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Living Aboard Cheap- Dreamers read!

48K views 123 replies 69 participants last post by  elspru 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's a reality check- people live aboard for ONLY one of two reasons:
1. they can afford to, or
2. they can't afford to live anywhere else.

I used to live aboard thanks to reason #2. In the future i will live aboard because of reason #1.

I suspect that the vast majority of us are barely eeking by, but as long as we work 60 a week while getting paid for 40 to make the minimum payments on the cards, and continue to be distracted by the devices those cards bought, and as long as the month/money ratio is 1:1, we don't have the time to realize that we are stuff rich and cash poor.
The average 21st century family is one paycheque away from insolvency.
Think about how many fewer hours you would have to work every week if you didn't have a mortgage, a car payment or two, credit cards, utility bills, home theatres, a laptop, cable and internet, a family...

Over the last few months there have been a number of hit and run enquiries from those who are looking to live cheap. Where to live, how to live, etc.

Here's my story. Draw from it what you will.



I was a marina rat between wives, homes and jobs. It altered my perspective on what, and who was important, how much space and stuff I needed, and led to a more pragmatic and creative approach to life. i became a better and more creative cook. I read more, and rediscovered the cheap joy of a library card. I picked up pennies. I learned that really cheap beer in cans tastes just fine when the can is really cold, and you are sipping it after an honest day's labour, watching the sun pass beyond the horizon from the bow of your home. I noticed more. I discovered that you could feel rich with $100 in your pocket, and you could easily spend a couple of hours plotting and scheduling how to spend it, figuring out how to make it last, because the longer it lasted the longer you didn't have to work. I learned to abstain from impulse purchases. I learned the value of tipping 20%, even on a cup of coffee, and the value of being a regular customer- good loyal tippers sometimes get free coffee when their pockets are empty on cold rainy days. It wasn't idyllic, it was occasionally a grind, occasionally depressing, and more than once i found myself in tears, feeling sorry for myself. But I always knew where I stood.

It was one of the best experiences of my life.





If you're broke, then the ideal location for living aboard is wherever you happen to be right now, by default. It doesn't matter how much better or nicer or safer or easier it is somewhere else, you ain't there, you're here, and you're here because you're broke which is why you ain't there.
That's the reality of being broke on a boat. Another reality of being broke on a boat is that if it doesn't crush you, it tends to make you really damn creative about getting UNbroke. You barter, you trade labour around the marina, you scrounge stuff out of the trash that Sea Ray owners toss and clean it up and sell it. On Monday morning you are working the trash barrels and pulling empties to return for the deposit. On Friday afternoon you get out your bucket and brushes and furiously clean the topside of your boat, and pimp your boat cleaning services to those Sea Ray owners. In the spring you are furiously scraping and varnishing the brightwork on your boat, working to hook some cash money from those Sea Ray owners. If you get really, really desperate, you sell parts of your boat that you don't need right now, because you aren't going anywhere, like the compass, the VHF, and your Mustang floater coat. If you want to survive, you swallow your pride and you HUSTLE, and stretch every dollar until it snaps.

You become a low-movement low-exposure hermit, never leaving your boat except to scratch some work or stock up on ramen and beans because the less you do and the less you leave your boat, the less you have to spend on food and laundry and hygiene. or you grow into an integral part of the marina environment, a de facto security guard and boatkeeper. Most marinas don't mind having a broke guy around, as long as he keeps his slip rent current. If you're broke, sooner or later, if you hustle enough and eyeball the opportunities, you get unbroke enough to cast off and journey on.

Some call it "cruising."


If you're impoverished, that's different. Broke is a temporary condition- poverty is a state of mind. When you're impoverished you don't hustle, because you figure you'll never get ahead anyway. you don't look for opportunities because you don't believe there are any. How you even ended up with a boat is a bit of a mystery, but it's usually an inheritance or the misplaced charity of a relative who thinks all you need is a chance. You're just marking time, and sooner or later your boat sinks, burns, gets stolen or liened and you end up in the shelter you always figured you'd end up in anyway. Most marinas aren't unhappy to see you gone.
 
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#2 ·
It's very difficult for me to follow the emotions in this post or understand these living aboard conditions. I have never lived aboard because I had too little money for another choice and yet, having enough money was never a influence that caused me to move aboard. What about those that work hard with a moderate beginer's income fresh out of college and keep a budget that allows them to live on a lttle less than what they earn for thirty years before they retire. Sure, "It's the best experience of our lives", but money is not the cause or motivation...neither too little, just enough or plenty. Take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#3 ·
I can't imagine living aboard right now. We don't have a mortgage, car payments, or kids. We do have the others... Cell phones, internet, and the costs of living. Those, in themselves, keep us living paycheck to paycheck at times. It amazes us how expensive it is to live and often comment how lucky we are not to have the car payments and such!

Sounds like you have lived a live aboard lifestyle that I wouldn't particularly enjoy.
 
#5 ·
Smack,
Depressing? Hell no! Challenging for sure, occasionally frustrating, but definitely not depressing. If the condition was permanent, then THAT would be depressing. I was broke, not impoverished. See the difference?

CaptainF,
You had enough money, or enough income, or enough whatever, to have choices, so living aboard was a choice you made. Therefore, you fall into category #1.



My aim here was to throw a little reality at the dreamers who think that life on a boat is like downloading music- free, easy, and requires less effort than going to the mall and actually buying it.
Yes, it CAN be cheaper than renting an apartment...except there is no landlord to call to fix things when you live on a boat, and you can't put off fixing a busted bilge pump float switch... yes it CAN be more romantic than living in a concrete sea... until the head backs up.
 
#18 ·
...................
CaptainF,
You had enough money, or enough income, or enough whatever, to have choices, so living aboard was a choice you made. Therefore, you fall into category #1............................
Ok, so by your strange taxonomy I'm placed in the category of those that live aboard because they can afford to live aboard, but this implies those that have the funds would choose this life. Nothing could be further than the truth. Many people (most fulltime cruisers) work very hard to gain the ability to live aboard their boats. They are not aboard for the purpose of low income housing and they are not born with "silver spoons" and lounging about the yacht club. Like my wife and I, they are purpose driven and frugal in their choices in order to live as they choose. Most liveaboards are not the not the product of priviledge or despair, but the result of a strong work ethic and wise budgeting. Take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#9 ·
Here's a reality check- people live aboard for ONLY one of two reasons:
1. they can afford to, or
2. they can't afford to live anywhere else.

What difference does it make? It's no different than a neighborhood.

A liveaboard who throws his/her wealth around is no different than living next to the Jones' trying to keep up with the next gizmo/gadget, car, etc., some hide (live) behind gates and walls.

A liveaboard who is frugal usually does keep watch on all boats in the area, recycles (hey I found a sail in a dumpster in San Francisco that I gave to a fellow sailor in Providencia), we are generally educated, do tip the 20%, have little debt because we continually save for boat maintenance and the occasional cruise.

I know a lot of sailors who leave their "titles" at the dock while out on the water - there's no Dr., Your Honor, etc., we are all equals out there!
 
#12 ·
Ive often wondered what draws people to the water. Not drawn to it like the occasional urge for a burger, but like a sunflower is drawn to the sun. It just tracks it, seeks it and kinda droops when its not around. I dunno, for me its simple. you gotta live somewhere, why not in your own little piece of paradise--however you define it. OP, I hope you have found yours, if not I hope you have fun looking for it.

good luck
 
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#13 ·
I like your post BL. I found it uplifting. I haven't been poor since I was a kid, though I've always been thrifty. Some people say that I'm lucky to be retired and sailing. I take that in a positive way. But my my "luck" came through action: saving money for years, carrying no credit debt, driving old cars. I worked full time from 18-48 years old. It also was a positive decision to stay in a small house with an old car so that I can enjoy the greatest luxury: time.
 
#14 ·
I enjoyed your post here but I must say that the first half of the reading was more uplifting. I think our country, government and president should think about such a lifestyle instead of always trying to push people beyond their means. Not to get political here 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? Why is that such a bad thing - the humbling of America through this recession has made people slow down of useless spending and the savings rate is the highest its ever been in decades. We are living within our means for the first time in a long time and to me that is a good thing.
 
#24 ·
..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.... :eek:
 
#15 ·
i am what they call a full timmer i live in my rv and sail on weekends the best part i have found in either is the comradery you find with others living like you do have been in this park fo just over a month and regurlary have bbqs with neighbors when im living on my boat same thing and the best part of both is if i dont like my neighbors its easy to weigh anchor and move.
 
#16 ·
In my case, I made a conscious decision to retire early (giving up a well paying secure job) to move aboard, knowing I might have to work from time to time (I've never found it that hard to get work if I really want it). A decision I don't regret.
 
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#17 · (Edited)
If I gain the skill level desired for sailing competently on my current 23 footer and my health doesn't fail me, I'd like to live aboard a larger boat when I stop working. I'm saving my money in a 401k that is low risk at 10% per check, with a 5% employer match. I'm not anywhere close to retirement though.

I'm thinking the sailboat live-aboard lifestyle would be awesome. I know a live-aboard fellow who is my absolute sailing guru, and I occasionally hire him to help fix things on my boat. I'm going to help him rebuild the stripped out insidesof a 30-footer he's going to buy real soon. Amazing potential there, and it caused me to dream, dream, dream.

I'm learning something new every day about boating, and I think about sailing most of my waking moments. :)

Edited to add: I'm very good at living cheap, if need be. I make most everything food-wise from scratch, have a few skills beyond my job, so I think I'll make it just fine living on the water, eventually.
 
#19 ·
Taking out the autobiographical nature of the rest of the post, BL is simply saying that some people live on boats. One subset of that 'some' have enough money to do it in a sustainable way, and another subset of that 'some' don't have enough money to do it, and can't sustain the lifestyle.

CF, this is no different than saying some people have enough money to buy homes and look after them while they live in them, and some people have enough money to buy homes, but not enough to look after them while they're in them. I don't take that to say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth if I own a home, just that I have a plan (income or savings) to do it 'properly' (if the societal norm of maintaining your house is indeed proper), and if I don't, my home will fall into disrepair.

I'm not sure that anybody who truly believes that the latter in either case is a good plan, can be disabused of that notion by reading BL's post (but I'll be damned if he hasn't tried really hard to enlighten them).
 
#20 ·
Semantics aside...

It's interesting how earth-shattering life changes (like Divorce, as bljones brought up) can reconnect you to your true self and help show you what's really important in life. I may be young but I have already had my share of earth-shattering life changes that have helped me appreciate things more. I'm sure I will have more in the future, as well.
 
#22 ·
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.
 
#23 ·
:) 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:D It's not the life for all but it's the life for me couldnt be any better, :cool: and do you how much you can make from beer and soda cans a week lol:laugher
 
#25 ·
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!
 
#30 ·
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
 
#31 ·
I've been thinking about living on my boat for some time, and it would be a good one to live on for one person...or a compatible couple. I wonder though sometimes about people living on their boats, having relationships with people that don't live on boats...primarily of the opposite sex. I know there are women that live on boats, but as far as I can tell not in the numbers that men are in. There are a couple live aboard men close to my boat, and I've seen them with ladies a few times, but I wonder how women in general think about men that live on boats. I've been in and out of relationships with women over the years like most other men, but some how I think those relationships would be farther apart once women find out I live on a boat and not a mega-yacht. Naturally I wouldn't be happy with a woman that expected the mega-yacht life, but it would be nice to know as a man I wouldn't end up spending a life alone forever. Am I making any sense to anyone?
 
#34 ·
Well, living on a boat would weed out quite a few women...whether that's a good thing or not is debatable.

A lot depends on what the boat you're living on looks like. If you're living on a West Wight Potter 16, that's one thing... if you're living on an Atlantic 55 catamaran, that's another.

A lot depends on what condition you keep the boat in. Is it Bristol shape and ready to set sail, or does it have the decks cluttered with random crap?
 
#32 ·
In a sense you're asking the wrong audience, because any women here who would read your post are already interested in boats ;)

Seriously, though, the fallacy may be in trying to generalize what "women" do/want/like. Each one you meet is a separate individual, and it'll only take one to make your life work. There is a truism that women are the primary maintainers of social relationships...I've found it easier to form friendships in the boat community than I ever did living on land. If you show her you're a normal guy who's living on a boat because you love it and are having a great adventure, you may have better luck than if she thinks you're living on a boat because you're a misfit rebel dropout, or too broke to afford a house or apt. Just my ramblings, if it doesn't make sense blame it on the fact that I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning.
 
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