Financial Friday 106

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 106….

Transportation

On Saturday, I took the metro once: $0.18. And a taxi, because the metro lines were closed when I wanted to go home: $1.44.

Accommodation

The old AirBnB was $9.26 per night.

On Monday, I moved to a new AirBnB. The price is a little higher since I only booked a week to see if I liked it: $13.39 per night. Note that AirBnBs get much cheaper when booking a week, month or longer. In this case, the weekly discount isn’t as large as the monthly, and the fixed costs (cleaning, etc.) are a much larger percentage of the overall charge.

Food

Nothing too interesting going on here….

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Friday, my local carrier was running a special: $1.75. For that, I got 5G of data.

On Saturday, my local carrier’s data plan renewed: $10.65. That’s for 20G of data, and rolling over whatever I hadn’t used the previous month.

Summary

Week 106
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	1.62	0	0	0	0	0	1.62
Lodging	9.26	9.26	9.26	13.39	13.39	13.39	13.39	81.34
Food	3.94	15.06	0	18.06	15.06	12.49	0	64.61
Other	8.36	17.26	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	58.67
Total	21.56	43.2	15.87	38.06	35.06	32.49	20	206.24

So that’s a little higher due to higher lodging costs. It’s still pretty good though.

And for the first month of the new year….

Jan 20
Category	Week 101	Week 102	Week 103	Week 104	Week 105	Week 106	Total
Travel	0	0.72	4.34	4.2	4.1	0	13.36
Lodging	19.52	64.82	64.82	64.82	64.82	9.26	288.06
Food	6.56	60.94	91.69	74.76	49.3	3.94	287.19
Other	24.23	55.49	55.33	48.71	51.26	8.36	243.38
Total	50.31	181.97	216.18	192.49	169.48	21.56	831.99

Not bad…not bad at all. See you all next week.

Financial Friday 105

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

I’ve been traveling for 2 full years now. Let’s see how my finances looked this week.

Transportation

Metro trips are $0.18 per trip. I also took 2 taxis when the it was too late for the metro: $1.47, $1.75.

Accommodation

The nightly rate for my AirBnB is $9.26.

Food

For some reason this came out to less than the last couple weeks. I guess I got lucky with normal fluctuations.

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Wednesday, my local phone plan renewed: $0.39. This is a base, pay-as-you-go plan that I stack a data plan on top of.

On Thursday, I bought some treats for the local Mormons who are teaching me Georgian: $5.60. I think this is a pretty good rate for an hour of one-on-one teaching. Note: learning grammar is usually best done from a non-native speaking teacher. Natives intuitively know what to say, but not why.

Summary

Week 105
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	1.65	0.35	2.1	0	0	4.1
Lodging	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	64.82
Food	0	6.74	16.81	7.01	15.06	3.68	0	49.3
Other	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	7	11.21	51.26
Total	15.87	22.61	34.33	23.23	33.03	19.94	20.47	169.48

This is what I like to see. Type at you all next week….

Financial Friday 104

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 104….

Transportation

It’s been ‘cold’ outside (0°C) so I’ve been lazy. Fortunately, the metro’s $0.17 per ride. I’ve been out past when it runs a few times though when I took a taxi home: $1.50 per ride.

Accommodation

The AirBnB’s running me $9.26 per night.

Food

Nothing unusual here….

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day. This renewed in January so I have a year to spend the $300 in travel credit. I’m sure I’ll get there pretty fast.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Thursday, my Georgian mobile carrier was running a special. 7GB of internet for $2.44. Of course, I jumped on it.

Summary

Week 104
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0.17	1.67	0	0.17	0.35	0.17	1.67	4.2
Lodging	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	64.82
Food	15.7	13.24	0	11.79	11.85	6.52	15.66	74.76
Other	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	9.05	48.71
Total	31.74	30.78	15.87	27.83	28.07	22.56	35.64	192.49

Another week under $200. Winning! See you all next week….

Financial Friday 103

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 103….

Transportation

I’ve been using the metro a lot more recently. I also took a couple taxi rides this week. Once on Sunday ($1.56), and once on Tuesday ($1.88). Tuesday was slightly more expensive due to it being Old New Years day.

Accommodation

A month long AirBnB rental’s coming out to $9.26 per night.

Food

Can you tell which days I went to a bar? That’s pretty much the only thing that’ll take my food spending over $20.

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Thursday, I bought my language teachers some ჩურჩხელა (churchkhela): $9.06. Not bad for an hour of personalized instruction.

Summary

Week 103
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	1.74	0.18	2.06	0.36	0	4.34
Lodging	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	64.82
Food	8.82	0	32.42	7.24	32.6	7.24	3.37	91.69
Other	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.61	15.67	55.33
Total	24.69	15.87	50.03	23.29	50.53	23.47	28.3	216.18

This is still well within my budget, but get a little annoyed when the previous weeks have been under $200. I’m such a cheap ass…. See you all next week….

Financial Friday 102

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Week 102….

Transportation

I’ve been using the metro a lot more this week. At $0.18 per ride though, it’s still pretty good.

Accommodation

I’m renting an AirBnB. It comes out to $9.26 per night.

Food

Not much to say here….

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Friday, I bought Season 12 of Doctor Who. It would have cost me $27.81, but I have Amazon credit from taking surveys. Pro tip: join Amazon Preview; then you can get free stuff when you buy things.

On Sunday, I bought some mouth wash: $3.42. I decided to start taking oral hygiene seriously, I guess.

On Thursday, I bought some ჩურჩხელა (churchkhela: a local ‘candy’): $5.80. It’s not listed under food, because it’s a gift for the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; aka Mormons) missionaries. They’re giving me free Georgian lessons so I’m bribing them with cheap gifts. And that price for an hour of private lessons; worth it!

Summary

Week 102
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0.18	0.36	0.18	0	0.72
Lodging	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	9.26	64.82
Food	14.31	0	6.38	8.69	17.04	14.52	0	60.94
Other	6.61	6.61	10.03	6.61	6.61	6.61	12.41	55.49
Total	30.18	15.87	25.67	24.74	33.27	30.57	21.67	181.97

This looks remarkably similar to last week. Maybe this is a new baseline? Anyway, see you all next week….

Financial Friday 101

Location: Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]

Happy New Year! Let’s see what my wallet thought about year two of full time travel. But first, let’s recap this week….

Transportation

On Monday, I took the metro a couple times: $0.36.

On Tuesday, I took the metro once: $0.18. And (after a night of partying) broke down and took a taxi home: $4.06. This is double the normal cab rate due to increased demand. Still, I think this rate is hard to match in other locations.

Accommodation

Staying alone in an AirBnB for a month comes out to $9.76 per night. Not too shabby….

Food

This is a little higher than normal due to going out on Monday and Tuesday. Because…new years.

Other

Travel insurance: $5.03 per day.

VPN: $0.26 per day.

Amazon Prime: $0.33 per day.

This blog: $0.31 per day.

Skype: $0.08 per day.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: $0.41 per day.

Passport: $0.03 per day.

Password manager: $0.16 per day.

On Thursday, I topped up my mobile data: $11.01. That’s for 20G of data.

Summary

Week 101
Category	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Total
Travel	0	0	0	0.36	4.24	0	0	4.6
Lodging	9.76	9.76	9.76	9.76	9.76	9.76	9.76	68.32
Food	0	6.27	0	19.97	19.56	0	6.56	52.36
Other	6.61	6.61	6.61	6.97	6.61	6.61	17.62	57.64
Total	16.37	22.64	16.37	37.06	40.17	16.37	33.94	182.92

A little on the expensive side for a week in Georgia, but still pretty good. And for the month….

Dec 19
Category	Week 97	Week 98	Week 99	Week 100	Week 101	Total
Travel	28.12	3.78	0.18	0.18	4.6	36.86
Lodging	52.31	68.32	34.16	48.8	48.8	252.39
Food	58.58	70.36	60.22	61.21	45.8	296.17
Other	129.14	64.46	51.3	46.27	33.41	324.58
Total	268.15	206.92	145.86	156.46	132.61	910

Weird…it came out to an exact dollar amount….

And for the big reveal: my total expenses for 2019 came to $10,496.72! And that’s just me spending money normally. There are ways I could have severely reduced that. So the next time any of you hear a ‘Westerner’ complain about not being able to travel, show them this. It’s completely possible.

See you all next week….