Financial Friday 49

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 49, and the end of the year….

Transportation

Zero. I went nowhere this week, and walked when I left the hostel.

Accommodation

For December, it’s $3.75 per night. I’m not sure what I’m paying in January as I haven’t paid yet, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be under $4 a night. So to err on the high side, I’ve gone with $4 per night.

Food

So….parties on Sunday and Tuesday aside, there isn’t much happening here. It’s so cheap!

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Summary

Week 49
Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lodging	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	4	4	4	27
Food	7.94	7.56	16.14	2.26	9.47	6.17	0	49.54
Other	9.54	9.54	9.54	9.54	9.54	9.54	9.54	66.78
Total	21.23	20.85	29.43	15.55	23.01	19.71	13.54	143.32

So New Year’s week was pretty cheap! Let’s have a look at December….

Dec 18
Week 45	Week 46	Week 47	Week 48	Week 49	Total
Travel	0.93	0.19	0.19	0	0	1.31
Lodging	22.5	26.25	45.23	26.25	15	135.23
Food	46.04	55.86	39.03	68.74	33.9	243.57
Other	78.5	95.63	65.23	98.87	38.16	376.39
Total	147.97	177.93	149.68	193.86	87.06	756.5

This was the second least expensive month so far! My wallet is looking really good.

And for the year…. I started traveling in late January so this is roughly a month short of a full year, but…. In 2018, my expenses came out to $12,097.80! That includes a week in Iceland, a little under 3 months in Greece, a bit over a month in Turkey, and about 7 months in Georgia. So, for all my fellow Westerners that think full time travel in affordable, well…you’re just wrong. I’m pretty sure most people earn more than this with their side-hussle(s).

So my challenge to everyone is to get out, and see the world. It’s a fascinating place that’s full of opportunities.

I’ll see you all next week….

Financial Friday 48

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Hmm…it looks like I forgot to post this on Friday. Better late than never?

Transportation

Absolutely nothing to report here. I’m so boring….

Accommodation

The hostel’s running me $3.75 per night this month. I love Georgia pricing.

Food

I went out a little more than usual so it was a tad more ‘expensive’. Wait, who am I kidding? This is Georgia; nothing’s crazy expensive.

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN service: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

On Sunday, I decided to take advantage of a sale on a video game: $32.09. It’s titled Star Control: Origins.

Summary

Week 48
Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lodging	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	26.25
Food	15.95	12.39	0	9.49	9.74	7.94	13.23	68.74
Other	9.54	9.54	41.63	9.54	9.54	9.54	9.54	98.87
Total	29.24	25.68	45.38	22.78	23.03	21.23	26.52	193.86

Another under $200 week. I love Georgia! Until next week…if I don’t forget again….

Financial Friday 47

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 47…

Transportation

I’ve barely left the hostel this week unless it’s been going to the grocery store. I did manage to hitch a ride on the metro on Tuesday though: $0.19.

Accommodation

The hostel’s costing me $3.75 per day.

On Tuesday, my former roommates contacted me, and told me the gas bill for last month had come in. It had actually been there for a while, but no one had paid it since I usually handled it. They noticed when it was cut off. Anyway, the [inefficient] heating is gas powered, and my portion came out to $18.98. That’s a lot for here.

Food

Nothing interesting happened here. Really, nothing….

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Wednesday, the service for this blog came up. It tacks on another $0.31 per day.

Summary

Week 47
Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0	0.19	0	0	0.19
Lodging	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	22.73	3.75	3.75	45.23
Food	5.5	5.56	0	9.87	5.77	5.69	6.64	32.39
Other	9.23	9.23	9.23	9.23	9.23	9.54	9.54	65.23
Total	18.48	18.54	12.98	22.85	37.92	18.98	13.29	143.04

It turns out not doing anything is super cheap. I should consider being boring more often. Just kidding. See you all next week….

Financial Friday 46

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 46….

Transportation

The hostel I’m in is pretty centrally located so I only used the metro once on Friday: $0.19. Winning.

Accommodation

I paid for the hostel for the entire month, and I got a crazy discount. That combined with it being off season, and the currency (the Georgian Lari) being in a low point results in a cost of $3.75 per night!

Food

Nothing unusual’s happening here. I will say it’s pretty awesome having the hostel being practically empty. So I have almost completely free reign of the kitchen.

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

I upgraded my VPN service so now it’s like a turbo VPN. All for the low, low price of $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Monday, I bought more data for my local phone: $11.84 for 15G.

On Wednesday, I bought a book: $17.30. It’s titled The Alzheimer’s Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline. I bought it because…well, let’s be honest; who isn’t scared shitless of Alzheimer’s?

Summary

Week 46
Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.19
Lodging	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	26.25
Food	8.24	3.85	7.17	10.74	6.07	15.48	4.31	55.86
Other	9.1	9.1	9.1	20.94	9.1	26.4	9.1	92.84
Total	21.28	16.7	20.02	35.43	18.92	45.63	17.16	175.14

So here’s another average week. See you in 7 days….

Financial Friday 45

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 45 down. Here’s we go….

Transportation

All travel costs this week are metro runs: $0.19 each.

Accommodation

Rent for November was $5.67 per night.

On the first, I moved out of the house I’d spent the last few months in, and checked into a hostel. I know one of the owners who gave me a fantastic rate: $3.75 per night! It would have been a downgrade, but one of the roommates at the house got a dog that has an annoying habit of biting people so…. Yeah, getting away from the demon dog pushes the scales heavily in the hostel’s favor.

Food

Despite going out, and getting fairly drunk on Saturday and Sunday evening, I managed to keep my food budget under control. It’s so cheap here….

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Saturday, there was a sale on a computer game. I figured 20% off was worth the final price tag: $21.66. It’s called Thea 2: The Shattering if anyone’s curious.

On Tuesday, I did laundry: $1.12. One of the downsides of hostel living is I can’t just buy a huge package of laundry detergent. It’s still worth the extra expense though.

On Thursday, I got ‘professional’ pictures taken for an ID: $1.12. I also picked up the paperwork to file for Georgian Residency. I didn’t have a pen with me so I still have to go back and finish the submission process, but I got a good start.

Summary

Week 45
Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.19	0.37	0.37	0	0.19	0	0	1.12
Lodging	5.67	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	3.75	28.17
Food	12.66	7.12	17.38	14.83	3.45	3.26	0	58.7
Other	9.1	30.76	9.1	9.1	10.22	9.1	10.22	87.6
Total	27.62	42	30.6	27.68	17.61	16.11	13.97	175.59

So another mid-range week has passed. Also, the month of December began.

Nov 18
Week 40	Week 41	Week 42	Week 43	Week 44	Week 45	Total
Travel	0.37	3.36	3.74	0.19	1.52	0.56	9.74
Lodging	5.67	39.69	43.42	39.69	39.69	9.42	177.58
Food	7.09	49.65	48.3	46.62	39.35	19.78	210.79
Other	9.1	102.33	86.16	73.49	129.82	39.86	440.76
Total	22.23	195.03	181.62	159.99	210.38	69.62	838.87

As we can see, November was a fantastic month! I love Georgia!

See you all next week….

Financial Friday 44

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 44….

Transportation

All travel costs this week were via metro: $0.19 per trip. It’s super convenient.

Accommodation

Rent for the month comes out to $5.67 per day.

Food

Nothing exciting happened here this week. Between grocery runs, and occasionally eating out, costs are pretty low.

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Monday, I did some online shopping: $66.12. Most things can be found anywhere in the world, and are generally cheaper than in the West. However, there are a few rare items that are difficult to find. Among these are collapsible water bottles (I can find normal water bottles easily enough, but I want a ‘fancy’ one); waterproofing spray (so I can spray a shitty looking jacket; a good part of theft deterrence is to look like you don’t own anything worth stealing); a collapsible backpack (this was an impulse purchase, because it just looked awesome, and I can compress it down when not in use); and a few specialty carabiners (these are sooo useful; you can use them to clip things onto your baggage or person, keep keys together, they’re just all around nice to have). Yes, I paid Western prices, and getting them shipped out to me won’t be cheap either, but certain products need to be top of the line (or just the way you want them); particularly when you own almost no physical objects. Any experienced traveler will tell you that one of the best things to do is travel light! It’s far cheaper and easier to manage when all you have is a carry-on bag.

Summary

Week 44
	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.19	0.19	0.19	0.38	0.19	0.38	0	1.52
Lodging	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	39.69
Food	0	6.7	6.42	11.97	5.66	8.6	0	39.35
Other	9.1	9.1	9.1	75.22	9.1	9.1	9.1	129.82
Total	14.96	21.66	21.38	93.24	20.62	23.75	14.77	210.38

So this was a little more than last week, but that’s primarily due to the Cyber Monday shopping. See you all next week….

Financial Friday 43

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 43….

Transportation

This was very low. I only used the metro once: $0.19. The rest of the time, I walked which is very easy to do here.

Accommodation

Rent on my room for this month comes out to $5.67 per day.

Food

Nothing too crazy happened here. A good reference point for spending would be when I went out to eat with some friends last night. There were 4 of us, and we ordered: 20 ხინკალი (khinkali: dumplings with meat), 1 კაჭაპური (kachapouri: cheese and bread) in the მეგრელური (megrelian) style so it was kind of like a cheese pizza without the tomato sauce, some greens to go with everything, a salad, and a bottle of wine. Split 4 ways, we ended up spending $9.33 each. And we ate like kings! Less than $10 for a fancy meal? Yes please!

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN service: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Friday, I bought a book: $9.79. Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Oragan came recommended by a friend so I thought I’d check it out. I’ve been looking into nutrition and digestion a lot lately.

Summary

Week 43
	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0.19	0	0	0	0.19
Lodging	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	39.69
Food	5.06	6.01	0	14.31	5.49	0	15.75	46.62
Other	18.89	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	73.49
Total	29.62	20.78	14.77	29.27	20.26	14.77	30.52	159.99

So, another great week has come and gone. What will I spend next week? You’ll find out next Friday.

Financial Friday 42

Locations: Tbilisi, super small (population less than 100) village [Republic of Georgia]

Week 42, here we go….

Transportation

On Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, I used took the metro for $0.19 per ride.

On Saturday, some friends and I went to a tiny village 60 km west of თბილისი (Tbilisi). 5 of us got a taxi out there; my portion of which was $2.99. Not bad for an hour and a half ride.

Lodging

Rent for the month is $5.67.

On Monday, I paid the utility bill for electricity and water. My portion came out to $3.73.

Food

So…typical food bill. Of note is we bought groceries for our time at the village on Saturday and Sunday. Our bill came out to $9.33 per person for two days; and we weren’t cheap. We bought a lot of the pricier food, and a good deal of alcohol. Have I mentioned I love საქართველო (Georgia)?

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN service: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Friday, I bought two books written by Alain de Botton (a modern philosopher). On Love: A Novel was $9.63. The Course of Love: A Novel was $12.83. These aren’t exactly the cheapest books, but I figure they’re well worth their price since they deal with philosophy. I think we could all use a little more philosophy in our lives.

Summary

Week 42
	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.37	2.99	0	0.19	0.19	0	0	3.74
Lodging	5.67	5.67	5.67	9.4	5.67	5.67	5.67	43.42
Food	8.12	9.33	5	10	9.34	6.51	0	48.3
Other	31.56	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	86.16
Total	45.72	27.09	19.77	28.69	24.3	21.28	14.77	181.62

So there we go. Another decent week. My wallet is really loving this country. See you all next week.

Financial Friday 41

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 41….

Transportation

Friday, Monday and Thursday are metro trips at $0.19 per trip.

On Sunday, I stayed out until the morning, and ended up taking a taxi home. The driver charged me 50% more than what the most expensive fare should have been (which is itself twice what a normal fare is). So I basically paid 3 times a normal rate. I was very annoyed.

Accommodation

The rate for this month is $5.67.

Food

I was actually pretty surprised. With all the debauchery on Sunday night, I figured I would have spent a lot more. What can I say? Georgia is cheap.

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN service: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Monday, my local phone carrier renewed my pay-as-you-go plan: $0.50.

Also on Monday, I forgot to pay the balance on one of my travel cards, and was slapped with a late fee of $25. Ouch! I need to set a reminder or something so that doesn’t happen again.

On Tuesday, I topped up my data for my local carrier: $11.64 for 15G of data. I’m not complaining….

On Wednesday, had a few bank statements printed: $1.49. More on that when I write part 2 of Banking in Georgia.

Summary

Week 41
	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.19	0	2.61	0.19	0	0	0.37	3.36
Lodging	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	5.67	39.69
Food	8.08	3.69	12.04	8.58	8.58	5.06	3.62	49.65
Other	9.1	9.1	9.1	34.6	20.74	10.59	9.1	102.33
Total	23.04	18.46	29.42	49.04	34.99	21.32	18.76	195.03

So it wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t fantastic. I blame my own stupidity for forgetting my credit cards have payment dates. Next week should be better. Until then….

Financial Friday 40

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 40….

Transportation

All transportation costs were metro trips ($0.19 a piece). It’s a bit high on Tuesday because I used my card to get an extra person in on our way to a restaurant. What, I have friends?!

Accommodation

The cost for October comes out to $5.48 per day while November is $5.67 per day. That extra day changes the cost slightly. Other than that, nothing really happened here.

Food

On Tuesday, I went with some new friends to a Yemeni restaurant. One of the people I was with was from there, and wanted to showcase his culinary culture. Unfortunately (according to him), the food wasn’t that good. I still thought it was fantastic, but…. That just makes me want to go to Yemen to see how awesome this food really is. Will it live up to the hype?

Other

Travel insurance: $8.64 per day.

VPN service: $0.13 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

On Friday, I bought some jello: $0.50. I thought I could make fake blood out of the strawberry flavor, but I ended up not using it. One of my roommates had make-up that worked much better.

Also on Friday, I bought a pad of sticky notes: $3.34. I’ve been writing the Georgian names of objects on them, and attaching them to the appropriate surfaces. It’s been somewhat effective having to look at the words every time I want to use something.

Summary

Week 40
	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0.19	0.56	0	0.37	1.12
Lodging	5.48	5.48	5.48	5.48	5.48	5.48	5.67	38.55
Food	1.21	2.24	4.68	8.58	9.33	14.29	7.09	47.42
Other	12.94	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	67.54
Total	19.63	16.82	19.26	23.35	24.47	28.87	22.23	154.63

So this has been a pretty good week. And for the month….

Oct 18
	Week 36	Week 37	Week 38	Week 39	Week 40	Total
Travel	1.36	5.79	1.79	3.59	0.75	13.28
Lodging	21.92	47.42	44.12	38.36	32.88	184.7
Food	26.98	51.5	34.19	44.2	40.33	197.2
Other	94.23	89.62	115.93	80.79	58.44	439.01
Total	144.49	194.33	196.03	166.94	132.4	834.19

This is fantastic! It’s not the least expensive month, but it’s certainly one of the better ones. See you all next week….