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  1. #1
    Captain Caveman paradoxb3's Avatar
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    Question Unexpected expenses...

    So I'm planning my NOBO 2010 thru, and have been going over and over numbers for what I would expect to spend here and there, and I am wondering what little things I might be overlooking, as I'm well aware how the little "nickle-and-dime" things you dont think about can really eat into a budget over time.

    I'm figuring for about a 5 month long hike, i've made all my gear purchases (and have trail tested them very well, so i'm comfortable in saying i wont be replacing much, if anything at all at this point -- outside of the normal wear & tear items), i'm budgeting myself a pretty good diet, figuring as much as 1 hostel stay a week, and around $30 a week to spend when in town for AYCE's, entertainment, or whatever. I plan on doing 90+% of my shopping myself, rather than a multitude of mail drops. Also i Live in north GA so as far as travel goes, I'm only concerned about getting back from the trail, not to it initially.

    My projected number is floating around $3000 at the moment. From experienced past thru-hikers, what little overlooked things really took a chunk out of your budget? Oh and also because I know it will be asked -- I dont smoke, I'm not much a partier, and when I drink, which is not frequently, I enjoy just a couple of beers, and I'm not a big fan of going to bars...

    Thanks in advance for your help, suggestions, and advice!
    "...Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation." -Blind Seer, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

  2. #2
    jersey joe jersey joe's Avatar
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    You can easily do a thru hike on 3k. Just minimize your time in towns.
    Added expenses that jump to mind:
    Laundry in towns.
    New pair of shoes/boots at some point.
    Mail to send items home(warmer winter gear)

  3. #3
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    The only suggestions that I would make are (1) budget for the occasional motel when a hostel isn't available, and (2) increase your town budget for the northern part of the trail.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  4. #4
    Registered User srestrepo's Avatar
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    i just got back from upper goose pond i was up there for the night last week. i got to talk to alot of the thru hikers there that night and i got very varied responses, one guy had made it from springer all the way to where i was in southwestern massachusetts on 1200 bucks but another guy had clearly blown his 4500... it all depends on what you like and how many rest days you take. its easy to get suckered in with some friends that you make on the trail to go to the cities and stay there and go party and whatnot. HYOH and have fun, but clearly 300 bucks is more than plenty with moderation.

  5. #5
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Also depends on weather situations which are highly unpredictable. You get in snow, ice rain conditions, you might want to hang out in town longer.
    And I think food is a big deal. You are going to be starving. When you are near towns, delis, etc you are gonna want to EAT big time.

    And one cannot predict possible injury either.







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  6. #6
    Captain Caveman paradoxb3's Avatar
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    Thanks, I'm going to try my best to spend as little time in towns as possible, and even if I do go with others to "party," I feel like I'm fairly capable of controlling my spending. What i'm more concerned with is the "wow, I never realized how much money I would spend on ____" scenario... I imagine consumable things like batteries and fuel might fall into that. Laundry frequency I hadn't put alot of thought into either... As far as weather goes, I'm probably looking at a April-ish start date, rather than Feb-mid March to try and avoid some some snow, but I know rain is always a big one that drags people into town, and is simply unavoidable.

    I like the suggestions so far, and I'd like to see what others have to say. I know theres probably someone that could compile a whole list of things that in planning they never thought they'd be spending so much money on during their thru hike. I guess I'm trying too hard to cover all my bases.... Maybe I should just start walking and see where my legs take me, but I'm still curious...
    "...Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation." -Blind Seer, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

  7. #7

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    Once you are out there for a while and you start starving you will easily spend $30 in town just on food EVERYDAY.....then there is beer. you said that you don't like bars and just enjoy a few beers....beer. It is loaded wth calories and once you start up the trail, if you like it, you will LOVE it by the end. If you drink beer...budget more than you think. The only other expense that I can think of is BEER...and possibly BEER>


    Did I mention BEER?

    geek

  8. #8

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    Lots of good advice above.
    Yeah, i agree bad weather can tap your budget.
    If it's been raining for 24 days out of 27 (like it did in Maine a few weeks ago) you will probably want to spend and extra day or 3 in town enjoying the dryness of a hotel room and that means more restaurant food everyday.

    I used to figure on $100 per town spent on hotel for one night and food and whatever else. Since i haven't thru-d the AT for 7 years now, that's probably doubled or close.

    But the important thing is to go out there and enjoy.
    You may think you can sleep in a tent on that 20th night of rain but in reality, when your friends are heading for town and a hostel or hotel, you'll probably end up joining them.

    It's all up to you of course.
    Have fun!
    Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams

  9. #9
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    Another thing to think about in your expenses is the cost of a shuttle if you can't hitch a ride to or from the trailhead to a town you are resupplying in, or if you decide you'd like to slackpack a bit.

    And re-supply food can be quite a bit more costly than average since you may have to purchase from convenience stores or small stores that don't have a lot of competition.

  10. #10
    Registered User DavidNH's Avatar
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    Default cost

    personally, I'd say that 3000 bucks for your hike is on the short side but it is certainly possible. If you possibly can, budget for at least 4000.

    Unexpected expenses

    Some gear does't work as well as you thought it did. So you mail home and replace.

    Something breaks and needs to be replaced

    Buying alcohol or coleman fuel. Sometimes it is given free but usually you have to pay. Not much, but it will add up over time.

    RESTAURANTS! you will eat in towns and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. That is one of the great pleasures of hiking the trail. You have no idea what hunger is until you have thru hiked.

    I am willing to bet that you have at least a few nights in hotels. Sometimes there is no cheap hostel and some times you just want a hotel for comfort and privacy.

    When you get up here (New England states) things are more costly. Those free-20 dollar hostels are rare. hotel rooms for 40$ and under are most definitely a thing of the past.

    Do you like to drink beer and go to bars? if so.. plan to spend a LOT more.

    DavidNH

  11. #11
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    You will most likely spend more than you planned. If money is tight consider postponing the hike for a year and save a little more.

    Hikers quit every year because money has run out.

  12. #12
    Pilgrim of Serendipity
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    This may be asking the obvious, but have you budgeted for "home expenses"? Storage of any stuff you own, car, car insurance, cell phone bill, health insurance. Maybe none of those things apply to you, but if they do, you don't want to forget them in your total!
    Deuteronomy 23:12-13 "Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with… dig a hole and cover up your excrement."

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by berninbush View Post
    This may be asking the obvious, but have you budgeted for "home expenses"? Storage of any stuff you own, car, car insurance, cell phone bill, health insurance. Maybe none of those things apply to you, but if they do, you don't want to forget them in your total!
    And a little extra money to live off of when you get back home. Chances are (at least most people) don't come off the trail and walk into a job.

  14. #14

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    Whether you have health insurance or not, be aware that a trip to the Emergency Room can really impact your trip.

    Whatever your final budget is, I'd add at least 15% for unforseen expenses, including medical. Even a slight medical problem can cost a good deal of money. Let's say you find yourself in a Trail town and become ill for several days, or find yourself with a trail-related injury that requires taking some time off. Even if you don't need a see a doctor, several days in town, with lodging fees, meals, first-aid purchases, etc., will all add up in a hurry and before you know it, that one town stop could end up costing you a couple of hundred bucks.

    And as others have pointed out, $30.00 per week for town expenses other than lodging won't get you very far, especially if you find yourself in more than one town or trail facility per week......down south, most people make stops much more frequently than this, for example, most folks hit Franklin, the Nantahala Outdoor Center, and Fontana Dam (thats THREE stops!) in less than a week's time. Thirty bucks won't get you very far at ONE of these places, never mind three of them in the space of a week.

    Lastly, you've gotten some good advice in the above posts. I'd re-iterate that everything, especially lodging, will cost you more the further North you go, so don't budget 50% of your trip for Springer to Harpers Ferry and 50% for points North of there. There's no such thing as a $35.00 motel room in New England, so make sure you plan your budget accordingly.

  15. #15
    Captain Caveman paradoxb3's Avatar
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    Thanks to everyone! I've been attempting to iron out the kinks in my 2010 hike for about 2 years now, but from this one thread i've already learned alot i didnt know, mostly about higher costs in new england. I also hadn't considered much that not every town stop for resupply will be at a walmart supercenter with $1 packs of liptons...

    As for DavidNH's question about drinking, I'd already mentioned that in the OP but I guess it was just missed, but no I'm not much of a drinker/bar guy.

    I imagine I won't have insurance, and I guess I'll do like many folks and just take the gamble that I won't get severely injured... I HAVE budgeted home expenses and post-hike expenses as well, and did not include them in the $3k figure. I'm doing my best to budget more than $3k for the hike, even if it means selling something very close to me (my motorcycle) but if it comes down to it, I'll just pinch pennies and go with $3k. I can always buy another bike later, but I might not have the opportunity i have now to hike the trail for a very very very long time, if ever.

    You've all given me alot to think about, thank you again!
    "...Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation." -Blind Seer, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

  16. #16
    Pilgrim of Serendipity
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    If you're not going to have any regular health insurance, you might consider a six month "emergency policy." I had one of those when I changed jobs (until I got on the new company's insurance), and as I recall it cost me less than $50 a month. This sort of policy doesn't do much of anything for ordinary doctor visits, but if you have to go to the ER or overnight hospital stay and rack up thousands of dollars in bills (which happens in the blink of an eye, if, for example, you break your leg), it can be a real life-saver.

    Of course it depends on your temperament and how much risk you're comfortable with. I am not a big worrier normally when it comes to stuff like that... but I admit it made me feel more comfortable, knowing the coverage was there.
    Deuteronomy 23:12-13 "Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with… dig a hole and cover up your excrement."

  17. #17
    2008 SOBO Frick Frack's Avatar
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    I sold my motorcyle when we were done with our hike to give us a little extra cash until we got back on our feet (don't miss it at all....been on the bicycle alot lately and it is MUCH more fun). My wife got sick in SNP and we had to stay at Skyland Lodge for three days unexpectedly and that was a big expense. We did not really have time or the ability to try and find an alternative because she felt so bad but it was probably possible we could have. We always spent way more than we planned in town for food (and beverages). The further north you are the more expensive it gets too.

  18. #18

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    Also, check out the "Articles" section of this website. Some good info there on hiking on a budget; sending and receiving mail while en route; good places to Re-supply; info on how long each section of the Trail is likely to take you to hike, etc.

  19. #19

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    don't get drunk and slice your finger open while opening a memory card!

  20. #20
    Captain Caveman paradoxb3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dreamsoftrails View Post
    don't get drunk and slice your finger open while opening a memory card!
    why? duct tape isnt THAT expensive...
    "...Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation." -Blind Seer, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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