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 East Coast.
October was a rough month for us, in terms of discomfort, stress, frustration, and bad luck. Nothing, truly nothing, went according to plan. But we persevered and, once again, friends came to the rescue. I’ll explain when going through the numbers.
Mark, Maya, and I arrived in the Houston area of Texas several weeks earlier than planned, because our brand-new, state-of-the-art $1,400 Isotherm fridge had to be replaced under warranty. The most economical way for us to arrange this (from Colorado) was by picking up a replacement 1,100 miles away, in Seabrook, Texas, ideally as soon as possible. This would give us “plenty of time” to make sure fridge #2 worked as advertised and expected. Well, it didn’t, and to this day – now out of the country – we are trying to diagnose the cooling issue. We bought extra tools and gear to keep working on this in Colombia.
Delays of the ship that would bring Thirsty Bella to Cartagena had us pinned in Eastern Texas even longer. And, believe me, there is another story coming about that as well. This post of last month was just the beginning. I think Mark and I could produce our own drama series or soap opera by now!
But, let’s get back to our expenses. The grocery category ($354) was on the high side, because we had emptied our fridge the previous month, since it had to be replaced and we had no cool space in 100-degree Texas to store perishables. So, we started over, with a similar goal: finish eating all/most of the food by the time we’d leave the country.
Texas is big, but we figured that once we had reached Houston and Galveston (from where our camper ships), we’d stay put for the month. Fuel is pretty much the cheapest in the country here. Yay. Maybe we could get by on one tank?
Nope. The weather chased us around, from county park to the beach, onto the mainland, and back to grassier environs. Incessant heat, 90% humidity, being sandblasted by wind, and a good sprinkle of mosquitoes had us drive the two-hour distance between Galveston and Anahuac multiple times.
We also did more preemptive car maintenance ($120) in preparation for the big trip: changing the air filter, transfer case fluid (one extra top-up needed), and coolant (three flushes) in our engine. These were tasks that couldn’t be done in sand, on windy days, in parks, surrounded by mosquitoes, or during the heat of the day. The tolls were paid to cross a $2 bridge between Galveston Island and San Luis Island, where we hoped to spend a week and finally relax a bit, but the wind had something else in mind. More driving.
Mark and I bought three bags of dogfood ($131) for Maya to give us a head start in South America. Since our girl is allergic to corn and chicken (and a lot of other things), finding suitable food will be a challenge. We also stocked up on another container of her fish oil supplement ($49) to keep her coat shiny and her health optimal.
The alcohol category was surprisingly high ($81). I guess we tried to drink some of our worries away. We also hung out with friends and bought wine and rum to share.
Our new grill in action! (Photo by Duwan Dunn)
For the first time in years, there was an accommodation cost! One we happily obliged to. Our Houston friends, John and Harriet, graciously offered us the use of their condo right on the beach in Galveston, when we met up at their house in the city, the end of September. Our only contribution would be the cleaning fee at the end of our stay. We eventually planned on using this accommodation for our last week in the US, during which time our camper would be shipped. We’d be able to see the car carrier leave from the condo’s balcony!
But the anticipated schedule was not to be, delays messed everything up, and we felt no need for a condo when we could still live in Bella. So, we cancelled our reservation for the end of October. Our camper was to be dropped off on November 7th at that point, with our plane to Miami leaving the same day…
As most of you know, Mark and I never stay in and pay for campgrounds. We wouldn’t be able to afford this lifestyle otherwise. We boondock pretty much 100% of the time, which means we camp without facilities and amenities. Not that electricity hookups would matter, since we don’t have an air conditioner on board. And this is an important factor: nobody lives, let alone camps, without AC in Eastern Texas this time of the year. After weeks of suffering from the high humidity, we finally realized why we were always the only RV wherever we parked for the night…
So, when it all became too much – the sweating, the running around, the stressing over issues and logistics, the bugs – we inquired about the availability of John and Harriet’s condo and snatched a glorious week there to cool down, take a deep breath, keep working on the fridge issue and more logistics, go for long beach walks with Maya, and… be sick. Maybe it was the AC? Maybe the culmination of everything going on? Maybe it was finally “letting go” for a bit? It was mostly Mark being under the weather last month, but now, here in our Airbnb in Colombia (with AC), it’s my turn.
The cost for our utilities ($48) was similar to previous months. It was the last time we paid for our fantastic unlimited AT&T data plan of $35 a month, which doesn’t exist anymore for new subscribers and which we managed to sell on. The rest of the amount was for propane. Frugal as we are, we only bought two gallons, since our tank needed to be empty in order to ship our camper (which is another incredible story for later). Then, Mark discovered a propane leak. It took weeks to diagnose and fix that issue, and more propane.
The last week of October, our good friends and fellow nomads Duwan and Greg joined us in Texas. We started out at Fort Anahuac Park for three nights (a permit is needed) and – contrary to what we were told previously – discovered we couldn’t stay at other Chambers County Parks for another week. The hunt for free camping in the region then had us stay at a boat ramp, rest area, and Harvest Host brewery location, finishing up at the beach in Galveston again when the wind finally subsided.
When camped at the Equal Parts brewery in Houston, our group went out for drinks and appetizers ($30) on their patio and street tacos at a Mexican food stand ($10). My (bad) Spanish was rewarded with a free Agua de Jamaica (hibiscus juice) and meat taco. 😊
As always, we cooked and ate most of our meals at home, by ourselves or with friends. Mark spoiled me with his favorite recipe a couple of times: mushroom burgers on a bed of lettuce with aioli and jasmine rice.
I finally met Lexie, a fellow adventurer whose blog I have been following for years. She treated us to lunch and gifted us Texan goodies, which we savored for days.
Meeting blogging friend Lexie in League City
The money spent on household items went to yet another clock and stain and brushes for our new cabinet. I’m still baffled at how we managed to pick the perfect color from memory – no samples and no photos had accompanied us to Home Depot.
During our 24 hours in the big city, Duwan, Greg, Mark, and I also enjoyed free entertainment in the form of historic buildings, street art, a walk in Buffalo Bayou Park, a glimpse of and in Rothko Chapel, and a stroll through the impressive and fascinating Menil collection.
To top it off, our total expenses for October were not bad at all – under our monthly average. Maybe this is the start of affordable living again…
(PS: We did have $101 of Lance camper expenses in October as well – diagnostic tools and extra parts – as preparation for our upcoming multiple-year South America trip, but since we budgeted for that, it becomes part of our purchase price. I plan to write a separate post about those projects and costs in the future.)
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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November 13, 2022 at 11:35
Wow! What an adventure. Texas without an AC, Ouch! Thank you for sharing your amazing journey to South America. You are an inspiration to us all and we admire your courage and stamina. The delay after delay after delay must have been frustrating to the max. Stay safe out there! Jim
November 13, 2022 at 15:22
Hi Jim,
Thanks for swinging by and following this next, crazy adventure of ours. Who would have thought that all the prep and delays (which are still going on) would take forever? I feel this entire year has been focused on our upcoming South America trip. Gone are the days that we just drove south across the border, or sailed into the sunset without much planning or issues!
November 13, 2022 at 11:52
Sounds like another chapter for your next book! Whew!
November 13, 2022 at 15:24
Hi Susan,
I better start writing that next book, before I forget! Well, my diary has every detail in it, but I’d rather focus on something else, something more positive, in the near future. When everything has settled down and all our less fun experiences have dropped into the background, it might be time to contemplate more serious writing. Can’t wait to tell you some of our recent stories and experiences in person!
November 13, 2022 at 12:16
Wow, what a logistical nightmare! But, you survived and now you are in South America. Let the adventures begin!
November 13, 2022 at 15:32
Hi Janis!
Yes, we survived. Barely. And, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right? The logistical nightmares are not over yet, but I hope to report back with some good news early next month! 🙂
November 13, 2022 at 12:53
You did make it into Houston itself! We live very near Buffalo Bayou Park, and our new grandson’s middle name is Rothko because his parents (my son and wife) got engaged at the Rothko Chapel. You got to see two places near and dear to our hearts! I guess we were up north at the time you came into the city; we never got back until Nov. 7 and now I know you were headed to Colombia by then. It was really fun to meet you both and see the camper!
November 13, 2022 at 15:35
Buffalo Bayou Park is awesome! I’m so bummed that I lost my photos of the day we strolled around there. How interesting about Rothko as a middle name. Lots of great memories made by your family.
And, welcome back home, Lexie! I’m sure you are quite exhausted as well. Let’s all take a breather until the next adventure – Malta for you, Colombia for us. 🙂
November 13, 2022 at 14:43
You and Mark are amazing, how you always manage to solve all the issues and keep going. Ouch for such high humidity…it is hard without AC in these conditions. All those food pictures have made me very hungry.
I am looking forward to following your journey along SA.
November 13, 2022 at 15:43
Hi Gilda,
If there is one thing I’m sure of, it’s that we eat well, varied, and healthy! 🙂 And, if there’s another thing to be sure of, it’s that practically everything we buy, plan, or do will come with an issue. We attract these kinds of problems. There is nothing we can do about it! Except stop this lifestyle of craziness and move somewhere safe and secure.
November 13, 2022 at 16:01
Wow, I’m amazed at how well you’ve done with your budget despite all the unforeseen difficulties. If I’d been through all you have in the past couple of months, I guarantee my alcohol budget would be much, much higher! 😉
November 14, 2022 at 08:48
Haha. You’re right, that alcohol budget could have been much higher last month! We shared some of it with friends and had to leave our big bottle of rum behind. I was hoping to have a few drinks here in Cartagena to celebrate our arrival, but when you have a fever and throat ache, that just doesn’t sound/taste appealing. We will have to carry our wine and beer (among all our other food and belongings) to the next Airbnb! 🙂
November 13, 2022 at 16:04
I vote for the television series (and/or Plunge Part 2). Both would be very, very popular! Hope you are feeling better.
November 14, 2022 at 08:53
You are too funny, Donna! I fear, right now, there would be a lot of complaining going on in that series. But the pace would be great.
Preview: After physically preparing and mentally stressing about finally getting their camper on the confirmed car carrier that has a four-week delay, Liesbet and co learn that Thirsty Bella can not go on that boat. A rebooking to another ship is in order… Will they ever be able to start their next adventure? Will they ever be reunited with their home on wheels?
November 13, 2022 at 17:11
Your tab tips just a bit over one thousand dollars: That’s phenomenal! Thanks for all the photos. You live on the cheap but don’t skimp on pleasure. By the way, it’s great to see you using the grill!
November 14, 2022 at 09:00
Hi Marian,
I’m quite pleased with our budget on this last full month in the US. I’m sure the numbers will dwindle more over the coming months as Colombia is much cheaper than the US. After we equalize some major expenses from this month, we hope to settle on a nice, low average soon. 🙂
It’s already fabulous to go to the grocery store and buy a backpack of food for $10. Our take-out dinners have an average of $5 for both of us. But, we haven’t been eating much because of our being sick.
November 13, 2022 at 21:07
It’s simply amazing how you manage to keep your expenses so low. It requires a mindset and self-discipline that most of us don’t possess. I’m a big wimp when it comes to air conditioning, and I’m not sure I could make that sacrifice. I get it since Thirsty Bella eats up a lot of gas already.
November 14, 2022 at 09:10
Hi Pete,
I think the whole budget thing becomes a habit as well. I never actually think about this anymore when grocery shopping or living our daily lives and we don’t have a particular amount that we are trying to stick to. We just buy what we need. Period. Not what we crave.
Actually, the only times I do think about not spending money is when it comes to fun things, like eating out or entertainment. That’s something we purposely avoid. And it’s also something that bugs me at times, missing out on amazing things.
Luckily, eating out and visiting places is much cheaper here in Colombia, so I hope to splurge a bit more these coming years. 🙂
We never planned to be in hot and humid Texas for this long. Circumstances screwed us with that one.
We purposefully didn’t want an AC, because 1) we didn’t think we needed it (if it gets too hot in the South American tropics, we will head into the mountains), 2) we don’t have the power or means to run it, and 3) we want a low profile for the camper; an AC unit would add at least half a foot to our overall height and the same in our interior, which means Mark would not be able to stand up in that area of the camper and hit his head a lot. 🙂
November 14, 2022 at 20:53
Way to keep that budget down in such expensive times. Glad you got to use your grill. <3
November 19, 2022 at 15:26
Last month was a pretty good expense report. Yet, we came very close to never being able to use that grill anymore… One of those stories and misfortunes that I’ll have to elaborate on later.
November 19, 2022 at 18:13
Life should be cheaper for you in South America. 🙂
November 24, 2022 at 08:41
Yes. If we manage to stay here…
November 15, 2022 at 15:45
Love the new Thirsty Bella/Cow header!
What a great expense report. Love all the food pics.
It was fun to hang out – and I’m glad we brought some good weather with us. And that we had a nice evening on the beach. Love the beach photo.
I hate all that trash. People are pigs. We are lucky that people like you care enough to clean up after other people. If not, this country would be covered in garbage.
November 19, 2022 at 15:30
Hi Duwan,
The header has been here for a while, but it just depends which page blog readers load somehow. My banner photos rotate through three or four versions. 🙂
Yes, October was a good expense month for us. This current one has long been blown for several reasons, not even including our accommodation and camper shipment. Hoping to snap out of the bad luck streak soon!
The garbage in Texas appeared worse to us than anywhere else we’ve camped in the US. Not sure why as there also seemed to be more trash cans around. People are strange…
November 17, 2022 at 17:45
What a whirligig! But an adventure, which is what you and Mark thrive on. So glad you’ve arrived to your destination and are ready for the next journey. I agree with one of your commenters – save it all for the next book!! xo
November 19, 2022 at 15:36
Hi Pam,
You have no idea how exhausted I am. I don’t even feel like posting updates anymore, as nothing is working out right. And all we do is complain. Yes, we will get there. Yes, we are adventurous. But sometimes, enough is/can be enough. I hope we have the strength, resilience, and patience to see all this through. Honestly. Zero progress is being made at the moment, which is very frustrating.
November 18, 2022 at 07:23
Incessant heat, 90% humidity, mosquitoes and being blasted by sand – everything I hate. Remind me to never go to Texas, Lisesbet, especially given what you said in one of the photos about all the trash scattered around.
Sorry to hear about all the frustrations and problems you have encountered. That fridge sounds a nightmare and I’m guessing there is no way you can get your money back and buy another make given you’ve left the US?
What was the problem with all the clocks? Did they all stop working after a few days of use?
Good to hear that friends came to rescue, though. I hope you’re both feeling much better now?
November 19, 2022 at 15:42
Hi Hugh,
I don’t think Texas is your place. It’s not our favorite state, either, but for the next step in this adventure, we thought it was the best option for us, to leave by plane and ship from there. Time will tell if we were wrong. Time might have already told us…
The clocks had different issues. The first two were not to Mark’s liking (I bought them at a thrift store), the following three made ticking noises, which we had tried to avoid when purchasing them, and the next one stopped working all together. I think we have a (quiet) winner now. If it makes it to Colombia.
The problem with the fridge is more serious, as it couldn’t keep up with the Texas humidity and heat, which it should have. We tried many different solutions and watched and diagnosed it for many weeks. Communications with the company didn’t solve anything, so we will have to see what happens in South America, whenever we get to use the fridge again.
Thanks for the sentiments and wishes. We are finally feeling better – physically.
November 20, 2022 at 04:17
Your fridge problems reminds me of a fridge we bought and kept in our garage as an overflow fridge. It stopped working during the winter when it got very cold, even though the manufacture told us it could cope with being in temperatures of -5c. They took the fridge back and we got another one that could cope with the rare cold temperatures we now seem to get more often during the winter months.
And I agree about the noise from a ticking clock. Years ago, it was never a problem for me, but now I can’t sleep or concentrate in a room that has a noisy ticking clock.
Good to hear you’re both feeling better.
November 24, 2022 at 08:45
Hi Hugh,
I’m glad you managed to replace that fridge in your garage and that things eventually worked. You had the opposite problem from us… The ambient temperature was too cold.
Our camper fridge that has issues right now, is already a replacement under warranty of the same fridge! We altered our plans and locations to pick up and get this particular fridge working. As of now, I have no clue if we can ever figure it out. And, believe it or not, but right now, we have even bigger fish to fry, as the shit has hit the fan with this whole transportation ordeal. More later…
November 25, 2022 at 07:30
Oh, no! That’s not good to hear, Liesbet. I’ve got everything crossed that everything works out for you guys.
November 26, 2022 at 15:34
Thanks, my friend! Things are looking more up again. 🙂