View Full Version : Hiker money supply
Early Bird
02-18-2010, 21:29
what is a reasonably comfy stash of money to thru hike on?
You'll get all kinds of answers on this one but for *me* I wouldn't want to do a thru hike with less than $7k available.
Not saying I'd spend it all, but that's what I would want to have access to and the amount I would call "comfy".
Jack Tarlin
02-18-2010, 21:44
7K???
Lucky you.
That works out to around $388.00 a day and most folks don't spend anywhere near that much in a week.
Not counting initial expenses on gear and travel (like getting to the Trail), most folks do just fine on 3-5 thousand with $3500-4000 being about right.
And with discipline and limited time in towns, you can get by with much less.
7K???
Lucky you.
That works out to around $388.00 a day and most folks don't spend anywhere near that much in a week.
Not counting initial expenses on gear and travel (like getting to the Trail), most folks do just fine on 3-5 thousand with $3500-4000 being about right.
And with discipline and limited time in towns, you can get by with much less.
Jack, $7k is $7,000.
I'm pretty sure I could do it on less, but that's the amount I'd want to have available.
FWIW, I'm budgeting $3k to get from Bear Mt to Maine this spring - though I fully expect to have a good chunk of change left. Point is, I'd rather have too much than not enough.
Roughin' It
02-18-2010, 21:55
Jack, $7k is $7,000.
lol, math isn't for everyone.
Appalachian Tater
02-18-2010, 21:57
Depends on how fast you hike and whether you carry your own stuff or have support at each road crossing.
This thread has potential!!
JustaTouron
02-18-2010, 22:11
7K???
Lucky you.
That works out to around $388.00 a day and most folks don't spend anywhere near that much in a week.
Only if you can complete the trail in 18 days.
bigcranky
02-18-2010, 22:15
Yeah, Jack, actually it's $38 per day, or about $270 per week for a 6-month hike. Sure, you can do it for less, but it's not like $7,000 is way over the top. I expect a lot of hikes cost that much.
Jack Tarlin
02-18-2010, 22:16
Hmmm.
It would certainly seem I need a new calculator! :D
But even so, 7K would be a high-end trip for most folks. I mean great if you've got it, but a lot of folks, especially younger people, will be spending less, and they'll do just fine.
Oh no! Another hiker money thread. I wonder how long this will last before it turns into another episode of the Twilight Zone!
Blissful
02-19-2010, 00:47
4,000 worked for me
Oh no! Another hiker money thread. I wonder how long this will last before it turns into another episode of the Twilight Zone!
I especially liked, "The Eye of the Beholder". :sun
This topic has been debated in many different ways on WhiteBlaze lately. My next comments are certainly open to debate, but I think that they are FAIRLY accurate:
After you have purchased all gear, CAN you complete a thru hike for under $2,000 in the year 2010? Yes! However, you would be forced to be extremely frugal and also miss out on much of the "town scene". Budgeting under $2,000 significantly increases your chances of dropping out early due to a lack of fiances. Bad weather, equipment replacement, injury or illness could easily mean the end of your hike if you have budgeted under $2,000.
You begin to have a little more "breathing room" once you reach a $3,000-$3500 budget. (You can enjoy a little bit more of the "town experience" and you have a bit of a back up fund available to replace worn out shoes, replace broken equipment and to "hole up" in a hotel in the event of long periods of bad weather--or an injury). However, this budget is still pretty "tight" and "minimal" for many people.
Once you get to the $5,000 level, you have a budget of almost $200 per week (for a 6 month thru hike). However, even this nice amount can disappear pretty quickly if you spend a lot of time in hotels, eat frequently in restaurants and consume an ample amount of alcohol on a regular basis. (On a $5,000 budget, if you have to replace any expensive equipment, you could find yourself financially hurting if you previously have spent a lot of time in town.)
At the $6,000 dollar mark, you can pretty much hike with few worries (unless you REALLY spend a lot of time in towns and hotels). If all goes well--(no major equipment replacements, no illnesses or injuries, and storms don't frequently force you into hotels)--you could even return home with $1,000 - $2,000 in your pocket.
The biggest "budget busters" if done in "large" amounts: Alcohol, tobacco, weed, restaurants and hotels.