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.
July was different than other months. Mark, Maya, and I reached the coast of Brazil in Thirsty Bella on the first day of the month. That week, we looked for a campground where Maya and I could stay, and on July 7th, Mark flew to the US for almost three weeks to visit doctors, family, and friends in Massachusetts. Maya and I stayed put in Bertioga. Once Mark returned, we slowly headed north along the coast.
For once, the car category was not the highest one, because Thirsty stayed put most of the month. Groceries came in first at a low total of $253. Mark’s mom supplied food while he was there, and I was consuming whatever we still had in the camper, only buying the absolute necessities like bread and produce.
We did do a decent stock-up in early July, and Mark brought back “specialty items” from Trader Joe’s and Walmart, like spices, maple syrup, hot sauce, and rice paper (yay, we can finally make spring rolls again).
As always, most of our/my meals were homecooked dishes.
We still spent over $200 on fuel — one fill-up here in Brazil and for gasoline put in Mark’s rental car in the US. He also needed to pay $19 for hospital parking lots in Boston, and we purchased a new engine gasket and toll tickets.
Accommodation was a new and high category (we usually camp for free), because Maya and I stayed in a campground for almost three weeks and Mark went on a weekend trip with a friend and needed one hotel night in the US. The rest of our camping was free.
Transportation was a rare and high category, because Mark took two Ubers to get to and from the airport of São Paulo, which was a two-hour drive. At under $40 each way, this price was manageable.
The high fee in the transportation category came from the airline company Avianca, which charged $120 for one checked bag! We usually only travel with carry-ons, but spare parts needed to come back to Brazil to repair and maintain our camper and truck, which allowed us to add other items, like engine parts for a fellow camper and special foods.
One (expensive) checked bag
Our new hosting company, Easy WP, is raising their prices in September, so we had to bite the bullet and fork over more money for a cheaper two-year promo plan. This cost us $100, as we used $40 of earlier donations for blog support. It would be nice to have the total amount covered by donations to only put the required time and effort into these posts, and not the money. 🙂
We also needed a case for my new tablet and a new headphone plug for Mark, for his new smartphone — welcome gadgets we received from a family member (see later).
The evening before Mark left, we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary at a nice restaurant in Bertioga ($40). The other “dining out” money went to a buffet lunch for me, another one for both of us ($5 per person), and for Mark’s meals at restaurants in the US. Our American friends and family enjoy eating out; that seems to be a thing when meeting people, but it adds up.
Mark brought back $68 worth of gifts for me; all accessories for the fabulous and fancy camera that came into my possession upon his return (see later).
My husband managed to get all his health check-ups taken care of (with great results) in Massachusetts and only needed some meds, but since I didn’t go to the US this year, I have to focus on my healthcare in Brazil. While Mark was gone, I received a teeth cleaning for about $50. My dental hygiene is still excellent (according to dentists), so I can stick to one cleaning every six months.
My dentist in Bertioga
The Argentine peso is doing a little bit better, so our monthly Starlink subscription dropped under $80. Our business pays half of that, so the bill of this report for internet is $36. Mark also brought back household supplies for our camper life ($27). Potable water was free in July, but because my campground only had well water, I had to be super careful with what was in our tank.
Furthermore, we spent $24 on Amazon for camper repair items like strong tape, a sink drain, and a cap for a faucet. Mark brought back much more gear, but because we are Amazon Vine members, we received all that for free.
New faucet for the kitchen sink after dealing with a leaking one for six months
Seven dollars went to laundry last month (I managed to do most of it for free at the campground) and $1 to a jewelry set. After not wearing my “daily pearl” for a year and a half, I finally have a string to turn it into a necklace again. Yeah, I’m not sure why that took so long.
Mark and I did spend money on alcohol ($16) and drinking out ($11) in July, but the last of our donations evened this out to zero. Our gratitude goes to all the people who have supported our blog and journey over the years.
The only thing left to mention is a generous gift from my uncle last summer in Belgium. We saved this amount to buy three items we’ve been wanting for years. When the purchase prices were right and we knew Mark would be in the US to receive the gadgets, we spent the entire sum.
Our new gadgets!
We managed to order a “used, as good as new” Sony RX10 III camera for me (something I have never been able to afford), a refurbished tablet for me, and a refurbished smartphone for Mark. We are super happy with these items and lucked out with the quality of them when placing bids and orders. Thank you, Uncle P!
How we saved money in July
- I was extra careful those three weeks Mark was away, enjoying the game of spending as little as possible. If it wasn’t for the dentist, I would have gotten away with a $30 bill for groceries, one lunch, and three drinks. And that includes treating a camper neighbor to a caipirinha on the beach. Still, I spent well under $80 for three weeks of living — not including the camping fee.
Free Amazon Vine items – Can you tell I’m ready for the beach?
- Because we are Amazon Vine Voice participants (a by-invite-only membership), we order most of our gear for free within the US, in exchange for leaving honest reviews. This, however, depends on which items become available and their quality, shape, or color isn’t often what we like or want. But it’s still a great deal and has saved us thousands of dollars over the years.
- I managed to negotiate a nightly rate at the campground of R$50 instead of $RS60 ($9.50 instead of $11).
Our total for the month of July was over average again at $1,373, but at least we both earned enough money to cover that amount and not dip into savings. 🙂
(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, check out the blogs of our nomad friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
Next up: The Brazilian Coast – Part One
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August 7, 2025 at 15:25
Congratulations to Mark on a clean bill of health. $50 for a dental cleaning is remarkably low. Even with good insurance, it costs more than that here for us. The airlines all get us, one way or the other.
August 8, 2025 at 06:29
Thanks, Pete. We are very exciting all went well with Mark’s check-ups. I felt this Brazilian dentist did a good job for her fee. In Chile, six months ago, we paid $40 for a cleaning, also at a professional office. The price depends on the country and the dentists here in South America.
August 8, 2025 at 06:30
Happy anniversary!
That is a lot for checked luggage. What airline did he fly? Ours is never that much.
No hot sauce in South America?
August 12, 2025 at 21:10
Thanks for the wishes, Alex! Mark flew with the South American airline Avianca, which is based in Colombia. His flights were cheap, so they get you with the extras (which we usually don’t succumb to, haha). With US airlines, the cost is usually $60 a bag. Avianca was a very basic and uncomfortable experience, he told me.
August 8, 2025 at 08:52
I think it’s interesting that you refer to your budgeting as “the game of spending as little as possible.” In spite of items beyond your control, you both do a super job.
And you make the most of your Amazon Vine Voice participation, a feature I had not heard about. Cheers, Liesbet!
August 12, 2025 at 21:15
Hi Marian,
Since everything is a challenge, I might as well make a game out of it, right? 🙂 We usually don’t have that much patience and sense of humor anymore, though. But, when I’m on my own, I manage better.
We have been so careful with money that it is ingrained in our beings. We often say that if we would be rich, our spending wouldn’t change that much as we hate to spend a lot of money on certain things we don’t deem worthwhile.
We have been Amazon Vine members for a few years now, but we can only use and take advantage of it when we are (or one of us is) in the US to pick up the items. And, the review part can be seen as a little job, since it allows us to get the items for free.
August 8, 2025 at 09:37
Thanks for sharing all the details that make up your month’s expenses. I find it fascinating how you manage it all. Simply amazing. Gruß Gott from Vienna. Jim
August 12, 2025 at 21:17
Hi Jim,
It’s so nice to see that you are still put in Vienna. I’m a bit envious of your slow and relaxing pace there. 🙂 We urgently need to stop and rest up for a while as well, since life has become a tad too overwhelming at the moment, especially since I accepted a major translation project. Gulp!! But we are in Rio!!
August 8, 2025 at 12:13
So glad Mark’s medical stuff was good. I had to speed ahead in the post to be sure it all came out well. And congrats on the 18 year anniversary!
August 12, 2025 at 21:19
Thanks, Jacqui! Mark’s visit to the US is always a bit nerve-wracking for several reasons, so to have him back and pick up our life again with his clean bill of health is a big relief. And, now we don’t have to worry again for another year. Technically. 🙂
August 10, 2025 at 19:11
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, and on Mark’s good medical test results! Your exciting new gadgets are well-deserved gifts to yourselves. 🙂
August 12, 2025 at 21:23
Thanks, Diane! Mark is super happy with his new Google phone and uses it constantly, I’m still getting used to the new Samsung table (and moving things over) and the verdict is still out if I like it better than my ancient iPad. And I am looking forward to playing with my fancy camera, one day. But, I have zero time for that now. Sigh.
August 12, 2025 at 06:27
Happy Anniversary to you both, Liesbet. What did Maya and you do for those three weeks while Mark was away? I’m glad you were staying at a safe and comfortable campsite.
The camera looks amazing, and it’s excellent that you are both happy with it, as well as the tablet and smartphone. I’m always amazed by how quickly phones and tablets can lose value once they are a few days old.
What do you put the maple syrup on? It’s something I rarely see here in the UK but I always remember how I used to love pouring it over the top of a stack on breakfast pancakes when visiting the States.
August 12, 2025 at 21:33
Hi Hugh,
My three weeks with Maya were packed. My daily routine consisted of walks with her (and brushing, bathing, feeding, preparing brown rice, …), running the household, working on translation projects, calling Mark, cooking, dishes, grocery shopping or laundry, cleaning the interior of the car and the camper one section at a time, keeping up with my diary, social media, and messages to friends and family, checking on an older fellow camper, learning/practicing Portuguese, and some floor exercises on my yoga mat.
Whenever Mark can (when we have the time, desire, and energy), he makes American pancakes for our Sunday breakfast. And he only eats pancakes with pure maple syrup. 🙂 When we make squash in our little oven, we cook it with butter and maple syrup in the middle part. I sometimes use it as well, but since it’s so precious (“liquid gold”) and Mark likes it so much, I usually sprinkle my pancakes with sugar. Ideally brown sugar, but that’s hard to find here.
August 14, 2025 at 17:44
You guys are doing very well. The cost of living is getting out of control globally. Seems Brazil and Paraguay are cost-friendly countries. 🙂 x
August 16, 2025 at 20:23
The verdict about its affordability is still out about Brazil, Debby. Produce is very affordable and that’s what makes up most of our diet, so that’s something! 🙂
August 20, 2025 at 13:48
I am liking Brazil so far. Too bad they speak Portuguese. I feel so much more comfortable in new places if I can communicate!
The new gear is so cool! Have you used your camera yet? Are you getting used to it? Do you like it?
Do you have trouble finding chili powder? I was surprised when I couldn’t find it in Mexico. But was able to find it in Perú. I will stock up next time we go south. Is brown mustard hard to find. I prefer brown mustard, but really love any kind of mustard.
That extra bag fee hurt! But you got your camera – and a small pile of chocolate!
August 22, 2025 at 12:50
Hi Duwan,
Brazil is quite diverse, which is to be expected based on its size. Portuguese is a funny language. It sounds so foreign and even knowing some phrases doesn’t seem to help much. Most Brazilians understand some Spanish, but this doesn’t really help me as it’s only part of the conversation (mine). When their answer follows, I barely understand any of it. And none of the menus at restaurants have been in English, so that’s been challenging too.
Dijon mustard can be found in some countries down here, but it’s usually quite pricey. The most common mustard is the cheap, yellow version, which we don’t like at all. I don’t remember seeing brown mustard. Chili powder is very hard to find. We didn’t need it yet in Peru, so didn’t look there, but every country south – and easy – of there has not had chili powder in the grocery stores.
Unfortunately, I have had zero time to check out my new camera and play with it. When Mark returned with the camera, I had a quick look in the manual and took a few automatic photos of the beach, before putting it back in its bag and not touching it for over a month so far. We really need to sit somewhere comfortably soon. For many reasons… We’ve been working hard lately.