How to Straighten Your Teeth for Less

Posted On September 29, 2016 By admin In Beauty, Blog, coupons / delas / No Comments

Wondering how you can straighten your teeth for less?

I didn’t get braces until I was an adult, and you better believe I shopped around for them. I got a coupon in the mail for a 20% discount on the first set of braces and 50% if you had a second patient. I was really impressed with that so I went to visit with that dentist and ultimately I didn’t choose him because it was a little bit far for me and his treatment plan included pulling teeth.

But I want you to know you can choose.

I went ahead and had my teeth straightened somewhere else without pulling teeth. I am very happy with the result and because I now knew that people would negotiate I went around talked to several other dentists until I found a treatment plan I was happy with and a dentist that would discount for me.

Since then I’ve discovered a plan that I wish I knew about sooner, because it eliminates the hassle of driving to and from the orthodontists office and is even cheaper!

It’s called SmileDirectClub, and they help you get the straight, white smile you’ve always wanted from the comfort of your own home.

SmileDirectClub Invisible Aligners are custom-made clear aligners that gradually adjust your teeth in a few months’ time.

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SmileDirectClub Invisible Aligners are custom-made clear aligners that gradually adjust your teeth in a few months’ time. It’s convenient, safe and affordable, and all under the care of a licensed dental professional who prescribes and oversees treatment virtually. All to the tune of only $1,500.

This risk-free purchase includes a photo assessment, dental impressions, customized starter trays, 3D treatment plan, and professional teeth whitening kit. If it’s determined SmileDirectClub Invisible Aligners aren’t a fit for your smile, your money will be refunded.

Pssst…want to save even more?

Drop your email below and we’ll send you a subscriber-only code for 50% off your evaluation purchase at SmileDirectClub ($47.50 value) along with our newsletter!

Please note that this program is available in the U.S., including D.C., excluding North Carolina, and that you must be 15 years or older.

Why We Need to Bring Femininity Back

Posted On September 22, 2016 By admin In Blog, relationship / No Comments

Justin may have brought sexy back, but I’m on a mission to bring femininity back.

So many women in our culture have given up on femininity.

In trying to be equal to men and be out in the workforce and get respect, we’ve become way too masculine in our behaviors, dress and demeanor, or we go the other way and try to be too sexy.

When I visited Washington D.C., all the women were wearing navy or gray pant suits, almost like it was a uniform in the city. They looked like they had been stripped of their very soul. I stood out in a pink dress suit and was told by several men that I met that I reminded them of Jacqueline Kennedy, who many years ago brought a breath of fresh air to Washington D.C.

Here is the problem with women being too masculine in any area…it’s not attractive to a man. Tony Robbins teaches about sexual polarity, in that you need both masculine energy and feminine energy in a relationship in order to maintain sexual attraction between partners.

Many years ago I felt like I had a revelation about femininity versus sexy and that sexy was more of a counterfeit of true femininity. But that as a nation, we had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Men are visual and we believe that we need to be “sexy” to attract them or masculine to compete with them.

In reality, we just need to be women, in all the grace and beauty that God gave us.

We just need to be women, in all the grace and beauty that God gave us.

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Sometimes we are lazy…I know that when we’re a mom of young children, we often don’t even take time to shower because we’re pulled in so many directions. You might just throw on yesterday’s sweat pants and jump into your day. But deep down how is your partner going to feel about that? Even if he doesn’t say anything, do you think it makes him feel like you care?

Always remember that men are very visual. They are attracted to what they see. Is what you are offering your man to see attractive?

As I began to grasp the power of that revelation, I went shopping… Doesn’t every woman love that?
I went shopping for dresses, and except for the common “little black dress”, at that time, quite honestly it wasn’t easy to find any pretty, soft, delicate ones.

It was like nobody was making dresses, because nobody was buying them, but you couldn’t buy one because they weren’t making them. Read that one twice and let it sink in. The only places I could find dresses was an the thrift store which was right in my price range anyway.

I made a commitment to myself to wear a dress every single day. It didn’t matter if I was scrubbing the floor or working in the garden or going to church, I was wearing a dress. From that day till this, people stop me and compliment me on what I’m wearing. Women almost as equally as men give me compliments. Just today, I had a man drive past me and give me the thumbs up sign and yell, “Wow, what a dress.” These types of comments are from men who are not trying to pick up on me, they’re only trying to acknowledge that the femininity got their attention.

Of course I run around in heels and fabulous costume jewelry, but that still doesn’t make a woman feminine.

A woman can easily give off masculine energy by being tense, controlling, even too independent. Women that have been single for long periods of time are notorious for this because they have to take care of everything themselves.

I had someone tell me the other day that I didn’t need a man because I’m so successful and accomplished, a business owner and a homeowner.

Au contraire my friend. I may not need one, but I want one. I enjoy sharing my life. I enjoy laughter. I enjoy not having to take out the trash. Life may be more complicated having another person in it, but I look forward to sharing my golden years with the man of my dreams.

Femininity is something delicate that comes from the inside, it’s something soft that says, “I do need a man.”

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I realized tonight as I was writing this that I melt into my man now that I’m dating in an exclusive relationship. It’s no secret that I adore him. But even though I’m out there in the business world all day bossing people or making deals, when I see my man…I literally put my arms around him and my head on his shoulder and just melt. I let all of the stress and pressure of the day go, and I just become his.

Friends often comment on how my voice changes when he walks into the room…how I become lighter and even more giggly. And the best part is it’s not something I have to work at, it comes naturally. I took two self-help courses a number of years ago that helped me with this. My mentors were Rori Raye and Patty Contenta.

So whether you have a man, or you’re looking for one, I encourage you to consider how you dress and to consider how you present yourself. Do you need to make some changes?

My Princess Power Program has great tips on how to be lighter, freer, happier, spend less, bring more to the table in a relationship, and love more. You can find the program here, or for a free preview of the content, including how to walk to rev his engine, claim your 7 free video tips below!

4 Reasons to Avoid Perfectionism

Posted On September 15, 2016 By admin In Blog / No Comments

“People throw away what they could have by insisting on perfection, which they cannot have, and looking for it where they will never find it.”

–Edith Schaeffer

On the outside, no one would accuse me of being a perfectionist, although those who know me well would admit that I hold myself and others to a very high standard. But deep inside me the voice of my grandmother, a lifelong perfectionist, lurks…nagging me on toward unrealistic standards.

The house should be cleaner…the garden needs to be watered…the kids (when they were small) should be cleaner, etc.

Guilt wells up within me, the feeling that if I don’t try harder that no one will love me.

Well it did, until I learned to let go. I still hear the voice but I ignore it.

I learned to laugh at myself, and to be free of the slave master of perfection.

Perfectionism will cause you to procrastinate so that rather than fail, you simply don’t show up for the game of life.

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Perfectionism will cause you to procrastinate so that rather than fail, you simply don’t show up for the game of life. It drives some to drink and others to depression or divorce.

4 Reasons to Avoid Perfectionism

#1. You will never be perfect no matter how hard you try.

#2. Perfectionism will only keep you frustrated.

#3. Perfectionism will frustrate all the people around you.

#4. It’s not worth stressing about perfection

Is it your goal to have everything perfect or to have people look up to you? They will never look up to you if you’re trying to be perfect.

Perfectionism is a form of vanity or a cover up for insecurity. It’s a false illusion that can never be achieved. You can get the perfect haircut, but your hair will always grow out. You can have the perfect basket of herbs sitting in your kitchen, but they will grow out and become gangly in no time. You can mow, trim, and rake your backyard and it will be beautiful for a moment and then another leaf will fall ruining your dream of perfection.

Life is always changing.

Let go of your ideals and your should and should-nots, the requirements you have of yourself and others. Breathe. Choose to enjoy your life.

There’s an expression that I like that says, “cleaning houses while children are still growing is like shoveling snow while it’s still snowing”. If you try to have a perfect home while you have children, everyone around you will be tense and miserable. Don’t judge others for their home, and then you can let go of the expectation that they will judge you.

Perfectionism is nothing but a trap that will hold you in bondage.

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Perfectionism is nothing but a trap that will hold you in bondage. Being free of it leads you to a better path in life that brings joy.

How do you get rid of that little nagging voice in your head that pushes you toward perfectionism?

Henrik Edberg of the Positivity blog suggests:

“Reducing or cutting out the sources that try to reinforce perfectionism in you. Take a little time to review what websites, magazines, podcasts, TV-shows and books you spend a lot of time with. Take a look at if they have realistic and positive expectations or views on you and on life. And if not, choose to spend more of your time with the sources that lift you up and support you.”

The pursuit of perfectionism leads to a constant feeling of lack and disappointment.

Celestine Chua, Life Coach from Personal Excellence says:

“Think of 3 things you are doing right. A neurotic perfectionist tends to focus on lack and the things that they aren’t doing well. Turn that around by focusing on the things you are doing well. What are 3 things you have done right, in this goal, or in your life? Focus on them and repeat this question whenever you have negative self-talk. When done often, you’ll begin to recognize your own strengths naturally.”

Perfectionists differ from those striving for excellence.

Adam Sicinski of Igmatrix blog highlights the difference this way:

“Those who try their very best and strive for excellence do so from a place of empowerment. These people have a high level of self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence in their own ability to get things done at the highest of levels. This behavior is healthy because these people come from a place of yearning for growth and development. And it’s this behavior that helps them perform at the highest level.”

Excellence is good and we need more of it, just be careful not to fall into the path of perfectionism along the way, allow yourself room for failure.

Are you a perfectionist or a recovering perfectionist? What are some things you can start to let go of today, to lead a more happier, healthier life? Tell me in the comment box below!

Top 7 Places to Shop for Clothing on a Budget

Posted On September 8, 2016 By admin In Blog, coupons / delas, money saving tips, Uncategorized / No Comments

How do you shop for clothing on a budget?

I spill some of my secrets here.

While we have not turned into a fashion blog, Princess Power is about how to live larger on less, how to improve your life, have more money, do more, look better, and feel better so we touch on issues of finances, budget, relationships, health, travel, how to have your own business and all kinds of things that affect your life.

Not only did I get tons of compliments on my outfit this weekend, my friend Marisa Kenson, a fashion designer of 30 years, commented to me for the second time that I needed to have my own blog.

Well obviously she doesn’t know about you, and all of the time that we spend together every week. But in honor of that comment I decided to show you this outfit and talk about how I pulled it together.

First of all I’ve had all but three of the pieces for over 10 years. I talk a lot about the fact that a penny pinching princess acquires things over time and keep them for a long time.

Originally this blog was going to be called Penny Pinching Princess and I do have that name trademarked, but I changed it to Princess Power because we are about so much more than just saving money and I didn’t want to limit the message.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with my background yet, I’ll tell you that I was a stay-at-home mom for 22 years living on an extremely tight budget and when that portion of my life ended and I went into the workforce, within just a couple of years I was able to build a multimillion-dollar business from scratch.

So how does a millionaire dress?

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Well if we’re talking about this girl, sometimes it’s still in the thrift store clothes that she bought years ago.

I paid $5.99 for this dress at the Goodwill. I bought the shoes for $8.99 at Ross and because I like them so much I bought 3 different colors and still have all 3. One pair of the earrings is from Forever 21 and the other was from Target for $9.99. And I just bought the bracelet at Old Navy for $10. The purse was under $10 at Target. And I have the Sharpie in the picture because I want to admit that I blackened the tips of the toes on the shoes before I took the picture.

Obviously you can’t run out and get this look today except for the bracelet at Old Navy.

But as always, I love to inspire you about the possibilities of life and that you shouldn’t be embarrassed to shop at a thrift store or buy cheap jewelry.

You shouldn’t be embarrassed to shop at a thrift store or buy cheap jewelry.

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If anybody looks at me and thinks negatively about how I dress, fortunately they keep their mouth shut. Instead, people stop me on the street and give me compliments.

So thanks to my friend the fashion designer, from time to time I’ll share some of my outfits with you.

The reason I showed two pair of earrings with this outfit, is that I wore that outfit 2 days in a row, Saturday night to a dance, and then again Sunday morning and I switched out the earrings.

Honestly, and just between you and me, so don’t tell anybody… I would have worn the outfit to work on Monday too because I have 3 completely different audiences of people on Saturday, Sunday and Monday but this one’s just a little too dressy to pull that off even if I switched out my purse and shoes.

I didn’t have anybody to take a full-length picture of me so this selfie is the best that I could get and then the flat lay pictures.

Rather than spending your money at Macy’s and Nordstrom, consider some of my favorite places to shop for clothing on a budget below:

Ross

The Goodwill thrift store

Amazon

LightInTheBox

eBay

Forever 21 is great for costume jewelry

ThredUP

To get over 3 hours of my best tips on how to Live Large for Less, order Princess Power now before the price goes up.

Cash in on sales cycles at the grocery store

Posted On September 1, 2016 By admin In Blog, coupons / delas, money saving tips, work from home / No Comments

Grocery shopping can be pretty routine. Week after week, we go in and buy the same items without thinking too much about it.

But you should be wary of shopping on autopilot. Even worse is when we make a meal plan every week and fit our food needs to what we want to eat.

Chances are, you’re overpaying — sometimes by as much as 50 percent.

The secret lies in the store’s sales cycle, and the sooner you learn it, the sooner you save.

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My friend Teri Gault figured out the trick of following sales cycles when her husband was out of work. She began saving so much for her family that her son suggested that she help others.

On her 40th birthday, she used the last of her quarters in a jar to buy a business license and over the next few years turned her little savings business into a 12 million dollar a year empire helping others save on their groceries each week.

She also wrote Shop More, Save More which gives step-by-step instructions on how to save.

Sales Cycles

There are two types of sales cycles. The first is seasonal. A lot of seasonal sales are common sense; canned pumpkin is cheaper in October, chocolate costs less in February.

But there are a lot of other seasonal items that go on sale during months you may not expect — like oatmeal in January, sodas in July, and peanut butter in September.

There are also rotational sales cycles. These sales cycles 5are typically used to rotate the stock on the shelves every 6 to 12 weeks.

This may seem complicated, but with some time and practice, you can learn how to keep tabs on the best deals.

Start by making a list of the top 10 items you most often buy at the store.

Then, start tracking those prices week to week. Grab a circular ad–they usually send them in the mail every week and are available in the front of the store.

After 6 to 12 weeks, you’ll start to see a point where the price drops noticeably lower than the other weeks. This is when you should shop for this item, and potentially even buy in bulk. Remember, each item will have its own cycle, so track each product individually for the most accuracy.

So if you want to maximize savings in the long run, start tracking your stores sales cycle. The last time steak was on sale for $2.99 a pound I filled my freezer and won’t need it again until the next time it drops that low.

Then if you really want to save, combine coupons at a store that doubles them when the product it at its lowest sale cycle. This can boost your savings to an average of 67%.

My Experience

I began using Teri Gault’s system when she first came out with it in the late 90’s. It took me an hour a week and was a game changer for my family and I have been indebted to her ever since.

I was spending $90 a week to feed 8 people and could never afford snacks, sodas or treats. By using Teri’s system my food budget immediately dropped to $40 per week for 8 people and I pocketed the $50 extra that I had been spending each week and could now use that for extravagances like family vacations.

Think about that for a moment.

$50 a week times 52 weeks is a $2,600 a year additional stream of income for your family. Girls, $200 is a car payment on a basic car, or a vacation or…you get the idea.

For one hour a week of effort you have a whole new playground of possibilities so put your thinking cap on and dream.

AND I didn’t mention to you that when I started shopping this way it also allowed me to buy MORE food than ever before. No more lack, no more feeling impoverished and less than.

Steps I took using Teri’s program later led me to go from being a stay at home mom for 22 years to running my own multi-million-dollar business and believe it or not, you can too.

Doesn’t the prospect of making $50 for one hour of work a week, working at home make using a few coupons worth it?

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I cover all of this and more in detail in my Princess Power Program.

So tell me below, what could you do with an extra $200+/month?

Are You Speaking Your Partners Love Language?

Posted On August 25, 2016 By admin In Blog, relationship / No Comments

When you’ve lost something, lost someone…when you have had your spirit crushed by a bad relationship, or a failure in life, it becomes easier to be grateful for what and whom you do have.

You may be frustrated trying to sleep next to a snorer, but if you had known the pain of loneliness or betrayal, you may just choose to be grateful that he’s sleeping next to you.

Buy a pair of ear plugs and hug him a little tighter for all the wonderful things he does do for you like going to work every day.

If you can still hear him through the ear plugs, buy a noise cancelling sound machine. I like the one with water or crickets and don’t worry, you will still be able to hear the baby or kids. You’re wired that way.

I’m not talking about settling for crumbs and choosing the wrong person because you don’t want to be lonely. I’m talking about settling down and appreciating the man you have chosen.

It’s too easy to complain, to resent…to tear down your future with your own hands…words…thoughts…attitude.

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I dress rocking hot because I live for those moments when someone tells me I look nice. But my man, wonderful though he is, is not wired that way. He’s super humble, and if he’s going to comment on how I look, he’s going to look me up and down, and make a clicking sound. On very rare occasions I might get a “Mmmmm, Mamasita.”

But words clearly are not his love language. I need to receive his love and be affirmed by the acts of service that he constantly pours out for me. And guess what, when I’m grateful for what he does, he wants to do more.

I never have to ask him to take out my trash. He sees it and it’s done. But I always remember to praise him and thank him for taking such good care of me. I do the same for my son who has remembered to put out the bins week after week without being asked.

Now I want to compare and contrast for a moment.

I may not get a standing ovation just because I knocked it out of the ball park with my hair, outfit, make up and high heels, but my ex would have looked me up and down after I proudly walked down the stairs trying to shine for him and would have said, “You have a big pimple on your neck.”

Soul crushing.

I had wanted him to be proud of me.

Either way, I need to get my need for verbal affectation fulfilled by someone else like the lady at the grocery store who noticed my earrings.

Let’s flip this for a moment. Think of something you may have said or done to your man that made him feel unappreciated.

Or, what could you do or say to him, to affirm his efforts?

Our men need us to speak life into them. So do our children. It’s so easy to correct them. But where do we need a course correction to a better future?

If you’re not working on your marriage, you’re working on your divorce.

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I hear so many women tear their husbands down not realizing they are charting a course toward divorce and heartbreak. I encourage you to turn it around while you can, because the alternatives are not pretty.

What is your primary love language? Does your partner speak it? Tell me in the comment box below.

How to Activate Your Princess Power

Posted On August 18, 2016 By admin In Blog / No Comments

Being a daughter of the King has power.

Knowing that you’re a daughter of the King has more power.

Being a daughter of the King has power.

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Imagine that you were born the daughter of a prince, the granddaughter of a queen…there’s a movie on that very subject.

But you were raised estranged from your family by a mother Far Far Away who wanted you to lead a normal everyday life.

How would you act?

What would your mindset be?

Would you behave like a princess?

Or an average person?

But what if you were born to shin, to excel, the lead? What if you were born to have more, do more, be more?

What if you were born to have more, do more, be more?

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In our Princess Power program we explore all the ways that you can be stronger, more effective and more empowered in your everyday life.

We talk about gratitude, and how attitude is everything and can transform your life. We talk about budgeting, and how simply you can create additional streams of income and bring more value to your life and the people around you with very little effort. We talk about dating and picking the right mate. We talk about how you can give money away and have it multiply back to you.

You have to first know who you are, to be who you are. You have to understand what’s possible before you can appreciate the potential or achieve it.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine right now what you could do with an extra $300 a month. Would you invest it? Would you buy a new car and use that for the payment? Would you pay off debt? Would you take a weekend getaway?

One element of our Princess Power program is that I show you how to create simple streams of income out of money you’re already spending every month. With very little effort you can turn that money around and cause it to work for you instead of you working for it.

Are you ready to step up to the plate and shine…to embrace your Princess Power? Click here to order today!

Learning from cultural differences

Posted On August 11, 2016 By admin In Blog / No Comments

Some of us were born and raised in the same place and have lived there our entire lives. Others are privileged to travel and live in different places around the world.

Often when one goes to a completely different land, it’s common to experience culture shock from observing things and behaviors that are completely unfamiliar to us. I’m actually visiting Costa Rica right now and thinking of retiring here.

But I’ve noticed that we can actually have regional culture shock.

I’ve noticed that we can actually have regional culture shock.

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One example of this can be experienced at home by watching The Real Housewives series from one area to another on Bravo. Even though New Jersey and New York are so close together, the behavior of the women in the two different areas is dramatically different. The same is true between Orange County and Beverly Hills. Watching the drama from week-to-week is something that we can see without traveling to another area and what has led to the success of the TV franchise.

I grew up in beautiful sunny southern California and have lived within a hundred miles of where I grew up my entire life. Some of my friends have never left our hometown.

A couple of my girlfriends and I drove up north to visit a mutual friend a few years ago and up until then I wasn’t even aware of how unfriendly we are here in southern California.

We think of ourselves as easygoing and laid-back, but most of the time we don’t even know our neighbors despite how close we live to them. From my former home, I could see into the backyard of 19 families from my master bedroom. And yet I didn’t know a single one of them after living there 7 years.

On this trip up north, we’re driving down the street to get to a friends house and some people we’re walking down the street. They waved at us, which is quite friendly but we assumed that they thought we were somebody else. As we went a little further down the street, somebody else waved at us and we were shocked to realize that people were simply that friendly in that area.

I’ve pondered this for a while that idea of being surprised by friendliness. But it’s something that we just don’t experience here in southern California. When we walk down the street and someone is coming toward us from the opposite direction, we don’t say hello we don’t smile, we turn our face and pretend that we don’t see them.

The situation with unfriendliness is so bad in California that one church I went to paid $10,000 to have a consultant come in and train the people in the hundred person church to smile and greet newcomers.

I had been pondering on minor regional cultural differences like this when I heard a story that made me laugh so hard I nearly cried.

My daughter is in the process of moving to Texas and someone had just told her this story. It was about a gentleman who moved from Texas to California. He was anxious to meet his neighbors so he had a barbecue. He spent a lot of money and cooked a lot of food and was very disappointed that nobody showed up.

A few weeks later he decided to try again. He bought more meat and had another barbecue, but again nobody came. He was surprised, hurt, and disappointed as he shared the story with his new friend at work.

“What do you mean no body showed up? How many people did you invite?” asked the man from work.

“Invite?” asked the Texan with his thick Southern drawl. “What do you mean invite? In Texas we just put the meat on the BBQ and the neighbors just start coming over with their side dishes!”

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “be the change in the world that you want to see.

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As Mahatma Gandhi said, “be the change in the world that you want to see.”

And so, I’ve made it a mission to start forcing myself to say hello. Actually, I started out just trying to smile, but it was almost impossible because they wouldn’t look at you to receive the smile. I really think that this is a sad thing and would love to be a part of changing that.

Tell me a story in the comment box below about something that you’ve noticed that was different when you went from one area to another.

Why I Plan to Retire Outside the U.S.

Posted On August 4, 2016 By admin In Blog, money saving tips / No Comments

One of my very deepest secret desires is to retire in Costa Rica.

Because I was a stay-at-home mom for 22 years and am now divorced, I have no real retirement except what I’ve saved up the last few years.

When I began to look at what little I’d saved up for retirement, fear crept into every fiber of my being.

I estimated that I would need about $4,000 a month in my golden years to remain in California and live frugally even if my house were completely paid off.

Now I didn’t buy my first home until I was 50 years old. And I bought it with 30-year mortgage like most first time homebuyers. But I’m very proud to say that after only 3 years of home ownership, I was down to a 15-year mortgage.

How did I do it, you ask?

Well, first I refinanced 3 times at a lower interest rate which will save me a lot of money over the course of my loan–over $180,000.

Secondly, I have a commitment to myself to use 10% of any extra money that comes my way (such as a tax refund), towards a principal-only extra mortgage payment.

Hopefully I will have the home paid off by the time I retire. But if I were to retire today and didn’t contribute any more money to my retirement, I would have a grand total of $16,000 a year to live on (which is a far cry from the $4,000/a month I estimate needing).

And I don’t know what the prediction is for what you have, but remember, our government never threatens to run out of welfare, but they do threaten to run out of Social Security. So don’t count on that as a source of income.

Our government never threatens to run out of welfare, but they do threaten to run out of Social Security.

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But somehow I stumbled on the fact that I could live out of the country quite nicely for a fraction of what it costs to live here in sunny California or most other parts of the United States.

For example, I am told that two people can live very well in Costa Rica for anywhere from $1,400 to $2,000 a month.

That caught my interest.

First I researched Belize. I was impressed that they speak English and that they drive on the right side of the road but decided against it when I read that they have both cholera and gangs.

While I looked at a handful of other countries, like Panama, I found reasons to decide against them as well. Panama has a very nice program for retirees, but the big cities look like Oahu or New York with big tall buildings which just aren’t my style.

Costa Rica is tropical, has many different micro-climates, monkeys and parrots and no standing army which I find fascinating. They have no earthquakes or tsunamis although they do have a volcano. They don’t allow guns but men carry machetes and use them for everything like we use duct tape.

So in the last few months I’ve been studying the process of becoming an expat and all that it means. The greatest resource I have found so far is a magazine called International Living.

They have resource after resource to teach you how to have a portable income, how to manage moving, taxes, whether you should buy or rent in your new home country, and many other helpful articles.

Personal income tax is very high here in California, and I learned that when you’re going to move out of the United States, it’s best to first move to a state such as Texas where they have no state income tax.

When moving out of the US, it’s best to first move to a state where they have no state income tax such as Texas.

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You establish state tax residency there and then when you move out of the country, (you still have to file taxes here in the United States), but you won’t owe state tax on your income. Pretty smart I think.

Here’s another great tidbit that is current but may change in years to come, you can earn in the range of $100,000 outside the country without having to pay taxes on it here in the US even though you will need to file your taxes.

International Living offers books and program to go into info like this in great detail so that you don’t get into trouble down the line by not following the right steps in the right order.

I’m still researching other exotic locations like Spain and Italy, and will be visiting Costa Rica next week.

So tell me, would you ever consider retiring in another country?

How to Avoid Travel Scams

Posted On July 28, 2016 By admin In Blog / No Comments

How would you like to take two people to Hawaii for 7 Days, 6 nights with round trip airfare for only $299.99?

That’s the advertisement on my FAX machine today.

No company name, just an 800 number.

They advertise a ton of other trips and places like Orlando or Miami Beach, Jamaica, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, San Antonio, Las Vegas, LA, New York City, Washington DC, 8 Days and 7 nights Cruise the Bahamas or the Caribbean, San Francisco or San Diego all with round trip airfare and some of them are only $199.98.

Then there’s four days and three nights and all-inclusive vacation resort in the Dominican Republic, Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica or Playa del Carmen. And to be honest with you this is the first one I’ve seen in a while that claims to include airfare.

Quoting from the ad:

This is a Monday only super sale freebie Monday’s wholesale pricing.

Let me tell you, if I thought for a second it would be legit, I’d be blasting the 800 number to you now. I’ve been recommending things to friends and family and readers and followers for years, whether I have an affiliate link for it or not.

I’ve been recommending things to friends and family and readers and followers for years, whether I have an affiliate link for it or not.

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An affiliate link means that if you buy I might get paid a referral fee for recommending it and you don’t pay anything extra. But like in my recent post about HCG, I don’t get paid anything I just recommend products that work and help people and that I really believe in.

Four years ago, I recommended something that turned out to be a scam, but the only person that took me up on it was my then husband. I’m always quick to admit when I’m wrong, but often I connect people with great bargains.

Unfortunately not only did I fall for a travel scam, but I also talked one of my friends into it so that we could go to Hawaii together.

While both of us lost $298 each and a ton of wasted time trying to get our money back, it also hurts my heart when something isn’t legitimate. So in an effort to protect you all from this kind of foolishness I want to describe what happened.

The flyer that I fell for also had no company name and was FAXed to my office.

It says:

For a limited time only, we are offering to all employees access to our company vacation packages at the promotional rate you save $3,000 per couple please review vacation details below Cancun, Cabo, Jamaica, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Cozumel or Mayan River duration 5 days and four nights with all meals included for only $99 per person.

You choose the dates. Packages are opened dated and valid for one full year.

Included in package 5 star resort guaranteed.

One year to use.

Corporate meal plan: All meals and drinks including five star dining & premium alcohol.

Children stay and eat for free.

Unlimited activities: Snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing and all non-motorized water sports.

Free bonus: 4 days and three nights Orlando with Disney or Universal tickets and free car rental.

First hundred callers receive 60% off discounted airfare!

And then they give the phone number in a reservation code.

So the first problem when I called was that $99 a person obviously comes to less than $200 but they charged me $298 because I had to pay tax blah blah blah blah blah. I went round and round with them about what tax rate percentage they were charging and on what amount and never got a satisfactory answer. In terms of your state sales tax on $198 wouldn’t come to another 100 dollars. And I was told that when I booked the trip there would be another $99 per person booking fee, which wasn’t originally advertised.

Originally they were trying to talk me into $385 and I went round and round and round with them over what they were saying vs. what they were advertising.

Although the ad said 12 months the person on the phone insisted I had 18 months to use the package.

I made them put that in writing. This is critical for anything you ever buy, always get any changes in writing.

When my friend called the exact same phone number to book the trip for he and his wife, they got a company in Mexico and were charged in pesos. He didn’t tell me until after that was done but we both knew there was something odd about that.

When I called to book our trip to Hawaii, the first thing I was told was Hawaii isn’t all-inclusive only the locations out of the country. Well I had saved my flyer which shows that it was advertised as included.

It did me no good because the people I was talking to claim that they weren’t the company that sold it to me and that they were only the booking company. (Months later when I called the original sales phone number back, I got…the booking company as they were one and the same.)

When they sent me the list of hotel choices, they also sent the list of how to get the discounted air fare they had promised. Remember I told you where it said “first hundred callers receive 60% off discounted airfare!”? Well guess what, they sent me the links to Expedia and Orbitz to book my airfare at a discount.

Really?

Like a dog with a bone, I have continued to try to book that trip. I’ve had no luck whatsoever.

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I was determined to get my all-inclusive so I asked for Costa Rica. I was sent an email for an incredible resort in Costa Rica but when I called to book that I was told I needed to pay an upgrade fee. How do you upgrade from all-inclusive 5 star resort? When they couldn’t get the upgrade fee, they actually had the nerve to try to book me into a $68 a night hotel in Costa Rica and tried to pass it off as a 4 star resort.

I asked to speak to a manager repeatedly for weeks and never once got a phone call back.

Let’s talk about some other scams.

Locally here in California I see people standing on the corner waving signs saying “Trip for two people airfare included $99 for Hawaii.”

That sounded good, so I went to a timeshare presentation with my boyfriend and for attending you’re supposed to get this trip. But then when you go to sign up for it you have to pay this fee and you have to pay that fee, and ultimately the trip is for 2 days to Waikiki for 2 people, well I thought I’d outsmart them and line it up with this other trip that I’ve been telling you about and just extend the return date. Well with this particular plan you cannot do that you have to come back on the date that they say.

So it’s not a scam, but who really wants to go to Hawaii for only 2 days?

From California it’s a 5 hour trip each way so any other part of the country would be further.

So that isn’t actually a scam but it’s not particularly practical either. They also gave us a trip to Vegas, but the voucher they handed me is for a hotel off the strip that I’ve stayed in before for only $25 a night so it wasn’t a particularly valuable gift. And they gave me $100 restaurant voucher for a company that I won’t even spell out to you because the voucher is so worthless I can’t register it online they’ve made it impossible to use it so it’s just no good whatsoever.

I will be leaving for Costa Rica in 2 weeks with airline tickets for two paid with my airline miles. I’ll be writing all about that trip and upcoming post. But I did not get that trip with the $298 voucher. I had actually bought it from another company and planned to book two trips back to back. I will be staying in two sister resorts that are incredible all-exclusive but I had to pay about $600 for 1 and $950 for the other.

So let’s start with a $600 one, it was advertised on Facebook as $399 Costa Rica several nights five star resort all-inclusive for 2 people. Reserve it now for $100 and pay the rest when you book. I often travel by myself but for that price I could afford to pay for two people and not use it or put up a notice on Facebook to my friends and say, “Hey I’ve got a great trip who wants to join me? It’s all inclusive just pay your own airfare.”

When I went to book that trip, they absolutely insisted that I could not go as one person even though I had paid for two. Turns out it was a timeshare presentation that I had to attend with another person. Nevermind the fact that I could afford to buy a Timeshare on my own if I chose to. I do hate deception, but not
only would they not allow me to go by myself or take a friend, it had to be a romantic partner.

So it just happens that my boyfriend had had his drivers license mailed to my office where I also have my drivers license mailed so I was able to “prove” that we are “cohabitating” even though we aren’t. He took two days off work to go on the trip even though he can’t stay for the full trip. I had to beg him to do it as it was the only way I was going to be able to use the vacation I had already paid for.

They also charge an additional $99 fee when you go to book that wasn’t originally disclosed. I haven’t had a vacation in so long and wanted to go to Costa Rica so bad that I went ahead and paid the extra money which is what I guess they are banking on. That’s how I also wound up spending $950 on the other trip, and not getting any of the $298 credited at all.

And unfortunately I waited so long to book that trip that I did not have the opportunity to contest it with my bank as a fraudulent charge which it was in the end since they never allowed me to
use it for what they had advertised.

So here are some tips for you to avoid travel scams:

#1. Make sure you know the name of the company that you’re working with.

#2. Look up the company’s Better Business Bureau ranking before you buy from them.

#3. Book the travel right away.

#4. If it turns out to be fraudulent, contest it with your bank.

I have reported both of the companies that were involved in the $298 scam to the Better Business Bureau, and neither company has
responded to the complaint.

For anyone following my very extended 21 day weight loss challenge, I will be suspending that until I get back from my trip as I’m not going to be on a diet at an all-inclusive resort and yes I expect that I’ll probably gain weight. But I can live with that.