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zeejay
11-20-2009, 15:23
I'm planning on thru-hiking the AT immediately after I graduate from college in May, 2010. I've only done a small amount of research on it as of yet, but I've been 100% percent motivated to thru-hike the trail in my lifetime ever since I was young.

This summer two friends of mine and I completed a 4-day loop hike in the Smoky Mountains. We started at the Institute at Tremont, followed winding trails and streams up to Derrick's Knob shelter then to Spence Field, then back down to the Institute. The 7 mile hike between the two shelters along the AT I hiked alone, leaving my pals behind to dry their stuff out. All in all, it was a fantastic experience and motivated me to really begin thinking about hiking the trail as soon as I get the chance.

The only thing is, right now I don't have much money. I've read some articles on here explaining how to save money and hike inexpensively.

does anyone have any tips on fundraising for the trail?

I did start a website in hopes to raise some extra cash and describe my AT research and experience.

Blissful
11-20-2009, 15:34
I had to save up for a number of years to buy gear and to do the trail (but that was for 2 people). I'd look into getting an extra job on the side. People should not be expected to donate so you can take a hike (this is not to be mean, but its the truth). As it is, real charities themselves are hurting for donations with the economy. Save up so you can do it like we all had to. :)

take-a-knee
11-20-2009, 15:44
I'm planning on thru-hiking the AT immediately after I graduate from college in May, 2010. I've only done a small amount of research on it as of yet, but I've been 100% percent motivated to thru-hike the trail in my lifetime ever since I was young.

This summer two friends of mine and I completed a 4-day loop hike in the Smoky Mountains. We started at the Institute at Tremont, followed winding trails and streams up to Derrick's Knob shelter then to Spence Field, then back down to the Institute. The 7 mile hike between the two shelters along the AT I hiked alone, leaving my pals behind to dry their stuff out. All in all, it was a fantastic experience and motivated me to really begin thinking about hiking the trail as soon as I get the chance.

The only thing is, right now I don't have much money. I've read some articles on here explaining how to save money and hike inexpensively.

does anyone have any tips on fundraising for the trail?

I did start a website in hopes to raise some extra cash and describe my AT research and experience.

The most dignified way is getting a job, there are many other techniques
that oxygen-thieves will come up with but the most respectable way will always be to get a job and SAVE THE MONEY.

bigcranky
11-20-2009, 15:57
I understand the feeling that you get being on the Trail.

Get a job, live as cheaply as possible, put the money away, go hike in 2011. If applicable, see if you can live with your parents for a year while you work your tail off to save money for a hike.

Speaking as the parent of a college student, I would be receptive to a specific, detailed plan, as long as I understood the goals and designs of the hike itself. (That is, as long as it's not just a 6-month party trip.) Since I am a hiker, I may be ahead of your parents in understanding what a thru-hike means, but you can start now to explain it to them.

Good luck, and happy trails.

zeejay
11-20-2009, 22:48
Thanks for the responses. I do have a job right now, but it's not a lot of money and only covers basic rent and food costs. Other than that, my schedule is crammed with schoolwork.

Blissful: I hear what you're saying about the donations and how it probably won't make a difference. Really, I'm not expecting much, but I know that by putting a donation button on to the website, there is a least a small chance some person with money will decide to send me a few dollars.

I'll do my best at spending money consciously.

thanks again

Pony
11-21-2009, 00:33
Work two jobs. Make big pots of soup that you can eat off of for 5-7 days at a time. DON'T eat out. Be frugal, use your head and you'll be on the trail next spring.

Donnie
11-21-2009, 02:19
Get a summer job and hike SOBO. I also had to take some extra time to finance my trip and even though I pinched pennies for quite a while, I knew I would still fall short come graduation time. It was pretty easy to save money in the summer considering you can work almost limitless hours and live cheaply.

It will take some persistence but the saving should be one of the easiest parts of a thru hike.

The Weasel
11-21-2009, 03:01
Zeejay:

A few thoughts for you, in order

First, don't advertise that you are seeking "donations." A lot of people, especially on this website and also along the trail will consider that begging, and will lose respect for you. They may be wrong, but it's a fact. If you do it, don't broadcast that you got anything.

Second, the cost is not as much as you might think. If you want new gear, fine food, and a lot of "zero days" in hostels and restaurants, yeah, it's gonna set you back, big time. Used gear, some homemade, carefully thought-out use of existing clothes and limited purchases (yeah, a lot of people hike just fine in $20 walking shoes) and the "upfront" cost isn't bad. Food, again carefully studied, can be inexpensive without being tasteless (you can buy Lipton/Knorr noodles with sauce, or you can make your own at about 1/3 the cost). You can use online guides instead of buying them, and print pages at your library for free or minimal cost.

Third, there are some limited ways to save money on food or off-trail shelter. Hiker boxes exist in a lot of hostels, post offices and outfitters, where you can find food items and some gear, particularly in the first few hundred miles of the AT. Some hostels and occasionally a hiker-friendly motel will allow a day or so of "work for stay," although you can't always count on this. You may be able to find an odd job or two in some towns by asking at outfitters and hostels, and earn $20-$50. These, too, are rare, but sometimes happen.

Fourth, you can engage in "Yogi-ing" a little more than the recreational amount that most of us have done. This consists (to oversimplify) of chatting with "citizens" at parks or while hitching and looking at those wonderful cheeseburgers they are cooking and eating as you tell them wondrous stories about the trail. Learning to respond deftly while hitching to inquiries about "where are you staying" by allowing that you can't stay anywhere because you can't afford it can sometimes get freebies too. Don't ask...let them come to you, Boo Boo.

Lastly, you can borrow money from anyone and anything you can find. This is more respected than begging, but you need to plan to pay it back.

The amount you need isn't huge, and if you're determined, you can find a way to do it.

TW

Trailweaver
11-21-2009, 03:12
Another suggestion? Dorm room. Cheaper than "rent."

Chaco Taco
11-21-2009, 08:01
Another suggestion? Dorm room. Cheaper than "rent."
No doubt.

Get a job at an outfitter. You get a discount on gear, that will save some cash right there.

Always can just ask the parentals for the cash.

Just dont go with the wrong amount of money and stiff places that are donation. Saw it way too many times last year

Chaco Taco
11-21-2009, 08:02
There is a topic around here somewhere about how to save cash for a thru Ill try and find it. It really helped me save up for my hike!

white_russian
11-21-2009, 11:13
You know a lot of people take massive student loans out for college. I think the trail should be considered the same. Most people realistically have only a few times in their life when they can attempt a thru hike. Do you waste this opportunity just because you don't have the hard cash at the moment? Don't be afraid to use credit if you need it to make this happen, but use it wisely (ie: don't use credit for booze). If you miss this opportunity it may be 30 more years until you get to fit it in again.

JAK
11-21-2009, 12:22
A fun way to save is to practise living cheap, like you would on the trail. Walk to grocery stores and laundromats. Buy nutritious but cheap food. Buy functional but cheap clothes. Live without junk food. Cook for fun,and entertainment. Hike and bike for entertainment instead of eating and drinking and movies out. Brew your own beer, or mead or tea and coffee. Find a few like minded friends instead of going werever the mob leads you. Avoid Starbucks like the plague, regardless of your political leaning. Wear wool sweaters and hiking shorts year round, on trail or off. Eat oats. Drink tea.

zeejay
11-21-2009, 12:33
Another suggestion? Dorm room. Cheaper than "rent."

Actually, my apartment is cheaper than my university's on-campus housing.

zeejay
11-21-2009, 12:52
First, don't advertise that you are seeking "donations." A lot of people, especially on this website and also along the trail will consider that begging, and will lose respect for you.

Thanks for this. I don't mean to sound like a beggar and as I mentioned earlier, the donation button is there just in case a generous person comes through. However, now that you mention it, I shouldn't advertise the donation button at all, because that will sound like I'm begging and I'm not trying to beg. I'm not taking the button down though, because a fair amount of blogs do have donation buttons on them, but I will not advertise it.

A few semesters ago, I lived on campus which included a meal plan. My goal was to spend no money (other than for school-related items) and I succeeded. So, I do live simply and frugally. I don't have a car, I brew my own coffee and tea and beer, my mother pays for my cell phone, I cook my own food, I volunteer on a nearby vegetable farm and receive fresh veggies in return.

Thank you all for the responses.

DapperD
11-21-2009, 13:07
I'm planning on thru-hiking the AT immediately after I graduate from college in May, 2010. I've only done a small amount of research on it as of yet, but I've been 100% percent motivated to thru-hike the trail in my lifetime ever since I was young.

This summer two friends of mine and I completed a 4-day loop hike in the Smoky Mountains. We started at the Institute at Tremont, followed winding trails and streams up to Derrick's Knob shelter then to Spence Field, then back down to the Institute. The 7 mile hike between the two shelters along the AT I hiked alone, leaving my pals behind to dry their stuff out. All in all, it was a fantastic experience and motivated me to really begin thinking about hiking the trail as soon as I get the chance.

The only thing is, right now I don't have much money. I've read some articles on here explaining how to save money and hike inexpensively.

does anyone have any tips on fundraising for the trail?

I did start a website in hopes to raise some extra cash and describe my AT research and experience. I read the one book "A Walk for Sunshine" by Jeff Alt where he walks the AT to raise money for the group home where his brother, who has cerebral palsey, resides. I can't remember if he had other's contribute to his personal overall expenses or wether he paid for them himself. However, in your situation, you aren't really saying you are hiking for a cause such as this, you are saying you plan to offer a web site describing your overall experience in return for people contributing donations for your hiking expenses. Problem with this is, myself and everyone else can just go to a site like Trailjournals to read hundreds of different long distance hiker journals for free. I think, as other's have said, that if you plan to Thru-Hike the AT or any other long trail, you need to finance it yourself. Wether you have the overall funds to do it comfortably, or wether you need to tap a line of credit if possible and practical, or wether you need to borrow some from friends and family, or just to know you can and have it in reserve(very important), then this is what you need to do. If none of this is possible, then don't go. Simple as that. Or go and do not plan to hike the whole trail, plan to do what you can till your money is gone. There have been discussions on Whiteblaze of people attempting to do the trail with inadequate funds, who attempt to "bum their way up the trail" so to speak. Other hiker's, trail businesses and establishments, shuttle driver's, etc...continue to be frustrated and miffed by people who, with inadequate funding, attempt to receive things in exchange for nothing. People don't go out and buy cars, etc...with no way to pay for them. If they do, then the vehicles get repossesed. Simple as that. Get yourself some way to make your own money for your trip, then go.

zeejay
11-21-2009, 13:23
I read the one book "A Walk for Sunshine" by Jeff Alt where he walks the AT to raise money for the group home where his brother, who has cerebral palsey, resides. I can't remember if he had other's contribute to his personal overall expenses or wether he paid for them himself. However, in your situation, you aren't really saying you are hiking for a cause such as this, you are saying you plan to offer a web site describing your overall experience in return for people contributing donations for your hiking expenses. Problem with this is, myself and everyone else can just go to a site like Trailjournals to read hundreds of different long distance hiker journals for free. I think, as other's have said, that if you plan to Thru-Hike the AT or any other long trail, you need to finance it yourself. Wether you have the overall funds to do it comfortably, or wether you need to tap a line of credit if possible and practical, or wether you need to borrow some from friends and family, or just to know you can and have it in reserve(very important), then this is what you need to do. If none of this is possible, then don't go. Simple as that. Or go and do not plan to hike the whole trail, plan to do what you can till your money is gone. There have been discussions on Whiteblaze of people attempting to do the trail with inadequate funds, who attempt to "bum their way up the trail" so to speak. Other hiker's, trail businesses and establishments, shuttle driver's, etc...continue to be frustrated and miffed by people who, with inadequate funding, attempt to receive things in exchange for nothing. People don't go out and buy cars, etc...with no way to pay for them. If they do, then the vehicles get repossesed. Simple as that. Get yourself some way to make your own money for your trip, then go.

Yes yes. I understand what you're saying. I shouldn't have advertised donations. Thinking it through, it was a poor decision to do so. I did not mean to look like a beggar nor come across as a freeloader. Thanks for the criticism.

The book you mentioned sounds interesting.

sbhikes
11-21-2009, 22:57
Thanks for the responses. I do have a job right now, but it's not a lot of money and only covers basic rent and food costs. Other than that, my schedule is crammed with schoolwork.

Maybe you should plan to hike the year after college. There is no reason to plunge into a cubicle jail cell immediately after graduation. Look for a decent job or two, figure out a way to not pay so much for rent and food, and then save like mad.

Then go hiking.

Then imprison yourself in the matrix.

Good luck.

futureatwalker
11-22-2009, 15:55
OK, assume for the sake of arguement that you will take 5 month to through-hike, and spend $5,000. (Are you going northbound? If so, it will have to be close to 5 months if you are leaving mid-May).

So this is roughly 150 days, and thus about $33 a day to hike. I know that this isn't quite accurate (you'll buy your gear at the beginning; the north is more expensive than the the south according to some, etc.). But this is a motivational exercise.

To encourage you working your way out of your financial difficulties, think of it in the following way: Every time you earn and save $33 towards your trip, you've bought a day on the trail. All you need to do is start earning days!

Best of luck!

ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 16:00
Or $2.25 a mile. But it sounds better to do it by the day, more motivating. I'm doing the time off and make money thing (working two jobs, both of which I leave in FEB for the AT!!)

zeejay
11-22-2009, 18:03
I took the donation button down from the AT Plan page. There's a donation button on the side bar still, but I am in no way advertising it for the trail any longer. Thanks all for pointing that out.

futureatwalker: Great idea! I've been reading a lot about how to hike inexpensively and it seems like $5,000 is high. Saving is very important.

The Weasel
11-22-2009, 18:23
$5,000 is a bit high for a thru, especially a budget one. Good basic equipment (including used, home made - such as stoves - and careful other purchases) can be had for $500. Food for 150 days should be under $10 a day, or $1,500. Fuel and other supplies should but be about $500. A bus - usually but not always the cheapest - from Los Angeles to the Springer area and return from Bangor is about $375, and air fair can be the same or lower nationally. That totals out under $3,000, possibly down to $2,000 if you borrow equipment and are willing to hitch or use ride shares.

Yeah, it doesn't include zero days in a nice hostel or motel, big eats at restaurants, beer at Dots or a movie at the Abingdon cineplex. You don't need to hike the AT to do those, so they're not part of your budget.

So take a second job. Work 4 more hours a day and net $25 a day from it. Bank it. In 4 months you've bought yourself a thru hike.

Jack Tarlin
11-22-2009, 18:39
1. Most hikes take more than 150 days.
2. Most folks spend a lot more than $500.00 on gear. For example, if you
go thru three pairs of trail runners at $119.00 a pair, well you just spent
more than 70% of your gear budget on your shoes alone. Buy a back-
pack and this doesn't leave much for anything else. So forget about the
$500.00 gear figure, it's totally unrealistic.
3. Unless you plan a very quick or very minimalist hike (i.e simple foods,
extremely limited and disciplined town time, etc.) you should plan on
spending at least $2500.00 and probably $3500 to $4500.00 is more like it.

There's an interesting article by Weathercarrot in the "Articles" section of this website that has a lot of good money-saving ideas. The key thing is to hike fast and limit your town time, but be aware that stating this as a goal at the outset is a lot easier than actually achieving it once you're out there.

saimyoji
11-22-2009, 18:45
in response to the gear question, look up two articles by SGT ROCK:

dirtbagging
$300 challenge

The Weasel
11-22-2009, 19:12
Jack is right, but not about those who are determined to do a thru and save money.

Yes, shoes/boots can cost $120 or more, and 3 pairs can shoot a $500 budget to pieces. You can also hike long and effectively in "Three pair for $20" from the Orange County fair, wearing no-brand athletic shoes with decent treads. I'm wearing a pair right now, and they do just fine. Yes, packs can cost major money; you can also find used ones - in excellent condition -for as little as $20 on Craigslist. You can make a fine alcohol stove for a few bucks. Sleeping bags - again, from Craigslist - with down fill are seen for under $50, too. No, you won't be a fashionable gearista. But you'll be on the trail. And yes, minimizing "town time" is essential. But you're not planning a thru to spend time in towns, I hope. 150 days for trails days, too, and assumes you average about 15-20 miles a day as you get going. Yes, it may take you longer and cost for more food. Not $3,000.

Few people may try to 'cheap' a hike like this, and fewer still may be able to pull it off. That doesn't mean that those with the determination to thru the AT on a tight budget can't do it. Good luck if you do.

TW

Lilred
11-22-2009, 19:24
Only you know if you have the discipline to do a thru on a tight budget. I could never do it. $5000 would be a minimum for me, and that is after my gear is bought. I know it can be done for $2000, I just know I can't.

Jack Tarlin
11-22-2009, 19:34
20 buck Walmart sneaks might be great in Laguna Beach. I'm not sure about how long they'd hold up on the A.T.

And telling someone he'll do great and finish fast if he can manage to average 20 miles a day is kinda like my old coach who told me that "The key to successful pitching is to throw strikes."

Absolutely right. Thanks, coach.

But in retrospect, not the most helpful advice.

You can indeed find great deals on-line, but I still think it'd very tough to fully outfit for an ENTIRE thru-hike on $500.00, and I'd hate to have to do it.

Appalachian Tater
11-22-2009, 19:42
It's unrealistic to expect a young person who has never done a hike of several months to successfully thru-hike the AT on a tiny budget even if they are used to living inexpensively. I have only seen or heard of older or very-experienced hikers being able to pull it off.

Jack, have you ever seen any young, inexperienced hiker do it?

Jack Tarlin
11-22-2009, 19:51
Yes, but the finished only by becoming scroungers, moochers, and pretty pitiful figures. Living off of hiker boxes or the sympathy of others is a lousy way to traverse the trip of a lifetime.

Oh, and most of them didn't finish. Tenting in the rain by the road while all your friends are having beer and pizza in the motel gets real tired after awhile.

Appalachian Tater
11-22-2009, 19:55
Yes, but the finished only by becoming scroungers, moochers, and pretty pitiful figures. Living off of hiker boxes or the sympathy of others is a lousy way to traverse the trip of a lifetime.

Oh, and most of them didn't finish. Tenting in the rain by the road while all your friends are having beer and pizza in the motel gets real tired after awhile.

That's what I meant, did any of them actually finish the entire trail on a budget that was the equivalent of say, $2,500 today? The ones I knew had a lot of fun but had to quit.

If I had less than $4,000 I wouldn't expect to finish the entire trail but I might start out and see how far it would get me. By the time you hit Virginia you would probably have an idea of whether or not you would be able to finish with the amount of money you have barring any problems like illness or a stolen pack.

ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 20:34
I'll have 7,000 on my debit card, and I'm hoping not to spend more than 5,000-5,500. (And I have all gear, and all food for the first month and two weeks, and my train ticket) But I'm planning to have fun, and if I need it, I'ma gonna stay at an Inn!!! (A real one, I mean)

whitelightning
11-22-2009, 20:41
When I graduated college I was in the same boat you are about to be in. I wanted to thruhike but could not afford it at the time. So I did what several others have suggested in this thread: I worked and saved.

If you're living like a "poor college student" now, you can probably do so for another year or however long it takes you to save the money you need. (for me it was about a year) Once I got a good paying job, I continued to live as cheap as I could. I also worked for an outfitter while I was in school which helped on gear purchases. I resisted getting a nicer apartment, didn't go out as often, etc. to save as much as I could. I was able to but the gear I wanted (not necesisarily needed) and had enough money to have an awesome thruhike with few worries.

I spent about $6500 while I was on trail total. This did not include the gear I started with. It did include replacement gear, most of which was footwear. It also included student loan payments and rent for a small storage unit while I was hiking. So the $5000 many are quoting is pretty accurate + any off trail expenses you may have to make. Overall, I still was pretty frugal while hiking but still had my fill of beer, burgers, pizza, and buffets when I had the chance. I used the advice in the articles on this site, and most of it was right on. So good luck!

ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 20:48
Wait, how much of that was for non trail stuff, like student loans and storage?

saimyoji
11-22-2009, 21:04
in response to the gear question, look up two articles by SGT ROCK:

dirtbagging
$300 challenge


few people respect other's hiking knowledge around here anymore....but this guy remains untainted. hiking on the cheap is doable. both of these links are from SGT ROCK.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5594&highlight=dirtbagging

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=206678#post206678

as jack mentioned there's this one by weathercarrot, nearly forgotten around here.....

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2822&highlight=weathercarrot

Blissful
11-22-2009, 21:47
We did it on 4,000 a person not including gear. But we wanted to have fun in town, too. And get a motel room now and then.

A-Train
11-22-2009, 22:02
Just dont go with the wrong amount of money and stiff places that are donation. Saw it way too many times last year


Great point. There is a lot of good info on WB to direct hikers how to save money before and ON the trail. But, don't have cheating hostels/trail angels as a method to saving money. I would budget $15-20 per night at a hostel if they are donation, and some extra to offer people for shuttles/rides, etc.

ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 22:13
A-Train, good point. I know of several people who've met up with serious moochers and cheaters. Like those people who go into a hostel and say "I'll leave the donation tomorrow, I have to go to the ATM", then beast out early in the AM.

And Blissful- that's exactly what I'm hoping for.

ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 22:14
To spend enough to have a good time, but no go incredibly broke!!!

Rockhound
11-22-2009, 23:12
cyber panhandling. wonderful. here's an idea. how about getting a job and earning money for your hike. I know it seems strange but a lot of people do it. not me but a lot of people.

The Weasel
11-23-2009, 00:16
I suppose it depends on what your purpose in the trip is.

There is nothing wrong with spending $5,000 on a 5 to 7 month hiking trip. Not even if much of that - probably about half - goes for non-hiking things like beer, restaurants, hostels and hotels. That's cool. It's part of HYOH.

But despite Jack's somewhat elitist approach, my shoes - they're not from Walmart; those are more expensive than necessary; these are from the "3 pairs for $20 booth" at the county fair - have walked up steep rocky mountain trails as rough as anything on the AT, and back down, just like my $170 hiking shoes did, witout blisters and with comfort (especially with new insoles, which my Montrails needed, too). The Jansport backpack I got at a garage sale for $3 was rebuilt by Jansport (I thanked the founder of Jansport at the LA Book Fair a couple of years ago) under their lifetime warranty. I buy pasta in bulk at Costco, and repackage it with my own dry sauce mixes and protein for about 50 cents a meal. None of this is complex. All of it cuts costs. Some are like me; others aren't. But it's doable.

Hiker boxes are there for people, too. Not to "steal" or "mooch" (although Yogi-ing is a delightful art) but for those who need a hand. Other ways of keeping costs down are possible, and many of the ways on Rock's site are good ones too.

For all the fact that someone might find greater creature comforts with more money, the OP's approach was, "I don't have much; can I do it?" And, without resorting to the begging for donations that is now minimized, I'd like to see more of us help him accomplish that. Yes, I think $3,000 is a realistic number for people who are willing to let towns be mere resupply locations and not "destinations," and $2,000 is not impossible for those who read a lot here and take advice carefully. Much as with ultralighting, more is possible than people sometimes realized, but it is not an end in itself.

It can be done, and I hope others help show people how.

TW

zeejay
11-23-2009, 02:43
For all the fact that someone might find greater creature comforts with more money, the OP's approach was, "I don't have much; can I do it?" And, without resorting to the begging for donations that is now minimized, I'd like to see more of us help him accomplish that. Yes, I think $3,000 is a realistic number for people who are willing to let towns be mere resupply locations and not "destinations," and $2,000 is not impossible for those who read a lot here and take advice carefully. Much as with ultralighting, more is possible than people sometimes realized, but it is not an end in itself.

It can be done, and I hope others help show people how.

Great points here! It being my first thru-hike it will be more difficult for me to spend only $2-3,000, but I agree with you that it is doable based on feedback from this post and the experience of others. In a previous post I was mentioning that I live very simply right now. I spend very little money, don't own a TV or a car, cook my own food, rarely eat out, etc. So I don't think I'd "waste" money on beer or pizza or motels much, although maybe some corn whiskey.

ShelterLeopard
11-23-2009, 10:07
You be careful with that homeade stuff!

whitelightning
11-23-2009, 15:43
Wait, how much of that was for non trail stuff, like student loans and storage?


roughly $1500. My student loans were $165/mo. and a 5x10 storage unit was $75/mo. I spent a little over 6 months on trail. those were my only off trail expenses.

Jack Tarlin
11-23-2009, 17:03
Gee, Weasel, sorry you don't like my approach.

I thought I was being a realist. You call it "elitist."

Tell you what, since you're so hellbent on being the expert voice here.

Tell us how much you spent on YOUR thru-hike. Give us the ammount.

Oh, what's that? You can't provide us with that figure?

Gee, why's that??

I just love the fact that people who haven't come close to doing something are full of information on how to do it and how it can be done.....but God forbid you should point this out to them.....then you're an elitist.

ShelterLeopard
11-23-2009, 19:04
roughly $1500. My student loans were $165/mo. and a 5x10 storage unit was $75/mo. I spent a little over 6 months on trail. those were my only off trail expenses.

Okay- got it, thought you had spent that on trail stuff (breathes sigh of relief). I know the cost of a thru is different for everyone, and I doubt I'll spend less than $5,000, probably more. After all, I do want to stay in an Inn or too. Bu I also really want to zero in the woods. Didn't realize how much I love that idea.

ShelterLeopard
11-23-2009, 19:04
Not counting the gear I have now or my train ticket.

sbhikes
11-23-2009, 22:12
I'm not sure I understand what is so awful about seeking donations for the hike. Probably nobody will give him one, but what if someone does? Why not just outright ask? The worst thing that will happen is everybody will say no.

You might also put a bunch of google ads and amazon affiliate and whatever ads on your web site. You might make an extra $100 before or during the trip. That could help.

Try getting some craigslist gigs in your spare time. You can make a few bucks here and there. You could do physical labor if you don't know how to do anything else and you might actually stay in shape a little bit.

Lostone
11-23-2009, 23:24
Plasma donation $40 per week. $160 a month.

So how long before you leave??????

Fed the family on occasion doing it.

zeejay
11-23-2009, 23:45
Lostone: I want to plan on leaving after college. Mid May 2010

The Weasel
11-24-2009, 00:13
Jack doesn't like it when someone doesn't fully agree with him. That's too bad, but Jack has good opinions; there's no requirement, though, that they be accepted as Gospel. Nor mine.

I sort of regret not being able to answer Jack's question when he asked it and then said, "You can't answer?" Yes, I can.

I was on the trail from April to the end of June, 2000 or about 90 days, before I had to stop, although I've done sections since. During that time, I kept fairly good records of my expenses. Food cost me about $3.50 a day, or about $350, most of it pre-prepared from home and sent in 10-day mail drops, with postage of about $120, which made food about a $5/day thing. I had four "medical stops" that totaled 7 days of hostels $5/day thingmotels (Helen, GA; Blueberry Patch; Hot Springs; Uncle Johnny's), mostly relating to the hernia repair I had before the trail but also the tendinitis that took me off (itself a spinoff of 'walking funny' from the hernia repair problem) Those added about another $250, which I don't consider "trail expenses" since hernia repair complications aren't something routinely budgeted for. "Budgeted" hostels included Elmer's, Mountain Moma's, The Place for about $50. I flew to Atlanta (about $100) and rode the Dog home (about $80.) Most times in towns I cooked my own food. Other supplies, including fuel, TP, and other things were about $100. I had all the gear I needed, but I would amortize the use of it to be maybe another $100, since I take pretty good care of my stuff and most of it lasts for years, if not decades.

Overall, my expense for getting to Springer and returning to Michigan, walking and eating, was about $1,200, with about $1,000 of that for the trail itself. Had my ankles cooperated, 90 days would have put me around Harpers Ferry or beyond. My overall budget was $2,500, and I think I kept to it while not suffering a lot. I could have cut it a bit more, but that's OK.

Others can spend more and still be frugal, and others can spend less be luxurious. I'm not an "expert," even after 50 years of backpacking and arranging about 100 group trips for Scouts, including a couple dozen long ones, and an equal number for myself. I don't think there is such a thing as an "expert" unless you're talking about people like Colin Fletcher or Ray Jardine, and I'll never be in their class, although maybe some of you who read this are. But there IS "experience", and what works for me sometimes might work for others. Or not. No hard feelings for those who don't agree.

The Weasel

Tin Man
11-24-2009, 00:26
When saving for vacation, be sure your budget is right and don't go until your savings equal your budget plus a cushion. If you can't afford your vacation this year, next year will come around quicker than you think. No sense going on vacation if you can't enjoy it proper. :cool:

Red Beard
11-24-2009, 00:46
Is it realistic to not stay in a motel/hostel for the entire thru, or at least keep it to a very low minimum (say 5 or 6)? I have an emergency fund ready, but assuming I don't eat into that, is it realistic to think I can thru on 3K?

The Weasel
11-24-2009, 11:44
Whether $3k is being frugal or profligate depends on how you've budgeted it, in detail.

A few hostels are enjoyable - Elmer's comes to mind, although that's not really a hostel - but most motels aren't all that great. If you need the break from hiking, then you need to budget them for breaks. But they interfere with trail rhythms, so you might want to minimize them, too.

Do a budget, and be precise about it. Maybe post it here, and ask for comments on how to cut some of the out-of-pocket cost. Think about how much of the 'expensive' things you really need, and do the same thing budgeting that you would do as an ultralighter with gear: Eliminate very dollar. Do you really need a guidebook? Probably not. Data book? Maybe not. Maps? No. Can you save $20 by taking an extra day to get to Georgia by bus? Do you need $100 hiking shoes, or can you do a "Granny Gatewood" in sneakers that cost $10? Whatever you're spending, look at the altnernatives, and decide if something is essential. Then after you do that, honestly ask yourself if you can live a budget?

Yes, I think it's possible to do it for $3k or less. Others disagree. Listen to all, and make your own decision.

TW

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 11:46
Is it realistic to not stay in a motel/hostel for the entire thru, or at least keep it to a very low minimum (say 5 or 6)? I have an emergency fund ready, but assuming I don't eat into that, is it realistic to think I can thru on 3K?

Red Beard- some people almost never stay in hostels. If you want to save money, or spend time alone, or even with people, zero in the woods. Spend your zero day camped and sleeping, or whatnot. And when going into towns, nero. Camp near town the night before (but not too near), do your jazz but don't hang out way too long, or it'll be hard to get out, then head out and camp outside of town again. Not impossible at all. On the other hand, you may really want to sleep in a completely dry building on a rainy night and let your gear dry out for real. But, to each his own.

I plan to stay at hostels when I need to, and even a couple real Inns/ B & Bs, but I also plan to do a lots of Neros and Zeros in the woods. But, who know what I'll really want to do after a month or two in the woods???

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 11:52
And I think Weasel is very right- you can do a less expensive thru if you want- and it means putting your priorities in order. For instance, if you expect to go into towns and get tons of restaurant food, beer, and smoke cigarettes every day, and stay at hostels and B & B's, and basically make a party out of it, you'll be empty handed very fast.

But, you can still have a couple of those things occasionally.

jersey joe
11-24-2009, 12:07
Is it realistic to not stay in a motel/hostel for the entire thru, or at least keep it to a very low minimum (say 5 or 6)? I have an emergency fund ready, but assuming I don't eat into that, is it realistic to think I can thru on 3K?
Absolutely. Hike into towns, get done what you need to, and hike out...

Slo-go'en
11-24-2009, 12:27
Is it realistic to not stay in a motel/hostel for the entire thru, or at least keep it to a very low minimum (say 5 or 6)? I have an emergency fund ready, but assuming I don't eat into that, is it realistic to think I can thru on 3K?

The shower, laundry and ride to town for resupply makes staying at most hostles well worth the small amount they charge. Makes life much easier.

The killer is farther up north, where there are fewer hostles and motels cost a lot. Spending $50 or more to get a shower, which feels like it never happened 5 minutes into the trail the next day, seems a little much.

JokerJersey
11-24-2009, 13:04
The shower, laundry and ride to town for resupply makes staying at most hostles well worth the small amount they charge. Makes life much easier.

The killer is farther up north, where there are fewer hostles and motels cost a lot. Spending $50 or more to get a shower, which feels like it never happened 5 minutes into the trail the next day, seems a little much.

I don't understand how someone would want to spend $50 for a shower. Something like that absolutely boggles the mind.

Carry baby wipes. Strip down at the end of the night and clean yourself. I went almost 2 months without a "real" shower when I was deployed to Iraq. That's why every care package we got came with Wet Wipes in them. If your sons, daughters, brothers, and friends can do it and your real plan is to do it on the cheap....you can do it too.

Enough soap-box...moving on.

I have $4k in a savings account for my thru. I have most of my gear purchased. I plan on realistically spending $3k in my 6-months. Do I plan on "roughing it"? Hell yes. Have I already prepared for it by experiencing it at least once? Hell yes.

I think the last part is the most important thing and the only piece of advice I will give since I haven't ever done a thru-hike. Prepare yourself ahead of time by simulating what you plan to do. Eat cheap. Dehydrate your meals yourself. Go hiking for 10 days and don't stop anywhere to shower or resupply. It's hard and sometimes it sucks, but because of it, I feel more confident in my ability to judge my own limits.

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 13:18
I don't understand how someone would want to spend $50 for a shower. Something like that absolutely boggles the mind.

I think the last part is the most important thing and the only piece of advice I will give since I haven't ever done a thru-hike. Prepare yourself ahead of time by simulating what you plan to do. Eat cheap. Dehydrate your meals yourself. Go hiking for 10 days and don't stop anywhere to shower or resupply. It's hard and sometimes it sucks, but because of it, I feel more confident in my ability to judge my own limits.

Don't forget that the $50 shower is accompanied by a bed and dry place, and often food. (Unless you actually know someone who spent $50 on a shower- wow.)

Some people like to have a night back in civilization.

And don't forget, most of us are typing from office chairs or our homes, and we're in the "fluffy bed, nice shower" mindset. :D

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 13:21
And the shakedown is a very good idea- I tell everyone to do that as well. But don't forget, ten days is not the same as ten weeks. After ten weeks, you'll be MUCH hungrier than ten days. (But, a long shakedown is the best option, of course- I'm not saying do a thru to prepare for a thru. Just saying that things will change, inlcuding what you want and what you can do and what your body wants.)

Rockhound
11-24-2009, 13:54
I'm not sure I understand what is so awful about seeking donations for the hike. Probably nobody will give him one, but what if someone does? Why not just outright ask? The worst thing that will happen is everybody will say no.

You might also put a bunch of google ads and amazon affiliate and whatever ads on your web site. You might make an extra $100 before or during the trip. That could help.

Try getting some craigslist gigs in your spare time. You can make a few bucks here and there. You could do physical labor if you don't know how to do anything else and you might actually stay in shape a little bit.
It's called begging. If one has no character or self esteem I guess it's fine.

weary
11-24-2009, 15:33
I'm a little reluctant to comment, since I didn't keep any record of what I spent 17 years ago. I do think that totally skipping town stops and meals is unrealistic, especially for a young person.

Weasel is right though. My biggest savings came from knowing how to cook and eat generic pasta, oatmeal, and rice. The convenient forms of these basics are three and four times the costs of generics -- and no more tasty providing you know how and when to add a bit of spice, sugar, and lots of salt and pepper.

To minimize town visits, I basically resupplied every six days, usually from stuff I prepacked at home from 20 pound bags of rice (still available for 79 cents per pound), the biggest containers of store brand oatmeal I could find (around a dollar a pound on sale), and playing the sales and coupons for pasta. (I used to pay no more than 3#/dollar for spaghetti and such; now it's more like 60 cents/pound.) I also splurged on generic bouillon cubes.

But still a bargain. I defy even the hungriest thru hiker to eat more than three pounds a day of such fodder (think $5 including postage.) In towns I would seek out all you can eat salad places -- especially if they also have cheap pizza. Such places tend to make their money by selling beer. I quaffed a few such. But I always tried to have a can or two of cheap beer from a supermarket before eating to reduce the temptation.

Weary

The Weasel
11-24-2009, 15:44
To add, a bit, to Weary's post:

Food-by-mail, also known as "mail drops" by US Post Office, is very cost effective: 20# can be mailed from around the eastern half of the country for about $15 (I just looked), or 75 cents/lb. This means your food can be ready for you as you open the box, without further mixing or packing, and it's what you wanted, not what was available at the Piggly-Wiggly. You can start with large quantities of basics, saving further. This doesn't have to mean monotony, if you change your basic recipes around, since there are a variety of kinds of rice, a huge variety in pastas, and a significant number of other carb-basics such as cous-cous and so on. You can make and/or obtain a variety of protein sources (such as drying hamburger, beans, and others) also in quantity, in advance. Food is probably the largest budget item, and spending a couple of months assembling a series of mail drop boxes makes huge financial sense.

TW

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 15:53
Besides, it is very exciting to pack maildrops- it'll put you in the mood to hike! (Well, that's how it is with me, anyway.)

The Weasel
11-24-2009, 15:56
Although it is not directly on-topic, I reduced the cost of postage significantly by carrying several of my 'drops' with me when I travelled to ATL, and mailed them from there. My son picked up others when he went up to Michigan from Durham, NC, and mailed them when he got home. Since USPS parcel post depends on distance for a large part of the postage, this can help, if you can make similar arrangements.

TW

Jack Tarlin
11-24-2009, 16:16
I have to disagree with the comment that sending food by mail is "very cost effective".

First of all, even at discount postage rates, you're spending at least a copuple hundred dollars just to mail yourself food.

And guess what? There are actually a zillion places out there to buy food; it's not hard. So even if you befriend your local supermarket manager, clip coupons, buy on sale, etc., there's still no percentage in buying stuff en mass or in bulk ahead of time and mailing it to yourself. Believe it or not, they have peanut butter and Liptons and Pop Tarts in places like Tennessee. We're not talking th Amazon basin, folks. 99% of the stuff people habitually mail themselves is very easily obtainable while en route.

Another thing to remember is that in the beginning (i.e the first 400 miles or so) people tend to WAY overpack their maildrops as they don't understand their actual needs and they have this inner terror about running outta food in the middle of nowhere. That's why you see absolutely gigundous maildrops in places like the NOC or Fontana, or worse, in places like Hiawassee or Franklin, that have perfectly good supermarkets.

And what do people do when they end up in a placelike this with a 20 pound box that contains enough food for a week even tho they only need three days to get to next re-supply point?

They haul it along, , needlessly, and curse their food bags. Or they dump it/give it away, wasting money twice, i.e. the money spent buying the stuff in the first place, or the money spent mailing it. Or the "send it ahead", i.e. they pay to mail it to themselves TWICE.

So sorry, been there, done that. Unless you plan WAY ahead and do some serious cooking/dehydrating, etc., food by mail is NOT wise or cost effective.

You end spending a lot of money to mail yourself stuff you don't need or more
likely, don't wanna eat any more. Good Lord, it's the 24th of November.

Tell me, right now, do you know what you wanna have for dinner on the 3rd of March?

Then why on earth pack up stuff in the wintertime that you won't be eating or needing til September?

So, no, buying food ahead of time and assembling a whole to of food parcels does NOT make huge financial sense and there are very few people who have actually thru-hiked that would advocate doing this anymore.

It kind of fell out of favor more than a decade ago. Most folks are much happier to buy as they go, for all sorts of reasons.

A-Train
11-24-2009, 16:19
There are several places one can get a shower for a small fee and continue on, without spending the night or lots of money up north. Off the top of my head: DWG chuch hostel, Mohican, possibly Unionville, Church hostel in Vernon, Fahnstock Park, Graymoor had one at one point, Falls Village outdoor shower, trail angels in Dalton, possibly Greylock, trail angel in Manchester?, 12 Tribes in Rutland, maybe the Inn at Long Trail?, Glencliff hostel and so on...

It is totally feasible to move up the trail in the north without spending much money. In fact the higher prices ironically made me spend less as I tended to avoid towns or quickly got in and out.

Jack Tarlin
11-24-2009, 16:23
A-Train.

You're right. Tho in truth, you'd be more accurate and honest if you mentioned that over the years people that "use the facilities" available like showers or laundry or whatever without actually staying there (like at Kincora,Miss Janet's), etc. generally don't leave a dime.

Sorry. Seen it too many times.

Lone Wolf
11-24-2009, 16:28
A-Train.

You're right. Tho in truth, you'd be more accurate and honest if you mentioned that over the years people that "use the facilities" available like showers or laundry or whatever without actually staying there (like at Kincora,Miss Janet's), etc. generally don't leave a dime.

Sorry. Seen it too many times.

same for The Place. showers are for those staying there, not for people to walk in off the street to use. most don't pay regardless. the last 2 months The Place was open didn't bring in enough money to pay the bills. money came from other church budgets. hikers cannot be counted on to do the right thing

A-Train
11-24-2009, 16:30
A-Train.

You're right. Tho in truth, you'd be more accurate and honest if you mentioned that over the years people that "use the facilities" available like showers or laundry or whatever without actually staying there (like at Kincora,Miss Janet's), etc. generally don't leave a dime.

Sorry. Seen it too many times.

I wasn't really making a judgement about how many pay or don't pay. Though I agree with you that many stiff proprietors, I was simply stating that dozens of free or affordable (for all) showers are available along the northern AT corridor.

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 16:51
And look up any free hostels. Like the "Jail" Hostel in Palmerton, PA- is free, dry, clean, safe (under a police station/municipal building) and has a shower that will get you cleaner than you've ever been. And if you cook your own food (and even splurge and have breakfast at the diner, Bert's, you can get out of town without spending much at all.)

PS- With places like churches or Rusty's hostel, or anywhere that is not the basement of a town municipal building, you should definitely leave a donation.

Lone Wolf
11-24-2009, 21:11
rusty has a fee

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 21:12
Really? I thought it was "donations gratefully accepted" or something. Well, I would've paid him either way.

Lone Wolf
11-24-2009, 21:17
Really? I thought it was "donations gratefully accepted" or something. Well, I would've paid him either way.

he and his place are flighty. buyer beware

ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 22:37
His place wasn't really on my "list", but then again, no place is, really. I don't decide to go somewhere until I see it, and see what my mood is when I'm near.

The Weasel
11-24-2009, 23:42
More on mailing food:

There are multiple opinions on mailing food. But for the person who is very careful and very planning oriented, it can be done and save a lot of money. The principal is the same whether one is hiking 500 miles or 2200: Plan the hike, and then hike the plan.

First, mail drops with much food doesn't make sense if you're not scrimping. Most food items are available along the trail. But if you want some hamburger in your noodles/rice, you can't dry it in Hiawassee. Make it at home, and mail it. Other things that can be bought in large quantities make sense, such as pasta, rice, cheese powder, hard cheese to grind, powdered milk, and other staples can be bought far cheaper at large stores that are rarely close to the trail. All of those can be found at "normal" groceries. The volume price can be cheaper from the Costcos, the Smart&Finals, and the like. Then find the cheapest way to mail.

This is not a panacea. But if you are on a phenomenally tight budget, saving $50 or $100 can make a difference. If that doesn't matter to you - and it doesn't, to most people, which is just fine - no problem. But people who are very restricted (the OP calls this a "financial dilemma") may want to give it a shot.

TW

Jack Tarlin
11-24-2009, 23:49
Quite right.

When you're dealing with a tight budget, every little bit counts.

For example, on my last thru-hike I figured I saved close to $200.00 on postage alone, by not mailing myself food. Additional savings came from not ever having to deal with extra or un-needed food; I didn't have to create food drops out of extra stuff and "bump it ahead"; nor did I have to deal with food that I'd grown tired of......if you buy stuff for the trip in the wintertime, all too often, by Augst or September (or maybe long before), you're totally sick of it, but stuck with it.

For all these reasons and more, I think most folks do better by buying as they go for most of their provisions.

Appalachian Tater
11-25-2009, 01:52
Postage has gone up a LOT in the last few years. The flat rate priority mail boxes are $10.35 for the medium and $13.95 for the large. Most of the time 5-7 days' resupply cost me somewhere between $25 and $35 dollars. At least half the time, the grocery stores on the trail were cheaper than the ones when I live. Unless someone is on a special diet such as gluten-free, I do not see how it could possibly be better to do maildrops than to resupply along the trail. Lots of people stop their maildrops and even bounce boxes but few decide to use them after they start.

Also, you are hiking three seasons, almost four if you start early. The food that will appeal to you will change and your body requirements may change as well. What I ate during the summer in the heat was almost completely different from what I started out eating. Bagels in the summer? For me that was like eating playdough. Peanut butter cups? Fat chance carrying those in 90 degree weather unless you like chewing on the foil wrapper. You may crave salty foods in the heat and fatty or sweet foods in the colder weather. If it is 40 degrees you may want a couple of packs of hot ramen soup for lunch in a shelter and when it is hot and there are lots of biting insects you may not even stop and just eat gorp and bars.

But thanks to all the people with maildrops, I got a LOT of food out of hiker boxes. The headquarters in Harper's Ferry had cases and cases of ramen, whatever flavor you wanted. Spam singles, freeze-dried meals, dried fruit, oatmeal packs, batteries, razors, soap. I NEVER bought oatmeal or razors or chapstick and rarely bought ramen, the hiker boxes are full of it up and down the trail. All those baggies of bulk stuff like oatmeal, rice, lentils, mystery mixes, don't bother to put it in the hiker box when you get your maildrop, nobody takes it out except to dump in the garbage after it leaks everywhere and attracts roaches.

Also, a couple of months into a thru-hike, food can become an irresistible obsession and of prime importance. Would I ever have imagined that I was capable of eating a large pizza, a chef salad, and a huge hamburger with large fires for one meal? With a pitcher of soda? And then have a pint of ice cream and a half gallon of orange juice an hour later? And still wake up at 2 am too hungry to go back to sleep without eating some poptarts first? My body needed all of that at one evening and it wasn't cheap. Not going into town to eat just wasn't a reasonable option because I couldn't eat enough on the trail.

Technically The Weasel is right in that it is possible to thru-hike on a very small budget if you don't spend any money on unnecessary items and don't spend much in restaurants. However, it is unreasonable to expect to do so if you have never done a long-distance hike where that hunger kicks in and you've lost 30 pounds. Especially people in their teens and twenties would have a difficult time with it.

Weary and Jack are giving good advice in saying that it is not realistic for a young, new long-distance hiker to thru-hike on an ultra-tight budget. If you start out with 2,000 you'll probably finish in Harper's Ferry.

stranger
11-25-2009, 04:46
I remember hiking back in 1995 when maildrops were quite common and remember thinking - this is really a poor system.

Think about it... You are going into a supermarket in your home town and buying food for the trail, then mailing it to yourself in another town, that 80% of the time will have a perfectly good place to buy food...why the extra step?

You are purchasing food ahead of time, you tastes WILL change, and worst of all most people send drops to PO's - which means having to arrive into town during the week, or atleast very early on Saturday.

I do see a need for maildrops at times, but they can be done while hiking. A maildrop at Fontana Dam is a good idea, but just send food from Hiawasee, why send it a month prior?

In terms of saving money, if you are so tight that saving $100 by sending or not sending food is going to make the difference, you're probably going to run out of money anyway, so it really won't matter in the long run anyhow.

And yes...there are always the exceptions

JoshStover
11-25-2009, 06:21
I totally agree with Jack about mailing food. I plan to have 3 maybe 4 drops. Im sure I will have a few food items in these drops but Id say 90% of my food will be bought while on the trail...

Tagless
11-25-2009, 09:51
You know a lot of people take massive student loans out for college. I think the trail should be considered the same. Most people realistically have only a few times in their life when they can attempt a thru hike. Do you waste this opportunity just because you don't have the hard cash at the moment? Don't be afraid to use credit if you need it to make this happen, but use it wisely (ie: don't use credit for booze). If you miss this opportunity it may be 30 more years until you get to fit it in again.

Unfortunately, my wife and I didn't realize the overall impact of living debt free until we neared our retirement years. Here are some numbers to illustrate this point.

Plan A - Fund your hike using a 18.9 APR (probably low the way things are going) credit card. Borrow a modest $3500. Making minimum payments of $140 after your hike, you are looking at a 11.8 years payoff - adding $2181 to the cost of your hike. That assumes no late payments, penalties, etc.

Plan B - Implement some of the great ideas on previous posts to save what you need in advance. After your hike invest $140 per month in a mutual fund for 11 years. At a modest overall 5% return you've earned $24,916.

Avoiding the use of credit to fulfill immediate gratification sure makes a big difference!

Skyline
11-25-2009, 10:37
The goal is a thru-hike, and if you can do it on a tight, tight budget more power to you. Most can't. The few I've known who could were hard core hikers with lots of experience. YMMV.

But let's say you get to departure day and you've only got $2,000 or even closer to $3,000. You don't have to suffer. Just plan for a half-the-AT long section hike. You won't have to pinch pennies and you can come back one or more times and finish the Trail the same way. For most, this would be more fun once they get that notion of calling themselves a thru-hiker out of their heads. Again, YMMV.

You may have to make a compromise somewhere in your life to get three more months later on, or split the second half into multi-year trips. But the majority of folks on the Trail any given year are section hikers—not thru-hikers—so they are proof it can be done.

ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 11:18
These more recent posts about maildrops are all why I recommend doing what I am doing: send yourself maildrops for the first month (and maybe one or two difficult resupply area, if need be), because the first month (at least the first couple weeks) the "hiker hunger" will not have kicked in yet, and it will give you time to get into the swing of trail life and towns, by the end of that month, you'll know exactly how much of everything you need and what you crave, and you can resupply at a grocery.

And it makes me feel like vomiting to spend so much money on maildrops- I just have a huge amount of stamps to burn, so that makes me feel a bit better.

By the way, if you still plan to do the trail on "the cheap" don't let others convince you out of it, but don't go with unrealistic expecations- limit yourself. And whatever you do, don't mooch!!! Or borrow money and not pay it back. That's a way to lose friends fast.

ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 11:24
By the way, someone will suggest this to you (probably not from whiteblaze), and I do not suggest it, and I'll say why. Some people "hike for a cause", and ask people to donate a penny a mile or something like that, and just fyi- if you take hiking expenses out of that, they're be no money to give to your cause, and you will feel beholden to the people who donated and want their donations back if you go off trail.

PS- Some people are just stupid- I know one guy who didn't care about the cause at all, and just wanted money, and said he was going to hike for "Cebral Paulsy". Dude, do you mean Cerebral Palsy?

jersey joe
11-25-2009, 12:42
[quote=Skyline;924723]But let's say you get to departure day and you've only got $2,000 or even closer to $3,000. You don't have to suffer./quote]
I can't imagine suffering while spending 3k on a thru hike. Unless you consider sleeping in the woods or going a week without a shower in a hotel room suffering.

XCskiNYC
11-25-2009, 12:49
...

The only thing is, right now I don't have much money. I've read some articles on here explaining how to save money and hike inexpensively.

does anyone have any tips on fundraising for the trail?

I did start a website in hopes to raise some extra cash and describe my AT research and experience.


You could approach area residents and offer to send them a private newsletter giving updates of your hike in exchange for them either making a contribution before the hike or perhaps a few regularly spaced donations as the hike continues and as they see that you follow through on the update thing.

To make it more compelling you might want to donate some of the money toward a good cause, especially one that's of interest to the folks you contact.

You might contact an area outfitter, especially one that's not part of a chain, and see if they might not donate at least some equipment in exchange for you mentioning them and allowing them to use your image for promotional purposes. They'll probably say no but you never know. And every retail business always has some merchandise that's been sitting on the shelves for ever and, in truth, they'd probably pay you to haul it away.

I'm not sure what area you are in but you may be in competition with the blind girl in raising money:cool:.

zeejay
11-25-2009, 13:02
More on mailing food:

This is not a panacea. But if you are on a phenomenally tight budget, saving $50 or $100 can make a difference. If that doesn't matter to you - and it doesn't, to most people, which is just fine - no problem. But people who are very restricted (the OP calls this a "financial dilemma") may want to give it a shot.

What's OP stand for?

And the topic of whether to send yourself mail-drops or not seems like it could go either way. I like the comments saying that thru-hikers, especially newbies, should send themselves mail-drops, but only a few. I'll probably plan to send a few in the beginning like ShelterLeopard is saying.


By the way, if you still plan to do the trail on "the cheap" don't let others convince you out of it, but don't go with unrealistic expecations- limit yourself. And whatever you do, don't mooch!!! Or borrow money and not pay it back. That's a way to lose friends fast.

I try to never take without also giving. I like idea of "yogi-ing" as suggested earlier. And yes I do plan on hiking cheaply because I live cheaply right now. I don't smoke cigarettes, I dry my own smokable herbs. I eat rice and oats and drink looseleaf tea nearly everyday. My housemates are super generous and yogi me their leftover pizza slices and pasta very often. I only shop at thrift stores for clothes unless it's absolutely necessary to shop elsewhere. A friend of mine who moved to Cairo, Egypt gave me his pack which is a real nice one. (I used it on the four day loop.)


Wear wool sweaters and hiking shorts year round, on trail or off.

This seems like an interesting idea. How many people actually do this?

weary
11-25-2009, 13:47
I have to disagree with the comment that sending food by mail is "very cost effective".

First of all, even at discount postage rates, you're spending at least a copuple hundred dollars just to mail yourself food.

And guess what? There are actually a zillion places out there to buy food; it's not hard. So even if you befriend your local supermarket manager, clip coupons, buy on sale, etc., there's still no percentage in buying stuff en mass or in bulk ahead of time and mailing it to yourself. Believe it or not, they have peanut butter and Liptons and Pop Tarts in places like Tennessee. We're not talking th Amazon basin, folks. 99% of the stuff people habitually mail themselves is very easily obtainable while en route.

Another thing to remember is that in the beginning (i.e the first 400 miles or so) people tend to WAY overpack their maildrops as they don't understand their actual needs and they have this inner terror about running outta food in the middle of nowhere. That's why you see absolutely gigundous maildrops in places like the NOC or Fontana, or worse, in places like Hiawassee or Franklin, that have perfectly good supermarkets.

And what do people do when they end up in a placelike this with a 20 pound box that contains enough food for a week even tho they only need three days to get to next re-supply point?

They haul it along, , needlessly, and curse their food bags. Or they dump it/give it away, wasting money twice, i.e. the money spent buying the stuff in the first place, or the money spent mailing it. Or the "send it ahead", i.e. they pay to mail it to themselves TWICE.

So sorry, been there, done that. Unless you plan WAY ahead and do some serious cooking/dehydrating, etc., food by mail is NOT wise or cost effective.

You end spending a lot of money to mail yourself stuff you don't need or more
likely, don't wanna eat any more. Good Lord, it's the 24th of November.

Tell me, right now, do you know what you wanna have for dinner on the 3rd of March?

Then why on earth pack up stuff in the wintertime that you won't be eating or needing til September?

So, no, buying food ahead of time and assembling a whole to of food parcels does NOT make huge financial sense and there are very few people who have actually thru-hiked that would advocate doing this anymore.

It kind of fell out of favor more than a decade ago. Most folks are much happier to buy as they go, for all sorts of reasons.
Just a couple of comments on Jack's comments -- which incidentally, I don't totally disagree with:

Having been buying food, eating, camping, and walking for many decades, I don't need to know what I may want to eat on March 3, only what I will enjoy eating that day. The way to eat cheaply, both on the trail and at home, is to ignore the whims of a day, and buy those things that are both cheap and that you know from experience you enjoy eating. That requires buying the weekly specials, watching the coupons, checking prices at competing stores, and buying generics whenever possible. I know you can save far more than the $200 cost of postage over a six month walk, if you first shop wisely at home.

Jack. Does anyone not yet know that it takes a couple of weeks for trail appetites to kick in? You and others have told us that again and again.

Also, moderation in all things. Don't mail all your needed food. Just mail food from the large containers of generic items, or items that are a really good bargain. Buy everything else as you progress on the trail. Rice in 20 pound bags is half the price of rice in one pound boxes. But I doubt if anyone will want to buy 20 pounds at a supermarket along the trail. Well, I know that isn't always true. I once met a hiker with a 90 pound pack in Maine, including a 10 pound bag of sugar. "Why, I asked?" "At the last store," he explained, "I found I could buy 10 pounds for not much more than what two pounds cost."

I know there are a zillion places to buy food. But not every trail town has a supermarket. My policy was to concentrate my mail drops on places where the only resupply was a chain convenient store. Or only a Mom and Pop Store with limited trail selections.

Also in 1993, at least, post offices were more plentiful than good supply stores. Using a trail guide and the ATC data book, I planned my six day resupply stops in part on which would be closer to the trail -- a post office or a good supermarket. Aside froim convenience, the practice minimized my town time and all its many collateral costs.

Weary

ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 14:02
Jack. Does anyone not yet know that it takes a couple of weeks for trail appetites to kick in? You and others have told us that again and again.

Because no matter how many times you say it, some people will arrive at Springer with enough food to feed an army. People don't realize that the enormously talked about and famed "hiker hunger" doesn't kick in the second you put your big toe on the AT. It's worth repeating.

XCskiNYC
11-25-2009, 14:23
And I think Weasel is very right- you can do a less expensive thru if you want- and it means putting your priorities in order. For instance, if you expect to go into towns and get tons of restaurant food, beer, and smoke cigarettes every day, and stay at hostels and B & B's, and basically make a party out of it, you'll be empty handed very fast.

But, you can still have a couple of those things occasionally.

If you were paying NYC prices for your packs, a pack a day, 150-day hike, there's your $1,500 budget "up in smoke."

A-Train
11-25-2009, 15:26
I remember hiking back in 1995 when maildrops were quite common and remember thinking - this is really a poor system.

Think about it... You are going into a supermarket in your home town and buying food for the trail, then mailing it to yourself in another town, that 80% of the time will have a perfectly good place to buy food...why the extra step?

You are purchasing food ahead of time, you tastes WILL change, and worst of all most people send drops to PO's - which means having to arrive into town during the week, or atleast very early on Saturday.

I do see a need for maildrops at times, but they can be done while hiking. A maildrop at Fontana Dam is a good idea, but just send food from Hiawasee, why send it a month prior?

In terms of saving money, if you are so tight that saving $100 by sending or not sending food is going to make the difference, you're probably going to run out of money anyway, so it really won't matter in the long run anyhow.

And yes...there are always the exceptions

I didn't do many drops on the AT but I think it has become tradition over the years. It goes a decent way to assuage fears for both the hiker and their family. It gives people a feeling they are preparing for their trip and that psychologically they won't starve out there.

But yeah you're right. Unless one is eating vegan, organic, etc. there is no need for this practice.

The Weasel
11-25-2009, 18:57
Weary and I agree, including the extent to which we agree with Jack: Items that can be bought in bulk (don't forget cheese powder and bacon bits) can be mailed at sufficient savings to justify postage. This includes items that can be dried at home that can't be found along the trail, e.g. dried burger or special items that can't be found easily.

ZeeJay will learn what Yogi-ing is, I'm sure; it's not taking leftovers, or asking. It is talking to someone at a picnic area and smiling at the potato salad now and then until they go, "Ummmm...would you like some?" Good manners requires that you leave at least a bite for them.

I think ZeeJay's lifestyle is frugal enough that he knows how to buy food and save it. it doesn't matter what you "like" on March 3 or July 3; you need to kjnow that 4,000 calories won't be enough, and that if you mail that much to yourself, it probably won't go to waste, so that if you can save money by mailing it, do so. If you can't, don't. Don't mail quantities that are more than to your next resupply; 5# of peanut butter may be cheap, but it's not practical unless you'll eat 5# in the next 10 days.

Good luck.

TW

weary
11-25-2009, 19:18
Weary and I agree, including the extent to which we agree with Jack: Items that can be bought in bulk (don't forget cheese powder and bacon bits) can be mailed at sufficient savings to justify postage. This includes items that can be dried at home that can't be found along the trail, e.g. dried burger or special items that can't be found easily.

ZeeJay will learn what Yogi-ing is, I'm sure; it's not taking leftovers, or asking. It is talking to someone at a picnic area and smiling at the potato salad now and then until they go, "Ummmm...would you like some?" Good manners requires that you leave at least a bite for them.

I think ZeeJay's lifestyle is frugal enough that he knows how to buy food and save it. it doesn't matter what you "like" on March 3 or July 3; you need to kjnow that 4,000 calories won't be enough, and that if you mail that much to yourself, it probably won't go to waste, so that if you can save money by mailing it, do so. If you can't, don't. Don't mail quantities that are more than to your next resupply; 5# of peanut butter may be cheap, but it's not practical unless you'll eat 5# in the next 10 days.

Good luck.

TW
And we also all need to recognize that it is easier to assemble those 4,000 calories by carefully apportioning home purchases, than trying to do so on the trail, where trail town supermarkets, carry packaged foods that are mostly either too big, or too small to meet a hikers needs until the next resupply. Buying along the way is a wise and often necessary option. But recognize the practice involves hassles of its own. The five pounds of peanut butter can be easily apportioned at home. On the trail it is virtually impossible, leading to carrying unneeded weight, or buying a smaller package at twice the price per pound.

Weary

white_russian
11-25-2009, 19:34
Unfortunately, my wife and I didn't realize the overall impact of living debt free until we neared our retirement years. Here are some numbers to illustrate this point.

Plan A - Fund your hike using a 18.9 APR (probably low the way things are going) credit card. Borrow a modest $3500. Making minimum payments of $140 after your hike, you are looking at a 11.8 years payoff - adding $2181 to the cost of your hike. That assumes no late payments, penalties, etc.

Plan B - Implement some of the great ideas on previous posts to save what you need in advance. After your hike invest $140 per month in a mutual fund for 11 years. At a modest overall 5% return you've earned $24,916.

Avoiding the use of credit to fulfill immediate gratification sure makes a big difference!
If you are dumb enough to borrow 3,500 on 18.9% and only make minimum payments then you are probably going end up screwing yourself over financially debt anyway.

Credit is great if you are responsible, but your situation is not using responsible methods.

The Weasel
11-25-2009, 20:02
What's OP stand for?



Opening Post in a thread.

TW

sbhikes
11-26-2009, 12:31
I made it a rule to never mail myself anything that could be purchased in a mini-market. Then if I didn't expect any grocery stores in the towns ahead, I would buy from the grocery store at the town I was in and mail grocery items ahead, but not canyd, cookies or anything you can get in a mini-market.

Tagless
11-26-2009, 16:01
I made it a rule to never mail myself anything that could be purchased in a mini-market. Then if I didn't expect any grocery stores in the towns ahead, I would buy from the grocery store at the town I was in and mail grocery items ahead, but not candy, cookies or anything you can get in a mini-market.

Sbhikes is right on in my opinion. We prepared 18 mail drop boxes at home and received them throughout our thru. It was expensive and unnecessary - one thing we would do differently if we had it to do again.

JoshStover
11-26-2009, 21:54
One idea to get some extra cash is to do what I do. I work in a large hospital and I have had all the units save their pop cans for me then I cash the cans in. You would be shocked at how much money I get out of them and how the hospital had been throwing away. Plus doing this helps the enviroment. It is a win win situation. Just a thought.

zeejay
11-27-2009, 00:42
One idea to get some extra cash is to do what I do. I work in a large hospital and I have had all the units save their pop cans for me then I cash the cans in. You would be shocked at how much money I get out of them and how the hospital had been throwing away. Plus doing this helps the enviroment. It is a win win situation. Just a thought.

That must be a dirty job, but it's a great idea.

Sgt Pepper
12-02-2009, 21:46
I have a question that spawns from this topic. I plan to do a thru hike mid june from maine. How do most people manage their finances during the trip (i.e. how much cash to carry on hand? do most places accept visa?)?
Also, is there available computer access in the towns?

Thank you so much. Your time is greatly appreciated. (hit me up if anyone has the same trip planned. I may be going solo).

Appalachian Tater
12-02-2009, 22:01
I have a question that spawns from this topic. I plan to do a thru hike mid june from maine. How do most people manage their finances during the trip (i.e. how much cash to carry on hand? do most places accept visa?)?
Also, is there available computer access in the towns?

Thank you so much. Your time is greatly appreciated. (hit me up if anyone has the same trip planned. I may be going solo).

There are plenty of threads on these topics if you want details but basically a couple of hundred bucks of cash is plenty to carry if you have a credit card and an ATM card. Most stores, outfitters, and hotels take Visa and most hostels either don't or would prefer cash. Not all small towns have ATMs but most of them do and many stores and post offices will give you cash back on a credit card, usually with no fee.

There is good internet access in hotels, hostels, libraries, and the occasional outfitter, bookstore, or coffee shop, available at least weekly.

The Weasel
12-03-2009, 00:20
The best ATM is the Post Office, which will do "cash back" of up to $100 for any purchase of even minor stamps. The second best ATM is at most grocery stores and many party stores, which will do "cash back" payments on even small purchases, too.

Internet is always available at libraries, but hours vary.

TW

ShelterLeopard
12-03-2009, 09:01
Internet is always available at libraries, but hours vary.

True, but if you're in town for a short time only, don't count on the internet being available right away. When I was in Palmerton, I went and put my name down for "internet time", waited an hour an gave up.

Early morning is best bet, and if I'm in town that early- you can bet that I'm in bed.

Pony
12-03-2009, 22:52
True, but if you're in town for a short time only, don't count on the internet being available right away. When I was in Palmerton, I went and put my name down for "internet time", waited an hour an gave up.

Early morning is best bet, and if I'm in town that early- you can bet that I'm in bed.

An hour when compared to a six month thru hike is nothing. Get some ice cream and wait it out.;)

The Weasel
12-03-2009, 22:59
You can shorten the wait by going to the library BEFORE you shower, and sitting down next to the line that is waiting. Done properly, many people will realize they had something else to do. Somewhere else.

TW

ShelterLeopard
12-04-2009, 09:39
Good thought Weasel! Your head is in the right place.