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…
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!
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.
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.
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!
Free entertainment came in the form of dog walks in the desert, soaking in natural hot springs, and finding local and cultural treasures.
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.
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December 9, 2021 at 02:24
Hi, Liesbet – I am sorry that your plans (yikes, sorry about usingthe ‘P’ word) needed to change.
Lucky that John was abe to jump in for the plot twist. He sounds like an awesome guy. I love the dinners that you made him. Yup, I still have fond memories of those very wonderful pizzas.
December 9, 2021 at 22:05
I am reminded of the quote “Plans are written in sand at low tide,” Donna. Thing is, even I find it impossible to not anticipate or plan anything at all. We need some guidance or direction, even with our lifestyle. Usually, we never really know where we will camp each night or which area we might reach or when we will shop or what we will eat that night for dinner, but we do know our direction – south. 🙂
John is a hermit, Donna. He is the biggest introvert I have ever known. And he is very much set in his ways. He also seems a little lonely, so having us was a mixed bag for someone like him. We tried to make his life easier as he did for us. Just having us in his space for multiple days was generous of him. Everything else was a bonus for us. He is an incredible guy, but not many people know this. 🙂
December 9, 2021 at 02:36
Hi – yes, happy belated birthday and enjoyed the updates here and the photos.
🙂
December 9, 2021 at 22:07
Well, hello Yvette! I hope you are doing well and enjoyed your little blogging break. Thanks for the visit!
December 9, 2021 at 02:59
Arizona in November isn’t bad. Why was the housesitting canceled? I’m guessing it was related to the pandemic, but you never said. If it’s personal, never mind. I keep hearing that gas is going or about to be going down. We’re paying $4.97 per gallon in northern California.
December 9, 2021 at 22:11
Haha, gas is back under $5 a gallon in CA. That’s good to know! We are still avoiding your state this year. Sorry!
We were pleasantly surprised at the nice temperatures in Arizona throughout November. Every other fall we have spent here, it was unusually chilly or windy. That’s why we chose Florida one winter and Baja another one. I’m sure the temps will drop soon, based on the forecast. This weekend it will be in the thirties overnight and sixties during the day. Almost time to head to Mexico.
The home owners’ plans changed. It was mostly family-related. The timing of their trip turned iffy, but the biggest change was that their son and his family were (unexpectedly) moving to Albuquerque in November and staying in their house…
December 9, 2021 at 03:50
Such a shame about the plans cancellation, I feel your disappointment. But as always you bounced back and adapted. You have not done too bad with the budget considering all the extra expenses. Those meals looked so delicious 😋
December 9, 2021 at 22:15
Hi Gilda!
2021 has been a dreadful year for us. Nothing major or life-threatening, but pretty much every decision we made or intention we had was challenged and erased. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog about Mark finding a seasonal job…
And, the most recent mess has to do with ordering new tires, having everything set up, a garage visit scheduled on Mark’s only day off, confirmation from Amazon that the tires were delivered… And, the evening before our appointment, I get an email that the shop could not locate out tires – they had not arrived. Even though “someone signed for delivery,” according to our tracking info. The tires were/are lost. And we were stuck in the middle. Guess what Mark did on his one day off, Tuesday?
There is a lot of bouncing back and adapting this year and sometimes it is getting too much…
December 9, 2021 at 08:05
Hi Liesbet, sounds like you guys had a few disappointing set-backs this past month. Here’s to things looking up in December!
December 9, 2021 at 22:19
Hi Suzanne! I hope you are right about December. Well, the rest of December anyway, as we had to deal with another clusterfuck earlier this week (see my reply to Gilda). It doesn’t seem to stop this year. A friend of mine would blame it on the Mercury retrograde, but I cannot imagine that this phenomenon lasts an entire year. Maybe in 2021 it does, because everything seems to be amiss…
December 9, 2021 at 08:58
Your expense report–always remarkable, Liesbet, even with setbacks.
December 9, 2021 at 22:20
Thanks, Marian. I think we will have to loosen up a little bit in the future. Because we were spending so much this year, Mark took a full-time night shift during this month and he has been working heaps of overtime – 60 hours of work a week… That should give us a bit of a cushion for 2022.
December 9, 2021 at 10:18
It’s always interesting to read not just the numbers but how you make it work. I almost feel like I could do it, too–though I’m not nearly as sociable as you!
December 9, 2021 at 22:22
Hi Jacqui! I sometimes see it as a challenge or a game to spend as little as possible. Although, honestly, those days are over. No matter how hard we try – well it’s not really trying anymore, it has become our habit to only spend the necessary – this year, every month has been expensive. It’s the times we are living in… And, we will “just” have to work more to be able to afford our lifestyle. Or move south of the border, which is step two of our new “plan.” 🙂
December 9, 2021 at 14:14
The best laid plans… Sorry things didn’t work out the way you had envisioned but it appears that you were able to adlib and adjust. Everyone should have friends like John!
December 9, 2021 at 22:30
John is an interesting friend and character, Janis. We are fortunate to have touched his heart. 🙂 As usually, we have to make due with the options we have. Sometimes, it is difficult to be a nomad. Especially when camper projects need to happen… And, we hate relying on friends for driveway space and tools; two things the house sit would have offered. And, we could have slept in the house instead of the camper in Albuquerque as well. That being said, yes, we have been managing and had to change our plans (like getting a job and staying in a campground), because of everything that has been going on this year. Being flexible is a good trait. 🙂
December 9, 2021 at 14:34
Just enjoyed reading your post (my first) after spotting and and following your tweet. I shall look forward to more of your travels. Thank you.
December 9, 2021 at 22:32
Hi Rosie! I’m so glad you found my blog and decided to swing by. I had no idea anyone actually read my tweets, haha! Welcome and thank you for commenting and subscribing to Roaming About. I post an expense report once a month and other weeks, I document our travels, experiences, and miscellaneous thoughts and updates. With heaps of photos. 🙂
December 10, 2021 at 16:55
I miss the desert! Can’t wait to get back out there.
I make lots of plans but I never really expect to stick to them. And often times plans just seem to make or unmake themselves. So sorry your house sitting plans fell through.
I hope the new platform is working out. And that it is as sunny and serene in Arizona as it looks in your pictures.
December 10, 2021 at 22:46
Hi Duwan!
For some reason, I didn’t get your comment in my inbox – I just happened to check here. We have been quite fortunate with the weather these last weeks, but now it is quickly getting colder in Phoenix – sixties during the day and thirties at night. It was nice as long as it lasted. 🙂 We have a good heater whenever necessary and are plugged in right now. This is needed to run the heavy fan to drown out the noise of traffic, hicks, fighter jets, … Haven’t had a blue sky in a few days. Next time it’s sunny, I’m taking my camera on my walks with Maya.
We took the camper off the truck again, here in the campground as Mark needs the car to commute. That’s when we saw that the foam part of our platform is compressed again and even more than before. We have invested way too much money already in this stupid “raiser”. I wish we could just take the bumper off our truck, lower the camper into the bed, and move on. But, driving the truck around without a bumper wouldn’t fly – in the US we would get a ticket and south of the border, we would be asked for a bride…
December 11, 2021 at 18:38
Liesbet, I’m sorry the housesit fell through. I hope the new platform for your camper works well and things improve in December for you.
December 12, 2021 at 22:29
Thank you for the wishes, Natalie. This year has thrown us a few punches, but next year, we will take charge again! 🙂
December 15, 2021 at 16:41
The platform project sounds like a real bugbear – I hope your latest change is a winner. Having the house-sitting job cancelled certainly threw a wrench in your works – I’m sorry to hear that. It’s a good thing you’re adaptable! 🙂
December 16, 2021 at 21:28
Hi Diane!
Yes, we are adaptable and flexible, but these days this trait is becoming harder and harder to perform. Believe me, the house sit cancellation was nothing compared to how our December has looked like. I hope we can blame it all on 2021, because that means better times are around the corner!
Happy holidays on VI!
December 18, 2021 at 11:40
Thanks – happy holidays to you, too! 🙂
December 17, 2021 at 06:25
Well, it doesn’t sound that bad a month, apart from the cancellation of the housesit, but I always believe these things happen for a reason, Liesbet. Good to hear you both got your Covid boosters. Did either of you have any side-effects? I had my booster on 10th Dec, and the following day felt rather under the weather, but it was just a 24-hour thing that passed quickly. They did warn me it may happen.
The cliff dwellings look intriguing. Was there any cave art? Sorry to hear your trip to Baja California has been postponed. But I’m guessing you’ll still be spending the winter months in the heat?
December 18, 2021 at 16:44
I’m trying to adopt your attitude of things happening for a reason, Hugh. This is often hard, especially if we really wanted something or looked forward to it. Often, when time passes, we forget about the frustration regarding this event, or the future opens our eyes to why it was better it didn’t happen after all. Nothing we can do about it, so better be positive and move on. 🙂
I never had any side-effects after each of the three shots. Not even my arm muscle was sore. I was fortunate. Mark felt flu-ish for one day after each jab.
Yes, the Gila dwellings have cave art, but it is faint. There are other rocks in the area that have petroglyphs, but we didn’t check them out. Petroglyph National Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the place to go for this kind of cave art. We recently stayed at a free campsite where we could walk to some of petroglyphs as well. Very cool to stumble across them, without any signs pointing it out.
I hope we will spend the winter months on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. It won’t be hot, but it should be warm. 🙂
December 20, 2021 at 11:19
I had a life-changing event happen years ago that made me believe that things happen for a reason, Liesbet. I’ve never been able to write about it, but one day I may.
I love cave artwork. Knowing how old it is, I can’t help but wonder about who drew it and what they were experiencing at the time. It’s amazing how long some it lasts.
December 23, 2021 at 13:34
I hope you find the strength, comfort, and relief one day to write about your life-changing event, Hugh! I’m still struggling with the concept of things happening for a reason, especially when there is a string of bad luck, but maybe it will become clear to me one day, too.