After years of being addicted to watching other people living out their sailing dreams on YouTube (I'm looking at you SV Delos and Sailing La Vagabonde!) we decided we wanted a piece of the action. We wanted to buy our own sailboat and get out on the water and live out our own sailing adventure.

The problem? We didn't have a boat or know how to sail (that's a whole different story!).

We knew we were going to have to tighten our belts and think of some ways to save money each month so we could make our sailing dream come true.

Here are  20 real-life ways we saved money to buy a sailboat, based on our personal experience. They are the strategies we actually used to help us cut back, save money, and be able afford to buy a 34 foot sailboat. 

Whether you're just starting to think about cruising life or already planning your escape to the sea, we hope our story gives you some actionable inspiration and a clear idea of how to save money to buy a sailboat—without feeling like you have to give up everything.


Here's the summary of the list of 20 real-life ways we saved money when we were saving up so we could buy our first sailboat. 

Watch the video for the expanded version and how we saved money with each one!


20 Real-Life Ways We Saved Money To Buy a Sailboat

1. TV Licence 

2. Mobile Phone Contracts

3. Eating In instead of Out

4. Gym Membership

5. Food Costs

6. Freezer

7. Clothing, Shoes, and Treats 

8. Cinema vs Home Movies

9. Cigarettes and Alcohol

10. Nights Out Into Nights In

11. Stop Buying Stuff

12. Run One Car (Sell any extra cars)

13. Days Out

14. Make Gifts

15. Save Energy

16. Shop Around

17. Use MoneySavingExpert.com

18. Saving Accounts

19. Pay Off Any Debts Before Starting to Save

20. The Boat


So, what do you think? Have you done any of the ideas already - are there any you hadn't thought about? Is there anything you're doing in your quest to save up to buy a sailboat that I haven't mentioned?!

We'd love to hear all your ideas as we want to help as many families as possible get out on the water as soon as they can once they've decided to live their dream lifestyle! Please share them below this post 🙂

About the Author

Hey! I’m Robyn - sailor, author, mum, and blogger. I'm fearlessly dedicated to sharing the awesomeness of sailing and travelling around our incredible planet, with your family beside you every sail of the way. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or have never stepped foot on a boat before, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. WELCOME!

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