Give it to me straight........I can take it.

[louca Inglese]

No point in faffing about, If i`m going to live on a narrowboat i need to know if i can afford it........so....there will be me, the wife and the mutt all living on an income from a works pension amounting to £750.00 per month, and no debt.

 

The boat will be purchased outright from the sale of our house and hopefully there will be a nice little bit leftover.

 

I am 61 and the wife is 60.........don`t really know how old the dog is but about 18 months

We need to live on this amount for 4 years, that is until we receive our state pensions.

Taking all things into account like the cost of running the boat and general living costs..........is it feasible to live on a narrowboat for this amount?

We want to be able to continuous cruise to start with and stop off for the occasional pub lunch and moor up for the winter somewhere.

In anticipation

Bob and Jane.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

I'll start

£100 per month licence and insurance.

£100 per month diesel

£100 per month, pub meal once a week

[bottle]

Yes and no.

 

Work out your boat running costs: licence, insurance, maintenance (blacking, breakdown contingency fund), fuel (diesel) etc.,

 

It has often been said that the cost of running a narrowboat is about £5,000 per annum but that was a few years ago.

 

Lets take a figure of £6,000 that is £500 per month, leaving you £250 for your food and clothing.

 

ps, check when you will actually get your state pension, are you one of the unlucky one that will get it at 66 or 67

[Trento]

As a single crew, I live on a little bit more than your propose budget, I expect that you will have to "dip" into the savings from time to time, especially in the winter with enhanced fuel and heating costs.

[Grace and Favour]

Hi Bob and Jane.

 

It may be doable - - but I think it will be tight - I think the thing that will swing it will be where you intend to be during winter - whether on winter moorings in a cheaper area, cruising the system, or on winter moorings in an expensive area.

 

Either way - There'll not be a lot left for treats!

[kevinl]

It has often been said that the cost of running a narrowboat is about £5,000 per annum but that was a few years ago.

Glad nobody told me that, mine doesn't even cost half a third of that. OK it's only 30 feet long and cost peanuts to buy compared to some. So I do save on things length related like moorings, insurance etc but the engine, fuel costs and things aren't much different, where did 5k come from?

[sueb]

Have you thought about where you will live when you can't manage the boat?

[louca Inglese]

I'll start

£100 per month licence and insurance.

£100 per month diesel

£100 per month, pub meal once a week

Is that your total expenditure?...........sounds good to me.

 

Yes and no.

 

Work out your boat running costs: licence, insurance, maintenance (blacking, breakdown contingency fund), fuel (diesel) etc.,

 

It has often been said that the cost of running a narrowboat is about £5,000 per annum but that was a few years ago.

 

Lets take a figure of £6,000 that is £500 per month, leaving you £250 for your food and clothing.

 

ps, check when you will actually get your state pension, are you one of the unlucky one that will get it at 66 or 67

Well i`m a lucky one, so is the wife.............£500 sounds reasonable.

[louca Inglese]

Hi Bob and Jane.

 

It may be doable - - but I think it will be tight - I think the thing that will swing it will be where you intend to be during winter - whether on winter moorings in a cheaper area, cruising the system, or on winter moorings in an expensive area.

 

Either way - There'll not be a lot left for treats!

Winter moorings could i suppose be anywhere, but our preference would be either somewhere near Banbury or on the K&A near Pewsey..........we have friends/rellies in these places, and we used to live near Marlborough Wilts.

Treats!......... Had to look that one up.........well a pint or three now and again is fine by me, but the wife likes the odd posh meal and the dog is happy as she is or so she tells me.

 

Glad nobody told me that, mine doesn't even cost half a third of that. OK it's only 30 feet long and cost peanuts to buy compared to some. So I do save on things length related like moorings, insurance etc but the engine, fuel costs and things aren't much different, where did 5k come from?

I`m sure you live just how you want to and the cost of living aboard is very subjective.

We are positive we can live a decent life on somewhere around £600 a month with savings to fall back on if needed for emergencies.

[nb Innisfree]

Glad nobody told me that, mine doesn't even cost half a third of that. OK it's only 30 feet long and cost peanuts to buy compared to some. So I do save on things length related like moorings, insurance etc but the engine, fuel costs and things aren't much different, where did 5k come from?

4 years ago when we were in the midst of ccing it cost us 5k p.a. That was two of us and included licence, insurance, fuel, food, diy maintenance inc blacking, batteries, painting et etc. Spending money was extra but we didn't eat out or drink as it was an expensive luxury (still is, I paid £4.50 for a pint of Lowenbrau in London yesterday!! - took away the pleasure of drinking it)

[louca Inglese]

Have you thought about where you will live when you can't manage the boat?

Fair point,and i hope it doesn`t happen for some time yet but if it does then we do have the means to rent on land if needed.

[MtB]

Sounds do-able to me, but bear in mind the cost of cruising about. A litre an hour at 90p soon adds up. (Ok so some places charge 78p but you have to buy it from where you are, when you run low, and places on the Thames for example are £1.40!)

 

In addition, plan not to have any expensive breakdowns.

 

 

MtB

[louca Inglese]

Don`t know how current this is, but basing my calculations on <THIS> article in Canal Junction i think it`s more than doable.

 

I might add that at the moment we are living in Portugal in our own house and the cost of living here is way less than some of the quotes given but it has always been our intention to return to the UK to see our days out and feel the time for that is drawing near.............IF and it`s a big IF at the moment we can sell our house here.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

It's do able if you can keep away from the pub!

 

Glenn

[sueb]

We managed on one pension for 15 years before the oap kicked in but did keep the house. We have lodgers which has enabled us to still have a roof over our heads. Thank goodness

[lee b]

i would think the age and wear and tare on the boat must come into it for the foreseeable future anyway...i am about to buy a sail away so everything in theory will be new so i'm hoping once completed i will have a few years rest bite...two to be precise,i have been told to re-black the hull every two years,some say three but do ya wana put it to the test and wake up floating? i have been jiggling figures,adding up,taking away,spinning on my head...you have engine services so unless you can do your own service the price goes up...

i don't smoke and have never been a big drinker so my maths tells me £6-7k a year for one person with no dog,thats food,clothes,fuel,licence,insurance,blacking every two years''painting it myself'',and putting some aside for up-keep...

you have also go to take into account our ever loving government that like to dick us every election so allow inflation too...

you may be better starting a small business you can run from your boat...but beware of selling anything from your boat cause you will need a traders licence...not cheap ! i wont be retired so i plan on working,either starting from scratch and set up a small business doing something new or stay in the building trade and hope to pick up small jobs...''although my knee's,back and lungs would probably prefer to do something new''...

[Aground]

It may be heresy to say so but go onto livingonanarrowboat.co.uk where they offer a spreadsheet for sale (sorry but don't know the cost) which enables you to input/calculate all the factors and costs involved. No connection with the site apart from Aground browsing.

[Lady Muck]

In addition, plan not to have any expensive breakdowns.

We can manage on £750 a month if we really have to and we do do it, in lean months. But to do that have to buy all food from tramps buffet (i.e. supermarket markdowns), that could be tricky if you're in middle of nowhere and buying from village shops. Forget pubs, eating out, anything like that.

BUT, it's not much fun if anything breaks, it's much more difficult in winter and that doesn't include our mooring fees. Because we run a car, pay for a mooring and we have a dog and use a lot of internet, our budget is really more like £1300 a month.

I think you might find it tough and it could be tough and miserable if you need major repair work. On a boat, this kind of repair work does come along every now and again, even with a newish boat (like ours). On £750 a month you wouldn't have any spare dosh to save for reblacking/drydocking or repainting.

You might have to make friends with a tree surgeon to cut down on your heating bills, (we have done so on our moorings), but if you are cruising then there's limited space for seasoning wood. We find that the free wood can really cut down the bills, but it does involved sawing and chopping. How fit are you? The older boaters on our mooring are fortunate enough that they have their wood collected and chopped for them (it might as well all get cut and chopped in one go). You might also find that you have to limit engine running - I know ccers who spend more than what we pay for our mooring, for petrol, for the genny and diesel for the engine, whereas we plug in and it's no more than £5 a week, very cheap.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Lady Muck

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

It's do able if you can keep away from the pub!

Glenn

I don't think it's been mentioned:

Consider length of boat. (And width)

It'll make a considerable difference to the cost of your annual license, any mooring fees, blacking and maintenance, heating through the winter and all running costs.

 

If you haven't already, try ringing marinas in an area you might want to winter, and ask for the prices by length for mooring. Just to get an idea.

[MtB]

Excellent points Glen. Sometimes no-one thinks to state the obvious. Mooring and license costs are directly proportional to the boat length. A 70ft boat is twice the cost to moor and license a 35footer.

 

Bets are off once you go widebeam though...

 

MtB

[lee b]

hope your none smokers...i personally don't know how people can afford to smoke these days..20 a day must amount to nearly £200 a month...what a waste of money.....also think if you want sky tv...thats not cheap,the set up its self if you plan on cruising could cost an arm and a leg...i prefer to read,i'm not keen on paying tv fees for programs thats been paid for in the 70's and i wouldn't give that australian tit ''murdock'' my knob drippings anyway !...

[Ange]

Nah smoke roll ups. 50g of baccy costs 14 squids tops and lasts me 2 weeks.

[mrsmelly]

Nah smoke roll ups. 50g of baccy costs 14 squids tops and lasts me 2 weeks.

The ONLY product in the world that TELLS you on the packet that it will kill you and some people still smoke !! You just couldnt make it up.

 

Tim

[onionbargee]

you also need an maintenance fund, from time to time equipment you rely on goes kaput, batteries, alternators, pumps,engine parts ect, £250 a year minimum would be a start.

 

set up a direct debit into a seperate account for this and a dry docking fund ?

Edited May 28, 2013 by onionbargee

[louca Inglese]

Thanks all for your comments, the consensus seems to be that it`s doable........BUT.

Interesting nobody has said it`s definitely not doable.

 

So as long as i buy a small boat,paint it myself, maintain my own engine, cut my own logs for the fire, keep cruising down to a minimum, don`t pay mooring charges, don`t smoke, don`t drink, don`t watch SKY tv we should be ok............i say we because i thought maybe without the missus and the dog it would be cheaper but even that doesn`t hold up as singleton liveaboards pay as much as a couple according to some!

 

Sorry for the sarcasm but it doesn`t paint a pretty picture and now we are wondering if we should go for it or not.

I really appreciate your honest if sometimes brutal truth as to the facts of living on a narrowboat and will do a load more research before we are ready to commit to a life on the water..........muito obrigado. (many thanks)