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Jake27
10-27-2014, 22:30
I'm trying to get a feel for everyone's budget, I would really hate to leave the trail because of money issues.what I have so far is all my gear (base 10lbs)-4 pairs of my favorite trail runners (sportiva Helios)-Plane ticket bought for March (Detroit to Atlanta)-Also have my smokies permit.so I don't plan spending any money on equipment.i will have $5000-$7000 when I start the trail I don't want to spend that much on the hostels but do plan on splurging on fun, showers and hot food.i am planing on sleeping in my hammock as much as I can.is this a good budget plan?

lonehiker
10-27-2014, 23:53
I'm trying to get a feel for everyone's budget, I would really hate to leave the trail because of money issues.what I have so far is all my gear (base 10lbs)-4 pairs of my favorite trail runners (sportiva Helios)-Plane ticket bought for March (Detroit to Atlanta)-Also have my smokies permit.so I don't plan spending any money on equipment.i will have $5000-$7000 when I start the trail I don't want to spend that much on the hostels but do plan on splurging on fun, showers and hot food.i am planing on sleeping in my hammock as much as I can.is this a good budget plan?

Yes, it is a good plan.

Slo-go'en
10-28-2014, 00:03
5K will be okay, 7K will give you a better cushion. Don't forget you need money to live on after you get back home. And since smokies permits are only good for 30 days, I hope you didn't buy one already! (or can you buy one that far in advance now?)

10 pound base and haggin' in March? I suspect your going to be a bit chilly. Better budget in those hostels and motels.

Jake27
10-28-2014, 01:06
5K will be okay, 7K will give you a better cushion. Don't forget you need money to live on after you get back home. And since smokies permits are only good for 30 days, I hope you didn't buy one already! (or can you buy one that far in advance now?)

10 pound base and haggin' in March? I suspect your going to be a bit chilly. Better budget in those hostels and motels. I completely didn't not realize that about the smokies haha oops!! I have slept in my hammock in winter in Michigan and been very warm My list is as follows hammock -warbonnet blackbird /tarp ZPacks hammock tarp/ Top quilt -20 degree hammock gear/ 3/4 length under quilt 20 degree.My pack is very dialed in have a lot of experience in backpack northern Michigan.I get my best sleep in my hammock.I am just curious how much everyone is bringing.i have money for when I get back this budget is just what I am willing to spend on the trail.I just don't want to be on a tight budget.

bigcranky
10-28-2014, 09:11
With your winter experience in Michigan, you'll be fine in Georgia in March.

$5000 for on-trail expenses is good, with a $2000 cushion just in case. Try not to spend more than half of it before you get to NY or CT.

RED-DOG
10-28-2014, 09:40
A safe amount is 1000 a month it's best to have too much than not enough, on my 2015 pct thru i will be budgeting $7500, thats gear, transportation, and anything else.

dangerdave
10-28-2014, 10:41
I've got all my gear (~20 lbs), and I'm sitting on $6K for my trip budget. I hope to have some left when I'm done. I think you'll be fine. I had no idea what $7K looked like when I was 27. Must be nice!

Jake27
10-28-2014, 13:09
Danger Dave I have no kids otherwise I'd be broke.haha can't wait to meet everyone on the trail.

mattjv89
10-28-2014, 16:34
I tend to be a slower hiker so I won't be a bit surprised if it's close to a 6 month hike for me. I'd love to spend no more than 5,000 which would leave around a 7,000 cushion to re-enter life after the trail. Money wise I probably could have squeezed a thru-hike out this year but I'm grateful for giving it an extra year of saving. Of all the things that could happen on the trail, I think I'd find it a most crushing defeat to be having a great time and have to bail out simply because I couldn't pay for it anymore.



what I have so far is ....4 pairs of my favorite trail runners (sportiva Helios)


Now I don't speak from experience yet but I've heard it recommended many times to not buy shoes ahead of time because your feet are likely to swell and need a larger size later in the hike. Maybe it's possible to return 3 of the pairs still if they're not used?

Coffee
10-28-2014, 16:54
I found $1,000 very comfortable for the on-trail expenses incurred this year in Colorado over exactly one month. This did not include transportation to/from Colorado, but did include local transportation, food, restaurant meals and hostel stays. The only caveat I would make is that I don't drink alcohol or smoke and that can be a large additional expense for some people. I'm planning on $5,000 for my five months of on-trail expenses on the PCT. Thru hiking has to be one of the cheapest ways to live and see the world. I spent about $5,000 on a three week trip to Europe this summer as a conventional tourist staying in relatively modest lodging and flying coach to/from.

Jake27
10-28-2014, 21:57
Mattjv 89 I have heard that too from past hikers.bought 2 of them at a rei garage sale.and I have the first pair half size bigger and the second and third are one size bigger and my fourth pair are one and a half bigger.i am hoping this will be adequate.but I found them so cheap I had to buy them.worst come to worst I will wont have to buy shoes for a couple years haha.

kidchill
10-29-2014, 10:12
You should be fine money-wise, but just a heads up. Once you cross that Mason-Dixon line, your costs will increase! It's much more expensive up north for everything. Just keep it in mind.

drew_a_blank
10-29-2014, 11:00
I'm budgeting about 6k for the trail and another 6-8 for after, as I don't know where I will be living/working when I finish. I am hoping to lateral over to a different industry (currently at a winery), and don't want to stress about taking the first job I can get. Good luck with everyone's prep/saving!

TD55
10-29-2014, 14:25
I have found budgeting by per day or week very helpful. If I go over budget I can make adjustments to balance my budget to last the planned amount of time it needs to last. If I go over it means I can prolong the adventure or have room to splurge in the following days or weeks. It has always worked to insure my endeavor last for the planned amount of time.

TD55
10-29-2014, 14:28
I have found budgeting by per day or week very helpful. If I go over budget I can make adjustments to balance my budget to last the planned amount of time it needs to last. If I go "under" it means I can prolong the adventure or have room to splurge in the following days or weeks. It has always worked to insure my endeavor last for the planned amount of time.
OOPS, made a mistake first time.

dangerdave
10-29-2014, 16:08
Great idea, TD55! What a great bunch of people giving (mostly) great advice!

Um, so how do I budget per day if I don't know how long I will take? Ok, if I figure on say 160 days, that's $6000/160=$37.50 a day. Roughly forty bucks a day. That's doable, for sure.

Coffee
10-29-2014, 16:13
Regarding budgeting, for those who have android phones, I recommend "Hello Expense". https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.helloexpense&hl=en It is a free app and was very useful for me over the past few months. You can easily track cash and credit expenses and get running totals as well as daily, weekly, and monthly summaries. Using this type of app makes it easy to see how you are doing midway through a hike. Being a spreadsheet nerd, I actually created a spreadsheet showing what my target spending level should be for each day on the Colorado Trail. That's obviously not a great idea to be so obsessive and wouldn't work for a 4-5 month hike. Instead, I'll just use a dollars per day average of $30-35. Of course on most days expenses will be zero since money is only spent in town.

Rolls Kanardly
10-29-2014, 16:25
Just curious to how much money everyone is bringing?

I hope no one takes this title literally and brings a lot of cash. That could be a disaster in the making.
Money has gone missing from backpacks and ruined an AT hike.

Rolls

jjozgrunt
10-30-2014, 08:04
A $1000 a month is okay for the beer/wine/spirits but what about food and the odd bit of accommodation? I think $1050 a month should do it.

CarlZ993
10-30-2014, 11:38
You should be fine money-wise, but just a heads up. Once you cross that Mason-Dixon line, your costs will increase! It's much more expensive up north for everything. Just keep it in mind.
This is the true. At the same time, there is a party atmosphere at the beginning that can blow one's budget if you're not careful. I kept a running expenditure log with a phone app. I budgeted more than I thought I'd need. I ended up spending more that my original budget. But, I could afford to spend more & knew it. When the weather got crappy the later third of the trail, it didn't take much for me to do a few extra miles & hit a town to share a motel room or grab a hostel bunk. My mantra became "I'm spending the grand-kids' inheritance."

Good luck on your hike.

bigcranky
10-30-2014, 14:17
A $1000 a month is okay for the beer/wine/spirits but what about food and the odd bit of accommodation? I think $1050 a month should do it.


Ah, a hiker with the right priorities.

Ox97GaMe
10-30-2014, 18:16
The amount of money that a hiker spends on a thru hike depends on a lot of variables. The many mile you hike per day avg will determine number of days it will take to finish. Some hikers like to stay in hotel alone, others will pack 4-6 to a room. Some prefer hotels over hostels. Some like to party in town more than others. Some are ok with fast food while others want buffets or chain restraunts.

My general rule for extended backpacking trips is as follows:

$8-10 average for food items for each day spent in the woods (food, toiletries, etc)
$25-30 average for meals in each trail town that I plan to stop and resupply (usually 2 meals)
$50 average for each trail town overnight (hotel, hostel, etc)
$10 each town for misc expenses (laundry, postage, etc)

This equates to approximately $130-150 per week on the trail, or approximately $600 per month.

for hiking trips 500 mile or more, I also set aside $1000-1200 for gear repair or replacement.

That being said, you can do the trail comfortably for around $3500-4000.

Teacher & Snacktime
10-30-2014, 18:27
I hope no one takes this title literally and brings a lot of cash. That could be a disaster in the making.
Money has gone missing from backpacks and ruined an AT hike.

Rolls



Not that we've been out for any extensive number of days, but I'm lucky to have $10 in my pocket when I hike. Some cash is good just in case your resupply doesn't take the card, but essentially the only thing I can lose/have stolen is a small amt. Now, if someone wanted to rob me of the prepaid food cards, well hell, I'd be willing to feed them anyway so I guess I could live with that.

hikehunter
10-31-2014, 02:03
I am bringing a tin cup....maybe I will get lucky....and folks will donate to the effort....;)

jjozgrunt
11-01-2014, 05:14
I am bringing a tin cup....maybe I will get lucky....and folks will donate to the effort....;)

Bring it to the pub and I'll fill it with beers. Bloody hell never counted on "shouts", $1100/month.

How much is a beer in the states on average so I can get my budget right?

bigcranky
11-01-2014, 09:17
How much is a beer in the states on average so I can get my budget right?


Cheap beer is cheap, but undrinkable in my humble opinion. Well under $10 per sixpack in the store, maybe $3 per bottle in a bar.

American craft beer can be excellent, and starts around $10-12 a sixpack,and $5-7 per pint in a good pub.

Of course this depends on where you are -- very rural areas won't have many choices beyond AB/InBev and MillerCoors products ("Amercian Light Lager" styles, mostly.) You'll be walking through some states with excellent craft beer industries -- North Carolina and Vermont in particular. PM me if you want some specific suggestions. :)

jjozgrunt
11-03-2014, 17:21
That's expensive for one of life's staples! But being a bit of a beer snob price is no object. But the beer has to meet very stringent requirements, it must be amber coloured and have bubbles. Cold would be nice too.

bigcranky
11-03-2014, 18:13
Well, if you're talking that sort of beer, you can probably get a case for under $20. :)

xrayextra
11-03-2014, 23:37
Sounds good. I never did figure out how much I spent but I found I stayed in 30 hostels and 15 hotel rooms. I could have cut that down a lot had I not taken so many zeros in the last quarter of my trip.

Good luck!

Flatfoot

dudeijuststarted
11-06-2014, 14:03
You'll be solid with 5-7K for a thru-hike. Try to be as frugal as possible until you get to New England. Due to weather and significant terrain changes you may want the comfort of motels and hostels when you can get them in NH/ME. Instead of making town your end-of-day destination, camp just outside and hitch in early morning. By the time you've caught a shower, resupplied, done laundry, and stuffed your face several times, it will still be daylight and you'll be eager to make miles instead of splurging on a hostel. This adds up big time.

Texaco
11-12-2014, 17:24
I'll be posting this in it's own thread shortly, but here's some exact data from a 2014 NOBO thru:

Total A.T. Thru-Hike Expense: $2,101.10
Restaurants: $615.51
Resupplies: $864.80
Post Office: $45.96
Gear: $199.92
Movies: $31.50
Lodging: $203.85


Here's a link to my thru-hike website page that was solely devoted to finance, including a complete dollar by dollar breakdown:
http://www.2180miles.com/financial-planning.html

Jake27
11-13-2014, 00:19
Thats awesome texaco!!! I'm sure there are a lot of people wanting to see this.

Nonfiction
11-13-2014, 06:54
I'll be posting this in it's own thread shortly, but here's some exact data from a 2014 NOBO thru:

Total A.T. Thru-Hike Expense: $2,101.10
Restaurants: $615.51
Resupplies: $864.80
Post Office: $45.96
Gear: $199.92
Movies: $31.50
Lodging: $203.85


Here's a link to my thru-hike website page that was solely devoted to finance, including a complete dollar by dollar breakdown:
http://www.2180miles.com/financial-planning.html

Awesome breakdown good sir! Def helps give me a better idea of trail budget!