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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Health (page 5 of 6)

IWSG Writing Update April 2020 – Coronavirus Status

April 1, 2020 / / 62 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional.

For April, the question is: “The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, our question is: how are things in your world?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Diane Burton,JH Moncrieff,Anna @ Emaginette,Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter,Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard.

((After the park ranger told us Wood Lake Campground would close (see last photo of my previous post), she recommended another spot in the forest where we would be able to boondock (primitive camp for free), showing it on her map, from a safe distance. Based on the amount of bugs and the lack of cell service in Apalachicola National Forest, FL we decided to move on.))

My answer to the question (How are things in your COVID-19 world?)

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Coronavirus vs. Camping Nomads

March 19, 2020 / / 76 Comments

As travel plans from friends and family are canceled due to the Coronavirus, international borders are closing, and almost everyone on this planet is affected – logistically, financially, and some medically, I figured it’s time to provide an update about how this situation influences the nomadic lives of Mark, Maya, and me in our camper van Zesty.

The positivist in me likes to declare that it doesn’t affect us at all. As you know, we are frugal travelers and that means we never go on vacations or excursions and rarely stay at pay campgrounds or dine out; all sectors that have recently become obsolete in Florida. We live in a self-contained vehicle and are flexible and resourceful. We’re experts at boondocking (free camping), feel relatively young (despite the decades swooshing by), and love being alone in nature (no social distancing needed). What do we have to worry about?

Nobody on the trail…
Social distancing in nature is easy…
… especially when it comes to alligators!

The negativist in me thinks about our older parents, the disappointed people with canceled vacations, our own bypassing of sights and cities in Florida, and – most importantly – the employees without a job and small business owners suffering. The financial impact (and travel attitude) will take years to recover. I hope people will LEARN through and from this pandemic. Selfishness seems to thrive in situations like these.

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Monthly Expenses – February 2020

March 11, 2020 / / 27 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 two adults and one 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 East Coast.

February was a good month and the cheapest one since April 2019. That makes two months in a row under $1,000. Let’s see how long we can keep this up. 🙂

We did spend a little bit of money on camping – happy to stay somewhere multiple nights in a row WITH smooth, groomed, comfortable grass. You know, the kind on which you walk barefoot and Maya relaxes bug-free, rolling around without picking up leaves, branches, needles, or burrs. The kind that is quite rare, especially boondocking. The surrounding area offered nice hiking trails as well.

Locks WMA near Fort McCoy – not a bad campground for a few dollars a night
Training Maya to run with a bike
(Wide) part of the Florida Trail – even the trails were grassy!
Canal next to the locks – the Florida Trail goes over it
Cute AND comfy!

Extra costs in February went to a new bike cover and the annual Massachusetts tax  for our van (both under “camper”) and to internet, propane, and dump stations in the “utilities” category. Our monthly AT& T internet (phone) bill is usually $35. Except, this amount actually gets paid every four weeks. Last month is where this caught up with us and we had to pay twice. Darn leap day!

Our shiny new bike bag – they seem to last about one year in the elements and cost $15 more than last year!

In Florida – as opposed to other states we have visited – it’s difficult to find free dump stations, so we look for the cheapest options. Once, we used a free one and decided to support this RV center’s “generosity” and buy their propane, not even researching the competition. Ha! It was the most expensive propane we ever bought in the US: $4 per gallon. In a way, we paid for this free dump and water fill-up as well.

We went to Lake Griffin State Park and paid the $5 entrance fee to dump. And go for a short walk.
The narrow boardwalk through the swamp was fun, but we could only do it so long with Maya.
Maya is tiny in comparison to this “second largest live oak tree in Florida”!

And, for the loyal expense report follower, who scrutinizes our monthly numbers: guess which category is missing in February? It’s something that was always present, but we really tried hard to keep it at zero this month (I cheated a tad by buying Mark a little bit as part of his birthday gift) …

February 2020 Overview:

Groceries:

Camper (fuel: $43; tax: $77; bike bag: $65):

Utilities (phone: $70; propane: $21; dump: $16):

Dining out:

Health & Fitness:

Drinking out:

Computer Software (Quicken):

Dog (supplies):

Gifts:

Camping:

Laundry:

Household:

 

TOTAL:

 

$270

$185

$107

$100

$34

$30

$25

$22

$21

$11

$5

$3

———

$ 813

Solo Camping – The Joy of Being Me

February 12, 2020 / / 66 Comments

For the last five years, Mark needed to return to Massachusetts in January for doctor visits. Sometimes, I joined him. Not that I wanted to (who prefers to be in the Boston area in the middle of winter?) but because it was my only solution. Other times, I stayed at a house sit. This year, because of our lovely dog, there was no way out. Maya and I would remain in Zesty for those five days.

Mark and I have pretty much been together 24/7 since the day we became a couple in December 2004. Despite our compatibility, I’m quite independent and truly, utterly adore time alone. In the past, I treasured spurts of me-time on visits to Belgium (which didn’t happen in 2019), a few solo days in California, or evenings apart during Mark’s job at Amazon. Still, I’d never been alone in our camper van for more than 11 hours. So how did that work out last January?

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Monthly Expenses – January 2020

February 9, 2020 / / 35 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.

In an upcoming blog, I’ll share a bit more about our January experiences in Florida, but for now, I’ll stick to expenses. Not a bad month at just under $1,000 but, as always, it was more than expected by the time we tallied everything.  One of our three “out of the ordinary” costs was Maya’s anti-itch medicine. Apoquel is a wonder drug, but at $1.75 per pill – Mark spent hours online to find this “deal”, if you buy 100 pills at once (usually prices hover around $2 per pill and higher at the vet) – it is pricey. Especially since Maya needs one pill a day. We discovered that CBD oil does not help with her physical discomfort.

Anything to get this sweetheart happy, healthy, comfortable!

Our other “extra” expenses were for camping and Mark’s bus transfers from/to Newburyport from Logan Airport. He used miles to get there from Jacksonville. Long-time readers know that we almost always boondock (camp for free) with Zesty. Since Mark had to fly to Boston for five days in January, I stayed at an established campground in Northern Florida – hence the camping expense for January. I have to admit that it was enjoyable. More about that later as well.

Under a bridge – between St. Augustine and Jacksonville
Walmart parking lot near Jacksonville – the least attractive option
Fort George Inlet
Boondocking in Osceola National Forest
Paid camping at Ocean Pond Campground in Osceola National Forest

January 2020 Overview:

Groceries:

Dog (meds:$175; food: $35):

Camper (fuel: $151; parking: $14):

Dining out:

Drinking out:

Camping:

Transportation:

Utilities (phone):

Alcohol:

Health & Fitness:

Household:

Gifts:

Laundry:

Computer Hardware:

Medical:

Postage:

 

TOTAL:

 

$272

$210

$165

$74

$58

$50

$44

$35

$34

$20

$12

$9

$5

$4

$4

$3

———

$ 999

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

Two-week RV Trip, Part 1 – Rocks and Petrified Wood

June 13, 2018 / / 69 Comments

After Mark and I finished our two-month house sit in Santa Fe, the end of May, we had no other assignments lined up. Partly because the 2.5-week gap before our train journey east was tight to find a “perfect” house sit; partly because we wanted to give full-time RV living a chance. We planned to make a loop from Santa Fe west into Arizona, north to the Four Corners region, east through Southern Colorado, and then back south into New Mexico. Memorial Day weekend would offer us a little break away from the computer, and since our business partner was on holiday for ten days early June, Mark’s job would be more relaxed then as well.  During those once-a-year periods, he only deals with customers over email, and postpones phone calls until “vacation time” is over.

The southern part of Petrified Forest National Park

Our trip was off to a rocky start, since our windshield was still leaking. We’d come back earlier, after two weeks, and deal with it then. First stop: El Malpais National Monument, where we’d briefly stopped for a free night of camping after picking Zesty up in Arkansas, almost a year ago.

El Malpais National Monument

Already on day one, our bikes came in handy. We explored the eastern part of the park at our own pace, and photographed rocky outcrops, peddled through Indian Reservations, and discovered a natural arch.

Zesty and the bikes in the Joe Skeen campground of El Malpais
The black patches are lava rock
Sandstone Bluffs
La Ventana natural arch

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Then and Now – Friends

April 25, 2018 / / 44 Comments

A few years ago, I would have never thought to dedicate a blog post to friendship. After all, we had many friends we stayed in touch with over email, fellow cruisers we ran into again, and new people we met in different harbors. As I have alluded to in previous blogs, the one fallback about house and pet sitting – and being on the move from one more or less isolated home to the next – is that Mark and I lack social interaction. It was an important fact I pointed out in my recent interview with Kristin of Wayward Home. Sure, we sometimes meet neighbors and might nod our heads at one another. Recently, we were even invited to dinner at the house across the street in Albuquerque. A first! It was a nice surprise and evening. But, all our current friendships are treasured via the internet. Outlook, Facebook, blog comments, Skype calls; that’s where my social life happens. Mark, who isn’t on social media, has even less interactions.

BFFs on my bachelorette party in SXM

Luckily, most of our friends are travelers. This means they might find themselves in the same area where we secured a house sit. When that happens, good times are had. New life directions are exchanged in person and wonderful memories are shared! Those are the best times, and I’m grateful for them. Continue reading

Monthly Expenses – January 2018

February 12, 2018 / / 20 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. 🙂 That being said, Mark and I seem to manage one big expense a month for some reason, whether it is camper, plane, travel or computer-related. Luckily, we live totally rent-free, wherever we end up.

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.

Health insurance and costs are related to my health care as a permanent resident in the US. Mark is still eligible for free health care in the state of Massachusetts as of today. If a non-emergency were to happen outside of that state, it will be expensive! For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast. I still pay a small quarterly fee in Belgium for health care (required to retain citizenship), which I mention in my year report.

We finally did it... We stayed under $1000. A good start for 2018. But, it was an unusual month. Most of January, Mark and I stayed in Newburyport, Massachusetts, instead of San Diego, California, to take care of his parents. So much for a warm winter! On a financial note, life is generally cheaper there (except for wine), our plane tickets were "bought" with miles, fuel and parking were paid for, and the grocery costs were shared.

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