#as per usual expect a finished piece within the next 2 days or 7 months

[icy-moons]

Every day since then has just been a new high.

— the wedding vows of Loquatius Seelie, Herald of Avalir

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Serenade (Daniela Dimitrescu/Reader) Pt. 8

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village Rating: T for language? Warnings: None? I think? Please let me know if I missed something Notes: Bit of fluff with some anxiety/update on primary conflict. Next chapter will be a cute date with Dani, the one after that will be maximum h*rny, and then what will likely be the finale. Music for this chapter here. PS this one is a bit on the shorter side, but I hope y'all still enjoy it. Past Chapters: Pt. 1: Nocturne, Pt. 2: Overture, Pt. 3: Accelerando, Pt. 4: Toccata, Pt. 5: Poco a Poco, Pt. 6: Elegy, Pt. 7: Harmony

Chapter 8: Obbligato

(Obbligato: An instrumental part which is essential in a piece of music)

“Okay, okay, serious this time, please? I’ll give you a kiss if you try hard enough,” you promised, grinning up at Daniela as you did. A week had passed since your talk in the library, with the two of you spending most days together, and you were progressing nicely with the musical lessons. Still, your girlfriend (you would never get tired of saying that word) was prone to getting a tad ‘distracted’. By you, usually. Not that it was intentional by any means. There was only so much you could do to keep her focused when the two of you were this close together.

“I could just kiss you anyway,” Daniela teased, leaning in with familiar intent. Right before your lips touch, however, she pulls back and smirks. “But if you insist, I can handle the challenge.” Then she’s turning back towards the piano, carefully finding the starting position. Even with her prior experience, you were impressed with how much she had already learned, and couldn’t help but be immensely proud of her. If anyone could meet Lady Dimitrescu’s expectations within a three month timeframe, it was the two of you. Except, of course, you still had to double-check just what her expectations were.

In the meantime, you were excited to hear your girlfriend play through the sheet music you had written up. Most of what you were working with had come from the family’s storage room, but you had also found some blank sheets, and figured it couldn’t hurt to create songs of your own. This particular one was relatively simple. It had been based on a song from a game you had played years ago, and only posed a moderate challenge due to its interesting rhythm. Daniela had seemed to enjoy playing it, with you even hearing her practice the song outside of your lessons, but had so far today refused to play it seriously.

Finally that was going to change. Once she found the starting notes, she nodded to herself, then started playing. For the first time today her expression is stern, focused. Seeing her like this was nice. She was always cute, you just thought that she was extra cute like this. But you tried not to let yourself get too distracted, knowing that you couldn’t give her feedback if you didn’t pay attention. In your head you “play along”, fingers miming the movements, knowing that it would help you catch any possible mistakes. Throughout the piece there are only a couple that you catch, none of them being severe enough to ruin the experience. Finishing with a little flourish, Daniela returns her gaze to you, grinning expectantly.

“Well? I seem to recall you promising me a reward,” she said, perking a brow. Laughing a little, you roll your eyes, before moving in to give her exactly what she wanted. Both of you are smiling into the kiss, enjoying every moment of it. Soon enough Daniela is running a hand through your hair, and pressing against you more, tilting her head just enough to deepen the kiss. You’re blushing hard now, thoughts going everywhere other than music. It’s not until you pull back for air that you remember what you’re supposed to be doing right now.

“As wonderful as this is… we still have a few more songs to go over,” you murmured, despite how much you wanted to keep kissing Daniela. By the way she groaned in frustration, you figured she felt the same way, more or less. “Hey, don’t fret too much. Think of this as an opportunity to earn a few more rewards,” you teased, gently patting her on the shoulder. For a moment she simply pouts, but eventually she sighs and gets ready to play another song…

------------------------------------

Rushing up the steps, practically two at a time, you desperately hoped that you wouldn’t be late. This was your third “update meeting” with Lady Dimitrescu, which by itself was enough to make you a nervous wreck. Add in the fact that this was the first time you’d be meeting alone? And in her personal study, no less? Well, it was safe to say that you were terrified. You hadn’t even been told why things were different this time. No, you were about as clueless as could be, given the circumstances.

By the time you make it your Lady’s study, you cannot tell whether your heart is racing due to stress or physical exertion. Regardless, you make it there in short time, arriving precisely at the scheduled hour. After taking a moment to settle your nerves, you briefly knock on the chamber door. There’s the sound of movement from inside before the way opens. Lady Dimitrescu has to bend a little to see out, but quickly smiles when she meets your gaze. Which was rather unexpected. The last time you had met with her she had been distanced, although still polite. Then again, Daniela had also been with you, and the focus was, as always, on her.

“Lady Dimitrescu,” you greeted, giving a short bow per customs. Then you were being waved in, brought over to a small sitting area, where you waited for permission to sit down. Once it was given, you relaxed a little. Maybe I don’t have as much reason to be nervous as I thought, you muse.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. There are no reasons for you to be unsettled, as far as I am aware,” Lady Dimitrescu said, smile disappearing for a moment at the end. But it’s back as quickly as it had vanished. Did she suspect something? Perhaps she had seen the way Daniela looked at you, or even overheard the whisperings of your roommates. Both thoughts do little other than renew your anxiety. Noticing this, Alcina frowns and shakes her head. “I was merely joking. Now, let us get to the reason for our meeting: How are Daniela’s lessons fairing? There is only so much I can glean from listening.” Glad to have something to think about other than your secret relationship with your boss’ daughter, you nodded and began explaining.

“Lady Daniela is making outstanding progress, in my opinion. Even with her occasional… lapses in attention, once she puts her mind to something, she’s quick to master it. At this point she can sight read nearly as fast and accurately as myself. However, we’re still going over vocabulary, as well as keys and their corresponding chords,” you answered, barely able to maintain eye contact with your employer. Thankfully, she seems to have accepted the inevitability of your nervousness. You were especially thankful now that you prepared to ask her a question. “My Lady, may I inquire about what specifically you expect from my teachings? If there are certain genres you wish for Daniela to be familiar with, or techniques-... I must admit I am unsure as to how to best meet your requirements.”

Slowly reclining in her chair, Alcina appears to ponder your question. In the meantime she sips at her beverage, holding the cup as if it were a fragile heirloom (which it could very well be), eyes looking into the middle distance. Then she gives a soft hum, setting her cup down and returning her attention to you.

“I suppose I can understand your concern. In some ways you have already exceeded my expectations,” she said, expression oddly plain in comparison to her positive phrasing. “My daughter has rarely invested herself in anything as much as she has in your lessons. For this, I am left wondering what she finds so captivating- the music, or the one who pulls the strings?... But that is not the answer to your inquiry, is it?” In that moment, you are incredibly still, willing yourself to keep a straight face, despite the racing of your heart. At your silence, Alcina perks a brow, expecting you to respond. You can’t, your mouth suddenly dry. “What I expect is a passion to educate, a drive to see my daughter flourish. I expect you to teach her exactly as much as she wants you to, focusing on whatever brings her the most joy. But I expect professionalism. Your duties come first, above your health, happiness, and all other desires. Am I understood?”

“Yes, my Lady. Of course, my Lady,” you replied, stuttering, eyes wide. Did she know? Or merely suspect?... There’s another thought, one you try desperately not to voice, only to hear the words fill the room before you can stop yourself. “May I ask where Lady Daniela’s desires fit into this?” Silence hangs heavy over the room for several seconds. Your employer has narrowed her eyes, lips curled downwards into a sharp scowl, watching you with thinly-veiled anger. All you can do is gulp and wait for her response. When it comes, you are surprised by the stability of her tone. It was almost as if she respected your gall.

“She is young still, with the mind of a lovesick maiden. Daniela does not know what she wants, not really, nor does she understand what she needs. If her… flirtatious nature begins to interrupt your instruction, then your response must be swift, and uninterested. Regardless of how unkindly she takes your rejection, I will ensure that she does not harm you,” Lady Dimitrescu said, giving a stern nod at the end. Though her tone was reassuring, you hardly felt better, considering you were far past the point of turning Daniela down (if anything, you had only turned her on). “Now, with that settled, I believe I should let you return to your duties. Oh, and do tell Cynthia that the tea she brewed was perfect, should you happen to see her.”

Then she looked away, practically ignoring your continued existence. So you rose to your feet, gave another bow, and left before your panic could devolve into a breakdown. Daniela is not going to be happy about this.

[ireviewuread]

Aesthetics Central Clinic Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment | Acne Scars Removal Session 2

Aesthetics Central Clinic Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment Session 2

Remember back in March I depicted the beginning of Acne Scars removal journey? This time I am back with another post and video on the Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment at Aesthetic Central Clinic. The name looked a little different for their brand have changed from TCS Aesthetics Central Clinic to Aesthetic Central Clinic. Although their brand have changed, the location, services and interior are still the same.

You can view session 1 and the tour of Aesthetic Central Clinic here. You can also find out more about Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment in that post too. 

Anyhow, in this second video of this Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment, I’ve put together a compilation of my Instagram Story updates to form this video. Since it’s a compilation, I decided to make it my first vertical video. Thus, for all of you watching this video on a mobile device, it fits your phone screen perfectly without having to turn your phone. I’m still toying with this kind of vertical videos idea so do comment if you’re on board with such format or I should stick to producing horizontal videos. With that, let’s hope into the post laser update!

Post Laser Treatment Collage | Laser Session 2

The second session of the fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment went a lot faster for consultation was not needed. As the clinic was packed and I was late, we totally forgotten that cleansing of the face was required before the application of numbing cream. Thus, numbing cream was applied without the cleansing of my face. I believed that that act caused the numbing cream to be less effective. Such a pity for having a fully numb face was a lot more exciting then I expected. Not being able to feel your face when you smile or talk was interesting. Imagine getting slapped and not feeling it. Now you have the power to not feel. A superpower no one ever thought of but do need at times. 

Before the Laser Treatment

Before I move on to the updates of my second post laser treatment, I shall touch on what my complexion look like before the session. Do remember that I went through 1 session of the laser treatment 1 month before. 

Although my face was rather healthy and tired looking, there was a huge acne that found home on my nose. Besides that, my lips were also dry and sensitive therefore I requested Dr Tan to avoid that area during the treatment. 

Immediately After Laser Treatment

As mentioned earlier, this session felt more painful than the first session for my face was not cleansed before numbing cream was applied. It may also be because of the increment of the laser intensity. One of the most painful part would be when the laser was shooting rays at the delicate skin under my eyes. That area is one of the thinnest part of one’s skin. As expected, my eyes soon became a reservoir for my overflowing tears. Since I told Dr Ryan my concerns about my lip area and huge acne, he avoided those area. Instead, he gave my acne an injection to reduce the swelling. Some pus were also removed during the injection. That resulted in the reduction of my acne.

When I finally saw myself after the nurse have spread the antibiotics and sunscreen all over my face, I did noticed that my skin looked redder. It was at two times the redness than the first session. Additionally, a burning session could be felt all over my face. You could see the area around the mouth the Dr Tan avoided had a normal skin colour. While the other parts were red.

An Hour after the Laser Treatment

My face looked the same an hour after the treatment. The areas that were red after the session were still red an hour later. Those areas were also sensitive to water and touch therefore this is a great way to train yourself not to touch your face except for cleansing and skincare purposes. Like the previous post laser treatment experience, I will only be washing my face the next day. That gives me more time to watch more videos before going to bed.

4 Hours After the Laser Treatment

The redness finally reduced 4 hours after the treatment. My face looked like how it normally does when seen from a distanced. Up close you can see the tiny dots evenly spread across my face. 

1 Day After the Treatment

I washed my face at the start of the day and I could feel the area under my eyes hurt while splashing water on my face. It was also red and more sensitive to water and touch than the other parts of my face. This time the sides of my face were also sensitive to touch as well. My skin also felt like scales. That meant the scabs were forming. 

At my cheek area, the skin did look darker there. In fact it looked like it had brown boxes on it. Compared to my first session, the laser marks were more prominent for the laser’s intensity was cranked up a notch. The scabs looked like they were evenly spread in the boxes for the laser was split and contained within the box. Thus, when the laser hit your face you won’t see one hole / dot but you see a cluster of dots evenly spread out and contained within a box. As such, you see boxes across one’s face that you might be tempted to play Tic Tac Toe on. These markings will be more prominent as the number laser session increased. 

By the end of the day, the scabs around my eye area and sides of my face were formed. That meant the areas that were sensitive to water and touch were no longer sensitive. 

2 Days after the Treatment

On day 2, my cheek area and the area under my eye still looked red. However, they were not sensitive to touch or contact with water. As the scabs form, the other parts of my face looked tanner than before. Not because I’m a ‘Tan’. Sorry, cold joke. My skin did feel tighter and the scabs could be felt throughout. I call this scab covered skin, the ‘Scaly Skin'. Despite the laser session, I could still see some oil bumps resurfaced on my face. On the bright side, the acne on my nose have flatten into a scab.

3 Days after the Treatment

By the third day, the redness that was on my cheeks and under my eyes have turned into brown scabs. The boxes and dots were more prominent too. This left my face to look more tan than before. I did noticed that certain areas such as the cheeks and a small part on my nose had dark brown scabs instead of the lighter brown scabs. Like the previous day, the acne that was living on my nose turned into a scab. Therefore a scab lives on my nose now. My skin also felt not as drying as I pile on some moisturizer and apply a hydrating mask. You can see how I applied the mask and a quick review on the mask in the video here. 

Some of the scabs have also started to shed. Like the previous session, most of the skin came off in small dots. The skin flakes around the nose came off in bigger pieces instead of the usual dotted scabs. Since these scabs were the old skin, they looked brown.

4 Days After the Treatment

Due to the mass peeling and dropping of scabs the previous day, my facial complexion looked less boxed like. Instead, it have these tiny red bumps holding on to the scabs that have yet to fall off. As per usual, my skin felt scaly. The smoothest part of my skin would be the forehead while my nose area feel rather crusty. My chin also felt rather dry, a signal that it will peel soon.

5 Days After the Treatment

As the scabs of my skin shed more and more each day, my skin became clearer than before. White patches of my ‘new face’ could be seen among the brown scabs. The red dots that were identified beforehand were lessen. Some bumps that were holding on to the scabs could also be spotted. At this point, my face did not feel dry at all. It felt normal.

6 Days After the Treatment

Day 6 is where my skin start to feel soft and smooth. En route its transformation into the perfect glass skin that everyone wants. The laser scabs that were previously under my eyes had disappeared while most of the red dots have vanished as well. My skin also start to look one shade lighter than before.

On the other hand, fade acne scars and a dent from an old acne were still noticeable on the left cheek. Parts of my nose were still rough from the scabs.

7 Days After the Treatment

As the days passed, my cheeks became smoother and smoother. It felt like a baby’s bottom now except for some stubborn scabs here and there. I did notice that the acne scars on my right cheek subsided gradually. Although some peeling could be seen on my forehead, it still felt rather rough. That included the side of my face, my chin and some parts of my nose.

8 Days After the Treatment

Things were pretty much the same the next day. The sides of my face and some parts of my nose were still rough. The scabs that was peeling on my forehead withered off. However some laser marks there could still be seen. The dots that were on my face have dropped off and my face looked more healthy and smooth. Without any help from makeup or skincare, my face was glowing from within. A sight I never thought I’ll see. My face also felt rather bouncy and firm.  

9 Days After the Treatment

My face were less than perfect on this day. For, my hormones were raging so much that pesky pimples decided to pop up and destroy my perfect complexion. All the scabs and old skin have finished shedding except for places like the side of my face and my chin. The part that I see the most change from the laser treatment would be my cheeks. In spite of some oil flakes/bumps there, it felt, smooth and soft. 

10 Days After the Treatment

On the last day of the update, the state of my skin felt back to how it normally would. Except for the sides that still retained some rough patches. My face felt like how it normally would aside for some pimples here and there. The acne scars on the right also significantly disappeared while my skin tone became one shade lighter than before.

Carbon Dioxide Laser Session 2 Summary

With that, that was my take and updates on the CO2 Acne Scar Removal Session 2 - Before, during and after. My face did looked one shade lighter and smoother than before. I like how some of my scars from my right cheek did disappear due to the laser treatment. My skin also did have this beautiful healthy glow from within, the kind of glow every girl wish to have. This new layer of skin also feel more bouncy and made me more confident about being on camera without putting on any makeup. 

Overall, although the treatment was painful but the outcome thereafter was great. I will be depicting the rest of the laser sessions here on IreviewUread  so do stay round!

Check out the first session of my acne scar removal CO2 laser treatment here. 

Check out my previous laser sessions update here:

Laser session 1 | Laser session 2 | Laser session 3 | Laser session 4

[creativepacking]

Arc Design High Gloss Finished Wood Italy Humidor Zebra With Lock  Cigar Boxes  Wooden Cigar Box For Sale

Hi-glossy finish

Inside with Spanish Cedar

Internal Hygrometer

Curved design at the top of the box

Laser plated lock and key set & key set

Removable tray with bottom divider

Many various different styles,colors,sizes and finishes for your option.

 Humidor Zebra With Lock Description

Arc Design High Gloss Finished Wood Italy Humidor Zebra With Lock is the boxes with premium quality and all handmade crafts. This design,especially,let the Spanish cedar lined more closed. And wood veneer and high glossy paint.Surface is high end 12 layers' piano lacquer finish, Special dome shape with wood veneer.

Imports of Spanish cedar wood inside,.Better save your cigar. In addition,Spanish cedar wood inside,it will have a fragrant smell when open the box. 

Arc Design High Gloss Finished Wood Italy Humidor Zebra With Lock can be used for Cigar,cigarrete packaging,Gift,Display,etc. It keeps cigar in a good condition.And be a home display decoration, not only a box.

When you want to just store the cigars, there’s a safety lock for you. Only with a key, it can be opened.All metal parts can be customized to be gold, silver, rose gold, black, etc. It depends on the quantity and your flavor.

 Arc Design High Gloss Finished Wood Italy Humidor Zebra With Lock

Dimension: 42*37*17cm

Material: 15mm thick MDF,Spanish cedar wood,hinges

Packaging Detail:1pc/Ploy bag,50-100pcs/Carton, A=A outer carton, or as per customers' specific requirements

Capacity:use to 100-150 cigars

 Arc Design High Gloss Finished Wood Italy Humidor Zebra With Lock

 Item Name

High Quality Piano lacquer Spanish Cedar Customized Cigar Wooden Box

Item No

CY-H1628

Material

Cedar wood, 100 degree angle

Color

 Customized, Red

Dimensions

42 x 27 x 17cm

Humidor Usege

Use to 100-150 cigars

Brand

Creative Packing

Humidity

60-70%±5%

How to make logo on humidor box and make it luxury enough

Metallic logo above lacquer: US$1/ logo piece; Cheaper logo effects: Silk screen print/ hot foil in different colors;

Usage

Home and office 

Production

OEM/ODM

Marketing

Europe and America

Wood Box's Sample Time

7-10days

Wood Box's Lead Time

35-40days

MOQ

200pcs

 We have experienced and professional team work and accessory facilities to help you create outstanding products for your own brand. Holding the tenet of quality is the life of the company, we keep improving our technical force and experience in production management.

 CREATIVE PACKING serve the worldwide,and respect the culture of each country,So that the product is popular wherever it is!

Mid East 40% ; North America 30% ;  Western Europe 20% ; Southern Europe 5% ; Northern Europe 3%; Eastern Europe 2% ;

Welcome to join us !!! Saudi Arabia,France,Germany... The most recent Perfumes exhibition”Beauty World” was in Jeddah last month, We hope to see you next time at the exhibition!

And we are the alibaba gold plus supplier for 7 years Which you can easily check on alibaba.com. We have through the ISO system authentication and obtains the ISO9001:2008 certificate, ROHS,SGS,TUV...Etc.

 The following questions and answers may be of interest of you regarding our services:

1.When can I get the price? We usually quote within 24 hours after we get your inquiry. If you are very urgent to get the price, please call us or tell us in your email so that we will regard your inquiry priority. 

2.How can I get a sample to check your quality?

After price confirmation, you can require for samples to check our quality. If you need the samples, we will charge for the sample cost .But the sample cost can be refundable after oreder confirmation when your quantity of the order is more about the MOQ. 

3.What kind of files do you accept for printing?

AI, PDF, CoreDraw, high resolution JPG 4.Can you do the design for us? Yes. We have a professional team having rich experience in gift box design and manufacturing. Just tell us your ideas and we will help to carry out your ideas into perfect packaging boxes. 

5.How long can I expect to get the sample?

After you pay the sample charge and send us confirmed files, the samples will be ready for delivery in  5-10 days for leather box, 7-15 for wood box. The samples will be sent to you via express and arrive in 5-7 days. You can use your own express account or prepay us if you do not have an account. 6.What about the lead time for mass production?

Honestly, it depends on the order quantity and the season you place the order. The lead time of MOQ is about 35 to 45 days. Generally speaking, we suggest that you start inquiry two months before the date you would like to get the products at your country.  7.What is your terms of delivery? We accept EXW, FOB, CIF, etc. You can choose the one which is the most convenient or cost effective for you.

8.Service/policy/warranty or After-sale service

1 Your inquiry will be replied within 12 hours.

2 Well-trained & experienced sales can reply your inquiries in English.

3 During working time, E-mail will be replied to you within 2 hours

4 OEM & ODM projects are highly welcomed. We have strong R&D team.

5 The order will be produced exactly according to order details and proofed samples. Our QC will submit inspection report before shipment.

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 The material of the product such as wrist watch winder box, watch storage box and cigar humidor is eco-friendly and recyclable. We will try our best to supply the best.

 For more information on high-end gift boxes,please click here.

https://www.creativepacking.net/

[travelxbritt-blog]

10 TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE UP FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

If you are wondering how to save big for your next trip, you’ve come to the right place.

When I ask others why they don’t travel, the answer almost all of the time is money.

Isn’t it bizarre how much power a little piece of paper has over our lives?

What if we paid closer attention to where the money is actually going?

I want to inform you that whatever travels plans you have, it’s not impossible, in fact, it’s actually incredibly doable. If you prioritize successfully, you’ll be on that trip sooner than you think. You don’t have to get into debt to travel either.

When I went on my Europe trip I noticed a pattern of friends and foes DMing me, “How are you traveling so much?” There’s no real secret. Just like you save up for a car, or for an apartment, it is the same exact way you can save to travel. Prioritize and limit spending. In this post, I’ve included everything I’ve done and still do to help me save to travel and maintain my travel lifestyle. If you are looking to learn how I started traveling, you can read about that here.

These tips and thinking processes below are exactly what helped me save 10k within 4 months.

1. PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS

Strategy # 1 Eliminate all your debts. Before you start saving, make sure you don’t owe anything. Having no debts helps you save everything for yourself. If I had debt, I would focus on paying that off before trying to save, if not, you’re technically negative and that’s not helpful. Interest can catch up if you choose to avoid this. Paying interest is never a useful way to spend your money. When I refer to paying off these debts, I’m not talking about student loans or mortgages. I’m talking about things like credit card bills and the debt you can pay off relatively fast. I don’t think anyone pays off their student loans right away so the debts I’m talking about in this passage are everyday debts.

Take action: If you have debt, come up with a game plan to get out of it. Work on this plan and stay consistent until you are back at 0 and don’t owe. Once you are at 0 you can start to save for your next trip with that extra money.

2. IDENTIFY NEEDS VS. WANTS

Before you start physically saving, you should identify what are your true needs vs wants. Need = something you need to survive, no exceptions. Some examples: food, water, shelter, minimal amount of clothing, etc. Wants = Things you don’t need but urge to have because you desire them. Some examples: cocktails, frappes, fancy clothes, eating out, etc. You don’t need any of this to survive. These are luxuries. The biggest point here is to know what you truly need (to survive) to help identify your pointless expenses. The money spent on pointless expenses is the money you could be saving. The more you cut out, the more you will save. It’s simple.

Take action: Figure out ALL of your expenses – What are your absolute life necessities? Are there any luxuries you absolutely can’t live without? Write it down somewhere so you have a mental note on how to move forward. Ask yourself before you pay for anything, is this a true need or a want? Do you really need it?

3. BECOME A MINIMALIST

Now that you’ve identified your needs vs wants, I recommend maintaining a minimal lifestyle. But first! What is minimal? Cambridge Dictionary defines minimal as – very small in amount. Maintaining a minimal lifestyle means living a very basic life. It’s living with what you need and that’s that. This prevents useless expenses and more financial burdens for you. It’s a great way to save for your next trip because you’ll limit the unnecessary expenses. It starts to become second nature after some time. If you want to keep traveling, you have to be mindful of these things.

This could be hard if you are attached to material things – but think of the bigger picture. Money in your hands or possessions? You pick. Have you ever looked at your closet and realized how much of your clothes you DON’T wear? Right, I’ve definitely been there. Now think of the people who don’t even have a shirt on their back. Right, I’ve been there too. It sucks! You are only one physical person. Trust me, there are only so many events and so many places you can wear these clothes too. Limit consumption!

Take action: Look into anything you have in excessive amounts. Stop buying whatever you have in excess. What can you sell that you have an excessive amount of? Too many clothes? Video games? Electronics? Sell it! That’s money sitting on the table if you don’t use these items. This will also help clear out your environment which will continue to promote a minimal lifestyle.

4. DON’T BE A BIG CONSUMER

Not being a big consumer goes hand in hand with minimalism. For saving purposes, don’t be a big consumer. To consume means to use, to use, you need to buy products to use. In other words, if you want to save, you will have to limit consumption. In the past, one would probably call me the ideal consumer. To think about it now, I cringe – Why was I so convinced to purchase ….. everything?! It was so ridiculous.

My point isn’t to consume anything, my point is to know the difference between your needs and wants and limit it so it doesn’t go overboard. In other words, don’t get into overspending or even worst, debt!

Take action: What can you stop buying today that will save you money? Are you buying anything that you truly can’t afford? Is there a cheaper option if you can’t live without it? Reorganizing how you will consume is a great way to save up for your next trip. This has helped me SO much in my personal life. If I don’t need it, I don’t really even have interesting in buying it.

5. BECOME PSYCHO ABOUT WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

People have a hard time-saving. Yet, if you take a deeper look at it, it is usually careless spending. Careless spending is also when people go above their means in life.

Can you afford what you want with your salary? Should you be living in a smaller apartment? Be realistic. Should you be driving a cheaper car? The only one who will have to pay back that debt is you, so really think about your money.

Start tracking your money, every day. Every transaction, calculate it. If you pay for it, calculate it. Know where every dollar goes. I’ve found that any moment I leave to not pay attention to my finances, it can get messy – quick. If we want to be on top of our finances, we have to pay attention to everything financially related.

Take action: Track your statements to the T. Having this knowledge and organization of your finances helps you save for your trips and to save overall. Know what your spending on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This way when you log into online banking you don’t gasp and have a heart attack when you look at your balance. You know what to expect and understand your statements.

6. WORK MORE/GET A SIDE HUSTLE

If you need more money, you’ll have to work for it somehow, someway. Can you work extra hours at your current job? If not, get a side hustle. You can be a server at a restaurant, maybe do something online, the options are endless.

The side hustles I did to save for my travels were bartend, promote brands, and be a brand ambassador. There are LOADS of Brand Ambassading and Promotion companies out there. Companies hire all the time, there are always events and people are always needed. I’m signed up with countless promotional agencies. The favorites that I would highly recommend are TEAM, Beacon Brand Solutions, and Next Level Marketing. These companies pay 20-50$ per hour, depending on the event. It is an easy peasy lemon squeezy way to make a quick $100-150 a day, which adds up quickly over time.

Disclaimer: Please note, promotion and BA work is not really consistent work. Meaning you won’t really be able to turn into a full-time income. I have tried this once and it’s not worth the energy. To do so, you’ll have to sign up for a million agencies. In my honest opinion, it’s more exhausting getting contracted to do this type of work than it is doing the job. These options are a side hustle, definitely make it your extra income, not the 9-5 replacement.

Take action: Look into whatever other side gigs interest you. Apply, start working, start saving!

7. EAT OUT LESS AND COOK MORE –

Restaurants mark up food at insane rates. How else would they make a profit? Start cooking and eating more at home. A lot of people have food as a huge expense in their life. Being mindful of this will help you save for a trip by not paying for overpriced food.

How to compromise:

Eating out with friends is a social activity. Sometimes it’s hard to turn down that dinner invite to save a few dollars. I get it! But some options for the whole crew to save are -why not have a potluck at a friend’s house or go to a friend’s house to cook together? It’s fun and intimate. (you won’t have to shout at your friends across the table to hear them like in a restaurant.)

If you’re absolutely not budging and have to eat out, here are some tricks to save while dining out:

Always avoid the extras i.e cocktails and desserts.

Use eating out with friends to your advantage. I.e Split something! In America, a lot of the portions are inappropriately huge. Odds are it’ll probably be a lot of food and you won’t end up finishing all of it.

If you want to see price ranges so there are no surprises when you get there, try to look online for the menu. Most restaurants have a preview. The price isn’t always there but it’s worth a try.

8. LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Those 7 drinks you had on Saturday, yeah it adds up. Your average bar in NYC charges $7-17 dollars for cocktails. Multiply that by 7 thats a whopping $49-$119! Just on alcohol. This is not including if you’re eating out too. Going out for the sole purpose of drinking adds up, too quick. It is an expense.

How to compromise –

Pregame! I’m not saying to not go out, I’m saying to go out smarter. Usually, on a big night out, my friends and I meet up at someone’s house before the event to have a few drinks. A 6 pack of beer at most liquor stores is about $10-15. Compare this to a bar in NYC, it will probably be about $5-7 for one beer. Not only does this help you save for your next trip, but it also helps you avoid the crowd that’s always hovering over the bar. Odds are, by the time you get to the place, you won’t need any more booze. You’ll be set!

9. LIMIT CAR SERVICE AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION –

Ah, yes. Uber everywhere. Until you look at your bank account and say I spent how much? to go where?! Think again. For the most part, when I was hopping around in NYC, I’d pull up Google maps to see my time to my destination. Not even joking, 75% of the time it took the same exact time to go in an uber than to ride a subway. Who wants to ride the subway? Absolutely no one, especially in NYC! But! Who wants to pay extra overhead charges just to sit in traffic? Think ahead.

How to compromise –

Use public transportation. You can’t compare $3.00 for subway fare to $30 for one uber ride. That’s a 10x mark-up. Be smart about using a car service. If you really have to use it, make it a one-off occasion. Not your daily habit. Or better yet, when you do take car service, try to split the fare amongst friends. It will help you save for your next trip big time.

10. STOP BUYING COFFEE BEFORE WORK

Mm, coffee. It’s a luxury sometimes, isn’t it? Whether you think it is or it isn’t, it’s money being spent buying it daily.

Let’s say your coffee go-to place is Starbucks. For your usual order, you get a frappe that’s $4-5 dollars. 5 x 30 (days of the month) = 120, 120 x 12 (months of the year) = $1,440 a year. That’s just on coffee, imagine if you get a pastry or something else.

This will not help us save up for a trip. Overpriced and a perfect example of another unnecessary expense. Your job probably provides free coffee. Utilize it! If you don’t like the blend, buy your own or bring your own from home. If you work from home, buy a coffee maker and make your own. A very simple solution that will save you over $1,000 a year.

**Bonus pointer – If you are not sure how much money to save for your next trip, having an idea of your destination helps a lot. Figure out what a daily rate would be to visit this destination. You can even try to come up with an itinerary so you know what a good ballpark is. Always have more money saved to visit a destination than less. This way you have more flexibility and aren’t on such a tight budget.

Aaaaaand that’s a wrap! I genuinely hope you found these tips useful. Adopting this mindset is what helped me save 10k in 4 months for my travels in 2017. Nobody pays for my travels, but me. No rich parents, no credit cards, no rich man, just my hard-earned money. If you really want to go on a big trip, save and you can make it happen. We prioritize to spend on a new laptop, a new camera, travel is no different. There’s no hidden secret or unattainable tricks but work, save and pay attention to where the money’s going.

Once you’re on the road enjoy your travels, you’ve worked hard for this! Enjoy your travels, your way!

Happy traveling my friends!

XO,

Britt