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….
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….
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.
I was running late on Friday so I took the metro rather than walking: $0.18. თბილისი (Tbilisi) is a very walkable city.
Accommodation
On Tuesday, my roommate moved out. That doubled the cost of my AirBnB. At under $10 per day, it’s still pretty good though.
Food
Nothing much to say here. I grouped my eating out days with my grocery runs so prices are a bit lumpy.
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 Tuesday, I bought a book Russian Short Stories for Beginners. The cost would normally be $4.27, but I had Amazon credit so it was free! And now I have an extra resource for when I get serious about learning Russian.
Summary
Week 100
Category
Fri
Sat
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Total
Travel
0.18
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.18
Lodging
4.88
4.88
4.88
4.88
9.76
9.76
9.76
48.8
Food
11.28
9.78
0
17.91
0
22.24
0
61.21
Other
6.61
6.61
6.61
6.61
6.61
6.61
6.61
46.27
Total
22.95
21.27
11.49
29.4
16.37
38.61
16.37
156.46
So…slightly more than last week, but still really good. See you all next week….
I’ve gone back to walking a lot. On Thursday, I took the metro once though: $0.18.
Accommodation
On Friday, I got a roommate. So now we split the cost. My portion comes to $4.88 per day.
Food
Nothing to report here. I’m pretty boring.
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 Monday, I dropped my Pimsleur subscription. I wasn’t using it so that’s $0.71 per day I get back.
On Thursday, I gave some Georgian teachers a gift in exchange for their free lessons: $2.90. It’s a local desert called ჩურჩხელა (churchkhela). They cover nuts on a string with fruit juice.
Summary
Week 99
Category
Fri
Sat
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Total
Travel
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.18
0.18
Lodging
4.88
4.88
4.88
4.88
4.88
4.88
4.88
34.16
Food
0
7.66
0
13.31
8.13
7.57
23.55
60.22
Other
7.32
7.32
7.32
6.61
6.61
6.61
9.51
51.3
Total
12.2
19.86
12.2
24.8
19.62
19.06
38.12
145.86
This is much better. I love seeing weeks like this. Until next week….
Most of this is metro trips at $0.18 each: Friday, 1; Monday, 4; Tuesday, 2; Thursday, 1. I’ve been using the metro a lot more since I don’t feel like walking in the ‘cold’ (in this case around 5 degrees Celsius).
On Saturday, a friend and I took a cable car: $0.91. It’s a little expensive, but it’s far easier than walking up a hill.
Accommodation
The AirBnB’s costing me $9.76 per night. It’s basically the same situation as in Greece, but at half the price. I have the place to myself.
Food
This was a bit high, but not too terrible. The most expensive thing I did was hit up a bar. For dinner and 5ish drinks, it cost me $18.84. Not too bad for a night out.
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.
Pimsleur’s Russian: $0.71 per day. Sadly, I haven’t used this much so I’ll probably drop it.
Password Manager: $0.16 per day.
On Saturday, some friends and I went out to play pool/billiards: $1.81. That’s 2 hours of play split 3 ways.
Also on Saturday, I had a ‘business’ meeting: $4.17. I got to talk with someone that’s done a lot of traveling, and has business connections. We discussed residency/citizenship options, possible investments, taxes, etc…. It was fantastic, and pretty cheap for 2 hours of discussion.
On Thursday, I took a ‘free’ Georgian class: $7.24. Some Mormons are in თბილისი (Tbilisi), and one of the services they provide are free English classes. I managed to convince them to help me with my ქარტული (Georgian). They don’t expect payment, but I thought I should give them something to show my appreciation. So I showed up with a bunch of ჩურჩხელა (Churchkhela). It’s a local dessert made of nuts covered in fruit juice paste. I know that probably doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s really pretty good.
Locations: Thessaloniki [Greece], Kutaisi, Tbilisi [Republic of Georgia]
Week 97….
Transportation
On Monday, I took a plane from Θεσσαολνίκη (Thessaloniki) to ქუთაისი (Kutaisi): $22.33. O love how cheap flights can be in Europe.
Also on Monday, I took a bus from the Kutaisi airport into town (about 1/2 hour drive): $1.81.
On Tuesday, I took a train from Kutaisi to თბილისი (Tbilisi): $2.90. I haven’t come across anywhere else where a 4 hour train ride is that cheap.
Also on Tuesday, I took the Tbilisi metro 3 times: $0.54. Needless to say, I moved around a lot.
On Wednesday, I took the metro twice: $0.36. And took it once on Thursday: $0.18.
Accommodation
Friday to Sunday night, I was in the an apartment in Thessaloniki. It ended up being $18.38 per night. I’ve updated previous weeks in my spreadsheet. Though it won’t be reflected in previous Financial Friday posts.
I spent Monday at a hostel in Kutaisi: $4.65. Hostels here are very affordable.
On Tuesday, I moved into an AirBnB that I’ll be spending a month in: $9.76 per night. Not bad for having a whole apartment to myself.
Food
There isn’t much to say here. On Tuesday, I did the bulk of my “I’m in a new place, and have to buy all the stuff that lasts for a long time” shopping.
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.
Pimsleur’s Russian: $0.71 per day.
Password manager: $0.16 per day.
On Friday, I took advantage of a deal and bought a game: $14.98. It’s called Battletech. So creative right? It’s actually pretty fun if you like strategy games.
On Tuesday, I topped up my local SIM with data: $7.32 for 20G of data.
On Wednesday, I bought a few things to cook with that the AirBnB didn’t have on hand: $5.90. I’m perfectly capable of cooking without them, but they make things a lot easier.
Also on Wednesday, I got my teeth cleaned: $50.71. This is way too much. The only reason I paid it is because my teeth were especially dirty, and they could get me in immediately. However, if any of you are in Georgia and need your teeth cleaned, it should only cost half that much.
On Thursday, I got my teeth cleaned again: $23.54. The overpriced place missed a few things. Granted, my teeth were extremely dirty, but come on…. The lesson here is to not go to dentists that cater to tourists.
Also on Thursday, I bought a couple more things to make cooking easier: $3.62. Because I see nice things, and I have to buy them.
My final miscellaneous purchase on Thursday was a magazine: $1.45. It’s about cooking, and is written entirely in ქართული (Georgian). I figure I can use it as a language learning tool.
Summary
Week 97
Category
Fri
Sat
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Total
Travel
0
0
0
24.14
3.44
0.36
0.18
28.12
Lodging
18.38
18.38
18.38
4.65
9.76
9.76
9.76
89.07
Food
0
0
0
6.37
36.68
6.81
8.72
58.58
Other
22.3
7.32
7.32
7.32
14.64
63.93
35.93
158.76
Total
40.68
25.7
25.7
42.48
64.52
80.86
54.59
334.53
So, this turned out to be a bit on the expensive side. I blame the 50 sets of teeth cleanings. And for November….
Nov 19
Category
Week 93
Week 94
Week 95
Week 96
Week 97
Total
Travel
59.87
0
0
0
0
59.87
Lodging
115.65
128.66
128.66
128.66
36.76
538.39
Food
94.5
46.78
29.72
36.65
0
207.65
Other
71.1
51.1
71.24
77.16
29.62
300.22
Total
341.12
226.54
229.62
242.47
66.38
1106.13
This was also a bit on the expensive side. The primary reason for that was staying in my own apartment in Greece. While it was nice to have my own space, it certainly wasn’t cheap.
