> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://svsabado.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 3 Ways We Save Money Cruising - URL: https://svsabado.com/3-ways-we-save-money-cruising/ - Published: 2026-09-12T23:41:36.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-12T23:41:36.000Z - Description: Our plan to live on a boat for five years has turned into a lifestyle we’ve completely fallen in love with, and now we want to continue for as long as possible. That means finding ways to make our cruising budget stretch further and save money wherever we can. - Author: Holly Hendricks - Tags: Boat Life Our plan to live on a boat for five years has turned into a lifestyle we’ve completely fallen in love with, and now we want to continue for as long as possible. That means finding ways to make our cruising budget stretch further and save money wherever we can. Here are three ways we save money while cruising: ## **1\. Limit Offshore Data Usage** With Starlink recently tripling the price of offshore data, a lot of us are looking for ways to conserve usage. We don’t skimp on using it for weather and safety communications, but we also don’t want to give up the entertainment we’ve grown used to: audiobooks, youtube videos, music, TV/Movies, can make a 10 day passage a lot more pleasant. There's a full server running below decks on Sabado. Not a NAS, not a Raspberry Pi. A proper server, handling everything from photo backups to boat data to our password manager. Most people don't expect that on a sailboat, but after years of living aboard full-time, it's become one of the things we'd have a hard time giving up. The short version of why: we don't want to depend on cloud services that cost money forever, change their terms, or just stop working when we're somewhere with bad internet. Out here, "somewhere with bad internet" is most places. Here are a few examples of what we use for entertainment offshore, so our starlink billl isnt astronomical: **Plex:** Our movie and TV library. **TubeArchivist:** A self-hosted application that lets you download, organize, search, and archive YouTube videos on your own server or NAS. We have it set to automatically monitor the channels and playlists we care about, so new content is archived and we can search for videos from our favorite creators, browse content about destinations we’re heading to, or just scroll through our library like a regular YouTube feed offline. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/0b/430bbca4-113f-4e23-b72d-96a7c0bcf98d/content/images/2026/09/IMG_0634-1.png) **Audiobookshelf:** Our private audiobook and podcast server. Audiobooks are a big part of how we get through night watches and long passages, and this keeps the whole library organized and synced across devices without needing someone else’s subscription service. **Want to know more about our server and the software we use every day?** We posted details [here](https://svsabado.com/software-we-use-on-our-boat-every-day/). ## **2\. Doing it Ourselves** There are plenty of projects where hiring a professional is absolutely the responsible thing to do. That said, we’ve been caught more than once paying a professional, only to watch them Google what to do next or ask to see our manuals. We’ve also hired people to build or repair things, only to find ourselves replacing their work later when it didn’t hold up. I learned to sew after paying three different people over the years to take on canvas projects for the boat. Since then, the canvas work I’ve done myself has already saved us thousands of dollars, and I now have the skills, tools, and supplies to repair everything I’ve made, as well as our sails if I ever need to. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/0b/430bbca4-113f-4e23-b72d-96a7c0bcf98d/content/images/2026/09/IMG_3316-1.jpg) Beyond the cost, there’s an added stress in being dependent on someone else. So, we’ve built up our skill sets over time, and that knowledge now informs how we monitor and maintain the boat. We’ve learned how to recognize the small changes that can be early warning signs, allowing us to address problems before they turn into expensive or catastrophic failures. That preventative approach saves us money and, just as importantly, keeps us from being stuck somewhere with a broken system. We’ve also learned which spare parts are worth carrying, so we’re not forced to pay three times the price to have something shipped to a remote island when we could have had it on board all along. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/0b/430bbca4-113f-4e23-b72d-96a7c0bcf98d/content/images/2026/09/IMG_2729.jpg) **Doing a project yourself to save money is not always the answer, but the more you know, the more often it can be.** Over the years, we’ve learned this through experience, including plenty of mistakes, failed attempts, and lessons learned the hard way. We’ve spent years solving problems on our own boat and, increasingly, helping other boaters solve theirs. Whether you’re troubleshooting a generator, planning a lithium conversion, or simply want to feel more confident and prepared while cruising, we can help you understand the problem, weigh your options, and learn along the way. Check out our [Coaching and Consulting services](https://svsabado.com/consulting/). ## **3\. Treating Insurance Renewal Like a Job Application** We insure our vessel each year and approach the process much like a job application. For each of us, we put together a sailing resume that documents our accumulated miles, certifications, and other relevant experience. We also provide a comprehensive list of the safety upgrades and improvements we’ve made to the boat, for example, carrying a spare autopilot, reinforcing the escape hatches, and other enhancements designed to improve safety and reliability. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/0b/430bbca4-113f-4e23-b72d-96a7c0bcf98d/content/images/2026/09/IMG_0551.jpg) This approach helps demonstrate to insurers that we are experienced, responsible, and a lower-risk proposition. Historically, it has helped us secure lower policy premiums. **If you’re curious about our monthly expenses while living aboard** our 2017 Lagoon 42, check out our monthly behind the scenes reports. Crew members have access to all of those details, including what we pay for insurance, along with plenty of other resources. [Join here](https://svsabado.com/#/portal/signup) to unlock full access, or scroll through one month for free, [here](https://svsabado.com/july-2026-behind-the-scenes/).