Well, I had better stop procrastinating on this!
August was another expensive month. In fact, 2018 is ramping up to be our most expensive year ever since we embarked on this travel based lifestyle in 2007!
Mostly, related to motorhome expenses. Sherman treated us really well the first ten years, with only minimal basic maintenance type of expenses. And, it helped that I was able to perform a lot of the repairs myself. But this year there has been a lot of stuff, starting with the break down we had in Mexico.
We spent $5,843 CAD ($4,500 USD) during the month of August. A chunk of that was towards Sherman's new tires! I think it's the first time ever that we have replaced all six tires at about the same time. Usually, it's just in pairs, or perhaps 4 at a time. But this time, we did all six.
(Note: The following figures are all Canadian dollars. For U.S. dollar equivalent, you can subtract about 25%.)
Fuel: We started off the month of August in Whitehorse, Yukon and we ended the month is southern British Columbia. So needless to say, we did a fair bit of driving. And, gasoline is pricey in these parts! We spent $1,202 in fuel.
Propane: We spent $42 on propane.
Grocery: Surprisingly reasonable, at $406. Despite the prices of individual items seeming high, we still manage to come through the month relatively inexpensive. We shop the flyers, and most of the time only buy what is on sale. We even surprised ourselves during the past three months up north!
Alcohol: Ouch. What we didn't spend on food, we spent on booze. And we didn't even feel like we drank that much. This was just beer and wine, no hard stuff. We spent $355. Yikes. A record high in this category, and we never even managed a bit of a hangover!
Miscellaneous: At $1,042, almost a record high in this category as well. But, we spent $400 on Ruth's new bicycle, and $250 on mine, plus some other things to go along with it. Overall, we are very pleased with these expenses, and should get many years of exercise and enjoyment out of them.
Entertainment: A total of $305. We bought a Canadian National Parks annual pass for $137, took friends out for lunch in Skagway ($114), and a few minor things.
Overnight: $162, but most of that was our two nights at Fairmont Hot Springs resort ($120).
Motorhome: A total of $2,324. Of that, $1,643 was the six new tires. Then, the diagnosis of the bad idle control valve, and the new front end parts that were installed in September.
A few more months like this and we'll be going back to work! But thankfully, we think we're just about done with these kinds of expenses. September will be better.
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We had ball joints replaced on our Lazy Daze in Oroville a couple of years ago. Who is doing the work for you? It was a guy south of town on the east side of the highway that did it for us - a friend of Frederika's cousin John, who has 180 acres on the east side of Lake Osoyoos, just one property between them and the border. As you were coming down the King's Highway on the Canada side, you were almost directly above their property...
ReplyDeleteSounds like we may be having the work done at the same shop. The one we are going to is called The Busted Knuckle, it is on the left side of the highway as you leave town going south just before crossing the bridge. So far we are really happy with the work. :-)
DeleteHi Ruth, it's Frederika. I think that may be the one!
DeleteWe're pretty sure too. We have been very happy with the work and looking forward to get the rest of the work done this week, hopefully.
DeleteFrederika is in the back bedroom of our Lazy Daze commenting on your blog at the same time I am... She also has informed me that it is the Queen's highway, not the King's - and that only on the U.S. side is it called that...but it's the highway you came from Midway (where our neighbors in Jojoba Hills have a home) to Osoyoos on...
ReplyDeleteWe know which highway you are talking about, it is the steep one as you come into Osoyoos from the east.
DeletePete Comment #3: Frederika was unable to post here on her iPhone, and has to go to sleep now, so has commissioned me to convey this information:
ReplyDeleteHow cool to see your perspective on my hometown! Check out the farmers market at the library on Main Street on Saturday morning (hopefully this morning when you read it) at 9 o’clock until about noon. There is a more vibrant farmers market in Tonasket, I believe on Tuesdays. On 97 it’s a short drive as long as you don’t get behind a truck hauling apples. A beautiful alternative is to travel between Tonasket & Oroville in the hills on either side of the valley: on the east side of the valley head toward Chesaw and Molson, explore, then head south to Havillah on way to Tonasket. On the west side head up the hill towards Nighthawk, head south towards Loomis and Tonasket. Both drives involve quite a bit of time and you’re probably gonna want to stop and explore. I think each drive is absolutely worth it. I’m not as familiar with the west drive, Palmer Lake, is somewhere along that route...
Tell Frederika, thank you for all the great information. We may just check out a couple of those drives over the next few days. We are sitting in the parking lot across from the library right now as we use their free WiFi and people are setting up their tables. We will certainly walk over there shortly and see what they have on offer. Thanks again! :-)
DeleteThe view of the lake you posted today is one of my favorites. I spent a lot of time in that park growing up. Several good family friends just above the perspective the photo taken from. And that water - I'm salivating to water ski! Which I did a lot of as a teen. I love going there to visit. Not a place I could live again, I don't think but "ya just never know." All best.
DeleteIt is a beautiful park and we can understand why you would have spent lots of time here in your youth!
DeleteWe saw people out there waterskiing and I was wishing I was out there skiing too. It has been quite a while since I last water skied and the lake looked so tempting. We are glad that you are able to get back here fairly regularly to visit. We totally get that part about enjoying a visit but not wanting to live here again part, we feel the same about our home town.