On a Budget – Page 6 – Roaming About

Category: On a Budget (page 6 of 15)

Why Don’t You Find a Job?

Most of you know that Mark and I are not retired. We live frugally as nomads – now on the road, previously on the water. We’ve been at that for over eighteen years. I’m a freelance writer, translator, editor, and photographer (and since last year author and book promotor). Regardless of his master’s degree in computer science, Mark picks up work along the way and ran a successful marine WiFi business for nine years. Because we are careful with our expenditures, we manage to maintain a less than ordinary lifestyle without working fulltime. Combining travel with eight to ten hours of work a day is extremely challenging and close to impossible – we do have experience with that while sailing.

These last months, you might have read between the lines that a higher cost of living, inflation, and the need of camper and truck improvements to prepare for travels abroad have been troubling us. For that reason, we decided to postpone our trip to Baja California, Mexico, and work in Arizona during the month of December. I would focus on more paid projects and book promo; Mark would apply for a job, locally. How hard could that be? You’ve all seen the “for hire” signs everywhere. And experienced how “nobody wants to work anymore.” And heard the rumors about businesses dying to find employees. Right? One thing is for sure, during the holiday season, many companies do need extra help.

It was mid-November 2021, when we found ourselves in the desert of Tucson, Arizona, and Mark uttered we’d spent $1,000 on fuel to drive across the country, still needed new tires for Thirsty (costing a similar amount), and that months of research and patience to find items on our list for a better price stopped being productive. Price tags online rarely drop anymore. “I need to find a job,” he decided.

The UPS delivery job

We preferred to stick around Tucson if at all possible, despite Phoenix offering more potential with its abundance of warehouses. Mark scanned hiring ads. Delivering packages for UPS with your own car appeared to be the most profitable temporary job. We could stay at our not ideal but free camping area on the edge of Tucson, separate the camper and truck, and make good money (over $20 an hour), plus a generous mileage reimbursement and a weekly bonus. All we had to do was “cover and secure” the bed of our pickup by buying a locking cover. Hours later, we remembered one vital part: our tailgate was still in Massachusetts. It had to be removed and stored for the camper to fit.

Storing our tailgate at a friend’s place in Massachusetts

The position of driver helper earned much less money ($15/hour, no bonus) and still required commuting, but Mark found one in the area that would work. The next day – as we figured out logistics – the job was gone. We needed a different approach.

The Amazon warehouse

Our attention turned to Amazon. Longtime readers might remember that Mark worked at an Amazon warehouse in Kentucky two years ago, with a program called CamperForce. Somebody was in charge of matching seasonal employees with Amazon and a campsite was included. This time, we were on our own. Mark filled out a job application online for an Amazon warehouse in Phoenix and was approved for a nightshift.

Then, we hunted for a campground. Near the Amazon fulfillment center. For a month. In RV central of the USA. During the busiest time of the year: snowbird season. We found two RV parks on Google somewhat close to Mark’s job site – one never answered the phone and didn’t reply to our message, the other (a trailer park) doesn’t allow truck campers! This boggles our mind, as we are as self-contained as any of the bigger rigs. It sure felt like discrimination…

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – November 2021

December 9, 2021 / Liesbet / 32 Comments

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.

Mark, Maya, and I spent the entire month of November on the road in T&T (Thirsty & Temp), exploring New Mexico and Arizona, which explains our high fuel cost. Camping in nature was free, as usual. This was NOT what we had in mind when we left Massachusetts mid-September. It was the start of a new string of negative developments that would affect our decisions and continue well into December. Let me explain…

Nice and private free campsite in Gila National Forest, NM

Camped on BLM land near Espanola, NM

Another peaceful free campsite in Arizona

Before we hit the road in our new set-up, we had a two- to three-week house sit lined up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for home owners and dogs we are familiar with and have done repeat sits for. The owners asked us back, were going to pay us, and wanted to meet Maya. We had a destination and a time frame (mid-November), came up with a loose route, and would enjoy two months of travel and sightseeing until the sit started.

As our trip progressed, Mark and I made plans (yep, the P-word that we should ban from our vocabulary!) for our stay in Albuquerque. Other than taking care of the dogs, the home, the mail, and the yard, we looked forward to sitting still for a couple of weeks enjoying the luxuries and comforts of a fabulous house, dealing with much-needed camper projects (making adjustments to our camper platform, equalizing the cells in the lithium battery Mark built, fixing the bathroom sink, modifying parts of the interior), doing promo work for my book, focusing on freelance work, creating an annual calendar for my family, and getting some administration in order.

We did stop in Albuquerque, NM, for an afternoon at Home Depot, for platform attempt #2.

So, when this sit was cancelled, we lost more than the prospect of extra income. We were pretty bummed, but more imminent and important, we needed to figure out where we could work on the camper for a few days. Luckily, we have a friend in Benson, Arizona, a fellow Westy owner, who agreed to our presence in his driveway for a couple of nights that turned into four. Not only did we have the space we needed, but John is also a wealth of information with a wealth of tools and scrap materials!

John, a battery expert, helps Mark diagnose what’s wrong with the individual cells.

Mark working on the sink contraption

Attempt #3 (and more money invested) for a camper platform that works

Extra project, yet tricky and time consuming: cutting the long cupboard lids in three pieces

John helped Mark with many of our projects

The separate parts are easier to open and close

A new spigot in the sink

Some of our expenses last month are related to this stay, as we – again – attempted building a different platform to rest our camper on. Maybe the third try is the charm? We modified and fixed a few camper items and installed new faucet in the bathroom. We took our friend out to a fabulous lunch at Mi Casa restaurant (look at those reviews and check them out if you pass through!) as a thank you and cooked an extensive Mexican dinner for him as well. It was a productive mid-week.

That’s not Zesty! It’s John’s Westy. We traded ours for a truck camper…

Fish tacos a la Mark in Temp – our first dinner guest!

Lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Benson, AZ

Look at those dishes! Not only tasty and filling, but pretty too.

Good find, John!

A few of November’s categories are high as we started stocking up and preparing for our winter trip to Baja California, Mexico (which has now been postponed, but more about that in another post). And we purchased special ingredients for two celebratory dinners in Temp: Thanksgiving and my birthday.

Chicken instead of turkey – the camper way….

Thanksgiving dinner, most of it made from scratch

We bought extra food for us and Maya and we took our dog to the vet for her annual check-up and a couple of vaccines. Mark needed his second shingles shot as well, which we had to pay out of pocket as we have Massachusetts health insurance that only covers us elsewhere for emergencies. On the same topic, Mark and I also received our booster shots for Covid, which were free. The family is all set for Mexico!

View for a week from our bed – Saddle Mountain BLM

Scenery along our hike

And, some saguaros here too.

Taking a breather in the shade of the mountain

Hiking in the rocky desert of Arizona

Found it! Petroglyphs at Saddleback Mountain.

It was very rocky and not ideal to walk, especially for Maya.

Free entertainment came in the form of dog walks in the desert, soaking in natural hot springs, and finding local and cultural treasures.

Black Rock Hot Springs

Maya remained on the rocks

A cold river next to comfortable hot springs

Gila Cliff Dwellings, New Mexico

Without friends inviting us to use their washing machines, we have to pay for laundry again. 🙂 The amount we spent was actually higher than mentioned in this overview, but we had extra quarters left from a previous laundry expense category. And last but not least, because of our credit cards and cash back program, we received a bit over $50 back. From now on, I am incorporating these amounts in our totals, something I haven’t done in the past.

(The Chase offer of 100,000 bonus points I mentioned a few months ago is not available anymore. When signing up for this credit card now, you can earn 60,000 points when following the directions here.)

Free camping next to Saddle Mountain, AZ, for one week

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.

Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

Available on Amazon and elsewhere

eBook: US$ 5.99

Paperback: US$ 13.99

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – October 2021

November 12, 2021 / Liesbet / 47 Comments

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.

Mark, Maya, and I spent the entire month of October on the road in our truck camper, getting from Illinois to New Mexico with stops in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado. Lots of driving and extra gear were the main source for our high expenses. We bought a new faucet for the bathroom, latches for the drawers (we had three break in one week – what to do with all their contents while we drove?), a grease gun, and a battery monitor. I have to stop stating that it was – yet – another costly month and face the fact that life has gotten incredibly expensive in the US. And I’m not only talking about fuel.

(As always, hover over or click on photos for captions.)

New faucet for the bathroom. It was cheaply made, so Mark needed to replace the O-ring and make adjustments to it.

Maya at the reservoir of Shep Canyon, where we stayed multiple nights.

In 2020 (and previous years), our monthly average expenditure was around $1,300. We met this goal only twice in 2021. Prices of products in grocery stores and online have risen and the cost of fuel – which I realize is still much lower than in Canada, Belgium, or Mexico – is becoming cost-prohibitive for us. Now is NOT a good time for a cross country road trip or camper life as a nomad. It’s not that we can cut more in other categories as we’re pretty careful already. Mark and I have daily discussions about our options. Sitting somewhere for longer periods of time? Finding “real” jobs for a bit? Changing gears once again?

Camped at Oliver Reservoir Recreation Area, Nebraska

In the past, readers of this blog and people following our adventures have asked us how they can support us. Why don’t we have a tip jar, pizza/beer/coffee fund, ads on the website, or a crowdfunding platform? Apart from a few affiliate links, we are staying clear of any of this. So far. The best, easiest, and most rewarding (and beneficial to you) way to support us, is by buying my book – via links on this website, as a hard copy from me personally if your address is in the US, or elsewhere online.

Trying to save money has caused us frustrations in October (and this month too). Usually, we use the free app GasBuddy, but with prices fluctuating from hour to hour, we often show up at a station to a price that is 30 cents a gallon higher than last reported. This means we drive to a different station on the other side of town, costing us more fuel – and time – to get there than it is worth buying gas for a few cents less. If the price at station #2 is, in fact, lower. More often than not, it isn’t and we end up paying a premium anyway, despite the detour.

Getting expensive gas in Bayard, Nebraska

GetUpside is a wonderful alternative. This app gives a discount at certain stations and seems to be more reliable these days. If anyone is interested in signing up, feel free to use the promo code FE3MM7 or this link. It should give you a discount of 15 – 40 cents per gallon of gas or diesel on your first fill at participating fuel stations.

Another problem is our dismal fuel economy. We only get 10 miles to the gallon in this pickup truck, which is less than half of our campervan Zesty! This reduces our radius from 500 miles to 300 miles before we need to fill up again (despite the bigger tank), is twice as expensive as before, and makes us plan our routes a certain way (as in, avoid the Rocky Mountains in Colorado). And that’s with Mark not using cruise control and being extremely aware about how he drives, which is exhausting. Even then, our fuel cost last month was outrageous – over 1/3 of our total expense – and so was the expense for propane, which also has gone up substantially compared to six months ago.

Maya with her new tracker

Maya’s big container of fish oil

Parked overnight at the Bas Pro Shop of Colorado Springs, Colorado. They allow RVs to spend one night a year here.

What else did we spend money on in October? We bought a new gps tracker for Maya. Tractive (a company Mark researched in the past) had a special, offering the device for free and an annual data fee for $84. We switched from Whistle, because Tractive provides coverage internationally and has more usable features. We stocked up on the fish oil supplement for our dog as well. This container should last at least six months.

Tasty and healthy lunch on October 1st, in Wicker Park, Chicago, provided by Peta and Ben (Photo courtesy Peta Kaplan)

Appetizers and dinner at Keith & Kavita’s place in Chicago

Alcohol was high, because we visited friends and brought stacks to share and leave. We also treated our friends in Chicago to a Thai take-out meal. On the flip side, wonderful friends treated us to lunch (thank you, Peta and Ben), dinner and fresh veggies from the garden (thank you, Gail and Jon), and other food (thank you Keith, Kavita, and Margaret).

Our TV swings out from the bed area towards the dinette.

Mark convinced me to get a Chromecast device on sale. For about $20 we managed to snatch the last one at a department store and now we actually use the TV that came with our camper by pairing it with a tablet and streaming Netflix, etc. to enjoy a bigger screen; luxury!

Entrance sign to the national park

Driving through Badlands National Park

Enjoying the American Badlands

We bought a few new items for the camper household (our cereal bowls broke after I forgot to latch one of the cabinets; our drives are VERY rough and often on bumpy dirt roads) and shorts for Mark. We also paid the $30 entrance fee to Badlands National Park and renewed one of our domain names. Phew!

Camped along the badlands of South Dakota

Little Swan Lake, Iowa

Oacoma Flats, South Dakota

Camped south of the national park, before a rain storm

Camped at Shep Canyon National Recreation Area, SD

Camped at our friends Gail & Jon’s house in the Black Hills, South Dakota

Camped for one night in the prairie of Monument, Colorado

Camped at Mountain Home State Wildlife Area in Colorado for a couple of nights

As usual, we camped for free in the most amazing places. Imagine we’d stay at real campgrounds with fees of $20-$40 a night.. We definitely wouldn’t be able to afford this lifestyle anymore! Hurray for boondocking spots and the American west that is full of them. 🙂

One of our favorite campsites, in Colorado, last month. Happy to report our heater works at 8,500ft altitude!

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.

Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

Available on Amazon and elsewhere

eBook: US$ 5.99

Paperback: US$ 13.99

How to Visit Chicago for Free (in a Small Camper) – Skylines & Social Times

October 20, 2021 / Liesbet / 61 Comments

After New York’s natural beauty, more wonder – of a very different kind – befell me when Mark, Maya, and I approached the skyline of Chicago, Illinois. Yes, I had set foot upon its grounds twice before. Once on a wintry layover from Belgium, never venturing further than a hotel room after missing my connecting flight, and once a couple of years ago, when we swung by our friends Keith and Kavita’s home on the outskirts of the city. But I had never witnessed its majestic architectural beauty, strolled its waterfront, or parked in its quirky neighborhoods.

Chicago skyline

When our long-anticipated departure from Newburyport, Massachusetts, approached, Mark and I had to pick a route, or, at the very least, a first destination. We prefer a northern track across the United States for its scenic appeal, but we hate cold weather. Everything was dependent on when exactly we could start our journey. Luckily, that happened in mid-September and not October like last year, when a southern approach was required. So, we stated, “As long as the weather holds, we will stick to a northern course.” As I write this, we still haven’t made any southward progress! Soon…

Our goal was Chicago, a city I had heard a lot of positives about but never visited, and a place where three sets of friends would be located at the end of September… Our trio stayed in the city for four nights and had a jolly good time, without spending a dime!* ????

(Click on the photos or hover over them to read the captions in galleries.)

Approaching Chicago

Big cities mean lots of traffic…

Six tips for a free “long weekend” in Chi Town:

1. Stick to outdoor sights and activities

We easily filled a few days by checking out Lake Michigan – with a long waterfront bike/walking trail – and several areas in downtown. The first day, we walked all the way from Lincoln Park to Navy Pier and returned via skyscraper heaven.

Chicago borders Lake Michigan

Walk along the lakefront

Entering Navy Pier

Lighthouse at the edge of Chicago Harbor

The skyline seen from Navy Pier

A little break at the end of the pier

The Ferris Wheel (Centennial Wheel) on Navy Pier is an icon in Chicago. No, we didn’t go for a ride – too expensive and no dogs allowed.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – September 2021

October 13, 2021 / Liesbet / 24 Comments

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.

Mark, Maya, and I lived in a guest room in Massachusetts for the first half of September and returned to the road, in a new-to-us camper after that. The second part of the month was spent driving through and/or visiting the states of New York, Ohio, and Illinois, arriving in Chicago by the end of the month.

Free overnight parking in Chicago, at Lincoln Park

Those first two weeks of September were quite hectic, as we prepared for our trip, installed more parts to make our mobile lives easier or more comfortable, and I aimed to get to a stopping point with my book promo. Mark added an inverter and charger to our home on wheels and rewired parts of it to suit our homebuilt Lithium battery.

(As always, click on or hover over photos to read the captions.)

Rewiring the camper for the new battery and adding a charger and inverter

Tweaking the Lithium battery Mark built

Maya resting in the garage, as close to us as possible!

The most tricky – and annoying – task was figuring out a way to bring our e-bikes with us, now that an extension swing-out hitch and our original bike rack were not an option anymore. We ordered durable hooks, a backing plate, hardware, and straps to come up with a decent solution. This configuration on our ladder had to be changed – in Massachusetts and on the road – multiple times to avoid chafing and reduce damage on our bikes. It’s been an ordeal!

Installing straps and hooks on the ladder to carry our bikes

Protecting the carrier rack and adding a layer to our bikes in order to barely rest them on the back bumper.

Figuring out a new way to transport our e-bikes – not so easy without our swing-out hitch and rack from Zesty.

We covered about 1,000 miles last month, which is reflected in the high fuel cost, but is nothing compared to this month. Our fuel economy is terrible! Even worse than we expected. This is hard to swallow for us “thrifty travelers” as we are still getting used to our new camper set-up and weigh the pros and cons compared to a campervan. That topic will be for a future post!

Driving through the countryside in New York

Passing by Cleveland, without stopping

Driving through the countryside of Ohio

Figuring out how accurate the fuel gauges are… And, yes, our fuel economy is HORRIBLE. More about that later.

Approaching Chicago the end of September

Now that we live in our truck camper, we needed to change its insurance policy to reflect its higher value. We also bought more household items, like an outdoor mat, shower curtain, towel bars… Our first propane refill was expensive. Hopefully this is related to us messing about with the refrigerator setting. This fridge, unfortunately, runs on propane.

Remember that pricey Mexican lunch last month? The friends we treated back then, covered our part of a take-out dinner before we left on our trip. Hence, no dining out category for September. Since we mainly drink in company these days, the alcohol cost is for beer, wine, and sangria that we brought to “parties.”

Saying goodbye to good friends before we take off indefinitely

A spread of fabulous food and drinks over Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend get together with friends

Fabulous pasta dinner at our friend Sean’s place in Schenectady, New York

We pretty much cooked all our dinners in September

Our favorite, affordable wine – a red blend from California, available at Trader Joe’s (depending on the state)

We decided to spend money on entertainment this time around, by visiting two of New York’s most iconic state parks, sporting loads of waterfalls and hiking trails: Watkins Glen SP and Letchworth SP. You can read more about those sites here.

Watkins Glen State Park, New York

Letchworth State Park, New York

And, some attractions are free, like Indiana Dunes National Park, where we hiked, biked, and even spent the night! 🙂

We passed this attraction on a previous cross country road trip

Small snake on the path

Happy Maya on the beach

The biggest dune in the park

Deer along our bike ride

A twenty-mile e-bike ride to stretch the legs – after a five-mile hike…

Scaling a dune

Sandals do collect… sand!

Finding a massive body of (fresh) water and white, sandy beaches that resemble the seaside is strange.

In true Liesbet and Mark fashion, we once again boondock every night. This means camping without hook-ups or – usually – facilities. It’s also called “dry camping” or “wild camping” and is often (in our case, always) free. We use the no-cost app iOverlander (for campers by campers) to find suitable locations to spend the night. We also contribute to this service by adding new places, reviews, photos, experiences, and updates.

Our first night boondocking (in nature, not in driveways) in the truck camper

Free camping in Watkins Glen, NY

Parked overnight at a rest area – not sleeping well those days

Camped at the MH/RV Hall of Fame in Indiana

Free overnight parking at the visitor center of Indiana Dunes National Park

This expense report was a tricky one to create, because my accounting is different than Mark’s, who actually keeps track of everything in Quicken. His total expense for September 2021 resulted in a negative number, because we – finally – sold many valuable items that came with the truck and camper that we didn’t want. The idea being that this amount went towards our expenses for the truck and camper. Based on that math, the first category in my list underneath boiled down to only $20. Yes, we sold $990 worth of stuff. Most of it last minute!

The truck came with a sparkling, fancy Tonneau cover, which we tried to sell for months

The swing-out rack and massive storage box that came with our camper sold within a day of posting the ad!

The second “discrepancy” (a credit of $857) came from our Chase credit card points that had a value of 1.5x the amount if we used them before September ended. We still have another $300 (at 1x the amount) left for this month. If anybody is interested in checking out an incredible credit card offer – 100,000 free points (a value of $1,000 at 1x the points) – this is my Chase referral code: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/6c/PR3FJUQ8CP.

Maya loves her new home and can’t wait to start another adventure

Completely ready to leave Newburyport, Massachusetts!

Telling the readers of this blog that we spent -200 dollars wouldn’t make any sense, so I decided to itemize our expenses like I usually do and the credits and returns on our money will be incorporated in our yearly report. Now, let’s hope that we can finally bring our costs down to the $1,300 monthly average soon!

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.

New York Surprises – Waterfall Extravaganza!

October 4, 2021 / Liesbet / 42 Comments

“Where are you going first?”

This is not a weird question at all, when you talk to people hitting the road indefinitely. And the poser of said question might get annoyed with the ever-present “We don’t know yet” answer coming from our mouths.

But, first things first; Mark and I had to take care of a few specifics before an actual destination could be determined. Once our departure from Newburyport became imminent – the truck camper was taking shape, the bikes didn’t fall of the new ladder rack, help was in place for my in-laws, ties with friends and family were rekindled, and personal projects reached a stopping point – we could finally look at a map.

Two days before we coasted out of the driveway with our dog, Maya, and our belongings, Mark and I decided to head towards Chicago, Illinois, after visiting a couple of friends in Massachusetts and New York. I contacted three sets of friends in the Windy City, aka Chi-Town, to gauge their availability and location for a meet-up. Then, on September 17^th, 2021, the three of us left Newburyport for the last time with a new-to-us vehicle and – somewhat of – a plan!

A quick, one-night stop at good friends in Uxbridge, MA, was followed by a Saturday night visit to a work friend of Mark’s in New York, who cooked his staple meat-loaden pasta sauce for us, following an amazing family recipe.

It was on Sunday, when our trip west was to start in earnest, that we realized we weren’t in a rush anymore. Why hurry to Chicago? We’d returned to our own home, our own routine, our own lives, our own priorities. We were our own boss again with few responsibilities! And, the weather was unseasonably pleasant with temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit (mid-20s Celsius).

“Let’s explore New York a bit,” I exclaimed. A state so close by, yet so far away, as I’d never actually ventured into upstate New York for any length of time, other than quick visits – to our friend Sean and Mark’s college town Troy once, when on one of our many road trips across the USA.

(As always, click on or hover over photos to read captions.)

Schenectady

Mark grew up in Schenectady. I’m pretty good at spelling, but when he challenged me with this one years ago, I miserably failed. To make matters worse, Mark also lived in Niskayuna, a town to its east. I still have to look up how to write that one. But, I’m happy to say that I finally visited both cities, thanks to our friend Sean, who offered us a quick tour, that Sunday of our “real departure.”

Circle in the Stockade

The house to the right belonged to Mark’s parents many years ago.

Typical street in the Stockade

Native American statue

While both men convinced me there is “nothing to see” in Schenectady, I enjoyed a stroll through the Stockade, an 82-acre historic district located on the banks of the Mohawk River. It is the oldest neighborhood in the city and has been continuously inhabited for more than 300 years. The National Park Service describes it as “the highest concentration of historic period homes in the country.” It is here that Mark’s parents used to own a house, while their son attended college and lived on campus nearby.

Walking along the Mohawk River with Sean, Mark, and Maya

Old house reminiscent of Holland

Historic neighborhood in the Stockade

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – August 2021

September 8, 2021 / Liesbet / 29 Comments

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.

Apart from two days with friends in Vermont (picking up our camper), Mark, Maya, and I lived the entire month of August in Newburyport, MA, in our room above the garage at my in-laws. We had a busy month with work and prep of our new camper set-up (see this post for more project photos and this post about how we found our pick-up truck). Just like with Zesty, the camper category is often the highest expense, especially when first equipping our vehicle and living space. That’s also why the household amount is high.

Our new camper on the driveway of friends

A quick glimpse at Vermont scenery

Going for a hike with Maya, Max, and Dixie in Vermont

Dixie and Max welcome Maya in their home

Enjoying cooler evening temperatures on the porch

Maya makes herself at home on the bed in our truck camper. She loves it!

Everything else is pretty much “average,” except for the renewal of my driver’s license, I bought the book of my colleague at the Yankee Homecoming event, and dining out. We did our best to keep last month’s expenses reasonable (other than camper necessities), but then decided to treat good friends for lunch. Who would have guessed a simple Mexican meal (burritos and tacos) costs over $100 for four people? Newburyport is super expensive – another reason to leave soon.

Our truck camper parked on the condo driveway in Newburyport

Protecting the car and camper from paint

Mark spray paints the (rusty) bottom parts of our four jack stands

Replacing the fan in the bathroom

The new vent ($225) on the top back right corner of the camper. Mark is re-caulking the roof edges.

On the positive side, a few months ago we decided to obtain a new credit card to benefit from Chase’s generous offer: receive 80,000 points (which, when transferred to Mark’s account rewarding us 1.5 times the points, means a value of $1,200) if you spend $4,000 the first three months. We had trouble getting there at first (in Belgium multiple places didn’t accept Visa), but once we found our truck and bought car insurance, we were all set! During the summer, the extra points (money) could be used towards groceries, hardware, and dining out as well. so, of the $1,200 we received, $434 went to last month’s expenses, so theoretically, we spent $1,093 instead of $1,527. 🙂

Maya always curls herself around chairs…

Family visit in Newburyport

Maya trying to sneak into the kitchen of my in-laws

If anybody is interested in checking out this offer, which – believe it or not – they have since upped to 100,000 points (a value of $1,000 at 1X the points) – this is my Chase referral code: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/6c/PR3FJUQ8CP.

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.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – July 2021

August 14, 2021 / Liesbet / 42 Comments

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.

The first two weeks of July, Mark and I visited my family and friends in Belgium, while our good buddies Greg and Duwan (of Make Like An Apeman) took good care of Maya in Newburyport, Massachusetts. We splurged on goodies from the grocery store, alcohol to share, and gifts to thank our generous hosts in my home country and our friends back in the US.

Liesbet and aunt Nicole

Flowers for aunt Nicole in Oostende

Plenty of different flavors for a fun night with family

Our fancy credit card allows for free access at the airport lounge – more splurging!

Mark’s last Belgian beer for a while in the airport lounge in Brussels

The two of us also went out for food and drinks one evening to celebrate our fourteenth wedding anniversary outdoors in Oostende. Where did the time go?

Liesbet and Mark in the summer of 2007

Wedding night dinner at a bar – you can read in “Plunge” why we didn’t go out for a fancier meal that night. 🙂

Upon our return to the US, Duwan and Greg stayed on a few more days. Fun! We ordered pizza one night – they treated – and the following night, we splurged on Thai food – our treat. Life was good last month, socializing and catching up with friends and family!

Duwan and Greg in our room – Maya’s new best friends!

The last ten days of July, we tightened the belt for common expenses, as a new money pit arrived! Firstly, we had to order a new passport for Mark and – with the delays – we hope he will receive it before wintertime, when would like to return to Baja California (Mexico).

Truck shopping in Rhode Island

Checking the engine compartment when inspecting this vehicle for the first time

When we bought the truck, it came with a Teneau cover, which we are trying to sell now.

More importantly, we found a pick-up truck! More about that in a next post. Owning a vehicle again means expensive insurance, extra (used) parts to add a truck camper, and relatively pricey improvements. As always, we do all the work ourselves, so only spend money on materials, which Mark researches and buys at the best quality/price ratio. And, of course, there are fuel costs – for our new “thirsty” vehicle and for the one of my mother-in-law.

Our new vehicle

Ready for some car jobs

Adding the rear tie-downs – previously sanded and painted

Wheel well covers for the back

July 2021 was a super expensive month, but for good reasons! 🙂

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.

Monthly Expenses of a Nomad – June 2021

July 21, 2021 / Liesbet / 40 Comments

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.

In June, Mark, Maya, and I lived in “our room above the garage” for three weeks. My companions stayed there the entire month and I flew to Belgium, where I visited friends and family from June 24th to July 15th. That first week, I was spoiled rotten by myself. Mark – without Maya – joined me on July 1st, so that is reflected in next month’s expense report.

Kim and Eli offered me wine and snacks one evening

An impromptu, quick meet-up with An in Dendermonde one afternoon – she was smart and kind enough to bring soft drinks and snacks!

Stopping by my good friend Hilde one afternoon – her daughters made a lovely dessert!

The biggest category was a painful one. On our nationwide pick-up truck search, which I still have to elaborate on whenever there is conclusion, Mark flew to a small town in Arkansas on two different planes with a hotel stay in between. From there he would drive back in our next vehicle. Again, it was not meant to be. Instead, he had to spend another night in a hotel and return by air at increased prices. The entire ordeal – other than loads of extra research, discussions, time, energy, and emotions – set us back almost $800!

When you subtract that amount from June’s total, it wasn’t too bad of a month, despite a few other high-ish categories, like “gifts”… I treated my mom (and dad) to a fancy meal for her 70th birthday at Pacht 26 in Gijzegem and we bought some goodies for our friends Duwan and Greg, who would pet sit Maya during our absence.

Mother and daughter spoiling themselves!

The three of us enjoyed a fabulous multi-course lunch.

The desserts

Before I left Massachusetts, we organized a small outdoor party with my brother-in-law and his wife. The occasion: my in-laws 64th wedding anniversary. The four “kids” cooked a fabulous meal and Mark and I found an original gift – a fancy Irish whisky that incorporates the family name.

A while ago, we noticed these fancy whiskies in the liquor store and a plan was set in motion.

Mark’s last name reflected in the whisky brand

Happy 64th anniversary!!

Good food on the grill…

… and from the oven.

Maya in her strategic position under the table

A family celebration of love in the courtyard

The twins had their own table.

A long relationship still going strong: 64 years!

Mark made a fabulous gluten-free apple crisp

Our dog needed new heartworm meds, so that was taken care of. And I “needed” a haircut before my trip across the Atlantic. Even though I only visit Supercuts once a year or so, I was surprised at how the prices have gone up.

Our grocery, borrowed car, alcohol, and take-out costs were manageable, but we needed a new battery for Mark’s phone (the old one literally grew out of proportions and almost exploded), his passport is due for renewal, and we bought Amazon credit. Mark couldn’t resist the deal “buy $40 of credit and receive $50 worth.” 🙂

Mark carefully replaces his phone battery – tricky!

I’m a tad late with this report; the last three weeks have been extremely hectic with unreliable internet and no me-time. Despite spending different currencies in July, we seem to be back on track this month! Or not?

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.

Monthly Expenses – May 2021

June 9, 2021 / Liesbet / 47 Comments

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.

The entire month of May, Mark, Maya, and I lived in our “room above the garage” in Newburyport, Massachusetts. We helped out my in-laws, worked, and researched pick-up trucks. It’s been a huge battle finding the right set-up for our next adventure in this post-pandemic, elusive, and inflated Super Duty truck market. One day, I hope to share our experiences about that in a blog post. So far, unfortunately, there is no end in sight.

Spoiled dog!

Maya loves squeezing in tight spaces – a camper would be the perfect home for her!

May 2021 was another expensive month for us, mainly because we bought two plane tickets to Belgium, for the end of June. That being said, we have no conclusion yet if Mark gets to go, based on European travel restrictions being lifted. What’s a bit more stress… I should be okay with my Belgian passport. Fingers crossed! As prices for flights keep rising, we didn’t want to risk waiting too long to book the tickets. They are exchangeable for vouchers in case we/he can’t go, something we confirmed before paying money. If all goes well, our friends Duwan and Greg will watch Maya for two weeks.

Beach walk on Plum Island

Maya in the dunes

A man and his dog

Our grocery expenses are still high. We blame it on New England being more expensive than the American Southwest, let alone Mexico. We are careful, but each time we pass a Trader Joe’s (which isn’t often), we have to buy a few of our favorite specialties. And, when we visit friends, we can’t show up empty-handed of course. Or maybe the number remains high because we are eating too much?

Friends in our Uxbridge guest room

Mark and his buddies Ryan and Chris

Holly and Liesbet

Take-out dinner with friends

Playing Jenga with friends

We are fortunate to have the use of Mark’s parents’ car to run errands and look at (rusty) pick-up trucks and truck campers in the area. “The area” stretches throughout Massachusetts, to Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Most of our fuel goes to these widespread, time consuming pursuits. We are drinking alcohol again after a multiple-month hiatus. We also shipped a spare part we kept for Zesty to a friend in Arizona, now that we sold our camper van, and tentatively paid for a camper insurance policy (more about that later, if it sticks).

Visiting family in Connecticut on a detour from a truck “inspection”

The only other “high” expense was for a vet visit, in nearby Salisbury. Mark and I took Maya to another vet, in Newburyport, a couple of years ago and weren’t too happy with the inflated prices. So, we tried a different one for a check-up and small procedure, figuring it couldn’t be any worse. The vet and staff were friendly and professional; the doctor said everything was fine. Maya was healthy, the liquid that needed to be expressed was surprisingly clear, and there were no infections.

Maya’s favorite spot in the house these last months: under my desk

Maya getting comfy at my feet

And, where do my feet go?

As we were ready to leave his office and pay our bill, he asked his assistant to grab a container of probiotics and another with antibiotics. Mark and I were confused. “Does she have an infection, or not?” my husband asked. “Yes,” the vet answered. What do you do when a doctor recommends medication, but you don’t quite believe your pet needs it?

We moved to the check-in counter to pay, as the nurse approached with the container of probiotics. “How much does that cost?” Mark inquired. “85 dollars.” What? We declined. We’d feed her a couple of spoons of yogurt each day, if needed, or look for probiotics online. Could we decline the antibiotics as well? This was a toughie. We let that one go ($40 for a generic brand) and for the next two weeks, we fed our dog drugs we didn’t think she needed.

Again, we were disgusted by how vet clinics upsell their products and try to make money. It’s all about money, especially in this part of the world, we once again concluded. Capitalism. It’s been confronting us every step of the way this year. We’ll look for yet another vet next time.

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.

Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: On a Budget (page 6 of 15)

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