Statistics

[bundy_138]

What?  $65,000?? $12,000??  Are you kidding me?  My first trip to Cali, plane ticket, apartment, misc expenses....my total around $1,500.  Visa should cost you no more than $2,000 even if you usa an attorney to do it.  If you do it right, you can probably make a few trips "on the cheap" and get by at a fairly reasonable price.  You won't catch me spending $12,000 just to get my novia here.  Thats enough for that nice down payment on our new house!

Bundy

[Frank Rizzo]

Bundy, I agree that these numbers seem super high to me also. But $1,500 for a trip? Holy Moly!! How long did you stay?

[Kiltboy1]

Bundy

I went 5 times to cali in 7 months, stayed about 10 days each and then the wedding, honeymoon, ect, plane ticket to NC from Cali for her and yep, about 12K. I could have done it for a lot less if i had not made that many trips.

KB

[bundy_138]

Mecca....I stayed 10 days.  Biggest expense was plane ticket and lodging.  I only spent $500 for dinners, movies, taxis, shopping, and mucho fiestas!  I enjoyed every minute I was in Cali and spent a lot less than I initally expected!


Yeah KB, your right.  It does get costly when you fly so much.  Just to save myself the heartache, I refuse to keep tabs on how much I spend.  I might end up with a total in the $65K range!  jajajajaja

Bundy 

[Kiltboy1]

LOL

Yep, that is the most important part, having fun on the adventure and look at the cost later, reduces the amount of TYLONOL needed. LOL

KB

[Frank Rizzo]

Well KB, it seems a little high. I can easily see $1k per week plus hotel if you really go all out. Bundy, you really know how to budget man!! You both seem to have had a good time and got what you wanted, so all ends well.

[bundy_138]

Thats what it is all about, just enjoy the ride!  Hell, I could go to Cali and easily drop $3000 a week, but why?  The dollar is so strong and you can do so much with so little!  Once you find a decent, safe place to stay, the biggest expense is getting there.  $5 taxi rides, $10 steak dinners (good steak...no Western Sizzler BS) and $2 hamburgers.....no need to drop tons of dough!  If I could go ex-pat tomorrow, I would!   I LOVE COLOMBIA!

Bundy

[Frank Rizzo]

Bundy, i'm with you on moving there. As soon as I can, i'm there. Been working on that plan for about  2 years. I agree with all that youre saying. Those executive lunches are awsome and for like 3800cop, killer. Yes, the taxies, etc. cheap. Hell, i don't know where the money goes, but when i'm there it flies for sure. LOL!

[soltero]

$1500 sounds about right to me. I usually budget $2000 a trip ( a week's worth). $1000 for the plane ticket and lodging, and another $1000 to spend. I usually don't spend it all, but I budget it out anyway. I have stretched that to two weeks on more than one occasion. I believe I did have to add a few hundred to that though once or twice in those situations though...

[Looking4Wife]

It does get costly when you fly so much.  Just to save myself the heartache, I refuse to keep tabs on how much I spend. 

Chris F has raised an important, oft overlooked point.  The amount of money mounts up quickly, especially since the "norm" is that you will have to help your wife/novia with some expenses (unlike the KB scenario).

I estimate my investment to bring my wife here, including all my airfare for 8 trips, lodging, food, groceries, taxis, incidentals, and (as Bill Cosby says) "ask-identals" will be about $35k.

If people are embarking on this journey, they should be aware of the realities.

The other reality... if you don't go south... you can easily end up spending thousands on gringas who will leave you with unfulfilled relationships anyway...

Let's see... $5k dating gringas in dead end relationships vs. $12k, $35k, $65 for someone who is the love of your life... one is cheaper, but the other one is a far better investment...

[valleydude]

1: How many trips did you make to your novia's/esposa's country before you met "the one"?

I'm going on #7. (Let's hope this time, she is the one.)

2: Did you travel to other countries before that?
Yes

3: How long did you court your current girlfriend/wife?
4 Months of the internet thing now.

4: How many trips down there did you take to visit her?
1 and #2 next month

5: How often do you go back there with her?
I haven't gotten that far, but I have always planned on 2x a year.

6: For those of you who are married, how long have you been married?
N/A

7: Were you married before to a MOB?
Never Married

VD

[Dan Las Vegas]

This is not an adventure for those who are in dire economic straits!!!  Just thinking about my first trip to Medellin in February, stayed ten days
airfare  770 round trip from los Angeles
Hotel    1100  four points sheraton, great hotel and staff and good location
Food     400   Ate at decent restaurants, had some great food
misc      500  purchasing some items I needed, gifts etc, taxi's, metro, movies, bowling, etc

Total approx $2800 for my first trip, the next time at the end of April,the cost will be much less, found a round trip ticket fro 570, will be staying with my novia, so no hotel costs, still like to eat well, so food will probably be the same... If things work out over time, then there will be the visa fee's, attorney fee's, more trips to medellin, flights for her and her son to the USA...so I would not be surprised if the total easily will exceed ten thousand or more just this year.

[Christopher]

I'm certainly not begruding anyone anything, but must be nice.

No way I can blow that much cash. 

[valleydude]

Does this mean you are already bailing out?

VD

[Looking4Wife]

No way I can blow that much cash. 

Think about it... how much cash will you blow dating gringas... or even worse, NOT dating gringas?

[Christopher]

Probably blew close to $10 grand over the past 3 years on gringas.

And got nothing to show for it.

I'm not arguing dating gringas is a good path.  Been there, done that, got the T shirt.  No thanks.

But $65,000? 

I mean, dang, man.

[papi]

But $65,000?

I mean, dang, man.

1. Learn Spanish: $500
2. Buy webcam: $30
3. Join Latin Cupid, cyber cupido for 3 months: $75
4. get a cyber novia in Cali, Barranquilla, Bogota: $0
5. Plan a trip to visit each chica: $3000
6. Stay at agency for backup: (within the above trip budget)
7. Plan a second trip to visit your favorite: $2500
8. Submit the k1, medical, etc: $300 (DIY)
9. Final trip for the interview/bring her to USA: $2500
10. Now the fun starts...and the serious cash...

Total acquisition: $11,405

[valleydude]

You could do it even cheaper, and this is totally pheasible:
Figure $1,000 bucks per 7 day trip.

$600 plane ticket (average for me)
Stay at her house - Free
50 bucks exit tax
$350 / 7 = $50 a day for spending.

I could totally pull this off. What really kills me is if you read Visa Journey, some of these guys are pulling this stuff off and bring girls over while making minimum wage.

What are the fees from the moment of filing the paper work? I have never gotten that far. (without the plane tickets)

I myself have lots of wasted cash because I didn't cut bait when I should have. I knew when to do it, but I just didn't listen. This cost me literally $1,000's. I can attribute 5k to this right off the top.

Ok, I am beginning to ramble and I have some romantic text messages to send before going to bed. jeje

VD

[doombug]

1. Learn Spanish: $500
2. Buy webcam: $30
3. Join Latin Cupid, cyber cupido for 3 months: $75
4. get a cyber novia in Cali, Barranquilla, Bogota: $0
5. Plan a trip to visit each chica: $3000
6. Stay at agency for backup: (within the above trip budget)
7. Plan a second trip to visit your favorite: $2500
8. Submit the k1, medical, etc: $300 (DIY)
9. Final trip for the interview/bring her to USA: $2500
10. Now the fun starts...and the serious cash...
11. Silicon rocket silos: $5,000 to $10,000

Total acquisition: $11,405 ($16,405 to $21,405)

[papi]

Silicon rocket silos: $5,000 to $10,000

LOL!!! you crack me up...really makes reading the forum worthwhile. I think you can get it done in Cali for less. A friend of mine is already the proud owner of 4 each