There’s numerous data on the market about what sort of touring bikes to experience and which panniers to make use of, but it surely appears to be fairly tough to learn how a lot an extended distance self-supported bicycle tour truly prices. You hear folks speak about how they’ve spent lower than $20, $10, $5 and even $3.00 USD a day, but it surely’s exhausting to inform what they’re truly spending that cash on as a result of these accounts are normally not backed by an in depth expense report.
As a result of this data is so tough to search out, I’ve determined to share with you precisely what I’m spending my cash on whereas I’m right here touring round Europe for the following 5 months.
I’ve been right here for a little bit over a month now, so that is the primary of 5 posts I plan to share with you. If you’re a brand new reader and will not be but conscious of what I’m doing right here in Switzerland, it’s possible you’ll wish to learn this text first.
So right here it’s:
Flight
I bought a one-way ticket from Vayama.com for $505.40 USD (About 587.93 Swiss Francs (CHF)). That ticket received me, my bike and all my gear from Los Angeles, California to Zurich, Switzerland. If you’re searching for good offers on one-way worldwide flights, Vayama has a number of the finest charges I’ve ever seen.
Residence
Again in October I discovered an condo to lease by way of the Web in Luzern, Switzerland and paid for it approach again in November ’08. Nonetheless, the condo value me 1,200 CHF (or about $1,025.70 USD) for the month. This worth included the price of the water, warmth, electrical energy, and so on… and this condo served as my dwelling base for my first month in Europe.
Prepare
As soon as I landed in Zurich, I needed to take a prepare from the airport to the town of Luzern the place I’d be staying. The prepare ticket value me 27 Swiss Francs (or about $23.21 USD).
Meals
I didn’t exit to eat a single time this month. As an alternative, I stored my bills low by shopping for all my meals on the native grocery store. I normally went purchasing about as soon as each three days and spent a complete of 168 CHF on my grocery invoice (or about $144.42 USD)
Leisure
Whereas strolling round city at some point I strolled right into a used e book retailer and located a e book that was written half in English and half in German. As a result of I’m making an attempt to be taught as a lot German as I can whereas I’m right here (and since the e book was low cost), I purchased it. Complete value: 3 CHF (or $2.58 USD). That is the one luxurious I bought this month.
Toiletries
Lastly, I did should buy just a few toiletries as soon as I received right here. I introduced a lot of the crucial toiletries with me, however I did should buy a bottle of shampoo and a few hand cleaning soap for the lavatory. This stuff value 8.50 CHF (or $7.31 USD).
And listed here are the totals for the month:
Flight – 587.93 CHF or $505.40 USD
Residence – 1,200 CHF or $1,025.70 USD
Prepare – 27 CHF or $23.21 USD
Meals -168 CHF or $144.42 USD
Leisure – 3 CHF or $2.58 USD
Toiletries – 8.50 CHF or $7.31 USD
Grand Complete
In complete, I spent: 1,994.43 CHF or $1,708.62
In case you divide that by 31 (as a result of there are 31 days within the month of January), that might be a median of 64.33 CHF or $55.12 USD per day.
Planning For February
My plan for January was to remain as low cost as doable by 1) consuming meals from the grocery store and a couple of) entertaining myself with day-long bike rides to the neighboring cities and cities round Luzern.
Whereas I used to be capable of keep comparatively low cost in January, I think February goes to be a unique story.
This month I’ve two pals coming to go to me right here in Switzerland and every of them goes to be right here for round per week. Throughout their stays, we plan to journey round by prepare (thus requiring that I purchase a prepare go), go snowboarding (purchase a elevate ticket and lease skis) and exit to eat (pay for overpriced meals).
Whereas I gained’t be paying for an additional airline ticket in February, I’ll produce other gadgets to pay for and I hope to maintain my expenditures underneath $2,000 USD.
Tune in subsequent month round this time to search out out precisely how a lot I spent… and to see precisely what I spent my cash on.
I hope this was useful to you indirectly. How may I make this data higher? What extra would you prefer to know? When you have any concepts, please depart your suggestion for me within the feedback field under.