The Cost of Sunglasses

The realisation hit me that we literally have 10 months to go until we leave our home and move onto the boat. Oh, all the things to get sorted, sold, organised and completed by then…


I started pricing items and am hoping to start listing them for sale over the next week. Hopefully things will sell and we will slowly empty our house of all possessions so the transition happens easily. Both our boys are busy sorting through their own personal things deciding what to keep, what to sell and what to throw away or donate. We decided all their earning from sales will go directly into their savings, all our earnings will go into our cruising kitty. Here’s to that kitty growing into a giant cat (hehe)

Last night I sat down to do yet another calculation as to the total cost of the trip. The amount of money we expect to earn and the amount we need to pay out over the 36 month period we are planning on being away for. I can’t believe how much it all adds up to. We are working on an annualised budget for 3 years. This will include all our expected costs and expenses including our land based child/children as well as our children on board. (Kids on board cost way less than those that stay behind on land)

We took a trip to Randburg this morning to visit a marine store Texwise. We decided to take the trip as they had sailing shoes on special. We spent a bit of time in the store having a look at the sailing shoes, heavy weather jackets (oilies), sunglasses and some other bits and pieces relating to yachts.

Barry liked 1 pair of shoes so we took that, I really liked the heavy weather jackets but they were pricey, even on special so we thought we should overnight it. We tried on a few pairs of sunglasses as our last pairs “Bondiblue” have had better days and we need new one’s before our trip to Langebaan. We found the perfect pair "blueye loaded" and headed for the tills. Once the items were rung up we got the surprise of our life as it came to way more than anticipated (maybe those heavy weather jackets weren’t so pricey after all). The sunglasses were so expensive we actually had to hold our breath not scream, they better be good, no great. We paid, left the store and the whole way home I just sat in silence considering the cost of the sunglasses. I got caught this time, my own stupidity, I really should have asked how much they were but hey, they are sunglasses and the last pair cost R 350.00 or so.

Well there you have it, I over spent today and wish I had not gone out for the “special” on the shoes as it landed up costing a whole lot more than I wanted to pay!


Everyday I read a blog about another couple leaving at the end of the year with their 2 small daughters on board, they are always discussing money and how to save and take care of it. I am usually very good at this but today I feel like I failed miserably!

Oh well, school fees paid, moving on, I won’t pay those again!