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Weekly on Trail Budget
Hi. I am trying to decide upon weekly budgets for my hike. I know that the North is more expensive so I want to take into account that factor by increasing the budget when hitting the more expensive areas of trail.
Like everyone else I am trying to do this inexpensively. I don't smoke, rarely drink, and my biggest vice is chocolate. Gear is completely taken care of.
What are some suggestions for weekly budgets throughout my hike?
Roughly, heres how I base it, atleast on my own hiking style:
5 bucks a day for groceries X 7 days= 35 bucks
One night in town (2-3 meals) = about 25 bucks
One nights lodging in hostel or motel split= 15 bucks
1 "other" meal, during a mid-week break to resupply=5-10 bucks
miscellaneous items, postage etc. =10 bucks
All together about 90 bucks. Maybe a hundred to be more generous and to cover unexpected dissasters etc. (losing a piece of gear, eye glasses, needing to repair a piece of gear, getting sick etc.)
I've been out for a week on much less than this budget but probably spent more out too. Note I was not of drinking age on the trail. Now I might factor in a couple beers here and there.
The Solemates
04-11-2005, 10:45
personally, i dont think $5 a day for groceries is near enough, especially in the NE.
then again, I wouldnt spend a night in a motel/hostel every week (more like once every 2-3 weeks), so the $100/week figure seems about right. that works out to about a dollar a mile, barring you already have all your gear and a ride to the TH taken care of.
I would always err on the higher side and save as much as I can. Also make sure you have a couple thousand to fall back on when your hike is finished and you are looking for new employment, lodging, etc. that is unless you already have some sort of transition planned.
"ME & U"
04-11-2005, 10:47
We planned out $200/ week and found it was more than enough for us. I guess the biggest part of it is hitting towns and getting sucked into the vortex of spending.
On future trips, we plan to spend less time in towns and more on the trail so our figures will hopefully be less.
I have read in some books that people estimate to spend $1.50 for every mile that they hike, so expect to spend $3000 for the entire trail.
tlbj6142
04-11-2005, 12:33
If you need/want to go cheap, read the related article in the "Featured Articles" link at the top of each page. It is a good read.
A lot depends on you, but here are some things to think about. Break up your hike into full town days with an overnight, half day with an overnight, half day without an overnight, and a trail day. I eat alot, so the numbers are skewed in that direction.
Trail days are cheap and usually just cost food. For me, that means about $10-$15 a day. There are a lot of places where the AT crosses a road and you can find a store or grill close by. If you go to them, add in another $10 or so.
An in-and-out of town usually isn't so exensive. Figure $10 on trail food and $15 on town food.
A half day off with an overnight plan on doling out some cash, particularly after you pass Duncannon. Food jacks up the cost, as does the room. Figure on $40.
A full on zero day will probably run you more than $60, as you'll eat, get a room, do laundry, and maybe go to a movie.
Plan on at least a half day with an overnight each week. Unless you're pretty experienced, you'll probably end up taking 1.5 days off per week at the start. So, perhaps a budget of $120 a week might work for you.
I have read in some books that people estimate to spend $1.50 for every mile that they hike, so expect to spend $3000 for the entire trail.
IF you back figure, $3000 and say 20 weeks on the trail, then that works out to $150/week.
A-Train's numbers of $90 per week are possible, but I suspect that most people spend more than that.
better to have a little extra money than not enough.:cool: neo
if you're VERY miserly with the money...you can make it for $1-2 per mile....OR so i've read & heard from some of the thru-hiker "experts".
Realistically, i've found, on my section-hikes,...i take $100 per week & carry plastic for any emergencies.
i always have money left over... :D
see ya'll out there:APR 28-May 5 (w/ "the Model T crew")Hot SPrings-Erwin
May 6 & 7 Carvers Gap (Sobo) back to Erwin
May 8-20 Damascus to Pearisburg (Nobo)
Pencil Pusher
04-13-2005, 08:21
if you're VERY miserly with the money...you can make it for $1-2 per mile....
~$2600-to-5200? :eek:
Man.... you guys must really be living it up. Those prices sound so high. and staying in town every week? so much for a wilderness adventure.
The Solemates
04-13-2005, 09:18
~$2600-to-5200? :eek:
i didnt realize the trail was 2600 miles long. :-?
Man.... you guys must really be living it up. Those prices sound so high. and staying in town every week? so much for a wilderness adventure.
Well, I don't know which post you are refering to. But, the typical thru-hiker takes an average of one day off per week, and usually in a town. So, figure 2 nights in town, plus 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, some beer, and other things. The experience is that it's quite easy to spend $150 per week.
clubswingerUG
06-19-2005, 15:28
i would say $6000 for a thru-hike to not realy have to concern yourself with finacing expect $100 roughly per day while in town w/hotels+restraunts
expect to buy new gear i have bought all new gear while on my hike and did not expect it
if you want to get off to see some sites you want extra cash also
i started w/$4000 and becoming concerned with money , im in fort royal VA
yellowtree
06-19-2005, 17:23
Weekly on Trail Budget
What are some suggestions for weekly budgets throughout my hike?
Here's an example:
I read an AT Journal, and a girl did it from 3-5-00 to 8-14-00
It took her 162 days
If you use the theory of the original poster, and figure $5.00 per day = $810.00
It's gonna cost more than that though I believe.
When you are out on the trail you are gonna get hungry!
She recommended $1500-$5000. It's really got to be calculated precisely. I would think that if you have food delivered in mail drops you are going to be able to budget more accurately. I believe that would be a fair amount to put in the bank for an endeavor such as the AT.
I'm taking up collections on my website.
My hike averaged $160/week and that was staying at hotels in some towns, 3 days in a B&B in Damascus, and also picking up the tab for a few hiker's meals and a hotel stay or two. The food I carried only cost me about $20 every four days down south and a little more as I came north.
TakeABreak
06-19-2005, 23:16
Everything is kinda relative I guess when it comes to how much you spend on the trail,
First, is do you have the right gear for the hike, if starting in winter you will need more and warmer gear, summer you can get away with less, which mean less $$$
Next, which is part of first, what time of year are you going, winter time you will want to stop for more hot meals whenever possible, and hot showers and do laundry more town verses carrying water away from a spring to wash body and clothes.
Then there are the questions do you drink, I drink a little at home and almost none on the trail (alcohol is a diaretic which makes you pee out all of you hydration).
Maildrops or no maildrops, I do maildrops and pick up a few items in town and hit every deli, fresh fruit, vegetable stand and party store for juices and such within a 1/2 mile or so of the trail. Maildrops cost money to mail but you can make a lot of dried goods and package your meals ahead of time. I did in 2000, and was glad I did, I ate better than most people I met.
See before you figure out a good estimate, you need to figure out the variables first.
I was sure I had all the right gear too. Didn't need any changes at Neels Gap, though some buddies spend $$$$. Then, I did need a backpack, as the one I was carrying was not sturdy enough ($200). Then, my 20degree bag was awful hot at night so I got a light weight one ($125). Shoes wore out ($90). Anyway, the idea is, you will need more than you think. $5000 is not too much to have put away for your journey.
Whistler
07-01-2005, 18:59
Anyway, the idea is, you will need more than you think. $5000 is not too much to have put away for your journey.Wow. I would have a hard time spending that much. I spent more than a month on the trail for less than $600. I'm probably not the norm.
I was eating like a horse, so I spent about $10-12 per day for food, all purchased along the way. Add in 5-6 hostel stays, quite a few restaurants, and maybe $50 spent at the USPS, and my costs ended up somewhere around $550-600. Other things that helped: I don't drink. I had only 1 zero day, and only 1 hotel stay [but many half-days off]. I had all the gear I needed, and I resisted the temptation to purchase more.
I felt like I was spending pretty freely, just had different priorities from many.
-Mark
yea. I wonder where ever could a hiker walk in to a Shaws or Market Basket or other big grocery chain and walk out paying under 5 bucks and having something approximating lunch? Here in New England it just doesn't happen..unless of course.. a snickers and one pint ben and jerrys would be considered lunch!:banana
I think it should be more like 10$ a day for groceries unless one means "on trail" in which case probably less.
Roughly, heres how I base it, atleast on my own hiking style:
5 bucks a day for groceries X 7 days= 35 bucks
One night in town (2-3 meals) = about 25 bucks
One nights lodging in hostel or motel split= 15 bucks
1 "other" meal, during a mid-week break to resupply=5-10 bucks
miscellaneous items, postage etc. =10 bucks
All together about 90 bucks. Maybe a hundred to be more generous and to cover unexpected dissasters etc. (losing a piece of gear, eye glasses, needing to repair a piece of gear, getting sick etc.)
I've been out for a week on much less than this budget but probably spent more out too. Note I was not of drinking age on the trail. Now I might factor in a couple beers here and there.
Jack Tarlin
07-02-2005, 10:41
A lot of good info here, but there are a few things I disagree with. Can you thru-hike these days on $1600.00? Well, yeah, but it'd be a pretty spartan trip, with VERY limited town stays, treats, etc. And a thru-hike on $6000.00?
Well, sure, but that's VERY high-end; it absolutely isn't necessary to count on $100.00 a day in towns unless you're staying by yourself in the nicest hotels and spending a good deal of money on meals.
On a thru-hike, older folks tend to spend more. First off, usually being retired, they have more to spend. Secondly, they're far liklier to want their own hotel rooms or likelier to prefer a single motel room to a hiker bunkhouse or shared room. Older hikers also tend to eat fancier and to spend more during their trip on gear additions, swap-outs, etc. In short, people of greater means tend to spend a lot more during a thru-hike, which is pretty understandable. If you're not on a tight budget, you're apt to spend more money.
Younger hikers tend to spend less, are likelier to look for cheaper lodging, meals, etc. Then again, they're likelier to spend more money on beer, tobacco, and other recreational things.
NOT including getting to the Trail and NOT including initial gear purchases, when you throw out the mostly older hikers spending $5000.00 plus on a thru-hike, and when you throw out the kids trying to get by on les than 2000.00,
most folks seem to spend between $2500.00 and 4000.00; I think $3500.00
would be a good figure, tho you could certainly get by on less, especially if you're disciplined with your town stops, the ammount of time you spend there, and what you do with your time and money when you arrive.
Whatever your budget, when you figure out your total available funds for the trip, I'd add 15-20% as an emergency/contingency fee, in case of an unexpected injury that requires expensive time off; or in case of unforseen gear problems, an unexpected trip home for a family event or emergency, etc.
Be aware that in general, everything costs more the farther North you go, especialy lodging. (There are no $26.00 motel rooms up North!) Plan your budget accordingly and don't over-spend on the first half of your trip.
If you look in the Articles/Information section of this website, there's some good info on hiking on a budget; this stuff will be particularly useful for younger hikers who might have trouble getting together more than a few thousand dollars.
Last tip: Unless you're extremely disciplined, it's best not to try a hike on an ultra-shoestring budget. Skipping town stops or rest stops because you can't afford them, or skipping great hostels, restaurants, etc. while all your friends are enjoying them, is not much fun. Every year, hikers abruptly end great trips because they're out of money. Alternative ideas if you're short of money: Plan a shorter trip; i.e. don't plan on going the whole way if your funds are really tight. Or postpone your trip til you can save more money: Instead of leaving Northbound in March, get a job (or a second one) and leave Southbound in June when you've got the money. Or perhaps postpone longer, until you've got the money to have the trip you want. And don't count on "working" your way up the Trail.....sometimes, you'll find work for a few days or longer, but oftentimes you won't. Likewise, don't depend on getting "work for stays" very often.....there are lots of people looking for these slots, and just cuz it says work-for-stay is possible in your guidebooks, this might not be the case when you arrive. In short, town stops will cost you money, and you should EXPECT to drop money in towns. If this is a problem, you have two choices: Be prepared to pay for the things you need (lodging, food, restaurant meals, etc.) or be prepared to do without them.