Living on a sailboat is a very cheap way to live. We did so for 8 years in the Caribbean. We stayed in the Windward’s and Leeward’s, going no further east than Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela.

Once the boat, Shadowtime, a 35-foot Island Packet, was in the Virgin Islands she never left the warm Caribbean, until we sold her 8 years later.

What do I mean by cheap living? Sailboat cruisers are the tightest people on the planet. The answer to why they are so cheap is they will do anything, legal of course, to avoid going back to work.

Here are some specifics:

1) Use public transportation…no boat has a car onboard so to get around the islands you take the bus, some regular size; more common is the 14-passenger van or Maxi Taxi. They cost anywhere from 7 cents in Venezuela to $1.00 in St Croix. Having no car expense is huge. No gas, no insurance, no maintenance, no parking fees, etc.

2) Use the library…When people ask how you stay in touch, you reply I do email at the library. All free. Using the library eliminates magazine charges and buying books (not really an issue as cruisers do many book exchanges). It is also a great place to crash midday if it is extra hot.

3) Boat improvements are cheaper…We had major canvas work done very cheaply. Bimini, dodger, sail covers, sail bags, dinghy tube and engine covers. Embroidery work in Trinidad is very high quality and cheap. I still wear some T-shirts and caps that were made many moons ago in Port of Spain. Teak woodwork is also very reasonable in Trinidad. A real teak, no veneer, cabin floor, teak grates for the cockpit, solid teak cockpit table…all great quality at 30% of what it would cost in the US. That is cheap living folks.

4) Eating out was very cheap. If you follow the two golden cruiser rules for restaurant selection. First, you and your companions had to be the only non-locals in the restaurant…and second, the menu had to be on a chalkboard. Follow these two rules you will eat cheap, as the locals do, and you will be guaranteed the meal you eat is fresh…probably caught that very day.

Once in the islands we spent around a $1,000 per month…now, that is cheap living. The lifestyle was priceless, many times we enjoyed sunset drinks in the cockpit anchored (that is free) off a five star resort that charged $500 a night. We had a better view.

You can do this as well.

Living cheap on a sailboat Gary Pierce is the webmaster of http://www.frugal-retirement-living.com he retired early at 49, still retired at 64. He has experience in lifestyles that are both fulfilling and frugal. It is 2009 and many are wondering if they can ever retire. Don’t give up until you check out this website. Enjoy.

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