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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Expense Report (page 7 of 12)

Expense Report 2019

January 15, 2020 / / 46 Comments

Expenses - image

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

Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 here, and the one for 2018 is here. In 2019, Mark and I house and pet sat for six weeks, visited our family back east for one month, and lived and traveled in our camper van Zesty in the US and Canada the rest of the year. What follows is the break-down of how we spent our money in 2019.

The Wave in Utah

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. 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. New for 2019 is the category “Dog”. We adopted Maya on June 4th. 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. The utility cost refers to phone data plans with AT&T.

We drove from San Diego, California …
… to the Sea of Cortez (Puerto Penasco) in Mexico …
… to Utah …
… to Nova Scotia …
… to Florida!

Our expenses in 2019 were about $500 higher than the previous year. Considering that our new companion consumed a $1,200 chunk (mostly meds and vet costs) means that we did better in almost all the other categories. The biggest part of our camper category keeps going to repairs and maintenance. We did cover quite a bit of distance last year as well (14,000 miles), which is represented in our high diesel amount. Our monthly average for groceries remains $300.

Engine work in Utah
Changing the brake pads ourselves
New brakes!
New sliding window from Mercedes
That’s a big hole!

Another biggie last year was the price of my citizenship. With all that behind us – my US passport is waiting in Massachusetts – this year can only get cheaper, right? My main shock happened when noting our alcohol dollars. That is a lot, especially since we didn’t throw or attended many parties… If there’s one amount I want to lower in 2020 it’s this one.

US Citizenship!

We can’t get out of the gift category. We love our spouse, family and friends too much and treating them for birthdays and other occasions – with a restaurant meal or a personalized gift – is just plain fun. Our utilities went up, because we basically live in our camper van full-time – more propane and laundromats needed and when we can’t find free dump stations, we have to pay. We are currently testing Visible as our internet and cell provider, but the results are bleak compared to our monthly, quite reliable AT&T plan.

Celebrating our wedding anniversary with friends Zach and Heather in Vermont
Taking Mark’s nephew, Randall, and his wife, Rebeccah, out to drinks and dinner as a wedding gift
Meeting up with our van-friends Greg and Duwan for the third time in 2019
Birthday celebrations with new friends
Ending the year with good (boating) friends Karmen and Tom in Florida

As a citizen, I hope to obtain a new healthcare plan that includes basic dental work. Therefore, the medical category should theoretically go down this year as well. I mentioned Mark’s new SmartPhone in last month’s report and all the other amounts seem straightforward. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments.

The team responsible for Maya’s adoption: Amy, Jessica, and Jeff

The charity category is lower than last year and will not be present for 2020. I figured that the money we used to donate to animal rescue organizations should go towards Maya (and then some). If our financial situation improves, it will appear again! 🙂

Isn’t she the cutest?
Our photogenic girl
Maya has discovered toys since we adopted her
Maya LOVES running in the woods
Running on a beach is fun as well

Last but not least, I’m surprised that we didn’t spend a dime on campgrounds in 2019. Having camped  for nine months out of the year, this is good and bad. Perfect for the pocket and often for the surroundings, peace, and privacy, but not so great when it comes to comfort, convenience, and spoiling ourselves. We did get a campground break in Kentucky, as employer Amazon paid for that one.

Boondocking on BLM land in Utah …
… surrounded by red cliffs in Arizona …
… in Walmart parking lots…
… and in front of the Nashville skyline.

2019 Overview:

Camper (repairs: $2967; diesel: $1828; insurance: $1078,

registration: $86; tolls: $81; parking: $63):

Groceries:

Dog (supplies: $524; vet: $403; food: $188; adoption: $100):

Customs & Immigration (citizenship: $725; passport: $161):

Dining Out:

Alcohol:

Gifts (B-days, NY gifts, treating family):

Utilities (cell data: $351; propane: $53; dump: $10)

Health and Fitness (vitamins & haircuts):

Medical (dentist: $170; meds: $40; scan: $30):

Clothing (shoes, jeans, t-shirts):

Computer (new phone, router, hosting, Turbo Tax):

Drinking out:

Bank charges (annual credit card fee):

Travel (National Park pass, park fees Canada):

Entertainment (guided tours):

Transportation (shuttle buses, metro, ferry):

Charity (Best Friends):

Household (camper items):

Laundry:

Postage:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

 

$6103

$3563

$1215

$886

$758

$708

$675

$413

$368

$240

$214

$211

$159

$150

$110

$106

$87

$70

$66

$61

$63

$0

———

$ 16,119

(Table might not load correctly on tablets – try turning the screen for better results.)

Surfing into 2020

For another (more detailed and colorful) annual expense report of full-time van-dwellers, check out the 2019 “Cost of Being a Nomad” post of our friends Duwan and Greg here.

Do you keep track of your expenses? How did your budgeting go in 2019? Any categories you’d like to do better with in 2020?

Monthly Expenses – December 2019

January 6, 2020 / / 25 Comments

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 the two of us. 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. Since June 2019 – we adopted Maya on June 4th – we have a dog section as well. 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.

Walking Maya in the neighborhood of the campground in Campbellsville
This is where the Kentucky Derby takes place!

The first three weeks of December, Mark, Maya, and I continued living in a campground and working in Campbellsville, Kentucky. We hit the road again in our camper van for the last week of the year. The entertainment category constitutes those travels, as I took a tour of Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the Kentucky Derby takes place, and Mark and I took a guided walk in Mammoth Caves, after hiking with Maya to wear her out.

Remnants of saltpeter mining activity in the caves
Rock formations in Mammoth Cave NP

We didn’t spend money on camping as we managed to boondock during our “migration south”. The three of us made stops in Frankfort, Louisville, and Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky (more about that another time) and found the most amazing free parking in Nashville, Tennessee, which allowed us to explore this vibrant music city and have drinks at night.

Boondocking spot across from Nashville’s skyline
Going out for a drink in Nashville

Mark bought a new SmartPhone at a very good price after doing lots of research and waiting for the right moment. The amount underneath includes a two-month data plan, a new SIM card, and a free tablet! While in Kentucky, we HAD to try Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and its competitor Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. We took Maya to the vet to get another opinion about her itchiness. At the moment, we are giving CBD oil a try. This might help with her anxieties as well…

Finally a new phone for Mark
When in Kentucky…
Lee’s is a competitor of KFC in Kentucky, so we had to try it out as well.

We couldn’t avoid buying more alcohol, as we planned a fun New Year’s Eve (and extended stay) with our sailing friends Karmen and Tom in St. Augustine, Florida. They put a feast together on the last day of the year and we enjoyed spending time with them and their friends on their refitted catamaran, Sauvage. More about that later as well.

After party inside the boat
Meeting Rob, a new boating friend
Karmen and Ricky playing ukulele

December 2019 Overview:

Groceries:

Computer Hardware (phone $95; router: $40):

Camper (fuel: $112; repairs: $23):

Dog (vet: $56; supplies:$53; food: $25):

Dining out:

Utilities (phone: $35; propane: $15):

Entertainment (Mammoth Caves: $34; Churchill Downs: $13):

Health & Fitness (vitamins Mark):

Alcohol:

Gifts:

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$368

$135

$135

$134

$56

$50

$47

$46

$40

$39

$20

$20

$0

———

$ 1090

Monthly Expenses – November 2019

December 8, 2019 / / 41 Comments

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 the two of us. 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. Since June 2019 – we adopted Maya on June 4th – we have a dog section as well. 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.

All-you-can-eat Chinese buffet in Lexington, KY – I had to try all the desserts; Mark had to take this photo.
Maya’s bone is about ready for a replacement
Who can resist this face?

For the month of November, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in our camper van, Zesty. The first week, we drove and explored from Connecticut to Kentucky and since then, we have been stationed at a campground in Campbellsville, KY. Mark’s current employer, Amazon, pays for our site and we are here until Christmas, to work. More about that later. By the way, this is the first time EVER that we are parked in an RV park with full-hookups and a building with hot showers and laundry!

Zesty is one of the smallest campers around and the only van with more than one occupant (and a dog)
The Club House in the campground: laundry, shower facilities, and common area

Last month was different from other months in many ways, since we never camp in the same spot longer than a few days. This means less money spent on fuel (although we did have to get here) and more money spent on laundry as we can’t rely on the generosity of friends and family anymore to use their machines. We use the van once a week to grocery shop and take Maya on a hike. No more camper projects are lined up. Yay!

We had hoped to stay under $1,000 for November (and December), to stick to the same “budget” as last year. We failed. We had additional expenses in the form of my pricey passport application, the need for more prescription drugs for Maya (plus we bought extra dog food at a 60% discount on Black Friday), and a higher than normal grocery bill. We stocked up before arriving in Campbellsville and we splurged on a few favorite Trader Joe items. After extensive comparison of two GPS tracking systems for Maya, we decided to ship one of them back.

The Whistle GPS system is the one we kept
The fi GPS collar, we shipped back to the manufacturer within the two-week try-out period

On top of all this, it was my birthday. On Thanksgiving. Mark and I never get each other gifts or celebrate anything, except for our birthdays. My three-year old laptop was falling apart “right in time” – I had been able to deal with a non-working mouse pad, its slowness, and a few other inconveniences for over a year, but when the battery didn’t work anymore (which meant I could only use my computer when plugged in – not ideal in a van), I was starting to despair. You see, not only is buying a new computer expensive, but it would also require me getting used to a new machine and a lot of work for Mark, who would need two days to delete everything useless and annoying and install what I needed, plus get it ready for my use. He didn’t have those extra days…

Once again, I was reminded of what an incredible, smart, resourceful, and anticipating husband I have. The day after my issues, an early birthday present showed up: a brand-new laptop! Mark knew what would make me happy before I knew! He managed to “snatch” a $500 computer for $250, and spent his only two evenings off to get the machine ready by my birthday. I love it (them)!

Guess what’s in the box? It was a fantastic surprise for me!
My new, fast, and trusty work friend – an ASUS VivoBook

Oh, about that extremely high alcohol number… don’t despair. We have not become alcoholics. We stocked up on beer and wine before arriving  at the campground and Mark threw an impromptu birthday party, inviting the friends we made here to enjoy new cases of beer and a decent box of wine. We have enough left for many weeks! The good thing about the last two months of 2019: we finally made/make more money than we spent/d.  🙂

Fun birthday party with newly made friends – Tam, Dave, Karen, Janet, Don, and Tom
Cheers!

November 2019 Overview:

Groceries:

Gifts:

Customs & Immigration:

Dog (food: $35; meds: $63; supplies:$51):

Alcohol:

Camper (fuel: $123; repairs: $9):

Dining out:

Utilities (phone: $35; propane: $10):

Entertainment (Lunatic Asylum tour):

Postage:

Household:

Laundry:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$367

$279

$161

$149

$145

$132

$67

$45

$21

$12

$12

$10

$0

———

$ 1400

Monthly Expenses – October 2019

November 10, 2019 / / 36 Comments

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 the two of us. 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. Since June 2019 – we adopted Maya on June 4th – we have a dog section as well. 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.

Keeping busy on a rainy day
Maya would have fit in well on our “Reggae” boat Irie.
Pretty adorable!
Maya’s first stuffed toy, from Best Friends, also bites the dust

For most of October, Mark, Maya, and I were based at my in-laws in Newburyport, Massachusetts; the first week with my parents. From the moment they returned to Belgium, Mark and I got busy with camper projects. They were many and they were expensive. Some of you might remember the ordeal we had with our windshield in Santa Fe in the spring of 2018.  Well, that nightmare lasted for over a year, as we soon noticed new and reoccurring rust spots as a result of a job poorly done by Extreme Twist.

The windshield trouble continued in Santa Fe – attempt two
Being towed from our house sit in Santa Fe to get the windshield “fixed” for the third time

We tried everything short of a lawsuit to get our money back – emails, photos, Better Business Bureau, Attorney General of New Mexico. After heaps of time, frustration, and determination (and the issue becoming even worse), the company finally reimbursed us the US$1,100. Unfortunately, that was not enough to get the body work redone and the windshield replaced in Massachusetts. Without the new windshield, which was covered by our insurance, the body work there cost U$1,500, so we spent an extra $400.

Another biggie was the side window project. The purchase of a new window was already accounted for in a previous month (the people at Extreme Twist were responsible for damaging the old window – and other things on our camper) and we planned to install it ourselves, like everything else… But, the project proved much more difficult than expected, making this our first failure. I’ll spare you the details, but it was a stressful time, especially as a rain storm was to arrive that night and we had a huge hole in the side of Zesty! It took the window specialists three hours and three bulky men to accomplish the job. $165 well spent!

Putting the gasket around the brand-new sliding window
That’s a big hole!
Preparing the side window for installation
Our new sliding side window
We were sad to see our awning window go – bouncing on it was less satisfying than expected. 🙂

Mark did all the rest of the maintenance himself: replace the brake fluid, another oil change, remove and clean the RV heater, and replace a glow plug and a few other things in the engine.

Heater, ready to be cleaned
Mark spent hours under Zesty to disconnect and later re-install the camper heater.

Our other costly “item” last month was Maya. After continued itchiness and trying whatever we could to determine the cause, we took her to the vet, who prescribed antibiotics for her healing wounds and Apoquel, a wonder drug for itchy dog skin. It did a great job for two weeks, but is now wearing off.  A big bummer. We also compared and tested two GPS tracker systems for her and decided to keep the Whistle. We’ve had a lot going on and our expenses reflect it.

Run, Maya, run!
The Whistle GPS tracker attaches to her collar

October 2019 Overview:

Camper (rep.: $816; fuel: $131; reg.: $50; tolls: $40; park.: $8):

Dog (vet: $284; supplies: $235):

Groceries:

Clothing (3 pairs of jeans):

Dining out:

Utilities (phone & Skype):

Medical (co-pay scan):

Alcohol:

Gifts:

Household (electric heater):

Computer (hosting fees):

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$1044

$519

$196

$67

$42

$40

$37

$34

$34

$30

$18

$0

———

$ 2061

Monthly Expenses – September 2019

October 9, 2019 / / 45 Comments

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 the two of us. 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. Since June 2019 - we adopted Maya on June 4th - we have a dog section as well. 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 the month of September, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in our camper van, Zesty. This was interspersed with multiple-day visits to destinations in Quebec and Maine and nights at an Airbnb, a friend's house, a motel, and a hotel, courtesy of my parents, who joined us on September 19th. The generosity of ma and pa kept our expenses lower than they would have been, as they chipped in for groceries, fuel, and a national park pass and treated us to restaurant meals.

Our battery problem started in Halifax and continued on Cape Breton

Our friends Alex and Dave jump started us for the last time in Cavendish, PEI.

They had our size battery in Summerside, PEI.

Swapping our old, defunct car battery for a new one

Despite that, September was still an "average" month, due to camper projects, an expensive bridge toll, and personal splurges. We purchased a new car battery on Prince Edward Island, several parts and tools to fix the van this month, and a few drinks and meals out.

Splurge with food and drinks at the Evermoore Brewery in summerside

Lobster roll! Our first and only one this year.

Confederation Bridge ranks as the most expensive bridge we ever crossed.

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Monthly Expenses – August 2019

September 11, 2019 / / 8 Comments

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 the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and 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 are living  and traveling full-time in our van again, recently in the Maritimes (East Coast) of Canada. That - and a "surprise" hurricane - explains the delays with my blog posts, as we don't have a cost-prohibitive data plan in this country. Ironically, we still pay for the one in the US without using it. Luckily, it is quite easy to find free WiFi here in libraries, visitor centers, Tim Horton's, McDonalds, Walmart, and Canadian Tire, among other businesses. Usually, we briefly stop to grab emails and send the next batch, prepared offline.  Once in a while - ideally on a rainy day - we do more effort to find long-term internet.

Boondocking in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia

August was an average spending month, I'd say, except for the extras, like my dentist visit in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a haircut before we left on our adventure, and new shoes and flip flops for Mark. But, every month has something special in store! I was tempted to put that $8 for parking under "camping" as we spent the night on the same lot in Halifax, but, parking there is free between 6pm and 8am, so - once again - we boondocked (or "urban camped" in this case) for free and had a nice evening out on top of it.

This is a great brewery in Halifax. Dogs are allowed inside and outside and you can bring in your own (or take-out) food!

Maya enjoys going out with us, whenever possible.

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Monthly Expenses – July 2019

August 5, 2019 / / 23 Comments

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. 🙂 Since July 2018, Mark and I have been combining van life in our Zesty and house and pet sitting, which we did full-time before that. The best of both worlds! 

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and 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.

The first week of July was spent in our camper van (Ontario, Quebec, and Vermont). The rest of the month, Mark, Maya, and I have been living with my in-laws in Massachusetts. We are hitting the road again this weekend.

Using our friend Ryan's driveway (and tools) to replace Zesty's brakes this past weekend.

As usual, the biggest expense category was Zesty, as we had to drive all the way to Newburyport, MA and planned more projects.

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Monthly Expenses – June 2019

July 9, 2019 / / 16 Comments

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. 🙂 Since July 2018, Mark and I have been combining van life in our Zesty and house and pet sitting, which we did full-time before that. The best of both worlds! 

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and 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.

I'm a bit late with my expense report for June. The excuse: a long and challenging ride east with soaring heat and humidity, mediocre camping spots, no internet the last week, an anxious dog, and little time for anything other than driving, searching for shade, and outdoor activities. More about that later. The entire month of June was spent in our camper van Zesty and we have no more house sits lined up.

Driving into Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Scenes on the road

Mark drove the entire way, usually no more than four hours a day.

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Monthly Expenses – May 2019

June 8, 2019 / / 21 Comments

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. 🙂 Since July 2018, Mark and I have been combining van life in our Zesty and house and pet sitting, which we did full-time before that. The best of both worlds! 

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and 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.

The first ten days of May, Mark and I house and pet sat in Albuquerque and the rest of the month we lived in our camper van in Kanab, Utah while volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. I made a comment in my last expense report that May would be an expensive month for us. It was... extremely expensive... triple the amount of April, because of our camper van.

May is the month in which we pay for our annual van insurance, which increased to over $1,000 this year. That's usually what we aim to spend (but rarely achieve) every month for all the categories! We also purchased a new alternator and pullies for the engine, which Mark replaced himself in Kanab, Utah. It was a day-long project. He can now call himself a car mechanic, on top of a boat mechanic. 🙂

Taking the engine apart…

… and fixing it, at Napa Autoparts in Kanab, UT

Outdoor workshop

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Monthly Expenses – April 2019

May 5, 2019 / / 18 Comments

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. 🙂 Since July 2018, Mark and I have been combining van life in our Zesty and house and pet sitting, which we did full-time before that. The best of both worlds! 

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and 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.

Lake Powell near Page, AZ

In April, Mark and I lived and traveled in Zesty for the first week. The rest of the month, we house and pet sat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. No crazy expenses this past month. We went out for lunch in Navajo Nation to try Native American food.

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