Frugal retirement does not have to be mean denial or doing without. It is not necessary to eat dog food or dumpster dive. Does living on a sailboat sound good to you?

The current economic mess is causing all of us to rethink our plans for the future, especially those of retired or thinking about retirement. We have seen big changes to our investment accounts...some are saying "I can't afford to retire now"...really, don't give up now.

Have you considered lifestyles that are not only cheaper but also enjoyable? Living on a sailboat is something we did for eight straight wonderful years. It was not only the most fun we have ever had it was a very cheap lifestyle as well.

When we lived on our boat we traveled from The Virgin Islands in the north, as far south as Trinidad. $1,000 a month gave us a enjoyable lifestyle. You do not have to spend money to enjoy a peaceful anchorage...it is free. The opportunities to spend do not exist unless you go ashore. You do go ashore, but how much can you carry? Most of our money was spent on cheap, fresh food. Fish, conch and lobster you can barter for as well.

Living aboard a sailboat is lots of fun. What is not to like? We had experiences that were different on every island. Boat folks stick together and we would hike with other boaters all over the place. We interacted with locals and did things the tourists never experienced.

Please do not think you have to have been a life long sailor to enjoy this lifestyle. I did not know that the pointy end of the boat was called the bow until a few years from sailing away. Navigation in the Caribbean is easy, thanks to the GPS. All the islands, except Anguilla and Anegada are very mountainous and easy to see. Your longest passage between islands is 90 miles or 18 hours of sailing.

If you want a fun and frugal way to enjoy retirement, take a look at living on a sailboat. It was the best eight years of our lives. You can do it too.

For more information on living on a sailboat. Gary P Pierce is the editor of frugal retirement living , he has enjoyed sailing and other enjoyable, frugal methods to retire.