Passport En Route! ~ Amy

  
Welp its official! I have applied for my United States Passport! it shall be here within 6 weeks! I just can't believe me of all people am going to EUROPE!!! OMG and my passport picture is crazy horrible too!
   I have also applied for three different major travel credit cards too. I have never been fond of those things and actually only have one to my name as of now, but ive read its a great way to avoid foreign transaction fees and everything else that comes along with banking overseas. We shall see, I hope i get approve for at least one. 
   Next big purchase should be our tickets!!!!

My Savings Board ~ By Danette

Well, I got several emails from concerned friends about my money board.

In theory it was a good idea, but perhaps not the smartest one I have ever had. I guess I am too trusting. Well, that and I figured no one but close friends have any idea what state I live in, let alone what city.

So to the bank my savings have gone.

Thanks to all my friends for encouraging me to be safer. :)

My Board ~By Danette

I

I am so happy to say that my money board is growing! This is working very well for me. Though I really have the urge to put it in my bank account. I feel like I have more money when it's all combined and in one location.

So, since my original post about my board (the end of January), I now have $1,050.00 pinned!! My only big expense this month (out side of rent) was having to buy a new computer. =[ My Ol Faithful bit the dust. But other than that things seem to be going smoothly. I am working about 60 hours a week, I feel like there are about 4 days in a row ever week that I want to die. I'm not exactly always getting the 10 hours of sleep I require. My saving grace is that sometimes in between going to work at the salon in the morning and the restaurant at night I get to take a nap. It makes life so much better. Also, not a huge fan of cutting out all delicious coffees. I've been craving my Big Train Chai Tea I get in Alaska, but I guess it's a small price to pay for a an adventure of a lifetime! Totally going to be worth it!!!

So there you have it, hopefully I can double that by the end of March? Or am I dreaming?

~Danette

Tentative Route ~By Danette

So I kind of made a vague route of how we might do our trip. Flying into Barcelona, Spain and going from there. We want to spend quite a bit of time in Ireland then work our way to Sweden (will get to see one of my very best friends!) and Norway and then hit Eastern Europe. Back towards Italy and then that may be the end. I'm hoping I get to see several of my European friends along the way! So excited!

~Danette

Saving and whatnot ~ by Amy

     So i'm sitting here on my day off drinking coffee in my parents home, where i currently reside with my two four legged kids and i find myself on craigslist looking for my own place (which is not happening till Danette and i get back from Europe) and thats exactly what i gotta keep telling myself. Its a little hard being back here after almost 4 years of just me. But it is all going to be worth it for this trip.
     Saving has been going good i suppose but alot slower than i anticipated due to the slow months we have been having at work. I am only a quarter of the way to our savings goal and we only have 6 months to our departure. Im hoping for a decent tax return to douce my savings a little bit:-) Also asking for money to put into my saving for my birthday as well instead of presents.
     I have also come across another issue i think i might have is applying for a travelers credit card. I shouldnt doubt myself with i think i might have a hard time getting approved for a good one. Who knows...i guess we will see. Okay okay i am definatly rambling on a little bit but this blog is a great way for me to express how im feeling and what im doing to better myself for this trip and also prepare for.
    P.S. I still need to get my passport!

Research ~By Danette

Researching for our trip to Europe has been harder than I imagined! Good information is not just out there for the taking, you have to really dig for it. I ran across Nomadic Matt's blog in my search for all things Europe and it has definitely been a gold mine! Anyone that is thinking about traveling to Europe should definitely read his blog, www.nomaticmatt.com

I have learned hostel price ranges in most of the European countries we are going to. I have learned tricks to finding cheaper airline tickets, which credit card to get that has no foreign transaction fees, which countries are better for hitch hiking in, and so much more!

It's like he has all the good information! Anyway, all this to say, I am so thankful I ran across this AMAZING BLOG!!!  Check it out!

~Danette

Saving for Europe ~By Danette

As a hairdresser and a waitress, I come home with a bit of cash. It would be easy to just put it in the bank and be done, but I kind of wanted to watch my money grow. I thought about starting a jar for my trip savings, but then decided to just tack my money to my cork board and make it my official Europe Savings Board. I took everything that was on it off and added pictures of some of the places I wanted to go.

Amy and I's goal, by the end of August is to have $6,000.00 saved EACH. I already have some savings in the bank but I will just keep you updated on my Europe Savings Board once a month. Right now I have  $210.00 on my board. =]

~Danette