Ok, so I'm going to talk about my budget:
Using my ride as the example, I'm going to work through how I've figured out how much to save, and how much to spend each day and how to know i'm going to be able to afford not working for 3.5 months and going on a bike tour.
I've got about $4000 saved. I hope to spend less than this because at my current living standard, I spend about $1300 per month just being me in portland. I think life is cheaper when you're on bike tour. Your rent is the camp sites or occasional motel. We're going to use warm showers whenever we can and sleep in people's back yards and in random places in the forest. When we do pay for a camp site, it will be spilt between 4 people and from my research, camps sites go from a high of $30 to a low of $12, with hiker biker sites at $4. I think I will certainly spend less that $5 a day on average for accommodation.
Food, food's weird. I'm assuming there will be 15 days where I am fed by other people/means. Maybe I'm cutting it too close, maybe I should just budget for the whole time. It's just that I know there are at least 15 days, where I will be fed without having to shell out cash. There's bikebike which I've already paid for, family which will feed me, and I've still got a lot of food in portland that I plan on eating and or shipping to myself along the way (see general mail post). I'm assuming I will spend $10 a day on food. It doesn't really allow for eating out, or $10 breakfasts which are so much fun. But this is about what I average in Portland, and I drink a lot of coffee here and eat out at least 3 times a week. I can't imagine doing that much while riding through the Yukon. The last month of the tour will be the place where I spend the most on food, we'll probably start dipping into other funds if they look like they have extra.
The things I have to buy before I go are pretty obvious and clear. Although, given how close my expected expenses are to my income, with only $324 as the difference. I really wonder about the $175 bike fitting... Of course, what will really make me more happy, 100 days of riding in just the right position, or 3 nights out of drinking and dinner... (or other means of measuring the pleasure of $175...)
Either way, it's nice to have the numbers to show me where I'm at. Many of the "expenses" are guesses and for safe measure. There is always the possibility of falling behind schedule, and needing to take a bus or other transportation to make up time. And there is bike repair, which, so far, knock on wood, I've never needed while on bike tour. But knocking on wood doesn't really work so maybe this tour will be the one. Yet I've already bought extra tubes, chain, break pads, extra spokes, cables and duct tape... I think i'm ok, so long as my de-railer doesn't bust.
And of course there is always the "unknown unknown" which has, without fail, always come up on a bike tour. All in all, I have about $500 of my budget, or 20% of expected expenses, is for emergency. I feel good about this. And i've even budgeted for a bit of fun and alcohol!
The interesting thing for me will be to see how closely I stick to this budget, and seeing where I mess up. Previous experience has taught me to put in the emergency funding for transportation and accommodation. And when I look at it, I've budgeted for $23 per day. That's totally doable. I was touring in Japan for $25/day and that shits expensive. Of course, I didn't really do anything but ride my bike and eat and sleep in the woods, but, this tour won't be too different.
hmm. Last thing, keeping score.
It's important to track of your spending. This is the only way to stay on budget.
I tend to cary around a small little book of paper, and I write down everything I spend. It not only helps with budget but it's also a great way to remember what you did on a given day.
Here's a sample, (not from a cheap trip :(
But a fun one!
anyhow, keeping track is one of the most important things for budgeting. If you've set a reasonable budget, and you don't seem to be able to keep with it. It means two possible things, you made a bad budget, which you should learn from and fix, and find more money or shorten your trip. or you are spending too much, and you need to reign yourself in.
I'll let you know how I go in the end.
Using my ride as the example, I'm going to work through how I've figured out how much to save, and how much to spend each day and how to know i'm going to be able to afford not working for 3.5 months and going on a bike tour.
When I make a budget, I always do it in a numbers/excel/google spread sheet.
One column is current money held, + any income expected while on the ride
And the other column is know expenses before the ride
And the last column is known/expected expenses during the ride
The other important thing to know is the number or days you will be riding.
And the last column is known/expected expenses during the ride
The other important thing to know is the number or days you will be riding.
I've got about $4000 saved. I hope to spend less than this because at my current living standard, I spend about $1300 per month just being me in portland. I think life is cheaper when you're on bike tour. Your rent is the camp sites or occasional motel. We're going to use warm showers whenever we can and sleep in people's back yards and in random places in the forest. When we do pay for a camp site, it will be spilt between 4 people and from my research, camps sites go from a high of $30 to a low of $12, with hiker biker sites at $4. I think I will certainly spend less that $5 a day on average for accommodation.
Food, food's weird. I'm assuming there will be 15 days where I am fed by other people/means. Maybe I'm cutting it too close, maybe I should just budget for the whole time. It's just that I know there are at least 15 days, where I will be fed without having to shell out cash. There's bikebike which I've already paid for, family which will feed me, and I've still got a lot of food in portland that I plan on eating and or shipping to myself along the way (see general mail post). I'm assuming I will spend $10 a day on food. It doesn't really allow for eating out, or $10 breakfasts which are so much fun. But this is about what I average in Portland, and I drink a lot of coffee here and eat out at least 3 times a week. I can't imagine doing that much while riding through the Yukon. The last month of the tour will be the place where I spend the most on food, we'll probably start dipping into other funds if they look like they have extra.
The things I have to buy before I go are pretty obvious and clear. Although, given how close my expected expenses are to my income, with only $324 as the difference. I really wonder about the $175 bike fitting... Of course, what will really make me more happy, 100 days of riding in just the right position, or 3 nights out of drinking and dinner... (or other means of measuring the pleasure of $175...)
Either way, it's nice to have the numbers to show me where I'm at. Many of the "expenses" are guesses and for safe measure. There is always the possibility of falling behind schedule, and needing to take a bus or other transportation to make up time. And there is bike repair, which, so far, knock on wood, I've never needed while on bike tour. But knocking on wood doesn't really work so maybe this tour will be the one. Yet I've already bought extra tubes, chain, break pads, extra spokes, cables and duct tape... I think i'm ok, so long as my de-railer doesn't bust.
And of course there is always the "unknown unknown" which has, without fail, always come up on a bike tour. All in all, I have about $500 of my budget, or 20% of expected expenses, is for emergency. I feel good about this. And i've even budgeted for a bit of fun and alcohol!
The interesting thing for me will be to see how closely I stick to this budget, and seeing where I mess up. Previous experience has taught me to put in the emergency funding for transportation and accommodation. And when I look at it, I've budgeted for $23 per day. That's totally doable. I was touring in Japan for $25/day and that shits expensive. Of course, I didn't really do anything but ride my bike and eat and sleep in the woods, but, this tour won't be too different.
hmm. Last thing, keeping score.
It's important to track of your spending. This is the only way to stay on budget.
I tend to cary around a small little book of paper, and I write down everything I spend. It not only helps with budget but it's also a great way to remember what you did on a given day.
Here's a sample, (not from a cheap trip :(
But a fun one!
anyhow, keeping track is one of the most important things for budgeting. If you've set a reasonable budget, and you don't seem to be able to keep with it. It means two possible things, you made a bad budget, which you should learn from and fix, and find more money or shorten your trip. or you are spending too much, and you need to reign yourself in.
I'll let you know how I go in the end.
so great, Momo! xx
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