Make Me Marvellous With Minimal Money Monday: Beauty Shop Beauties

Okay, y'all.  Sooooo, even though I WWOOF a lot and live on farm 60% of the time, I still like to get girly, hmmmmmm-hmmmmmmmm...but, a sistah is on a budget.  What to do, what to do?  Head over to the beauty shop, y'all, okaaaaaaaaaaay, ok  :)  :)

3 lippies (plus 1 for my daughter), an eye pencil with smudger, and 3 eyebrow shavers, drum roll please ---- 11 POUNDS (20 dollars US).  Can y'all say deal?  Well, I can, that was a deal and a steal all rolled in one 

:)  :)

Lippie #1:  Sleek Creme Lipstick in Flaming Berry

Lippie #2:  Rapsodi Cosmetics Intensive Wear 08

Lippie #3:  Doris Michael LP21 Miss Purple

Whether in London (Peckham, where I purchased these gorgeous lippies) or in your local beauty shop, be sure to check out the makeup section.  It'll be well worth it!

Ciao 4 Now, Y'All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET TO KNOW ME - TAG, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, this was nice.  I had SO MUCH FUN doing this Get To Know Me TAG!  I think - I probably - I shoulda done it a while back...anywhooooooooooooooooo.  Get To Know Me, Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  By the way, thank you to LuvHerLipstik for creating your blog and thus motivating me to finally do this tag.  LUVS  :)  :)

1. What are you wearing?

Red lipstick

2. Ever been in love?

Yes

3. Ever had a terrible breakup?

Yes.

4.  How tall are you?

5'4"

5. How much do you weigh?

70 kilos

6. Any tattoos?

Yes.

7. Any piercings?

Yes

8. OTP?

My sweet friend Alex (a.k.a. King of the Ratchets) and the Chocolate to end all chocolates :)  :)

9. Favorite show?

Golden Girls

10.  Favorite bands?

Danity Kane

11: Something you miss?

Sour pickles with long peppermints sticks (my Chi-town peeps will appreciate the utmost importance of these 2)

12: Favourite song?

I Love You - Mary J

13: How old are you?

36

14: Zodiac sign?

Taurus

15: Quality you look for in a partner?

Trust

16: Favourite Quote?

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

17: Favourite actor?

Meryl Streep

18: Favourite colour?

BLUE

19: Loud music or soft?

L-O-U-D

20: Where do you go when you’re sad?

Wherever there's quiet

21: How long does it take you to shower?

That depends...if I'm on a farm 5-10 minutes.  If I'm in the city, longer.

22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

That depends, too.  

23: Ever been in a physical fight?

Yes

24.  Turn on?

Cocky Swag

25. Turn off?

Complaining

26: The reason I joined Youtube? ...started a blog?

YouTube - for a rant

Blog - I yearned to return to writing.

27. Fears?

Living without my rage

28. Last thing that made you cry?

A movie

29. Last time you said you loved someone?

This morning

30: Meaning behind your YouTube Name? blog name?

YouTube (my name) - Just me, I am what I am

ColouredLipsGlobalTrips (blog) - need I say more?

31: Last book you read?

The Book of Fathers

32: The book you’re currently reading?

Fifty Shades of Grey

33: Last show you watched?

The People's Court

34: Last person you talked to?

My friend, Clelia

35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted?

A couchsurfing host, perfect strangers

36: Favourite food?

This one is difficult - Italian and Mexican

37: Place you want to visit?

Russian Federation

38: Last place you were?

Save the Children Charity Shop

39: Do you have a crush?

Does Daniel Craig count?

40: Last time you kissed someone?

Two days ago

41: Last time you were insulted

Last month while volunteering on a farm

42: Favourite flavor of sweet?

Sour apple

43: What instruments do you play?

I used to play the piano.

44: Favourite piece of jewellery?

My black and silver bracelets (one was given to me 6 years ago by my BFF and one was given to me this Xmas by my daughter

45: Last sport you played?

Basketball

46: Last song you sang?

Clocks - Kat Dahlia

47: Favourite chat up line?

Just give me your telephone number

48: Have you ever used it?

Of course!  :)  :)

49: Last time you hung out with anyone?

This morning

50: Who should answer these questions next?

YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make Me Marvellous with Minimal Money Mondays: #travelhacking

TRAVEL HACKING - OH YES!!!!!!!!!!


     Alright already, so I'm not the FIRST one to post about this Godsend known as #travelhacking, but please, be patient with me.  And, thus, the first tip to travel hacking is discovered - PATIENCE! You will get that deal, you will get that low price, the red square next to the date and time will show up (avid users of the EUROLINES website will appreciate that one  :).  Sometimes, I will find after a successful search that I have been looking for a bargain for 3-4 hours, it happens people, and guess what?  It's SO worth the time and energy.  Alright now, y'all, let's move on down to the next tip - TIME, TIME, TIME (and I hear it waits for no one).  So, c'mon then y'all, let's go!

     Oh, dear magic 8-ball, dost thou see my future? No, not possible.  DARN IT!  Guess, I'll just have to best to figure it out on my own.  Okay, here goes, 3 months from now, I will be on that flight booked on www.expedia.com and THIS will save me at least HALF the cost of the ticket.  TIME, people, TIME, its just gotta be managed.  Because I travel on a budget, I often find that if I know my schedule then I save. I don't fly often but when I do, I use www.expedia.com.  More often than not, a 2-3 month window will lower the cost dramatically.  And that makes a cheap travel queen, like myself, sleep easy.

     To sleep or not to sleep,  THAT is the real question.  Y'all know it's coming - sleeping on the bus/train in order to save on those killer accommodation prices!  WHEW!  I had to, I had to write it, I had to.  No, no one would RATHER sleep on a bus/train as opposed to sleeping in a nice comfy bed but when you wake up the next morning and realise how much you've saved, the bus/train becomes more and more appealing.  Yes, really.  And, oftentimes, the night prices are the cheaper prices.  Another perk of night travel is that on many of these bus trips movies are shown and that makes the experience even more enjoyable (see my post on EUROLINES to see that movies are more of a staple rather than a rarity).

Speaking of EUROLINES and their already low prices, there is a way to get an even lower price when booking with them - website 1 vs. website 2.  I know, a bit cheesy but accurate, nonetheless  :)  For example, let's say you would like to book a trip from London to Budapest.  First, you look on the UK website, nationalexpress.com (website 1).  Then, you go over to the Hungarian EUROLINES website, www.volanbusz.com (website 2).  Both websites will list a price of around 200 dollars US.  However, on www.volanbusz.com, you will find an even lower price based on the fact that this ticket can not be modified or refunded (which I have found to be extremely useful and worth booking).  In all fairness, www.nationalexpress.com offers a non-refundable option but I have found that www.volanbusz.com offers and even lower price. 

1)   PATIENCE
2)   TIME
3)   SLEEP
4)   COMPARISON SHOPPING

The key factors in successful #travelhacking...you need to be flexible with the above mentioned and also willing to sacrifice them, if needed.  But, it's well worth it in the end. 

Well, in the words of the ultra-savvy Mr. Bugs Bunny, THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

 

First-Time HITCHHIKING/THUMBING - in BELGIUM: Make Me Marvellous with Minimal Money Mondays

   


 I DID IT!  I DID IT!  I DID IT!  I hitchhiked!  So, y'all, I'm in Belgium and as the unofficial queen of cheap (that's me) would have it, I wanted to travel even cheaper than Eurolines or the local bus company could offer...the thumb it was!   I, or rather we, my daughter and I, were blessed to be accompanied by someone, Dido, who had hitched before. 
    
     We started out slow and we were thinking this was a bad idea but then we got our first little morsel...in the back of an even smaller car.  He took us to a roundabout where we were able to be picked up by a woman who brought us closer to our destination of Gent.  While in the car, we spoke with this woman (who also hitchhikes) about the paranoia which prevents some drivers from picking us hitchhikers.  She told us that she usually picks up hitchhikers in hopes of someone doing the same for her.  Remember that, anyone who reads this post, you know, that do unto others as you would have them do unto you thing  :)   After we exited this ride, we waited about 5 minutes before the next angel of mercy arrived to rescue us from our roadside waiting.  It was a father/son combo - I believe they stopped because they saw we were with a little girl (my daughter) and they felt a sort of connection.  This could be completely false but after this hitchhiking experience and considering the individuals and couples who did pick us up, I believe that's the secret to successful hitchhiking - finding that connection. 

     After this ride, we were picked up by a Turkish Belgian couple and while I feel he would have been just as content passing us by, the woman was more than eager to have the company.  This was the last hitch of this leg of our journey and we were kindly dropped off in the centre of town (Gent). 

 

After we had a late lunch, we headed off towards the west side of town in order to link up with the major highway to our next and final destination of Aalter.  SO many drivers passed us by and it made me realise why hitching at night isn't the greatest idea but we hadn't planned to be out so late.  I must say, though, that many a passerby offered us good advice like where to stand, once they saw our cardboard sign.

 

We set a time limit for ourselves (30 minutes) and made a plan that if no one picked us up within this time frame then we would just do the unspeakable and take public transport...but, ALAS, we were picked up with a few minutes to spare and dropped off a bit closer to Aalter.  About 10 minutes after that, we were picked up by our last car and dropped off not just at the city's edge but at the train station were a friend came and met us. 

 

All in all, this was a great experience.  We learned a lot about hitching, ourselves and surprisingly psychology...guilt is a powerful emotion, if ya know what I mean.  Until next time.  CIAO 4 NOW, Y'ALL!

The ABC's of Hostel Booking - G, H, I: Graciously Helping Individuals

So, you're travelling around the world, you're a globetrotter, a trendsetter, you stand alone, and on this particular day of all days, it's your birthday, and - you're in a hostel.  What to do, what to do?  What else, have a birthday party hosted by the gracious hostel owners at The Crib Hostel, DUUUUUUH!!!!!!!!!!  :)

 

A birthday dinner surprise for a former guest

Birthday guest and The Crib Hostel owner, Naj and Jotsko, respectively

Yeah, it's not a birthday cake but Naj is on his healthy path so Jotsko made a birthday fruit salad instead

A birthday fruit salad - side view

 

 

And, yeah, I know, not EVERY birthday can be celebrated but when you're alone, it's always good to know that if you drop a couple hints near or on your b-day, there's a hostel owner out there in Plovdiv, Bulgaria who just might be graciously listening.

 

 

Oh, by the way, he also helped my daughter find her inner Buddha:

 

If that isn't graciously helping, I don't know what is  :)

Thanks, Jotsko

 

 

Make Me Marvellous with Minimal Money Mondays: POSH THRIFT SHOPPING : Vintage louis Vutton at the Second-hand shop in Herenveld, Belgium...for 9 euros 50!

http://youtu.be/3bQPoSqBPAI

 

So, I'm at the second-hand shop, as I usually am, trying to find yet another bargain, then, BOOM, this beauty pops up.  YUP, that's right a genuine LOUIS VUTTON handbag for only 9 euros 50...take a look, :)

I thrift often as a way to stay on budget but I understand that sometimes you just wanna treat yourself...and this is still possible, even at the thrift shop.  I was SO excited when I found this LV treasure, I couldn't believe it.  But, then, I hear these things happen all the time.  So, make a day of it.  Put on your best (thrifted) outfit, throw on a smile, and walk or drive, into that fancy-shmancy neighbourhood and walk right past all those high-end retailers and right into their local second-hand shop and grab a vintage treasure for yourself - or a friend  :)

Ciao 4 Now, Y'All, BYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

http://youtu.be/3bQPoSqBPAI

Make Me Marvellous with Minimal Money Mondays: The Life of a Token Expat

    

Week 1:  Well, At Least It Ain't Poop

     So, I am an unemployed traveller, an expat if you will.  Many times I am the only person of colour in the environments/cities/places I travel, I know, don't ask...well, you can if you reeeeeeally want to know  :)  Often, I am asked how I survive without a steady job, especially with my daughter in tow.  This Monday I've chosen to address the issue - I, we, live, not just survive by WWOOFing, I know, shocking, city girls on a farm.  But, if ya wanna save money, be exposed to many cultures and be able to live all the while, you miiiiiiiight need to do the unexpected, go outside your comfort zone.  WWOOFing is DEFINITELY outside my comfort zone. 

     But, then, while living as a WWOOFer/traveller/expat/single mom/token person of colour, the brain juices started to really flow (yup, I said it token person of colour.  Just wait, Timbo will elaborate).  What if, what if, there was a way to live without money, similar to a token economy, an economy of old, where goods and necessities were valued above the almighty dollar (see the play on words there, token economy, token person of colour, coloured lips, global trips, get with it, y'all:)  So far, so good.  Though I've been abroad for a while now, this is the first time I've centered it on a theme.  I have the first week ready and roaring to be posted.  So, y'all, it's possible.  It's possible to travel around the world utilising minimal money and feel marvellous all the while.  First video to be posted soon entitled, (Video) Week 1:  Well, At Least It Ain't Poop (Farm Life in Belgium)  http://youtu.be/w1WyGMyoBz0.

Ciao 4 Now, Y'All!