help with budgeting

[Rueben the Cobbler]

Looking to hike from may 9 until mid august. Hoping to go from just north of peirisberg to katahdin. I have around $4000 available for the trail. I would really like some helpful ideas about budgeting.
Some baseline facts:
Have hiked first 1/3 of the trail
I don't drink do no bars
Don't smoke so no cigarettes
Have all starting gear
Would like to stay in hostels occasionally, maybe splurge on places like big meadows lodge
Looking for a good town experience

Thanks for any help!

[Lone Wolf]

Looking to hike from may 9 until mid august. Hoping to go from just north of peirisberg to katahdin. I have around $4000 available for the trail. I would really like some helpful ideas about budgeting.
Some baseline facts:
Have hiked first 1/3 of the trail
I don't drink do no bars
Don't smoke so no cigarettes
Have all starting gear
Would like to stay in hostels occasionally, maybe splurge on places like big meadows lodge
Looking for a good town experience

Thanks for any help! 4 grand, you don't drink, smoke? no problem. have fun

[Meriadoc]

Was the first 1/3 of the trail all in one go?
Find your food resupply budget:
Go to the grocery store and price a complete resupply for 4 days. Extrapolate that forwards taking your daily mileage into account. I would add 10%-15% because prices vary, tastes change, and sometimes I'll want to buy something special to eat right now. Then you'll know approximately how much money is earmarked for resupply food alone.

Find your shoe budget.
Find your transportation costs to Pearisburg and from Katahdin. (From Katahdin you will probably take a shuttle to a bus to Portland. Check out the hostel in Millinocket.)
Figure out how much you want to save for reentry into society.
If your backpack/shelter/poles break, how much will a replacement cost? Put some aside for an emergency gear fund.

I think the rest could go towards hostels, motels, and restaurants. Please chime in if I missed something.

[Drybones]

Looking to hike from may 9 until mid august. Hoping to go from just north of peirisberg to katahdin. I have around $4000 available for the trail. I would really like some helpful ideas about budgeting.
Some baseline facts:
Have hiked first 1/3 of the trail
I don't drink do no bars
Don't smoke so no cigarettes
Have all starting gear
Would like to stay in hostels occasionally, maybe splurge on places like big meadows lodge
Looking for a good town experience

Thanks for any help!

You'll have money left over.

[lonehiker]

Posted this in a thread a day or two ago. But, take your 4k and divide by estimated number of days you will hike. That will be how much you have a day to spend. Simple as that. Obviously, you do not have to spend it all but this gives you a guideline.

[Rueben the Cobbler]

The first 1/3 was done in sections. shoes, transportation, reentry to society, emergency gear fund and emergency money are already covered and not included in the $4000. I guess i really just need to work out food. Im definitely taking into account that I will become very hungry and do plan to eat good food when i need it. hopefully i will have plenty of funds to make it a comfortable hike.

[Sierra2015]

You're too young to get into a bar anyway! ;)

[Rueben the Cobbler]

haha, just didn't know if people could see my age but i guess they can

[Sierra2015]

Nah, I bet you could get in. Carding is spotty at best. ;)

I think 4,000 is fine. Especially if you're not drinking the devil's juice.

[Meriadoc]

lonehiker reminded me of the simplest method. Every mile you hike, you earn $2 to spend. Hike 80 miles to the next town, that's max of $160 to spend in town. (This assumes ~$3,000 to be spent from Pearisburg to Katahdin. All math is back of the envelope.)

[kayak karl]

you will spend less the more miles per week you hike. if you spend avg. $25 per day and hike 20 miles per day rather then 10 miles you will get there cheaper and sooner.

[Meriadoc]

haha, just didn't know if people could see my age but i guess they can
You can change that in your Settings >> Edit Profile if you like.

[garlic08]

A decent average figure is $1000/month, but there's a high sigma.

[Deacon]

A decent average figure is $1000/month, but there's a high sigma.

Right. Cost should be based on time, not miles. A hiker could zero for 30 straight days, and it would still cost $1000 minimum.