A 5 month hike equals 150 days or so. take the 150 days and multiply it by 20.00$ for each day and there is your 3000$$$. it seems to me you can get that 20.00$ a day lower if you really try. i have never thru hiked so i can not speak from experience on real long distances. on my shorter hikes its real easy to beat 20.00$ per day..