It’s been a while since my last blog! I’m using this quarantine period to reconnect with journaling and blogging, hoping to keep both you and me entertained along the way. You might feel like you’ve missed a lot, but I’ll try to catch you up as we go. In the meantime, please stay safe and remember to wash your hands.

Day 49 has arrived. Living on a budget in San Diego is challenging, but it’s definitely possible, and I’m living proof of that. There are even military families like mine who manage to live cheaply here, and I have a few tips to share.

We receive a housing allowance of $3,165 per month. Recently, I mentioned that we spend $1,400 to live in an RV on the beach, which covers everything, including truck and RV loans. This leaves us with $1,765 of tax-free money to live on before even dipping into David’s salary. Usually, that’s more than enough. Although I don’t pay rent, I do handle groceries, alcohol, RV improvements, and my personal expenses, including holidays.

David doesn’t need to use his salary every month and is on track to maximize his IRA and 401(k) contributions this year. To keep things simple, we maintain separate finances. I’m an authorized user on his Amex cards, allowing us to accumulate points, and I pay for my expenses at the end of each month. But let’s get back to living on a budget in San Diego; we rarely spend more than $3,000 a month between the two of us.

Our housing costs break down like this: $1,400 for the RV park (averaging $900), RV and truck loans ($300), insurance ($90), propane for cooking ($20), and miscellaneous tools and accessories ($90). Food costs are around $200, including his energy drinks, our beers, and my wine. We keep our food expenses low thanks to free items from the USO and other military initiatives, and we mostly cook from scratch.

For dining out, we spend about $50 on average, and with a $200 annual credit from Amex for Uber Eats, we rarely eat out unless it’s for places like In-N-Out or seafood spots at the harbor. Occasionally, we grab a beer at ChooseFi meetups.

We don’t pay for utilities like electricity, water, internet, property taxes, trash, or landscaping at the campground. My phone bill is $15 monthly on a family plan with T-Mobile, while David pays $20 for Mint. Our Netflix subscription costs $10, and Disney Plus is $8 (both free for six months courtesy of Amex, compensating for the inability to use airport lounges during COVID).

We spend under $100 a month on our cars because one campground is just 3 miles from work, allowing me to bike to the gym, and the other is on Coronado Island, where I cycle to the beach and drive only every 10 days for groceries.

Currently, we’re staying well below $2,000 a month since there’s no travel budget for Europe or Guatemala, and there’s little to do. We have plenty of products from our previous apartment, so we haven’t needed to buy new cleaning products or pantry items for a while.

I opted not to insure our dogs since Tijuana is nearby for emergencies (hopefully after COVID!). They’re healthy and well-fed, with just $120 spent on two wellness exams and ear cleaning for Kodiak, and $100 for Napoleon who had a minor injury.

We get several freebies thanks to the military, including 400 lbs of dog food from the USO, bread, cookies, muffins, and pastries. The gym on base is free and offers amenities like a sauna, Zumba, CrossFit, and Yoga. There are also free movie screenings with popcorn costing just $2.

The base library offers great books, craft days, and free online accounts for movies, eBooks, and audiobooks. Healthcare is mostly covered, with optional dental for $120 annually. Basic tax preparation is available on base, and Balboa Park provides free annual museum passes for military families with an application.

We’ve enjoyed free tickets to sports games and theater plays supplied by the USO, and free restaurant dinners through a lottery system. Last year, we went to Sea World for free, and we receive four free tickets yearly. National Parks offer a free annual pass for military members.

I took a complimentary “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” class and have tickets for Rise San Diego, a motivational event worth $300. Every two weeks, the USO hosts a farmers market providing fresh vegetables and staples. We’ve received avocados, asparagus, organic grits, and watermelon, all accompanied by music, prizes, and even diapers and wipes if you have kids.

I currently have about 10 pounds of See’s Candy, thanks to the USO ensuring I gain my quarantine 15. Numerous free or low-cost activities are available, such as $10 hikes with private transportation and a guide, and rentals for kayaks and paddleboards. The base even has a tennis court, swimming pools, and offers free bowling every Friday.

Monthly, the base hosts a free tacos and beer event, which we never miss. We don’t pay for haircuts either; David shaves his head and recently cut my hair. Even parking becomes free if we’re willing to walk half a mile.

Thanks to the high housing allowance and numerous freebies, we’re enjoying a great life in San Diego as a military family. While Guatemala may offer cheaper living, the abundance of free stuff here more than compensates for the higher cost of living in this area.