[pct-l] Thru-hike cost: It's not cheap!

[Jim Eagleton]

Rick, Thanks for posting your budget.  I think many people under estimate the cost of a thru hike or many typical spenders are embarrassed or don't think their experience is relevant.  It is true that people on a budget are not really interested that other people were able to enjoy the trail more by spending $10K.  (Of course no one really believes in HYOH).  I spent $4k on the AT and $8k on the cdt this summer.  Neither number included any "home expenses" like mowing a lawn, or the base equipment purchases.  However, I did include gear purchases directly for the thru, and this was a major reason for the cdt being more expensive.  The cdt costs include a good gps, a tarp tent and a sleeping bag.  Also a lot of extra logistics costs for my flop flop.  
 
Too bad there is no correct answer on budgets.  Each hiker has to decide if it is better to spend twice as much or hike 5% harder.   I did both for the cdt; many do neither.   
 
Rambler> Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:44:26 -0800> From: kerouc at verizon.net> To: pct-l at backcountry.net> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Thru-hike cost: It's not cheap!> > regarding rick's assessment of the cost of his through hike: I deducted > the "i would have spent anyway costs", and came up with a total of about > 4700. rick mows 2 acres of grass (why? ). He also spent an incredible amount > of money on motels. If i trim rick's motel bill by one third, and cut his > gardening fees in half, which would be more in line, but still much greater, > than any young, apt. living hiker, then his out of pocket total is about > 3800. If I estimate he saved 500 on gas and 200 on cable, then his out of > pocket cost is about 3100. that is about 1 and 3/28 dollar per mile. Not > bad.> kerry> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rick Ostheimer" <rick.ostheimer at sbcglobal.net>> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 6:03 PM> Subject: [pct-l] Thru-hike cost: It's not cheap!> > > >A while back there was a thread on thru hike costs. It was cloudy,> > rainy, cold and just plain miserable here in NE Ohio today, so I got a> > "round tuit" and loaded up a spreadsheet with all my 2008 thru hike> > expenses. I had the statements from my Visa card and my bank> > transaction history covering the hike period.> >> > I don't have anything in for lost wages because I'm retired, though I> > supposed I could put in about 30% of my formerly much larger stock> > portfolio since I couldn't mind it and bail out while I was happily> > walking the trail. You don't know how much book value I lost during> > that time frame from April to October. I don't include taxes,> > utilities, etc. on my home----my wife has to have somewhere to live!> > Nor do I include my health insurance expense----I pay for it whether I> > sit home or hike. I do include what I paid an neighbor to mow my 2> > acres if grass while I was gone.> >> > Here's the break down:> >> > $ 550 Travel to/from trail (base location Pittsburgh PA)> > 1375 *Food from supermarkets> > 1050 *Restaurants and visa charges of snack foods> > 1285 Lodging> > 450 Postage> > 225 Contributions to trail angels/gas money for rides> > 700 *Pocket money (cash otherwise unaccounted for---mostly snacks,> > but also things like bus fares, etc.)> > 600 Equipment (2 sets spare socks, gaiters, clothes from REI,> > Seattle, $100, for travel home)> > 80 Fuel (alcohol, I often left 1/2 pint in hiker boxes)> > 250 Replacement pocketmail composer and pocketmail service > > subscription> > 250 Other, mostly spending at drug stores> > 1000 Lawn care back home> >> > 7815 Total (= approx $3/mile)> >> > * indicates expenditures that would have been made regardless of whether> > I was home or not.> >> > Offsetting some of the extra expenses: I spent no money on gasoline. I> > put my cable service into vacation mode ($10/month)> >> > Hope this helps some future hiker.> >> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > Pct-l mailing list> > Pct-l at backcountry.net> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l> > > > > _______________________________________________> Pct-l mailing list> Pct-l at backcountry.net> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l