Monthly Budget STX

As mentioned above, the start-up costs can be an unpleasant surprise. In the first month I spent almost $10,000 like this:

$4600 car
$800 needed repairs to said car (knew this when I bought it)
$600 car insurance
$500 shipping for about 200 pounds of clothes and stuff in boxes (UPS and VI Cargo)
$2500 first month rent and deposit
$500 first grocery trip to stock the pantry and fridge

That said I expect to get the deposit back when I'm done living in my current condo and should be able to sell the car for most of what I have in it, so probably $5000 of that is not truly spent but temporarily tied up.

We do pot roasts, whole chicken, chili, stews, chicken and dumplings, soups, mac and cheese etc.... some can be cooked on low all day, and some have to be thawed and cooked in the oven. For sure on island I'd guess you may have to alter some recipes when things are not available or too pricey. We were doing things like Ox tails, because it used to be really cheap. Now it costs almost as much as a good steak because people are starting to eat the cheap cuts more and more.
But, it still makes your dollars go farther if you can plan enough meals ahead this way.

Oh the crock pot mashed potatoes are awesome!

As mentioned above, the start-up costs can be an unpleasant surprise. In the first month I spent almost $10,000 like this:

$4600 car
$800 needed repairs to said car (knew this when I bought it)
$600 car insurance
$500 shipping for about 200 pounds of clothes and stuff in boxes (UPS and VI Cargo)
$2500 first month rent and deposit
$500 first grocery trip to stock the pantry and fridge

That said I expect to get the deposit back when I'm done living in my current condo and should be able to sell the car for most of what I have in it, so probably $5000 of that is not truly spent but temporarily tied up.

Surprised your car insurance is so high!
Mine runs $280. A friend has USAA insurance and his is $86.00 per yr.

depends on the age of the car, mine is about that. i also still have one more payment. next year it will be less.

vtovi, they all sound good. i am hungry already. but i stay that way

Same, pretty sure I have a tape worm. 😀

Surprised your car insurance is so high!
Mine runs $280. A friend has USAA insurance and his is $86.00 per yr.

If you get only the minimum insurance, you're covered on paper, and not much else. More here: https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,199857,199862#msg-199862

my family (extended, my mom is here too) of 7 total live on around 5,000 a month or less. ( it would be 4k if I didn't have toys)

I notice that nobody has challenged that figure but I'm very curious as to the breakdown of managing a household of SEVEN on $5K and less a month. I know how to make a penny stretch to several dollars but seven people getting by with all expenses accounted for for less than $5K a month is something I just can't wrap my head around. Some stateside areas but not here. Care to provide more detail?

can you even feed that many people on that amount

vtovi, i am always accused of having a tape worm

Surprised your car insurance is so high!
Mine runs $280. A friend has USAA insurance and his is $86.00 per yr.

Although it's a cheaper car and I live frugally here the minimum level insurance wouldn't come close to covering me. This was for coverage that meets my personal liability floor on my stateside policy.

My monthly bills are around $500 a month, including rum and cigarettes, but that number is about to be reduced to about a third of that. lol

are you including rent in that, electricity and how are you reducing it even further?

are you including rent in that, electricity and how are you reducing it even further?

I am pretty thrifty. I buy bulk, don't eat meat, have roommates, am careful with electric.

I'm moving into a free shack in the bush with solar, then a boat. No rent or WAPA!

ah ha, that explains that. i lived on a boat for a bit. i am so happy for you about no WAPA