The PCT budget: MY philosophy! – The walk

By the time I actually decided to join my friend’s PCT attempt, I was staring at a daunting obstacle directly in my midsection (it was TOO big to look at his face – I couldn’t even SEE his face because it was so big!). This obstacle was debt/finances. I think I mentioned it in my introduction, but in the last two years I had left my beloved, well-paying job to move home and help a mother who was rapidly showing signs of Alzheimer’s, and in the process of this I worked myself into a frenzy and had a medical episode of my own. Although I still wasn’t completely out of debt at the time, I had been paying things off for the past few years and was WAY ahead of the average American in terms of debt/credit, etc. After this move, hospitalization, unemployment, and eventually a drastically different reemployment, things were NOT pretty, and I would say I had fallen back to a position considerably behind the average American in these terms.

So, as I began to truly plan and prepare for the hike, I created a new mantra. Have you heard of «KISS», which stands for «Keep It Simple, Stupid»? My new motto was «KICD!» This meant «Keep it cheap, idiot!»

“Simple” would have been to read the surveys, watch the videos, go to the stores and websites and buy THE equipment. That was completely unreal to me.

THIS is what I’ve been training for my whole life.

Fortunately for me, at some point in my life I developed 2 characteristics that became extremely valuable:

1.) I LOVE finding hidden gems, underrated items, underrated products, etc. I am a treasure hunter.

2.) Somewhere along the way I realized at a young age that I valued experiences more than status symbols.

So, while some may feel discouraged or intimidated at that moment, I almost felt energized! I had a purpose: to set out to do this using common sense and experience to find the best way to acquire the necessary equipment as frugally as possible.

With the warning:

However, like I said, I value experiences and memories more than having the «hottest, coolest» new backpack. So I’m not proclaiming that I will make this the cheapest PCT increase ever, but I am keeping my team as budget conscious as I feel safe. This will allow me to spend more when necessary on the actual experience. I like food. I like beer. I like drinks. I like side quests! I like being able to buy something whenever I want. I like being able to buy something from others if I want.

So if you decide to follow us, you’ll probably see, hear, or read about a LOT of irresponsible spending on this trip. But if you “buy” a memory, or a laugh, or even a tear… it leads to a new friendship, or a new way of looking at things, or a new opinion… it allows me to offer someone else a memory, a laugh, or a tear, well…

THAT, my friends, is worth MUCH more than any new UL equipment you can possibly snag, abuse, misuse or lose.

So wait!

You’ll want to see my gear list and hear my opinions and experiences with said gear. I’m pretty sure I’ll have a set like no other.

All this and more, YES…

Follow us!

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!

For more information, visit the About page of this site.