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 and extensive care, we return to the US East Coast. Other health issues are resolved locally and out of pocket where needed and possible.
While our truck camper Thirsty Bella is stored in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mark, Maya, and I are on a summer break from the road. Or is it a winter break? Last month, we lived in Belgium and traveled to Germany and Liechtenstein with my cousin, Griet, and her husband, Wim. More about that in a future post.
Our August 2024 expense report is probably the most unusual one we’ve ever posted. Not because we didn’t spend any money – we just spent other people’s money! Kind of. My parents generously provided the funds for fuel and groceries in my home country, friends and family cooked meals when we visited, and I used Belgian savings for our ten-day European vacation.
To be transparent and give you an idea, that trip cost us 943 euros or 1,046 US dollars; €565/$627 for ten nights of lodging (seven in the Black Forest and three in Austria) and €378/$419 for excursions, transportation, and food.
Each day, we made our own lunches (sandwiches) and dinners were split 50/50 between eating out and cooking at our rented apartments.
As far as our own US money is concerned (which our bookkeeping resembles), we only spent $125. Most of that went to gifts ($108), $9 bought two beers in Liechtenstein for Mark and Wim, and the remaining $8 was claimed by Amazon for a new pair of discounted shorts for Mark. It is safe to say that we finally earned more money than we consumed in August. ????
This month, life is turning back to normal. We are ordering more items online for our return to Argentina and will soon stop over in Massachusetts (USA) again for our final week away from the camper. Mark, Maya, and I are scheduled to be reunited with a totally empty Thirsty Bella on September 21st. That is exactly two weeks from today. Time flies!
(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
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September 7, 2024 at 09:32
Way to go, Liesbet and Mark!
September 9, 2024 at 09:29
Thanks, Marian. We spent more than the report represents, but I didn’t feel it as much. 🙂
September 7, 2024 at 10:17
Well, that HAS to be a record low for expenses. WOW!!!!!!!!!!
September 9, 2024 at 09:32
Hi Jim!
Officially and for the record, yes, it was our lowest monthly expense report ever! But in practice we did spent a bit more. Our finances are a bit jumbled sometimes.
September 7, 2024 at 10:22
I love friends. You have good ones. That’s a great line–spent other people’s money
September 9, 2024 at 09:33
Haha, Jacqui. It was kind of a joke that we spent other people’s money, as the biggest chunk came out of my own savings account. 🙂 But, yes, we have the best friends!
September 7, 2024 at 11:10
Hi Liesbet! I know from Facebook that you have been having a fantastic summer break but I can’t help but think everything is surely a culture shock? Living in Thirsty Bella and all the “adventures” you had on the road to where it’s at in Argentina, are such a contrast to what you’ve experienced the last 60 (?) days isn’t it. I’m curious how that is resting in your minds at this point??? Longing to head back and get at it—or sorta dreading it–or something in between? Of course there will be time for contemplation when you return to SA so I hope you enjoy your last bit of time with friends, family and good weather! ~Kathy
September 9, 2024 at 09:38
Hello Kathy,
You make some really good points!
Yes, I had a culture shock when we first arrived in the US, after two months in South America. But, as expected, I quickly got used to the western mentality and way of living. By the time we reached Belgium, three weeks later, that cultural gap and feeling of contrast was filled, but I still enjoyed my creature comforts! On the other hand, being back in the western world has felt pretty surreal at times. I hope to elaborate on that a bit in a future blog.
Regarding us being ready to pick up our life on the road again… I’d say it’s with mixed feelings for me. Mark is ready to pick up our own life again and I am as well, but I don’t feel like my batteries are charged yet. I left SA exhausted and I’ll return that way, to dive into projects and preparing our camper again.
Yes, we will have been away for three months in total, but our time in the US and Belgium has been super busy. We don’t seem to escape that. Yet, my craving for some comfort and luxury and ease has been fulfilled. 🙂
September 7, 2024 at 17:17
What a lovely break from expenses! This has really been a lovely vacation for you, hasn’t it? Will you be sorry to leave, or are you looking forward to resuming your adventurous lifestyle?
September 9, 2024 at 09:41
Hello Diane,
Yes, we’ve enjoyed our break immensely. I wouldn’t quite call it vacation, since we kept our “day jobs” going, but it surely was a vacation for the mind, the logistics, and the expenses! 🙂
Mark and I are ready to go home (where we only have to care and worry about ourselves – quite selfish, I know), but I could have enjoyed this cushy lifestyle a bit longer, haha.
September 7, 2024 at 17:40
I can spend that much money in minutes – well done!
September 9, 2024 at 09:42
Haha, Alex! There are plenty of times that we spend $200 in minutes as well. Or, more than that. I guess it all depends on the time and the place and the needs. 🙂
September 7, 2024 at 18:02
I’ve enjoyed following your adventures on Facebook… but I had no idea that you were actually making money on your trip 🙂 I have the same question as Diane… are you looking forward to getting back to South America? I imagine that Maya doesn’t miss the firecrackers.
September 9, 2024 at 09:47
Hello Janis,
Mark and I have our work, jobs, and projects, no matter where we travel/live and when. This summer, he took one week off, which was the first time in 1.5 years of working at his latest job. That was nice! 🙂
Maya has been quite happy and comfortable here and in the US. No fireworks or firecrackers at all. That has been nice for all of us.
My sense of comfort and the lack of logistical and other travel-related issues has been wonderful. I could have wallowed a bit longer in this western life, but the road calls. So, while it’s with mixed feelings, in general, Mark and I (and hopefully Maya as well) are ready to fly home and prep the camper for the next leg of our journey… Patagonia, here we come! 🙂
September 8, 2024 at 00:06
Hi, Liesbet – A break from expenses is a wonderful thing. And having extended time with family is friends is even more wonderful!
September 9, 2024 at 09:49
Hello Donna,
This prolonged quality time with our loved friends and family has been wonderful but a tad exhausting. You know how that goes! Yet, we’ve enjoyed our break from the road immensely. One more month would have been perfect, probably. But, I’m sure we could/would have filled that up as well.
September 8, 2024 at 01:18
That has to be a record. I don’t think I’ve ever spent less than that in a week, let alone a month.
September 9, 2024 at 09:52
Hi Pete!
Yes, the “official” total of the report surely is a record for both of us. I never ever spent that little in one month, not even when backpacking on my own in the 1990s. But, in reality, we spent much more, especially on our vacation in Germany and Liechtenstein. If you add all the numbers up, we’d have been closer to our monthly average of $1,500.
September 8, 2024 at 08:18
What a lovely vacation you are having. Like several others, I am wondering how you will feel getting back on the road after all those home comforts.
September 9, 2024 at 09:57
Hi Anabel,
That is a good and super valid question. If the schedule and the plan wasn’t already decided, I’d wonder the same… When would I be ready to return to Thirsty Bella? Because, no matter how you look at it, one can get used to daily pressurized and hot showers, a comfortable bed, unlimited electricity, and the lack of logistical worries. Plus, the proximity of good friends and family. It’s a slippery slope!
Yet, you are a gallivanter as well, so you understand the return of a familiar itchiness for new adventures, experiences, and locales. If I would feel more energetic, I’d say I’m more than ready to return to Argentina. In general, we are happy to go back, but I could have used another month to charge my batteries! 🙂
September 9, 2024 at 11:40
Well, best wishes for the transition when it comes!
September 16, 2024 at 13:38
Thanks, Anabel!
September 8, 2024 at 19:32
Well done! Enjoy the rest of your stay in Europe with family and friends.
September 9, 2024 at 09:57
Thanks, Natalie. It’s been a wonderful summer. But, new horizons call… 🙂
September 9, 2024 at 19:18
Talk about savings! Nice to visit home and gather the great perks. <3
September 16, 2024 at 13:39
Hi Debby!
Our time in Belgium was a break on many levels. At the moment, we are back in the US preparing our return to Thirsty Bella. Time flies, especially in summer!
September 16, 2024 at 16:37
That’s all I’m hearing from everyone from everywhere – time is flying! And I bet Thirsty Bella is missing you guys. 🙂 Almost time for your new adventures. <3
September 24, 2024 at 08:49
True thing – the older we get, the faster time flies. As you mentioned in one of your blog posts. 🙂 We have returned to Thirsty Bella and are getting her ready for the next leg of adventures.
September 9, 2024 at 19:20
Well done! So nice to visit home and a bit of pampering with the money situation. <3
September 16, 2024 at 13:40
Every time Mark and I return to Belgium, we are pampered like a king and a queen! 🙂
September 16, 2024 at 16:38
As it should be! <3
September 24, 2024 at 08:49
🙂
September 11, 2024 at 09:00
Seeing that list of three items made me laugh. I’m not used to seeing such a short list, Liesbet. But all the smiles in the photo tell me you’re all having a great time. And how lovely it is to visit so many different countries. Do you have a favourite location among all the ones you visited over the summer?
September 16, 2024 at 13:44
Hello Hugh,
All of us had a very nice time in Belgium this summer. And, once we went on that ten-day vacation, I realized again how small Europe is. It had been a while since I explored my own continent. I’d say Liechtenstein came as a nice, pretty, and cute surprise. I hope to blog about this little gem – and the Black Forest – in the near future. First, we have to focus on our return to Argentina and getting Thirsty Bella ready for the road again.
September 14, 2024 at 12:34
I haven’t seen Mark looking that healthy and happy in a long time, must be that black forest cake and/or Belgian beer:-) Glad to see you’re both enjoying your well deserved break from life on the road!
September 16, 2024 at 13:46
Haha, John! Mark was quite happy in Belgium. And not only because of the food and the drinks. He gave his brain a vacation and that was very noticeable to me! 🙂 He’s been feeling healthy as well, which is great. Now, it’s back to reality!
September 14, 2024 at 15:15
That’s a big pile of fries! Every time we order French fries here in Ecuador and they are served with mayo and ketchup I think of you. And the egg on the sandwich reminds me of getting an egg on top of odd things in Colombia – like loaded French fries.
It looks like you had a good time in Germany! We will definitely make plans to visit you once you return to S.A. Hope you flight is/ went well and your week in MA will be productive and relaxing.
September 16, 2024 at 13:49
Hi Duwan,
I made the mistake of ordering a “big package” of fries and having them add about twice the amount into the little box, before I went for smaller sizes. Even on these, a bunch of extra fries is added!
South America has some odd food situations. I don’t remember the egg toppings in Colombia, but that’s probably because we rarely ate vegetarian meal at restaurants there.
We are back in Newburyport, where it is never relaxing! 🙂
I’ll reply to your email one of these days and look forward to catching up in South America.