Captainjohn
Member
I had a friend help me provide a link to the cost estimator I hoope that the person that thinks it is a scam to collect e mail addresses is happy with the estimator. Cost of Living Aboard Calculator - AGLCA
Cost of living aboard calculator link
- Thread starter Captainjohn
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
As I look at the spreadsheet, it occurs to me that way too much of the data required would be impossible to estimate. If you know your boat you can estimate cost per mile and if you know the number of miles you will travel you can estimate this cost. Wind and current can change the total a bit. Varying fuel costs can affect this also.
How can you determine in advance marina costs? On my last trip I spent $90 and I spent $30 and everything in between. I spent unplanned nights at marinas because of weather.
It appears someone went to a lot of trouble to create this spreadsheet and I don
t mean to take away from his effort but I think you can come just as close with paper and pencil.
How can you determine in advance marina costs? On my last trip I spent $90 and I spent $30 and everything in between. I spent unplanned nights at marinas because of weather.
It appears someone went to a lot of trouble to create this spreadsheet and I don
t mean to take away from his effort but I think you can come just as close with paper and pencil.
psneeld
Guru
It's OK for some....it should give some newbies an idea what to be considering for sure....
Probably too complex or difficult to use for some and for others with some cruising experience that tracked their expenses a bit too simplistic or just a different way of looking at costs.
After 2 four month trips from NJ to FL tracking every cent, and studying marina costs as well as misc regional type costs such as average restaurant, grocery, entertainment, pumpout, etc...etc costs it would be easy to plug into many different budgeting spreadsheets.
But I like to look at it a different way....once I established a reasonable weekly budget when cruising....that average is what I use. If I feel like going above or below to push expenses off or splurge on something...I have a pretty good idea of what my 4 month trip will be or could be depending on my game plan. For the most part I can now plan to hit that average in my head, and rest assured my numbers have contingencies in them too....plus as I venture I to more or less expensive regions, I either adjust or splurge or add to the reserve.
So all in all, a little experience, a little study of regional costs and a way to make it make sense to you is all you need. Use the tool as a basis or develop your own based on how you normally budget...it's really not too complicated.
Probably too complex or difficult to use for some and for others with some cruising experience that tracked their expenses a bit too simplistic or just a different way of looking at costs.
After 2 four month trips from NJ to FL tracking every cent, and studying marina costs as well as misc regional type costs such as average restaurant, grocery, entertainment, pumpout, etc...etc costs it would be easy to plug into many different budgeting spreadsheets.
But I like to look at it a different way....once I established a reasonable weekly budget when cruising....that average is what I use. If I feel like going above or below to push expenses off or splurge on something...I have a pretty good idea of what my 4 month trip will be or could be depending on my game plan. For the most part I can now plan to hit that average in my head, and rest assured my numbers have contingencies in them too....plus as I venture I to more or less expensive regions, I either adjust or splurge or add to the reserve.
So all in all, a little experience, a little study of regional costs and a way to make it make sense to you is all you need. Use the tool as a basis or develop your own based on how you normally budget...it's really not too complicated.
