OUR honeymoon HAWAIIAN experience

Now, I want to share with you guys my experience in Hawaii because it can be useful to those who want to travel to there.
I want to start by saying that it was for sure an unique experience but, also, I have some disappointing things to say because I was expecting to find a paradise on earth since everybody made it sound so when talking about Hawaii. When I arrived there, though, it was not exactly what I had in mind, and I thought it was some kind of desert area, an uninhabited wilderness.
We started our trip two days after our wedding leaving from Chicago and arriving in Phoenix. Then, we were supposed to fly to Kahului Maui but, of course, we lost the flight since the first flight was departed late. So, we had to wait for another flight which brought us first to Los Angeles. From there, after RUNNING in the airport to catch the next flight, we finally got there after around 15 hours. We arrived there and the first impression of the airport was that it so interesting cause it was a pretty small, open airport. There were a lot of tourists. It was very hot(which I liked), but I was exhausted. I could not wait to arrive at the hotel and sleep. Before that, we had to find a car, because you really need one in Hawaii. Also, just to drive to the hotel we needed around 40 min. We choose a not-very fancy car For 10 days we still spent around 700$ to rent the car. So guys, if you want to go there you have to have some money.

We arrived at the hotel and we had to do our check-in; I did not know anything about the the hotel, because my husband wanted to make me a surprise. I was ok with that since I like surprises.
The hotel was The HYATT REGENCY: a very nice hotel, near the ocean, very nice green spaces outside. I really enjoyed this place. They gave me an orchid necklace and, my husband, a shell necklace.

                   

This was the bar pool of the hotel where you could take a seat and have cocktails

                                 

 Here was the open lobby...very nice with some animals too

Our room basically looked like this one

                                                  

                                                                          And the ocean view from the room 

                                                        The next morning, it finally hit us, we were in Hawaii!!!

We start our morning with an all-inclusive breakfast at an amazing restaurant in front of a mini waterfall. They had amazing food; anything you wanted.

                                     After a very nice breakfast, we decided to go to the beach.

OUR WEDDING BANDS and my engagement ring 

BAYWATCH in action 

And then to the pool... in hawaiian style 

At the hotel, the concierge helped us book all the activities for the trip. They then gave us a calendar (so as not to forget) and the tickets for all the days.

That night, we choose to go out on a dinner cruise, which was a very nice experience that I recommend...cocktail party, live music and freshly prepared food and the most spectacular sunset and view.

The second day, we decided to do a helicopter tour of Maui where we saw a lot of waterfalls, forests, volcanoes, and the ocean. It was a really nice experience. If you really want to do more than just lay at the beach, this is one activity which I suggest because you really can see the amazing wonders and nature from up top; it's the only way to see the whole island.

That night, we decided to go to a LUAU Dinner. This was also an experience which you just have to try because there you can find the history of the people...and of course a lot of food. I want to also mention something about the history of LU'AU night: King Kamehameha II ordered a feast of delicacies and sat down and ate with the women and commoners. The term lu'au gradually replaced 'aha'aina. Luaus were not just regular meals, but large feasts with many people invited. It was told that at the Coronation lu'au for King Kalakaua in 1883, the tables were draped in white linens and decorated with ferns, leaves, and flowers almost covering the table linens. There were so many native guests wearing fancy fragrant leis that the sweet floral smell was almost overpowering. Royal luaus were done on a huge scale. King Kalakaua was known for his love of giving parties and his love of the hula. The name lu'au came from one of the dishes considered a delicacy. Taro leaves combined with chicken and baked in coconut milk was called lu'au. The luaus were always placed on the floor on large mats that had a centerpiece of Ti leaves. Included were pigs cooked in a underground oven all day long, bowls of Poi(mashed Taro root), dried fish, salted meats, sweet potatoes and fresh fruits. At the lu'au the Hawaiians ate all the food with their fingers. 

We really enjoyed the show, music, and dance 

New day, new adventure: Hike Maui on Haleakala Crater. We met the experts in one of the parking spaces where everybody meets and then we started our trip with the van.

The first hike was pretty good, just 2 miles at 8000 feet through native scrub forest. The tour guides gave us some energy bars, water...and a lot of pineapple (not surprising since it's everywhere) since the total hike was like 7 hours.

Here, we saw a lot of interesting fruits which you could not find everywhere else; it was a nice walk.

Then, we started our second hike, two miles at the 10000 foot summit where huge cinder cones dominate the desert-like, expansive scenery. 

This part was pretty intense. First, because we were at 10000 feet, so the air was so thin. Second, the thin air was compounded by the fact that the hike was primarily uphill. I was just stopping all the time as I didn't have the air.

But it was very nice to walk on the volcano because you could feel the warmth from the earth beneath you when you walked...and of course the amazing view. 

Back to base...that night, we were exhausted so we just picked the japanese restaurant, called JAPENGO, at the hotel and went there. 

I liked this restaurant because they had fire torches which made for a romantic dinner. Of course I opted for sushi, and my husband a kind of chicken with veggie...pretty good.

The next day, we decided to take a brake, so we  relaxed all day long at the pool. I also found a store where I could pick a book to read and, when finished, I simply brought it back and took another one...and it was free...I like the free things :-)

At the pool you could also reserve these amazing couch-chairs and the bar waiters brought you all you needed. I also received a gratis coca-cola from the bar pool just like that; I don't know why but I think the guy from the bar found me nice...another free thing...my husband sent me then on all the time alone to pick things :-)

That night we opted for the Romance Tour of the Stars, which was in the roof of the hotel. This tour started around 10pm. It involved champagne and chocolate covered strawberries and it was only for couples. 

More than 1000 years ago, voyaging Polynesians were guided to the Hawaiian Islands with the help of the stars. Now you can view those stars and much more with the help of Hyatt's Director's of Astronomy and the resort's 14-inch reflector telescope, known as "The Edge".

Nine stories up on the rooftop of the Lahaina Tower, you'll learn the names and legends of stars, planets and constellations. You'll observe them first with the unaided eye, then trough the giant astronomy binoculars. 

The MOON

That day, I also took a lot of sun 

The next day, we decided to go to the waterfalls in the rain forest at the East Maui Forest Hike.

We did the following things:

• followed two streams to waterfalls from 10 feet to 40 feet high.
• swam in large pools underneath the waterfall(s).
• jumped safely from waterfalls and rock ledge into the pools.
• 6 hour tour, including 2.5-mile hike.

We arrived there with the vans. They gave us these amazing ninja-turtle shoes, which helped us in the forest, and some rain jackets.

                 We saw a lot of rain (duh! rain forest) and huge trees.

                                      

                                             We also ate some forest fruits...pretty good.

Giant LEAVES that help you protect yourself if you are stuck in the rain forest

We also had to cross a river by actually walking through it with the help of a rope.

The tour guide was crazy...he put himself into the river and just let go

Then we hiked a little bit and arrived at the waterfall...but I didn't like them too much because the water was very brown and not clear. It was pretty cold but I still jumped inside.

But not in this one :-)

Then they showed us how a kind of flower could be used as shampoo...and it really worked, trust me!

Then, that night we decided not to go anywhere so we ordered a pizza in our room...room service!

Next day SNORKELING...you just have to do this if you are in the middle of the ocean. What is better than sun, water, fishes and much more:

• continental breakfast with fresh island fruit 
• barbeque lunch and fresh baked cookies
• coffee, juice, soft drinks, wine and mai tais
• snorkel gear 
• naturalist led reef tour and interpretation of dolphin behaviors 

  This was our boat and after the instructions we were ready to explore the water

 

UNDERWATER 

It was a very nice experience which you guys have to try...it was a little bit hard, initially, to figure out how to breath in these things but we did it.

We didn't stay all day long there, so then we decided to search for some local restaurants. Some friends, who also went to Hawaii for their honeymoon, recommended us to go to a restaurant where you could eat the local fish but I do not recall the name. Anyways, I just want to mention how they call the appetizers in Hawaii: Pupu's!! I think it's just so funny, how in the world can you call it that name? I hope they have a reason :-)

The next day, we decided on horseback riding. It was very early in the morning, and I really enjoyed the ride because I really liked the horses. Though it was my husband's first time, he also enjoyed it too. An amazing view of Hawaii...riding in nature... playing with the horses. It was very nice.

Nested in the midst of unspoiled mountains, Ironwood Ranch is surrounded by country and is a remote area of Northwest Maui on private farmlands. Ironwood Ranch offers the best riding horses on Maui - clean, fit and well trained.

I had a horse called Courtney Cox and my husband's horse was David Beckham. I found it funny how they gave famous names to the horses.

After the ride, the lady which was our guide told us we could pick some fruits from the trees...that was nice.

LEMONS 

The last day was all about ZIPLINES!!! Since I had never done it, I thought it was time to try something new and so  I said: "let's goooooooooo". We got things started at the Adventure Store located at the Fairway Shops near Ka'anapali resort area. We then hopped into one of the adventure vans and drove high up into the west Maui mountains. Amazing panoramics of the Pacific Ocean, Maui's offshore islands, and then the West Maui mountain range. So it was not just ziplining but also some hiking too, which offered a very nice panoramic view.

                                                                       Ready to gooooooooo!!!

I was thinking it was going to be more adrenalin-filled but everything ended up being pretty calm 

Quick side note, I think that summer was around when the new mobile Pokemon game came out, Pokemon Go.  So everybody everywhere was playing this game...It was upsetting at times as you saw even couples in the middle of dinner doing guess what? Searching for pokemon!!! Unbelievable!!!

And the LAAAAAST NIGHT in this amazing place, my husband had the great idea of ordering room service not champagne and strawberryies... but MILK and COOKIES, he was so excited and cute.

             And then...back to reality!! Back to Chicago as husband and wife!!!

LET'S TALK ABOUT NAILS - 10 USEFUL ADVICE

I like to say that "The HANDS are your business card" because every time you introduce yourself you have to show your hands, so I think it's important to have this part of the body treated the right way.

So here I have 10 useful pieces of advice:

1. MOISTURIZE YOU NAILS!

To keep your nails hydrated, apply Vaseline or a moisturizer cream every night before bed, on cuticle and nails. Keep a box with  the cream in your bag or in the drawer...or anywhere convenient in case you need to apply it on your nails whenever you fell dehydrated.
If you are not a Vaseline fan you can replace it with castor oil, which contains vitamin E and is extremely greasy and good for your nails. Another option can be olive oil; this one is also very good at moisturizing nails. And, of course, you can find in stores a lot of nail oils with different flavors; I personally really like pineapple oil.
I like to make a treatment also for the skin on my feet. After moisturizing with cream, put on your socks and leave overnight.

2. USE GLOVES!

Every time you are working in the house or washing the dishes, protect your nails using
gloves. Most housework products are detrimental to your nails. It would be preferable to apply a moisturizer before putting gloves on.
Some say they can't work with gloves, but I have found that using very tight gloves goes a long way in helping ease the duties in the house. I started using black latex gloves when I started working with nails...they are fantastic and would definitely recommend!! 

3. DRY YOUR HANDS FOR 2 MINUTES,

After washing the dishes, taking a shower, etc. Do the same with toes after staying in the pool, for example. Leaving them wet, you risk fungal infections.

4. VENT YOUR SHOES

Shoes with moisture can occasionally cause fungal infections.

5. WEAR 100% COTTON SOCKS

They are good because absorb moisture and keep away from infections.

6. FILE YOUR NAILS CORRECTLY

Don't chaotically file you nails, going in all directions! Don't file back and forth either, choose one direction! And most importantly: don't file your nails after a shower because the nails tend to break easier.

7. MASSAGE YOUR NAILS TO KEEP THEM STRONG AND SHINY

Massages stimulate blood circulation in the respective area, which makes it grow faster and healthier.

8. GET NAIL POLISH

Applying nail polish on your nails protects the nails. If you want to use a colored polish, I suggest you to put under a base coat because all nail polishes are a little corrosive.

9. WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

Try to include in your diet a glass of milk and a boiled egg, even a few times a week to ensure your calcium dosage.

10. NO SCISSORS OR CLIPPER

My nail teacher told us to not use these instruments to clip the nails because they can damage the nail if you cut in the wrong way. So, I suggest you use a file to give the right shape, if the nails are obviously not too long.

INFORMATII UTILE DESPRE AMERICA pentru ROMANI

O persoana destul de importanta de aici din Statele Unite mi-a zis in felul urmatorul:' In aceasta tara ai nevoie de 3 recomandari: de la popa, de la doctor si de la avocat...toti trei mincionosi'.
Totusi avand in vedere ca vrem sa facem cat putem pentru a ramanea legal in aceasta tara as dori sa impartasesc cu voi unii pasi care v-ar ajuta, daca doriti sa veniti in Statele Unite sau daca deja sunteti aici si doriti sa mentineti pe cat se poate statutul de legal in aceasta tara.

Nu este absolut usor sa obtii in primul rand viza pentru America, eu am reusit datorita faptului ca eram in facultate in Italia si acest lucru mi-a facilitat posibilitatile pentru a primi viza de turist.
Nu m-am gandit initial ca as fi ramas in America, deci am luat-o ca si pe o vacanta dar cu timpul lucrurile s-au schimbat si a trebuit totodata sa ma informez cu privire la acte, drepturi si asa mai departe.

Pentru a solicita viza de turist trebuie sa indepliniti unii pasi.
Vizele turistice B1/B2 sunt destinate persoanelor care calatoresc temporar in scop de afaceri, in scop personal sau pentru tratament medical. Deseori, vizele din ambele cateogorii sunt combinate si eliberate ca o singura viza: B1/B2.

CRITERII:

Daca doriti sa solicitati o astfel de viza trebuie sa demonstrati cu varf si indesat ca nu doriti sa imigrati spre America. Trebuie deci sa demonstrati ca:
1. scopul calatoriei voastre este pentru o vizita temporara, cum ar fi afaceri, vizita turistica sau tratament medical.
2. ca intentionati sa ramaneti in Stetele Unite o perioada de timp determinata si limitata(va sugerez odata ce ati primit viza sa cumparati bilet dus intors, altfel o sa aveti probleme la intrare).
3. disponibilitatea fondurilor necesare pentru a acoperi cheltuielile dumneavoastra cat timp va aflati in America(daca ati folosit o chemare si cel care a facut chemarea doreste sa va plateasca biletul sau intretinerea dv-stra pe perioada vizitei ar fi bine sa o demonstrati prin aceasta chemare si sa aveti datele celui care a facut acest document).
4. ca aveti resedinta in afara Stetelor Unite, precum si orice alte legaturi sociale sau economice cu caracter angajat care asigura intoarcerea dv-stra in strainatate dupa terminarea vizei(totusi uneori poti sa ai tot in regula, consider ca daca cei care iti fac interviu nu s-au trezit bine in dimineata respectiva nu o sa iti dea nici in ruptul capului viza, inca in prezent este un mister de ce multi sunt respinsi, sa fie vorba ca ambasada Americana face o gramada de bani avand in vedere ca, fie ca elibereaza, fie ca nu ei tot incaseaza banii? PROBABIL!

PENTRU CEREREA VIZEI:

Trebuie sa va asigurati ca transmiteti urmatoarele informatii:

1. Un FORMULAR ELECTRONIC de solicitare a vizei temporare (DS-160).

DESPRE DS-160:
Fiecare solicitant trebuie sa aiba propriul formular de solicitare a vizei. Acesta trebuie completat si trimis on-line inainte de sustinerea interviului la Ambasada. Codul de bare de pe pagina formularului este necesar pentru programarea interviului.

Formularul DS-160 trebuie transmis on-line, iar pagina de confirmare trebuie printata si adusa la interviu.

COMPLETAREA FORMULARULUI DS-160:

1. Locul interviului indicat in partea introductiva a formularului trebuie sa fie acelasi cu locul unde efectuati programarea interviului.

2. Raspunsurile la toate intrebarile vor fi in limba engleza.

3. Vi se va solicita sa incarcati o fotografie facuta in ultimele 6 lani. Daca intrerupeti completarea acestei cereri pentru o perioada mai lunga de 20 de minute, sesiunea va expira, mi sa intamplat persononal, deci va sugerez sa aveti toate informatiile la indemana. Totusi pentru siguranta dv-stra notati-va undeva numarul de identificare al formularului, care se gaseste in dreapta sus al paginii asa daca va trebui sa inchideti sau vi sa expirat timpul o sa aveti salvate datele introduse.

4. Formularul DS-160 completat va genera o pagina de confirmare cu un cod de bare, pagina ce trebuie prezentata la interviu.

2. Un PASAPORT VALABIL cu o data de valabilitate care sa depaseasca cu cel putin sase luni perioada pe care intentiontati sa o petreceti in Statele Unite.

3. O FOTOGRAFIE cu dimensiunea de 5cm x 5cm.

CUM SE SOLICITA VIZA:

1. Achitati taxa de solicitare (160$ pentru viza B1/B2).

2. Completati Formularul electronic de solicitare DS-160 pe care il gasiti aici:
https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

3. Faceti o programare aici:
https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=Romanian&country=Romania
Iar pentru programare aveti nevoie de 3 informatii:
Numarul pasaportului dumneavoastra.
Numarul chitantei de la BRD.
Codul de bare format din 10 cifre de pe pagina de confirmare DS-160.
4. Prezentati-va la Ambasada la data si ora programate pentru interviu. Trebuie sa aveti cu voi o copie imprimata a scrisorii de programare, pagina DS-160, o fotografie, pasaportul.

Cam acestia ar fi pasii pentru obtinerea vizei de turist.

PRELUNGIREA VIZEI:

Daca in schimb va aflati deja in Statele Unite aveti posibilitatea de a va prelungi sederea, dupa ce va fost stabilit termenul de viza, cand ati intrat pe teritorul american. Puteti sa completati formularul I-539 pentru a va prelungi sederea si gasiti formularul aici:   
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-539.pdf
Totodata cu aplicarea acestui formular va trebui sa platiti o taxa de 290$.
Veti primi in posta o scrisoare de la Immigration cum ca au primit cererea dumneavoastra iar, intrucat acest proces poate dura si pana la 5 luni pana o sa primiti raspunsul, dv-stra in tot acest timp ve-ti avea statutul de legal. Puteti sa faceti acest proces de prelungire de 4 ori, daca aveti viza de exemplu pe 10 ani. La mine, personal a durat 5 luni pana ce am primit raspunsul iar viza mi-a fost extinsa inca pe 6 luni de la data de aplicare; si in acest caz o sa fiti informati printr-o scrisoare de aprobarea a cererii.
Puteti sa verificati pe situ-l www.uscis.gov in ce stadiu este cererea dv-stra, introducand RECEIPT NUMBER, pe care il primiti odata cu scrisoarea in posta.

SCHIMB PE VIZA DE STUDENT: 

Daca doriti totodata sa ramaneti o perioada nedeterminata in Statele Unite puteti sa aplicati pentru schimbul de Viza, pe Viza de STUDENT.
Aici procesul devine mai complicat si fregventarea cursurilor fiind obligatorie, dar in acelas timp cursurile sunt flexibile.
Este important sa mergeti la scoala de limba engleza cat de repede puteti inainte sa va expire viza, deoarece in caz contrar va trebui sa apelati la avocati iar acestia costa bani, dupa cum bine stim cu totii si vorbesc din proprie experienta pentru ca, avand in vedere ca nu am mers la timp, scoala nu a mai putut sa ma ajute in mod direct deci a trebuit sa fiu ajutata de un avocat.

Va sugerez scoala BIR Training Center, www.birtraining.edu, aici am gasit personal foarte de treaba, dispus sa te ajute la orice intrebare sau nelamurire.

Pentru a aplica pentru F1 status:

1. Trebuie sa completati cererea pentru scoala
2. Sa va pregatiti urmatoarele documente si taxe:
a. copie de pe formularul I-94 (https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search), care de fapt sunt informatiile cu privire la intrarile si iesirile din Statele Unite
b. copie de pe pasaport si pasaportul original
c. proba ca aveti cu ce sa va intretineti 
- asta ar putea include: ultimele 3 declaratii bancare cum ca aveti cel putin 14000$ in numele studentului ORI
- datele sponsorului care va sustine si anume:
/ Formularul I-539 https://www.uscis.gov/i-539
/ ultimele 3 declaratii bancare cum ca aveti cel putin 14000$ 
/ Formularul sponsorului de Impozit pe venit pentru anul respectiv sau o scrisoare de la patronul sponsorului cu declaratie de venit.
d. copie de pe viza
e. taxa 100$
f. I-20 taxa de 250$
g. deposit de 400$ care va vor fireturnati la terminarea programului de studii
h. 200$ taxa SEVIS
i. taxa USCIS de 290$
3. Va trebui sa ridicati in cele din urma de la scoala formularul I-20, formular ce certifica inscrierea dv-stra la scoala.
4. Asteptati ca aplicatia sa fie aprobata 
5. Dati testul de intrare si asteptati orientarea.
6. Incepeti cursurile.

Pe anul curent, la scoala mentionata anterior, cursurile costa in jur de 440$ pe luna.

Acest program va va ajuta sa obtineti permisul de conducere si social security fara drept de munca. Puteti sa reinoiti in fiecare an acest curs.

Sper ca aceste informatii sa fi fost de ajutor si daca aveti intrebari nu ezitati sa ma contactati.

LOTERIA VIZELOR:

Puteti sa primiti green cardul prin acest program: 
https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions.html

Fiecare solicitant trebuie sa indeplineasca cerinta programului DV avand:

- cel putin diploma de bacalaureat.
Participantii trebuie sa transmita cererile de obicei din octombrie pana in noiembrie.

Cu programul din 2018 sau schimbat unele lucruri precum:

1. vor fi descalificate persoanele care incarca pozele care nu au fost facute in ultimele 6 luni.
2. folosirea aceleasi fotografii folosita in programul 2017 va duce la descalificarea dv-stra.
3. taxele de viza nu sunt rambursabile.
4. verificarea statutului inregistrarii se va face incepand cu data de 2 mai 2017 pentru programul 2018 aici:
https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
5. la punctul optiunea Casatorit sa impartit in 2: casatorit/a si sotul/sotia nu este cetatean/ca american si rezident permanent american. Daca selectionati pe cerere de inregistrare casatorit(a) si sotul/sotia este cetatean american NU vi se cere sa furnizati informatii despre acesta.

Totodata si cei care se afla pe teritoriu American in mod ilegal pot sa participe la acest program.

ATENTIE:

Succes tuturor!!!!

HOW TO SAVE MONEY

Since I now want to buy my first car, I decided to apply some of these points to save some money. Also, I think it's a good idea any time to save some money during the year. You never know what gonna happen tomorrow so it's always good to have some money in your savings. So, I want to share with you some ideas to save money which really helped me and my husband to save money.

1. TURN OFF THE TV

A great way to save money is to turn off the TV. I like to stay in front of the Tv when I'm eating or just about to sleep, but I think it's better if you also turn it off at times because there are a lot of economic benefits in doing this: lower advertising exposure, more time to devote to other aspects of life, and reduced use of electricity. It's nice to relax in the evening in front of it, just another hobby that you can do.

                                                             2. LOOK CRITICALLY AT YOUR ''COLLECTIONS''

There are many people who collect things. What are you collecting? Is it something that still gives you joy? Or is it something that has become more of a habit? Does your collection have value? Can you reduce it by getting rid of duplicates or objects that you no longer use? Do you think you can reduce what you spend on this hobby? My husband just remembered that he had some playing cards which he collected in the past. If you go on-line you can find how much you can sell them for...you can make money with your collections.

                                    3. MOVE YOUR CURRENT ACCOUNT WITH A BANK THAT RESPECTS YOU

You should be able to accrue interest on your account, or at least obtain a bonus when opening the account. The interest rates of savings accounts are nothing amazing, ranging from about 1% to 2% per year.

                                                                                   4. JOIN LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Although you rarely make purchases always in the same place, having a loyalty card does not cost anything and usually allows access to confidential discounts and rewards. Create a special email like gmail to use for these subscriptions and check it from time to time to see whether you have received special coupons. A simple way to save every day. I personally do this with CVS, Groupon, Michaels and other sites which offer discounts.
                                      
                                           5. COMPOSE YOUR GIFTS INSTEAD OF BUYING THEM IN A STORE

You can create food compositions, candles, bread, biscuits, and soap very economically. They are gifts very much appreciated because handmade items are often consumable, reducing the risk of ending up in the back of the closet or in the trash can. Remember to always add a note accompanying the gift. It will be more special than anything you can buy at the mall, and you will certainly save money. Also you have fun creating all these special gifts. I'm always happy when I have a chance to do this because people are impressed when you can make them something as a gift.

                                              6. ADOPT THE 7 DAY RULE TO SAVE MONEY EACH MONTH

Whenever you are about to make a purchase, and you have the feeling that it may be an unnecessary purchase, set yourself to wait 7 days and at the end ask yourself if you're still interested in that object. More often than not, you will realize that the desire to buy it will be completely gone, and you will have saved some money by simply waiting. If you tend to purchase on impulse, it would be best to keep a list of the object(s) of 7 days and write down the date of its reconsideration. I ask my self when I want to buy something if I really need it, how much money will I save if I do not buy that object that day, and, if I already have something similar at home, this means I don't need to buy it and I am more than happy to keep the money in my wallet.

                       7. HOW TO SAVE ON YOUR FOOD SPENDING? MAKE A LIST AND RESPECT IT STRICTLY

I do this all the time. During the week, I have a food list on my fridge and every time when something runs out in the kitchen, I write it down and try to make a list about what I'm going cook that week and then I go buy just the ingredients for those specific meals. You should not walk into a store without a clear idea of what you're going to buy. Go to a store only if you have compiled a shopping list. Do not buy anything that is not on the list, no matter how enticing, and, thus, leave the store having saved a lot.

                                                         8. INVITE FRIENDS OVER INSTEAD OF GOING OUT

Almost everything you can do at home is less expensive than doing it by going out. Invite friends over, cook for them and then play a board game, watch a movie, or whatever you like to do together. Everyone will have fun, costs will remain low and they reciprocate the invitation at the next opportunity. We try to do this with our friends especially during the winter because it's better to stay inside. We try alternating this every 2 weeks, so 1 week out and 1 week with friends and, yes, you save much more, in food and in activities. 

                                         9. REPAIR BROKEN CLOTHES INSTEAD OF THROWING THEM AWAY

Do not throw a shirt away for a broken button: undo the last button from said shirt, one that you rarely see since it is tucked away inside the pants, and use it to replace the broken one. Then buy one like it and sew it in place of what you just detached. Do not throw away ripped pants: sew a patch in them and keep them for when you will need to do work around the house. Anyone is able to mend, all it needs is just a few minutes and you can save you a lot of money, limiting the need to buy new clothes. 

                                                                    10. CLEAN YOUR CLOSET

Empty your closet and gather up what you do not wear anymore. You can sell these used clothes through markets or in resale shops of used clothing. Or you  can give away your clothes to your friends; you are not going to need clothes that you don't wear anymore. You could also use Facebook Marketplace, E-bay, Etsy and other on line services to sell them.

             11. SAVE AT HOME BY CUTTING CONVENIENCE FOODS, FAST FOOD, MICROWAVE PORTIONS, ETC.

Instead of eating at fast food restaurants or attacking food as soon as you get home, try some simple and healthy replacements that you can carry with you. An hour in the kitchen working on weekends allows you to have a lot of ready portions that will save a lot of money.

                                                     12. FOUR COOKING PORTIONS INSTEAD OF ONE

The next time you prepare a meal, make four servings instead of one: eat one portion and the other three put in the fridge or freezer. So next time you need a quick meal, take one of those portions and heat it: easy-peazy! Also, cooking in large quantities will enable you to buy ingredients in large batches, saving on the price per kg and saving much more than eating out or warming up prepackaged meals. 

                                                                      13. FREQUENT FLEA MARKETS

I really love these shops. Some that I personally have found and like include Vintage Garage Chicago Flea Market, and Heritage Trail Mall where you can find lots of things which you can reinvent for a very good price.

                                       14. COMPARE PRICES AND LOCATE THE CHEAPEST SUPERMARKET

A lot of us are accustomed to always buying from the same supermarket, although often they are not the most competitive on the products we buy regularly.  Make a list of the 20 products you buy regularly and then go buy them in all surrounding supermarkets. A comparison of receipts will tell you which one is most convenient for your shopping. Stick to it and automatically save money!!!

                                 15. WHEN PURCHASING ITEMS, LOOK FIRST IN SECOND HAND OR USED

Very often you can find the same object with a few searches online(amazon, ebay, facebook marketplace, etc) or used in the industry online stores: used game shops, used clothing store, etc. Simply introduce these stores in your routine and check their prices before deciding on a purchase.

                                                                16. MAINTAIN CLEAN HANDS

Wash your hands frequently, especially every time you go to the bathroom or after handling raw foods. You will avoid coming into contact with many viruses and bacteria, which means savings on medical expenses and medicines. This significantly impacts our lives and does't cost anything.

                                         17. REMOVE YOUR CREDIT CARD DATA FROM ONLINE ACCOUNTS

It's very easy to spend online when the information from your credit cards are already saved. The best way to reduce online impulse buys is to delete saved credit card data. So, every time you want to buy something, you will have to waste a minute searching for your card, and also thinking about why you're spending your money.

                                       18. RE-EVALUATE WHAT YOU HAVE AROUND THE HOUSE

Go to every room and browse what is in it. Do you really need that item? Are you glad it's there or would you rather it be somewhere else? Maybe it hasn't been used for years. It is generating only clutter while it might have value for someone else. SELL IT! Make money by improving your perception of value of your house. Take this opportunity while cleaning up.

                                   19. TRY GENERIC BRANDS FOR THE PRODUCTS YOU BUY REGULARLY

Instead of buying all name-brand, check out the generic or equivalent sub-brand of the same product. At the very least, you can save a few cents immediately, but you will also discover that the unknown brands or products bearing the mark of the supermarket chain that sell them, are as good as the originals. The same name-brands typically produce the sub-brand products...just changing the packaging.

                                                  20. DO NOT JUST GO TO THE MALL TO WASTE TIME

It would just be an encouragement to spend money that you do not have to buy things that do not serve a purpose. Find other places to spend your free time: the park, a museum(especially now for holidays there are a lot of free museum days), the house of a friend or your home. Do not use shopping as entertainment and you will be well underway.

                                                        21. ADOPT THE 10 SECOND RULE

Every time you pick up an item from a shelf to add it to the cart, pause for 10 seconds and ask yourself why you're buying it and if you really need it. If you can not find a good answer, put it back in its place. This will limit your impulse purchases.

                                                                    22. BROWSE YOUR CLOTHES

If you have the need to regularly buy new clothes, first review what you have and identify what you can still use. I did this by reordering my closet. Later, when I folded my clothes, I was surprised to realize how much of those I forget to wear. Take the clothes from the bottom of the wardrobe and place them forward. Your wardrobe will change automatically. Get the buried clothes and keep them at the top. You'll feel like a new person, and you will not have the need to buy new clothes.

                                                            23. BRING WITH YOU A PICNIC LUNCH

Instead of going out for lunch, bring lunch from home. With a little careful preparation, and only a few minutes in the morning, you can create something very good, saving a lot of money every day.

                                                               24. LEARN TO BE A MINIMALIST DRESSER

Only buy clothes that go well with each other and can potentially have twice as many combinations. I like to buy simple clothes that you can combine with a lot of interesting accessories. Just mix everything together, while still being careful to match.

                                                      25. CHECK OUT THE FREE SERVICES OF YOUR CITY

In every city you can find parks, communal areas with free wifi, open areas, etc. This gives you the opportunity to spend your free time, all you need to do is discover them and make use of them. Every month I receive in the mail a magazine with the city programs; from there I can choose the activities which I want for free or with discounts.

                                                                                       26. HAIR

I decided to save money on my hairdresser, who cost me more than 100 dollars per month, by deciding to do it by myself. I was equipped with all the necessary tools and, with some tutorials, I'm in line to definitely save at least 100 dollars.

                                                                 27. FREQUENT THE LIBRARY

The library is a place where you can feel free and where you can invest time learning new things, browsing the internet, finding free local newspapers, and informing yourself about community events. The best thing is that it does not cost a single penny.

                                                            28. TAKE NOTE OF YOUR EXPENSES

Annotating and categorizing all your expenses will allow you to optimize and monitor the outgoing cash flows. Personally, I have a notebook where I write down all the incoming and outgoing cash flows. I keep all receipts to be able to write down in my notebook. How much do you spend on entertainment and dining out?

                                                                             29. VOLUME USERS

There are many objects that can be used in large quantities, like what is not ruined with time such as a trash bags or detergent for the washing machine. Purchasing in large quantities (especially if done during a sale period), reduces in a significant way the unit cost. We ourselves did this kind of shopping when we moved into our apartment. We did it at COSTCO, and we still have not run out of certain things from that day months ago.

                                                                      30. DIGITAL COUPONS 

When you buy online, around the website you can typically find saving coupons/codes posted. You can then use them in said website, which will allow you to get a % discount on the purchase. We did this for our wedding and we saved a lot of money. 

                                              SAVE MONEY AND BE HAPPY!!!