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diff --git a/se-renta.txt b/se-renta.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f84ee0 --- /dev/null +++ b/se-renta.txt @@ -0,0 +1,70 @@ +When we left Dallas a few months ago our plan was to be gone six months. We were going to spend the winter down here, improve our Spanish a bit and go back to the bus. We had plans to travel the southwest, see some areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah that we hadn't seen yet, and then head up to Wyoming, Idaho and Montana when it got to hot to stay in the desert. Then we'd swing south again when it cool off and do the west coast of Mexico for the winter. It was a pretty good plan I thought. It still is a pretty good plan. + +As the man said, it's important that you make them, but in truth, plans rarely work out. And that one is not going to work out. At least not on the timeline we'd envisioned. + +There are a variety of reasons it's not going to happen, one of them is money. It's not the only reason, but, while it's a tad boring for most people, talking about money is super helpful for anyone who's thinking of doing what we do. I know this because I searched high and low for anyone willing to talk about how much it cost to travel the U.S. by RV and came up with very few hard and fast numbers. + +We track our spending to the penny. I can give some pretty accurate figures, but they're averages and that doesn't actually reflect what you're really going to spend because the real answer is that it really depends where you are, and how you travel. + +But here's a rough number for a family of five, barring unforeseen expenses, which is euphemism for if the bus doesn't break down, we spend about $4500 a month on average traveling the U.S. Of that roughly 30-40% tends to be food, depending on where we are in the country (the west is much more expensive in nearly every regard, relative to the midwest and south, but especially food). Lodging is extremely variable + + + + +We spend just over half that in Mexico, sans bus. + + +One of the things I've been at pains to avoid is making it sound like we don't like the United States. In fact we do very much, it's one of the most beautiful places in the world and has some of the wildest and safest wilderness you're ever going to enter. + +Unfortunately, the United States is not the best travel value for us. Without an income we'd have to dip heavily into savings to travel the states in the bus. + + +Takeaways to reduce travel spending: + * better planning means more boondocking and less money on camping + * change of diet from mexico means less on food + - no more sausage for breakfast + - more tortillas, less bread for lunches + + bread is special occassions + - use oat/rice flour from bulk bins for pancakes + - shop mexican markets, asian markets + - go meatless twice a week + - drop organic/grass fed, eat less of it + * having propane fridge would mean less trips for ice, longer away from money spending opportunities + * doing bucket laundry to get by, with full laundry once a month would do the same (again, fewer money spending opportunities) + * no more lenses, amazon orders, ever. + * use local libraries + * have corrinne get meds down here. + * start with forays into mexico, but gradually reverse -- here becomes our home base with forays into the states + + * how much less? Don't know but I think we could do + - $1200/month groceries + - $500/month camping (if we go over, better hole up and boondock) + - $400/month gas (if we're heade over, better hole up) + - $500/month repairs and incidentals + * So at reliable $3000 a month we can get by pretty much anywhere + - Need the ability to take a serious breakdown and keep going, what does that look like? + - maybe $5000- $8000 savings for repairs + +The real question becomes, how deep should our savings be for bus repairs? +Or should we take what we know, downsize our vehicle and get even further out there? + - What would that take? + * initial outlay for vehicle -- $5000 + * restoration and outfitting -- $9000 + - What could we sell the bus for? + * Maybe $13,000? + +If we keep the bus what needs to be done? + - Engine + - Transmission + - Additional solar panels - 160W flex for 280, 100W flex for 205 ~ $600 for 320W or $400 for 200 + - MPPT controller $400 + - 12V fridge - $1000 vitfrigo + - rear rack - $300 + - shelves in closet $100 + - toilet $150 + - paint bathroom + - redo area around air-con/shelf with pots and pans + - counter water damage around sink + - leaks? + +600+400+1000+300+150+100 |