are obviously more intrusive.

We didn’t spend anything on accommodation or camping, laundry, water, or electricity in May; something we are very thankful for. Hurray for friends – and family – in troubled times!

May 2022 Overview:

Car (fuel: $1,206; ins.: $154; maint.: $30):

Travel (flights):

Groceries:

Cirrus camper (ins.: $23; repairs: $110):

Gifts:

Utilities (internet):

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Banking (cashier’s check):

Household:

Clothing (flip flops Mark):

Customs & Immigration:

Drinking out:

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1,390

$1,013

$355

$133

$58

$35

$27

$17

$15

$11

$10

$8

$3

$0

———

$ 3,075

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad (mostly in Mexico) – April 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

For most of last month, Mark, Maya, and I happily kept traveling and living throughout Baja California Sur and Baja California (Norte) in Mexico, slowly making our way back “home.” After 3.5 months south of the border, we returned to the United States on April 26th, 2022,  and spent about a week in Southern California. We have covered thousands of miles since then.

Once we reached the historic town of Loreto by the end of March, we regretfully felt our time on the Baja peninsula was diminishing, as we would start making our way back to the US from there – where to, we didn’t know yet.

Little did we know that a couple of weeks later, a chance encounter with Katherine and Brandon in Mulege, sent us south again, back to Loreto Bay/Nopolo. Our new friends had invited us for a few days of splurging at their condo (showers, laundry, great company, a pool), which was followed by another handful of days of beach camping near town.

On April 22nd, we did – finally – start our long journey north and pretty much drove every day for the remainder of the month, slowly covering the 850 miles from Loreto to Julian, California, via San Diego. If you think our gas price for this jaunt in Baja was high, wait until the expense report for May comes out…

We finished all the food in our fridge before crossing the border, so an extensive shopping spree was in order. Fortunately, our friend Janis made dinner in San Diego on our first evening back in the US. We had a nice time with her and her husband Paul.

In Baja, it was still affordable to go out for dinner, so we did this a few times, to celebrate our postponed combined birthdays at the amazing restaurant Mi Loreto and to eat fish and shrimp tacos in San Ignacio. After taking Katherine and Brandon on the incredible Mesquite Canyon hike, they were extremely generous by treating us to a delicious seafood lunch on the drive home.

Mark and I swore we would not eat out – or do take-out – anymore once we left Mexico, as inflation is hurting us, but we happily bought our friend Amy a pho on our second night in San Diego and were treated to pizza by our friend Diana, once settled for a few days on her beautiful and peaceful property in Julian, CA.

We paid for six nights at campgrounds in April – in Loreto, Playa La Perla (Bahia Concepcion), and near Ensenada on our last night in Mexico, which happened to be the least attractive and priciest stay of the bunch.

The rest of the month, we boondocked (camping without facilities) in nature for free.

And we finally bought a souvenir – a handmade Mexican blanket. We’d been keeping an eye out for one and gauging prices at a few markets to get a feel for what they were worth. Eventually, after three months on the peninsula, we bought one from a beach vendor at a very fair price.

Now that we are back in the US and expect to spend thousands of dollars on camper preparations, parts, and fuel, we have to cut down on expenses in other categories. The coming months, we will avoid eating and drinking out, buying alcohol, and paying for laundry. We are fortunate to have friends in the Pacific Northwest, who will happily host us and provide services, like a level driveway, tools, water, electricity, a shower, and laundry facilities. Let the camper work and another transition begin!

Changing gears again the coming months

April 2022 Overview:

Car (fuel: $473; car soap: $6):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $40; propane: $21; water: $13):

Camping:

Alcohol:

Souvenir:

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Dog (treats):

Postage:

Household:

 

TOTAL:

 

$479

$343

$178

$74

$64

$47

$25

$12

$9

$4

$2

$1

———

$ 1,238

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad (in Mexico) – March 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Last month, Mark, Maya, and I happily kept traveling throughout Baja California Sur in Mexico. The grocery and car expense categories battled for the top position. As to be expected, fuel burned a lot of money as we rounded and explored the southern part of the peninsula. The gas prices in Baja haven’t changed much from last year, but they are fluctuating, just like propane. In any case, these prices are less than in the US now, so we will fill all our tanks before returning.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Our utility cost while in Mexico is higher than in the US, because we kept paying for our cheap and discontinued AT&T data plan north of the border and for internet in this country. We also pay for drinking water now and keep having to fill our propane tanks to run our fridge and cook. We can’t wait to get a compressor fridge that works on electricity, which we have plenty of thanks to our solar panels.

As always, most of our camping spots were free and attractive.

Just like lots of activities we enjoy: witnessing a triathlon in La Paz and a turtle release in Todos Santos, hiking, bird watching, beach and town strolling, hanging out with friends, snorkeling, watching sunrise and sunset.

In March we did stay at a couple of pay campgrounds (south of El Pescadero and in Loreto), ordered a part for our awning (which was shipped to a friend in San Diego, CA), and cooked more meals than in February.

There were also a few smaller expenditures: laundry, new flipflops and a quarterly blood test for Mark (did you notice how cheap these are in Mexico?), a small turtle souvenir for me, and a bone for Maya. All in all, not a bad month…

March 2022 Overview:

Groceries:

Car (fuel: $233; car wash: $5):

Utilities (internet: $68; propane: $40; water: $15; dump: $5):

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Camping:

Camper (repairs):

Laundry:

Clothing:

Medical (blood test Mark):

Miscellaneous (souvenir):

Dog (treat):

 

TOTAL:

 

$244

$238

$128

$72

$36

$30

$22

$11

$10

$6

$5

$4

———

$ 806

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean through a cactus

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad (in Mexico) – February 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Mark, Maya, and I spent the entire month of February in Baja California Sur, Mexico. It was a fabulous time for the mind, body, and wallet, once Mark returned from his 10-day visit to Massachusetts to spend quality time with his dad.

As a matter of fact, February 2022 was a month for the books – we generally had a really good time, exploring the peninsula, discovering peaceful beaches, spending time with friends, and eating delectable fish tacos. I hope to elaborate on some of our fun Baja experiences in upcoming blogs, whenever resources allow.

Our biggest February expense was the car again, mostly because our annual Newburyport residency tax was due. Since we sat still for a chunk of the month, the fuel amount wasn’t too bad. In Baja, Mexico, a liter of gasoline costs around 22 pesos at the moment. This is roughly $4.20 per gallon. Usually, this is more expensive than in the US. While prices for fuel have gone crazy there, in Mexico they have gone up less than 1 peso per liter (20 cents per gallon) since March 2021. Food for thought…

We didn’t spend a lot on groceries for a few reasons: prices for produce are cheaper than in the US, we don’t care about imported or brand products, and we have eaten out multiple times, which is reflected in the higher than usual dining out category. Once a week, Mark and I order fish or shrimp tacos from a street vendor or at a restaurant. These cost around $2 a piece, of which we each consume three or four. And, there might have been an extra meal or two on top of that.

Utilities include propane (which, luckily, is cheaper here than in the US), water (which we buy at agua purificado shops that have a hose to fill our tank – average cost is 13 cents per gallon or about $5 for a full tank), discharging our black tank (when we’re careful, it takes three or four weeks to completely fill Temp’s toilet tank; this has never happened – in Zesty we could only go one week), and internet. We keep our US data plan going, even though we are not using it right now. At $35/month for unlimited data, we don’t quite want to give that up, because this particular AT&T plan doesn’t exist anymore.

Ordering purified water in La Ribera

In Mexico, we use a local SIM-card and buy internet plans. Our friends Duwan and Greg (from Make Like An Apeman) had extra data the end of February, so they were super generous to let us use as much as we wanted. Most of the time, however, we are not in areas with cell (data) service. Because we make phone calls through Google Voice (over the internet), we don’t need phone plans.

We started celebrating Mark’s birthday a day early, on February 28th. I’d bought him a 7-year-old bottle of our favorite rum, Flor de Caña, and we did a tasting – adding the 4- and 5-year-old versions we already had – on our “private” beach in a remote area of the peninsula. Tip for anyone else who likes Flor de Caña rum, which originates in Nicaragua: the 4-year-old one is pretty much the cheapest rum here on Baja, at 160 pesos ($8) for a 75cl bottle!

Sea of Cortez

I joined Duwan and Greg on a day trip to the Sol de Mayo waterfall and a couple of other sites. Dogs were not allowed, so Mark stayed home with Maya. At seven dollars, the entrance fee to the falls seemed steep, but it was worth it. One could spend an entire day there, swimming, photographing, and walking upstream to smaller pools and cascades. Plus, I snuck a shower in the refreshing water!

We managed to camp for free the entire month, finding some amazing places off the beaten track. As always, we couldn’t have done it without our trusted iOverlander app and tips from friends. Special thanks to Jon and Gail and Sandie and Karsten.

Our total expenses were well under average last month and we hope that’s an indication of how we can live and travel south of the border. Once we arrive in South America, we hope $800 (instead of $1,300) can become our new average…

February 2022 Overview:

Car (fuel: $159; city excise tax: $106):

Groceries:

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $55; propane: $14; water: $10; dump: $2):

Alcohol:

Gifts (B-day Mark):

Drinking out:

Transportation (MA train Mark):

Laundry:

Entertainment (waterfalls):

Computer (app for streaming):

Dog (vet procedure):

Accommodation/camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$265

$132

$126

$81

$41

$23

$20

$10

$8

$7

$5

$5

$0

———

$ 723

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Duwan and Greg also covered their month of February in two blog post: here (part 1) and here (part 2).

Sunset on the sandspit in La Paz

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Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – January 2022

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

This monthly expense report is a bit delayed for two reasons: I recently posted our yearly report (and who wants to be bombarded by numbers every week?) and I have taken a step back with internet “chores,” because our data is limited, expensive, and often inaccessible. And, I’d rather explore the Baja peninsula at the moment than sit behind a computer. 🙂

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)

Mark, Maya, and I started our new year in the desert just west of Yuma, Arizona, getting ready for our postponed multiple-month trip in Baja California, Mexico. We had to fix a few more things on the camper and the car, like rebuilding the platform that goes in the bed of the truck for the umpteenth time and making sure the “basement” was secure. We eventually ended up dropping the bumper of our pick-up truck and taking the clearance lights off, after another improvement attempt on another Home Depot parking lot failed.

While the camper was off the truck, we decided to go on our first off-road adventure to explore a bit of the area, like the “Valley of Names.” What a bouncy endeavor that was! None of us can say we actually enjoyed the jerky experience…

I also needed a dental check-up (and a $10 haircut apparently) right across the border in Los Algodones before we could really head south. Luckily, none of these visits and repair tasks were expensive, so we were off to a good year, moneywise, despite a few more delays. Having friends around made everything more fun!

Life in Mexico is cheaper than in the US, so we had high hopes for a less-than-average month as far as living costs were concerned. We knew gasoline would be pricey (the equivalent of $4/gallon) and ended up driving bigger-than-planned distances from the start.

We arrived in Baja on January 12th and soon realized that Mark should leave the country for an impromptu visit back to his parents in Massachusetts. The price for that “detour” resulted in an extra $530 for flights, public transportation, parking, a Covid test, and a ten-day campground stay for Maya and me in Loreto. All our other camping spots last month were free.

From 2022 on, we are splitting the camper category into two parts – car and camper – to keep better track of those expenditures separately. Our Mexican car insurance was higher than stated below ($442 instead of $113), because it incorporates the refund for our American insurance, which we paused.

The grocery category is lower than usually, as food is cheaper in Mexico and we eat out more often for the same reason. Since our favorite rum (from Nicaragua) is available on the peninsula, we splurged buying several bottles of Flor de Cana instead of Bacardi, hence the pretty high number for alcohol. For now, we kept our affordable unlimited (and now unavailable) $35 AT&T data plan in the States, on top of buying data for our Mexican SIM-card ($27), which explains the larger number in the utilities section.

Tourist cards for Mexico cost about $33 a person, which created an extra expense category this past month. Other than the money needed for Mark’s trip back to attend to a family situation, January had us on track for an average $1,300 month… February – so far – is looking much better. 😊

January 2022 Overview:

Car (fuel: $337; insurance: $113; repairs: $13):

Travel (flights Mark):

Groceries:

Alcohol:

Utilities (internet: $62; propane: $10; water: $6):

Accommodation (camping):

Camper (repairs):

Customs & Immigration:

Dining out:

Medical (Covid test Mark):

Drinking out:

Health & Fitness (tooth brush M, haircut L):

Gifts (B-day friend):

Transport (trains M):

Laundry:

Clothes (flip flops L):

Postage:

Miscellaneous (agricultural spray Mexico):

 

TOTAL:

 

$463

$402

$217

$98

$77

$74

$72

$67

$59

$40

$39

$32

$21

$17

$11

$10

$2

$1

———

$ 1,702

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.

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