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.
This monthly expense report is a bit delayed for two reasons: I recently posted our yearly report (and who wants to be bombarded by numbers every week?) and I have taken a step back with internet “chores,” because our data is limited, expensive, and often inaccessible. And, I’d rather explore the Baja peninsula at the moment than sit behind a computer. 🙂
(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)
Mark, Maya, and I started our new year in the desert just west of Yuma, Arizona, getting ready for our postponed multiple-month trip in Baja California, Mexico. We had to fix a few more things on the camper and the car, like rebuilding the platform that goes in the bed of the truck for the umpteenth time and making sure the “basement” was secure. We eventually ended up dropping the bumper of our pick-up truck and taking the clearance lights off, after another improvement attempt on another Home Depot parking lot failed.
While the camper was off the truck, we decided to go on our first off-road adventure to explore a bit of the area, like the “Valley of Names.” What a bouncy endeavor that was! None of us can say we actually enjoyed the jerky experience…
I also needed a dental check-up (and a $10 haircut apparently) right across the border in Los Algodones before we could really head south. Luckily, none of these visits and repair tasks were expensive, so we were off to a good year, moneywise, despite a few more delays. Having friends around made everything more fun!
Life in Mexico is cheaper than in the US, so we had high hopes for a less-than-average month as far as living costs were concerned. We knew gasoline would be pricey (the equivalent of $4/gallon) and ended up driving bigger-than-planned distances from the start.
We arrived in Baja on January 12th and soon realized that Mark should leave the country for an impromptu visit back to his parents in Massachusetts. The price for that “detour” resulted in an extra $530 for flights, public transportation, parking, a Covid test, and a ten-day campground stay for Maya and me in Loreto. All our other camping spots last month were free.
From 2022 on, we are splitting the camper category into two parts – car and camper – to keep better track of those expenditures separately. Our Mexican car insurance was higher than stated below ($442 instead of $113), because it incorporates the refund for our American insurance, which we paused.
The grocery category is lower than usually, as food is cheaper in Mexico and we eat out more often for the same reason. Since our favorite rum (from Nicaragua) is available on the peninsula, we splurged buying several bottles of Flor de Cana instead of Bacardi, hence the pretty high number for alcohol. For now, we kept our affordable unlimited (and now unavailable) $35 AT&T data plan in the States, on top of buying data for our Mexican SIM-card ($27), which explains the larger number in the utilities section.
Tourist cards for Mexico cost about $33 a person, which created an extra expense category this past month. Other than the money needed for Mark’s trip back to attend to a family situation, January had us on track for an average $1,300 month… February – so far – is looking much better. ????
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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February 24, 2022 at 14:52
Love the picture of Maya with her friends on the bed! And great pics of the sand dunes. And all those shells – perhaps we will have to stop there on the wat back to the US.
Besides the flight it seems like a pretty good month. Less on groceries, more on alcohol seems to even things out.
February 24, 2022 at 15:19
Hi Duwan! I had some fun taking photos at the sand dunes this time, because it wasn’t as windy as last year and Mark stayed home for some of it. 🙂 The Flor de Cana is what messed up the alcohol “budget,” but it has been soooo worth it. Thanks for picking up a couple of extra bottles for us. This month should be really low on groceries as all of it will have been spent in Mexico.
February 24, 2022 at 14:59
$1700, especially including a flight back east is pretty awesome. I’m 90% sure I’m going to make a Springer reunion tour in May, flying cross-country (California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey) to spend a few days with each of my older brothers. If I were single, I’d consider driving coast to coast, but I don’t want to be gone that long from my wife. I’m sure this whole experience will cost far more than $1,700, but it’s time to pull the trigger on something I’ve always wanted to do.
February 24, 2022 at 15:23
This sibling reunion sounds fantastic, Pete, and you should totally do this. Honestly, it might even be cheaper to fly than to drive and spend money on hotels and expensive fuel nowadays. Especially if you’re shopping around for one-way tickets, which I’m sure you are doing. 🙂
Mark had a little bit of flexibility with his dates and managed to pick cheapish one-way flights. Having his return trip cancelled due to a blizzard in New England, however, meant he had to rebook one leg, pay a bit extra, and had the stress of not making it back in one day as his official layover time in LA was only 50 minutes… But, he made it, after spending the first night on a chair at Boston airport.
February 24, 2022 at 20:52
Your days would look glorious and relaxing except I know they aren’t. You work awfully hard for those few downtimes. Great job again!
February 24, 2022 at 23:53
Hi Jacqui! You know me. 🙂 But I am really trying to have more glorious and relaxing days, now that we have settled into a Baja rhythm. The issue arises when I return to the internet after a few days of absence. So much to catch up on! I’m sure you know what I mean.
February 24, 2022 at 21:46
Hooray for you! It must feel good to be getting back on track with your budget. And my mouth watered at that photo of the seafood meal. YUM!!!
February 24, 2022 at 23:56
If there’s one thing we are pretty good at, it’s eating delicious, healthy, and affordable meals. 🙂 Baja is the place to eat fish tacos (fried, so the exception to my previous statement), which I haven’t pictured yet. Yesterday, we ate them at an outdoor restaurant that had a full “taco bar,” meaning that there were about ten glorious all-you-can add toppings! YUM!
February 24, 2022 at 22:22
Hi Liesbet, Purchasing and accessing data is definitely an issue in some places on our planet, as you well know. I just now refreshed my memory on the Baja peninsula on Wiki. Our camping situation is very different, of course, and we do not usually take the camper off our truck except at home. Ha, ha, “jerky experience.” When we use the truck at home in the Winter, we will place sand bags or something in the back for weight. Yes, more fun with friends. The sunrise photo on Shell Beach is stunning! Oh, dear, on the impromptu visit.
Thank you for sharing a very interesting post, Liesbet. The photos are always a real treat. I hope Mark’s family situation goes in the right direction. Take care in your travels.❤️
February 25, 2022 at 00:00
Welcome back, Erica. I’m so happy to have you travel with me virtually, as your comments always bring a smile to my face. But you knew that already. 🙂 Good point about the truck actually riding smoother with weight in the back.
Mark’s family situation has been “resolved,” but unfortunately not in a good way. Yet, the final chapter is part of life, and expected. I will mention something more about this sad episode in my next blog.
February 25, 2022 at 08:40
I visit, Liesbet, yet I am still on “pause mode” re writing my blog for personal reasons. Your post is chock full of great, general information about your journey. I like how you use the monthly expenses to inform and use as a framework for a great deal more about your month. Sorry about the family challenges, even when expected and part of life. ❤️
March 5, 2022 at 14:01
I’ll put a little blurb about our family situation in my newest blog – which I can hopefully post today. Sorry to read that your personal reasons are still not resolved. Thinking about you and yours, Erica! xxx
February 24, 2022 at 23:21
Hi, Liesbet – I LOVE those photos of Maya. Although I have never met her (IRL), I truly feel like I have. Exploring the Baja Peninsula instead of being stuck behind a computer sounds like the right choice to me!
February 25, 2022 at 00:02
For some reason it almost feels to me that you actually did meet Maya already. There are some connecting “spirits” at work. It appears to me that you can read her personality through the photos I have been posting. She is a special girl, but an enormous handful!!
February 25, 2022 at 07:37
Hopefully no more expensive flights. Shame you actually had to pay for the Covid test.
Looks like Maya had a really good time!
March 5, 2022 at 13:59
In some countries, Covid tests are very expensive. In Belgium, we each had to pay 50 euros (about $60) last summer, to be able to return to the US. There are islands – like Bonaire – that are even more pricey. We thought $40 for a test in a country like Mexico, where life is generally cheaper than in the US, was quiet high. But, this is the “price to pay” to be able to travel these days.
February 25, 2022 at 10:07
Sorry to hear that Mark needed to head back to be with his parents. Hoping things are stabilizing there. I’d say a very reasonable month expense wise other than that. Dreaming of the Baja. We have booked a kayaking trip there in November.
March 5, 2022 at 14:05
Hurray, Sue! So awesome and exciting that you are returning to Baja. Wildlife in the Sea of Cortez has been amazing this year!
Mark and I just scrutinized the numbers of February and our expenses are finally on the decline. As long as we remain south of the border, I see hope for our financial situation, haha.
We still have to make many calls to the home front in MA, but things are clearing up a little bit after our most recent sad news. I think you’ll be able to read between the lines, Sue, after our conversations in the late summer and fall… Let’s say we had to deal with a similar situation as you two earlier on. 🙁
February 25, 2022 at 20:36
Hi Liesbet, I’m glad to read you’d rather explore the Baja peninsula at the moment than sit behind a computer. Well done with staying on budget in January and doing even better in February. Have a great week ahead!
March 5, 2022 at 14:09
Hello Natalie!
Thanks for swinging by. It seems like you’ve been able to have fun outdoors in Toronto these weeks. Enjoy!
Yes, Baja has been wonderful, yet much busier than last year. I’ll try and not feel guilty when avoiding the online world for a bit – we rarely have internet these days, so that is a wonderful excuse. 🙂
February 28, 2022 at 22:55
You’ve done well my friend as you bask in sunshine. Yes, food and booze is cheap here for sure. I’m wondering how long your Mex sim card is for because I only paid $12 Canadian for 30 days includes unlimited text and calling to US, Canada and Mexico plus 3 gigs of data. 🙂 xx
March 5, 2022 at 14:14
Hi Debby!
Our SIM card is valid for years. We are actually using the same one from last year. It’s attached to a Mexican phone number that we never use. We ONLY use the SIM card for data, aka internet, as we use this internet to call with our Google Voice number (which is free). I hope that makes sense. We have never had a normal phone in twenty years.
We put data plans on this SIM card, so we can get online. Those plans are valid for 30 days and their cost depends on how many gigs we need, which is way more than three per month… 🙂 You must be able to use a local WiFi signal as well for your internet needs and pleasures…
We usually put 500 pesos on our account. This plan comes with 8 gigs (or 16 when they have a special). With two people, this amount of data lasts about a month.
March 6, 2022 at 09:13
Yes, that soumds about right. And yes, I know you can use the same sim card as long as it’s reactivated within 6 months if you haven’t used it. Data is cheap here, not in Canada. 🙂
March 8, 2022 at 13:32
I do remember data being outrageously expensive in Canada, which is why we never bought a SIM card and plan when we were there. We opted to look for WiFi, which was cheap/free, but a pain and very limiting! It’s challenging to live without unlimited internet.