Living Aboard Cheap- Dreamers read!

[rgscpat]

Thanks everyone; I appreciate this thread.

[PBzeer]

There's living aboard, and then there's living on a floating house trailer, movable, but not going any where. Simply living on a boat isn't necessarily a cheaper way to live, but it can be.

For instance, here in New Bern (where I am while working to rebuild the kitty), living on the boat is half the price of a rental, and way less than a mortgage payment. I bike rather than drive and rarely eat out. I buy nothing that doesn't have a purpose while cruising and replaced, rather than repaired, anything marginal, after buying the boat. I even canceled my cell/internet access while I have free wifi and an available phone if needed. There's no way I could live any more cheaply ( I prefer frugally ). But then, that was a part of the plan from the beginning. And once I head back out next year, I'll be spending even less, while doing what I want to do.

Most things in life are doable, if you have a plan and are willing to put in the necessary effort.

[26bombayexpress]

As a liveaboard , lived aboard with my dad as a kid, now I liveaboard my own sailboat (dad was a powerboat man) , I work when i have too, always find work, had the 9 to 5 50hr work week for as long as I could take it , sold every thing i owned, and never looked back, lifes to short and not getting younger It's not the life for all but it's the life for me couldnt be any better, and do you how much you can make from beer and soda cans a week lol

[IslanderGuy]

Originally Posted by CatalinaRob

..but why does the media and gov need to focus on things like lending rates and the lack of borrowing going on in the economy in such a negative way?
.....
We are living within our means for the first time in a long time and to me that is a good thing.

Good for us, yes, but the big business men don't get as rich when we hold onto our money / credit, and the government does not get as much in taxes when we hold onto our money / credit and spend within our means only.

It's simple, if we spend all our money, they get it. If we spend money we do not have (credit cards) they get even more, and they influence the media....

[brianhess]

I live aboard my boat, and I don't live aboard in a marina. I anchor out. I produce my own electricity with a small generator as I need it. I come to the dock by way of a dingy, tie it off, then come into my business that I own and operate. I pay no rent, but pay for the rent of my shop and employ two other people. I do this while bringing my dog onto the boat with me back and forth, having a cot set up in my office when the water is too rough or the weather to foul.

My Cal-30 I bought with the price of a piece of paper, taxes and the legwork (virtually for 25.00 plus another 30.00 for the taxes). I am going to spend money to fix it like I did for my AMI 24-with little from West Marine because they are way overprices, and more from the mom and pop shop I found in Poulsbo that has more variety of equipment from sailboats that were salvaged there.

I will have my friends that I have helped and traded services with help me do some of the two person jobs, look over craigslist for new atomic 4s (refurbished) and ordering tiller parts from Rig Right .com--again because West Marine is a rip off.

I live well, eat well, my dog is healthy and for the most part, my life is pretty good and I love being on my boats. I was in the Navy for 11 years, so being on the water is a joy for me, one that I missed when I got out nine years ago.

I have to agree that it is the cheapest life style and it teaches you to be very creative when bargain hunting. I think that when I refurbished my 24 foot boat, I spent less than 3000 dollars out of pocket--including the price of the boat--and put many hours into the work myself. I don't hire others to work on my boat. I do the work myself. My boat is my house. If there is a plumbing problem, I fix it. If there is a rigging problem, I fix that too. If there is a job that I don't know how to do, I look it up in a book, ask a sailor that has done the job themselves, or I ask that sailor for help and help them to do the job and trade services for a project on their boat.

Owning a boat is a common sense move. If people tell you that owning a boat is like owning a hole in the water that you throw money into, then they are not doing something correctly. That is a misconception about boat ownership. It doesn't have to be a bad, expensive experience. Yes, you have to do maintenance, and yes, the parts cost money, but if you do the work, you save yourself the dollars and gain from the experience of doing the job. My boats are beautiful and get complemented all the time. When I tell them how much they cost me, when asked, they are floored!

I agree that living on a boat is a life changing experience, and having the right attitude is important. If you don't have the right attitude, you should own the boat to begin with.

I have also noticed that there is a big. . . MONUMENTAL difference between powerboat and sailboat owners. Some of those differences are very frustrating, and belong in a different thread from this one--a story for another time and forum, lol--but I have met people on both sides of the fence that would be willing to help sailors and boaters in need with no questions asked.

Living on the water is by far the most rewarding experience for me yet!

[smackdaddy]

+1 brian. That's a great post.

[atomikdog]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

+1 brian. That's a great post.

Seconded. And I would love to hear about the differences. Maybe between living aboard a powerboat vs sailboat to keep it on topic.

[joethecobbler]

sounds more like the classic "have's and have little" issue.

Some seek happiness through wealth,posessions,ststus,power.
the rest of us live,love,learn,and share.

When they throw dirt on us, we'll all have the same bank balance.

Live the dash, it's all you have.

[casioqv]

Originally Posted by brianhess

Living on the water is by far the most rewarding experience for me yet!

Heh, I really love your story- sounds like a great way to live. What do you do with your dog during the day while working? What kind of anchoring system do you use? Have you been able to get insurance on your boat that covers how you use it?

[CaptainForce]

Originally Posted by bljones

Here's a reality check- people live__________ for ONLY one of two reasons:
1. they can afford to, or
2. they can't afford to live anywhere else...................................

I keep coming back to this post without enlightenment. I don't mean to be obtuse, but tell me please,- couldn't you fill in the blank with any of the following?

in the woods
on the farm
in the desert
in the islands
in a rental
downtown
with their parents

I just don't see anything unique to the human condition with tying wealth to living aboard. Take care and joy, Aythya crew