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” is our motto. ???? At the beginning of each year, I produce an expense report for the previous 12 months. This is the most recent one, for 2022.
Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 is here, the one for 2018 here, our 2019 expenses are located here, our total costs for 2020 are documented here, and those for 2021 are detailed here.
These reports include ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and a 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 US East Coast. The utility cost refers to phone data plans, initially with AT&T and at the end of 2022 with Google Fi.
It feels like 2023 has only just started, yet we are already a month into it. Crazy how time flies. I better publish our 2022 expense report, before the February 2023 one is due!
(As always click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)
In 2022, Mark, Maya, and I focused on purchasing, fixing, equipping, and upgrading our current truck camper, a Lance 830, in the Pacific Northwest and Colorado. Before that, we explored the Baja peninsula in Mexico for 3.5 months. We completed the year in Cartagena, Colombia, happily reunited with Thirsty Bella, which we had shipped there from Texas. I also visited my home country of Belgium for two weeks, but my parents took care of me there. 🙂
Last year was relatively expensive, especially if you add the one-time cost of shipping our truck camper to the mix (see below). We better live extra cheaply this year to make up for that!
The highest category in 2022, by far, was our car and more specifically the fuel. Over $4,000! We purposefully decided not to drive to the East Coast over the summer (to visit family, friends, and doctors), because of the exorbitant gasoline prices. But we did make it to the southern tip of the Baja peninsula in Mexico (and back) with our previous Cirrus camper and ended up driving huge distances to find and pick up our current truck camper in super expensive California. I can’t say any of that was planned, but such is life – our life anyway.
Vehicle insurance and maintenance for our Ford F-350 each cost over $600 as well. We prepped the truck for this extended adventure in South America, which included spare parts, oil and filter changes, and a tire rotation and alignment.
Mark and I have periodically discussed our annual high prices for maintaining and fueling the vehicles and sailboats we own(ed), which made us realize that we could easily use this amount for plane tickets to house and pet sit internationally. As a matter of fact, that was the plan… before we adopted our Maya, three years ago. That’s when the South America trip became our goal. Then, Covid arrived.
Groceries is the second-highest category and averages $268 a month. Not bad. This is always the most straightforward subject. What is there to say? Everyone needs to eat. In our case, we stick to a healthy, mostly plant-based diet and consume 95% of our meals at home. Here in Colombia, we eat out a bit more, because it’s affordable.
Travel costs went to plane tickets for Mark, who needed to fly to Massachusetts twice (once from Mexico and once from Oregon) for family and healthcare reasons. Our dining out expense was almost a grand as well. I’d like to say it will be less this year, but even though food is much cheaper here, we probably will eat out more, so things might even out. We will see.
Everyone knows that taking care of a dog isn’t cheap. In Maya’s case, we spent over $900, mostly on food, her anti-itch medicine (Apoquel), and one expensive vet visit enabling and preceding our move to South America.
Maya getting ready for her exam, extra shots, and international health certificate
Our utility cost for 2022 also seems high at $800. The majority of that went to internet, unsurprisingly, but almost $200 was “wasted” on propane, thanks to the ordinary fridges put in RVs. Even though they are called 3-way fridges, they run inefficiently when using their DC power source. We don’t use AC, because we never plug into power. When using an RV fridge solely on propane, we emptied two full 20-pound propane tanks every month, and that’s being careful by monitoring the temperature and adjusting the settings.
Like fuel, propane gas prices swung through the roof last year. Filling our two tanks cost around $40 every month and there was the hassle of finding propane places that actually filled tanks instead of just swapping them out. Tractor Supply and U-Haul used to be safe bets but they aren’t anymore.
Because of all these reasons – the hassle, money, research, wasted trips and phone calls, worry of running out of gas, and lack of freedom – we replaced our propane fridge in Thirsty Bella with a 12V compressor fridge that we can easily run with the power created by our solar panels. In Mexico we paid for agua purificada (purified potable water) to fill our water tank.
Another big – and extra – expense was a new hybrid computer/laptop for Mark. That section underneath also includes hosting fees for our website and some software Mark bought. When it comes to adult beverages, my husband and I occasionally like to drink beer (only Mark) and wine and usually have one bottle of hard liquor around. There is no space for more. Our preferred alcoholic drink is rum with fresh juice, ice cubes, and a slice of lime.
Gifts include the annual calendars I create for our Belgian and American families, gestures (usually bottles of wine or dessert goodies) we bring when invited for dinner, a contribution to utilities when we stay on someone’s driveway for a while, Christmas gifts for friends we end up traveling with, excursions we do with our nieces and nephews, and birthday presents for each other, although I don’t recall any of those in 2022.
Household items are improvements for our life inside the camper – cooking, storing, light fixtures, … – and the camper category resembles materials and tools required to keep our home on wheels running. This last amount is low, because it does not include the money spent equipping our camper for South America, which we consider part of its purchase price and not maintenance cost. I will write a separate post about this in the future.
In the US, we always camped for free, but because we traveled in Mexico for a third of the year, there is a substantial accommodation cost as we tend to stay at campgrounds there once in a while. Some of this category’s amount was spent in Colombia, on camping and a hotel.
The clothing expenses were higher than the previous year, because we made sure to have decent pairs of hiking shoes, rain jackets, jeans, and shirts to hold us over for a few years. In 2023, we hope this amount, in addition to the “computer” section, is negligible.
Drinking out is self-explanatory and transport covers taxis (in Colombia), Uber (to get to Houston airport from Galveston), and public transportation when we visit Massachusetts. Customs and Immigration fees were mostly paid in Mexico for tourist cards and towards a new Belgian passport for me. Luckily, those are now valid for seven years instead of five.
Cashier’s checks cost $15!
Banking costs went to our annual credit card fee and a cashier’s check to pay for our Lance camper (yes, that costs extra money). Health & Fitness includes vitamins (Mark) and occasional haircuts (me). This amount should mostly disappear as well. We gave up on the vitamins (don’t want to deal with it here), we keep cutting Mark’s hair ourselves with clippers, and my twice-a-year haircuts should cost a quarter of the price in South America.
We spent less than $100 on entertainment. Most of our hobbies, like hiking, visiting natural attractions, writing, and reading are free. We never visit museums or pay for expensive activities. Last year, we bought two sets of snorkel gear (still to be used) and paid the entrance fee for a few parks.
Our medical cost is usually minimal, but last year Mark had to pay for an expensive Covid test in Mexico and I had two new pairs of prescription eye glasses mailed to an address out west. My husband chipped in for his dad’s memorial service (miscellaneous), we paid for laundry in Mexico (the rest of the year we managed to use the facilities of friends), and a small amount of money went to postage.
Sunrise along the Baja Peninsula
Extra one-time costs for 2022
One big expense not included in this annual report is the $5,497 we paid for shipping and agent fees to transport our home on wheels to South America for a multiple-year adventure.
So, what would have been a decent year in general at $16,809 (which is about $800 more than our average, not bad under the circumstances of inflation and super high fuel prices) is not so great anymore when you add the $5,500 of shipment costs to the mix. That’s around $22,300 in total. Let’s hope the year 2023 will be a fraction of that!
(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)
And that’s a wrap! If you are enjoying these posts and would like to help out with our expenses maintaining this blog, please click on the donate button underneath, in the side bar, or in the menu bar on top. I promise Roaming About will remain an ad-free website. Thank you!
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.
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January 29, 2023 at 19:05
Hi, Liesbet – All things considered, your overall expenses came in very low. Even more impressive is your and Mark’s thoughtfulness behind them. You two truly are amazing!
January 30, 2023 at 10:44
In general, we feel like we buy what we need and once in a while what we like. It’s all a trade-off and for us to be able to do what we want to do – continue this lifestyle – we have to be somewhat careful with our expenses. Less so in Colombia, luckily. 🙂
January 29, 2023 at 19:19
Frugal, thrifty, flexible–these are the words that your report suggests.
BRAVO, Liesbet and Mark!
Simply AMAZING!
January 30, 2023 at 10:45
Hi Marian,
Thanks for your lovely comment. I’m glad we keep being inspiring. 🙂 And, yes, “flexibility” is definitely needed in our lifestyle.
January 29, 2023 at 21:53
You did good. It is amazing how cheaply you live.
I hope South America will be good for your expenses. It sounds like some things are very affordable in Columbia. Hopefully that means you can spend more on doing fun things like eating out and still keeping costs down in 2023.
January 30, 2023 at 10:48
Hi Duwan,
We did alright in 2022 under the circumstances, but the cost to ship our vehicle here is still extremely high and difficult to “catch up” on. We will see. We had hoped to stay under $800 a month in Colombia, but so far we just can’t do it. Granted, we are splurging a bit more eating out! And buying salmon at the stores. 🙂
In general, everything in Colombia is cheaper than in the US or even Mexico. It will be hard to leave this country and raise our budget…
January 29, 2023 at 22:36
What a way to look back at the year Liesbet! You certainly are frugal without seeming to suffer too much. Well done.
January 30, 2023 at 10:50
Hi Debs!
Nope, I don’t think we are suffering too much, haha. We are careful with our budget when it comes to eating out and expensive attractions or activities. We still skip those. Other than that, we buy decent food at grocery stores and allow ourselves a few drinks a week. 🙂
We save heaps of money on accommodation and utilizes compared to people living in a house. And, travel is our lifestyle, not a vacation, so in that area, we are frugal compared to others as well.
January 29, 2023 at 22:53
Hi
That sunrise baja photo is spectacular with colors and layers
–
I enjoyed reading the 2022 report and was just thinking about you and M this week-
Just wondering how it was going and now I know !
—
Oh and with the everyday adventures I guess you don’t really need to visit museums or do expensive activities – you both have such a fun life and I enjoy following along
Hope the rest of 2023 is awesome
January 30, 2023 at 10:54
Hi Yvette,
Thanks for swinging by, your lovely 2023 wishes, and thinking about us. Things are going well in Colombia at the moment. I don’t want to jinx it, though. 🙂
We might visit a museum or two while in Colombia, depending on the content. The entry fees here are quite low compared to North America, so we don’t have to leave it for that. We will see.
At the moment, we are contemplated a visit to a fossil museum here in pretty Villa de Leyva that has a very rare exhibit. Apparently, the community put all this together and does such a good job that we want to support them.
January 30, 2023 at 03:15
It is so interesting to see the full 2022 expenses. You guys are amazing, how you manage to keep the costs down and live such an adventurous life. You are an inspiration ????
January 30, 2023 at 10:57
Hi Gilda,
I think that one of our advantages in frugal living is the areas we have been traveling in. North America is much cheaper than Europe, as you know. And, at the moment, Colombia is the cheapest country we have been to in a long while.
Another “trick” is that we usually only buy what we need, not what we crave. The negative is that we live less “carefree” than others when it comes to spending money and doing what we want without any consideration. It’s a trade-off, but it works for us as it allows us to keep living this way.
And, another big saving is not paying for campgrounds or other accommodation. In South America that changes a bit, but prices are lower, so hopefully those camping spots still fit in our budget.
January 30, 2023 at 10:37
How interesting. I love all the pictures of you nomading around the world. I didn’t see that Duwan and Greg went with you. You won’t see them now for a while. Sad.
January 30, 2023 at 11:03
Hi Jacqui,
Thanks for the compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I hope to start blogging about Colombia proper soon.
Nope, Duwan and Greg didn’t join us. They went to mainland Mexico for the winter instead. We said our goodbyes in Texas, at the place of the beach photo when we hung out for the last time together. Sad indeed. But, maybe they will join us on this continent in the future. We will be here a while. 🙂
January 30, 2023 at 10:45
Love this post! You make living frugally look enticing and easy. I know that’s not the case. But it shows us how life could be on a smaller budget. Keep the posts and photos coming! Best to all❣️
January 30, 2023 at 17:58
2022 was a real challenge for you, and you did amazingly well despite all the extra stress and expenses that came your way. Wishing you all the best for 2023!
February 3, 2023 at 16:21
Thanks a lot, Diane. I hope both of us will become more prosperous – in any way we prefer – and healthier in 2023!
January 30, 2023 at 19:08
I am super impressed with what you have achieved. Well done and all in all it seems like you’re still have a lot of fun. Shared on SM
February 3, 2023 at 16:22
Thanks for visiting and sharing, Esme. Trying to see the world on a budget can be challenging, but it is still more rewarding and exciting than a “normal life” for me. 🙂
January 31, 2023 at 19:01
I think you did very well under the circumstances. The next couple of years will hopefully be far less expensive without the one-time bills. Happy travels!
February 3, 2023 at 16:23
Hi Debra,
Thanks for checking in and wishing us the best! We do hope the next few years will be cheaper and without unexpected one-time costs. We are currently aiming for a $800 total, but it’s not working out yet. Soon, I’ll publish our January report.
February 1, 2023 at 18:36
Liesbet, your lifestyle takes so much discipline and an ironclad mindset for frugal living. I am sure that over the next few months you will fall into a good pattern and realize the reduction in expenses you were hoping for. All the ‘big stuff’ is behind you now! Have fun.
February 3, 2023 at 16:25
Hi Suzanne,
I hope you are right about the “big stuff” being behind us, expense-wise anyway. We are currently trying to get a vehicle extension for another three months in Colombia (I can’t believe we’ve been here already for that same amount of time) and it has been quite stressful, as we don’t quite know if it will work out and where. Just another red tape event. 🙂
February 3, 2023 at 10:49
I was wondering if you cut Mark’s hair, and your post give me the answer.
Such a detailed post, Liesbet. I’m impressed with how you guys keep track of everything. Now you’re in South America, I expect the cost of living to be lower, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be. It’ll be interesting to see if anything is more expensive than it is in the US or Europe.
February 3, 2023 at 16:29
Hi Hugh,
Yes! Mark has been cutting his own hair for almost twenty years now and he is only on his second set of clippers for $20 a pair. That’s ten years a set. So, it sure has paid for itself. Here in Colombia, he would only get seven haircuts for that price, but he still prefers saving money on DIY. 🙂
After being in Colombia for three (!) months already, I can tell you that the only thing that is more expensive here than in the US is Maya’s dogfood, because it is a specific kind and has to be imported. Everything else is much cheaper, which allows us to splurge more often. When we feel it’s worthwhile…
February 4, 2023 at 04:24
I’ve been cutting my hair with clippers for the last 8 years, Liesbet. I reckon I have saved myself over £2,5000 considering I used to get a haircut cut at least twice a month.
By the way, what’s happen to your ‘Notify me of new comments via email’ box? It seems to have disappeared from your blog. I had to check back to see if you had left a response, whereas ticking that useful box always meant I got an email when you replied.
February 4, 2023 at 08:04
A haircut twice a month, Hugh? Wow. I think women usually get one cut every three months, but I don’t really know. We cut Mark’s hair every six weeks or so. And I only go to a local hairdresser twice a year. 🙂
Not sure what’s happening with the “notify by email” box. I didn’t change anything and when I check on my iPad, it still shows up. I’ll check on my computer later.
Sometimes WordPress does weird things. I’ll keep an eye on it. Thanks for letting me know and I’m sorry you’re having an issue with it. Having to recheck for replies is super annoying. I’ve had to do that in the past with other blogs as well. And, it’s even more annoying when it takes a few days for the blogger to reply (like in my case).
February 5, 2023 at 09:39
Oh, no, you’re always good at replying, Liesbet. To get around it, I’m now checking for replies under the notifications bell icon, as I’ve noticed it has happened on a few blogs I’m following. Next time I talk with one of the Happiness Engineers, I’ll check with them. However, maybe I need to make more use of the notifications tab. However, for some reason, It won’t allow me to reply to you on there. I keep getting an error message. But at least I know you’ve replied.
February 12, 2023 at 14:45
Thanks for all this, Hugh. I’ve been so busy lately – just living my life – I haven’t had time to follow up or look into these things. Interestingly, I never use the WordPress Reader for any of my blog reading or commenting, so I have no idea how that works. I always sign up to receive comments with that check box at the bottom and then unsubscribe from the comments once the answer of the blogger arrives. It’s a tad convoluted, but this way I don’t miss out on anything. 🙂
February 13, 2023 at 05:01
That’s exactly how I do it, Liesbet. I miss seeing that box we both tick.
I don’t use the notification icon either, but have had to on this blog post of yours beacuse of that missing box.
So pleased to hear how you’re enjoying life so much. That’s what it’s all about.
February 13, 2023 at 13:09
🙂