CURRENT LOCATION: On a mooring ball near the reef in Ensenada Dakity
18 17.609' N, 065 16.813' W

Yesterday, Sheryl went to the big island to perform a final big provisioning run before we leave the waters of Puerto Rico. Therefore, after finishing my afternoon class at the school, I had some time to kill before her arrival on the evening ferry. Rather than take a round-trip dinghy ride all the way out to Dakity to prepare something for my dinner, I took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a rare meal in a restaurant.

Most of the restaurants in Culebra are a little pricey, but the locals often congregate at El Batey. And, where the locals go you are sure to find decent food at decent prices. I have eaten at El Batey several times before, and their cheeseburger has not once left me disappointed.

After enjoying a cheeseburger, tostones (a twice-fried side dish made from sliced green plantains), and an ice-cold diet Coke, I paid my $8 tab and departed with a full belly. In an effort to walk off my heavy meal, I strolled through town toward the ferry dock. With twighlight settling upon the island, I gazed into the clear water and watched big fish chase after little fish. I started thinking about how much we spend in order to eat.

Having dispensed with most other living expenses (mortgage, car loan, insurance, phone bills, etc.), our biggest daily expense is now food. But, how much does it cost us each day, just to eat? I had a ball-park figure in mind, but (later) a conversation with the provisioning queen, Sheryl, allowed me to support the notion with concrete figures.

On an exceptionally frugal day, our meal-plan might look like this:

Doug or Sheryl.............Food......................................Cost Per Day

Breakfast
Doug.......................Cereal w/ Instant Milk............................$1.00
Sheryl......................2 Eggs w/ Wrap.....................................$0.80
Doug & Sheryl..........Coffee (w/ Creamer for Sheryl)..............$0.40

Lunch
Doug & Sheryl..........Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches..........$1.00

Dinner
Doug & Sheryl..........Beans & Rice w/ Onions & Garlic.............$1.80

Snacks
Doug & Sheryl..........Granola Bars (afternoon) .......................$0.50
Doug & Sheryl..........Pretzels or Crackers (evening)................$1.50

Libations
Doug........................Rum.........................................................$1.50
Sheryl.......................Rum & Juice.............................................$1.50


Therefore, in the ideal paradigm of cost-conscious eating, we spend about $10 per day. Realistically speaking, though, we probably double that (on average) in practice. Fresh fruits & vegetables, meat (for me), and cheese generally supplement this basic menu and can easily increase the grocery bill by $3-4 per category. Special treats like soda or beer (again, just for me) can also tack on a few bucks.

So, it looks like our food bill should be in the neighborhood of ~$600 per month (or $10 per person per day), which is right where we find it to be. I guess my breakfast on the boat and my big splurge at El Batey brings me in right on budget for the day. It is a good thing I skipped lunch yesterday.