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! In January we camped, house sat, and stayed with family..
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.
January was unique in terms of our two-week visit to the East Coast, where we stayed with my parents-in-law. Most of this month's expenses are related to our time there. We bought (almost) all the groceries, threw a party for the 83rd birthday of Mark's mom (all-you-can-eat pizza fest), and treated a nephew and his girlfriend to dinner. I got a cheap haircut while I was there and we bought alcohol for two parties. The transportation cost was to get us from and to Boston airport by bus.
Even though I don't have to pay for health care in 2019, we still do in order to keep our health insurance plans. The only way to prove our 2018 income (in order to wave my monthly fee) is with our tax forms and they are not finished until the end of the month. It's complicated, but paying up for two months is just the easiest solution in this case.
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February 10, 2019 at 15:26
Hi Liesbet! Another example of having lots of fun and it not costing much to do it. I think if people put in as much time organizing (dare I say rightsizing!) their lives they could do the same. I love how you prove every month that it is possible. ~Kathy
February 10, 2019 at 18:04
Thanks, Kathy! Some months it is easier to “stay on budget” than others. Our time in New England was quite expensive, since we ended up paying for many things we usually don’t. Hopefully, this month (and the next) will be “normal” again. We don’t have much income these days, so it is important to be frugal.
February 10, 2019 at 17:30
Well done, Liesbet! I’m happy you and Mark had some nice family time during the month of January. February is a shorter month, so I’ll be curious about your expenses. Thanks for sharing!
February 10, 2019 at 18:06
Good point about February, Jill! It should be the cheapest month of the year. 🙂 We will see. Mark and I are certainly trying our best to keep the expenses under $1,000 a month this year. As long as there aren’t unexpected costs, or big camper van issues, we are hopeful about reaching that goal.
February 11, 2019 at 08:14
Wow! Your expenses are still so super low even with the party and treating. But of course I didn’t see a gas expense which I think makes a huge difference.
February 12, 2019 at 12:26
Fuel certainly is a huge expense for us when we travel in Zesty. Not so much when we house sit. And, in California we have been nursing it as diesel is extremely expensive and much more here than in other states. For January, we put $25 of gas in the car of Mark’s parents, which is mentioned under the car expense. So far this month, we’ve put half a tank in near San Diego, which hopefully gets us to Arizona. 🙂
February 11, 2019 at 22:17
An all-you-can-eat pizza fest sounds awesome. Who could resist an invite to that? Certainly not me.
February 12, 2019 at 12:43
Right? We actually had no idea who would show up for the pizza fest and planned to make them ourselves if it would be up to six people. For good or bad, we ended ordering pizzas from a restaurant in walking distance and devoured about six huge pies. Yummy indeed! Maybe we should meet over pizza one day, JH? That sounds mighty nice right now. Except for the temps up in your neck of the woods.
February 19, 2019 at 07:44
Well you guys are role models. Not many that could keep such rigorous accounting of all expenses and as well spend so little and then share it publicly. Well done! Totally agree with the premise that if you spend less you need to earn less. And on the reverse side, I think that the more you earn, the more you spend.. Well maybe not you guys, but most people I know.
Usually we suggest to friends who complain about their expenses that they should move to Asia, as things are so much less costly. But now, we can just forward your blog post haha 🙂
Peta
February 20, 2019 at 14:06
Haha! Please, send people our way. 🙂 The only question remaining is: what would our expenses look like in Asia? I hope to find out one of these years! When I was backpacking solo in SE Asia in the late nineties/early 2000’s, I spent about $350 a month (including accommodation and transportation). We might be able to do the same ($700 for both of us), IF we house sit or stay in places long-term… We are actually considering that option for next year.
We sometimes entertain the idea of making (or having) more money and how we would change our spending habits. I think I’d buy treats more often, as in two ice creams a month instead of one. Stuff like that. We’d go out to dinner more often as well, because cooking and doing the dishes every single night gets old. One day. 🙂
February 21, 2019 at 10:06
Wow, groceries must be much cheaper there than here on Vancouver Island. I spend about $400/month to feed two people. That’s after growing and preserving our own fruit and vegetables, which cuts our produce bill by quite a bit. I guess that’s the price we pay for Island living (but it’s worth it)!
February 25, 2019 at 10:33
Hi Diane! That’s wonderful that you grow your own veggies and fruit. That’s where most of our money goes to, as we eat a plant-based diet. But, yes, groceries in Canada – and Vancouver Island in particular – are more expensive than in the States. In general. It’s why our friends from Vancouver visit Washington once a month to stock up.
We visited your island with our camper last fall and arrived with our fridge and cupboards full. But, there are deals to be had if you only buy things on sale or are not too picky about what to purchase. That’s kind of the way we do it everywhere. Vancouver Island is an amazing place to visit and live, indeed! 🙂
March 1, 2019 at 09:27
I too am impressed wit the low cost of groceries. I think you are very wise shoopers. When you run out of things to do ( haha) a post about saving money grocery shopping would be brilliant.
March 2, 2019 at 11:15
Good idea, Sue! I have been playing around with “Frugal Tips” blogs for a while, hoping to post about a few categories of which grocery shopping is one. Soon… 🙂