... in response to What is the cost of a FSU bride?, posted by gator70 on May 12, 2004It does add up but you do not have to be rich to do this just as long as you know how to budget money. I am not rich but I do okay. I don't make much compared to many here but I was honest and realistic with myself as well as her but cost did add up. I'll tell you how much it has cost me so far and I started writing Sveta in Sep of 2002.
1) The search and the cost of the search
I bought 5 addresses for about $50. After a couple months of writing I realized I liked her & stopped writing others. First few times we wrote with translations added another about $100 to that. Then I sent her about $50 for about 5 months of internet cafe. She learned English very fast and she went on her own to the internet cafe so that was all our cost. Also add about $30 for postcards and snail mail to her. So approximate total of $230.
2) Telephone expenses + flowers, SMS, gifts etc...
The phone is where it has gotten expensive. I called her the first time in Nov 2002. I went to see her the first time in May 2003. From Nov 2002 - Jan 2003 we talked about once a week. From Jan 2003 to April 2003 we talked about twice a week. From April 2003 to current day we have talked everyday for 1 hour and sometimes more. Needless to say those phonecard companies love me. We also send about 20 SMS per day. $6500 total.
3) The first trip to see ladies
My first trip was to only see her. I spent 25 days with her and we spent 2 weeks in the Black Sea and the rest in Dnepropetrovsk. Total cost of this trip was $2400 for everything. I went to see her to see if she was to be my wife. I did not go there to be a tourist so we did hardly any tourist things. We cooked most of our meals and really enjoyed that together time. We spent all the time together taking walks, talking and just being with each other so I did not spend a lot but we still had a great time and did go see tourist spots in Crimea for a couple days out of the 2 weeks we were there. $2400
4) The second trip to see your choice
I went again to see Sveta in Nov 2003 for 10 days. This time I spent $1500 on everything. We even went to the Black Sea again for a few days. Got a very nice flat for $20 a night and cooked in again. In her city of Dnepropetrovsk we only went to the market to buy food and I took her down to get some clothes but that was it. Rest of the time we spent in her house. $1500 total.
5) File the I-129
I'm trying to do this from memory but the only costs were the filing fee ($125?) and I sent it by Priority Mail so $5 maybe for a total of $130. Adding cost of translations for her and just the paperwork I would guess about $25 more for a total of $155.
6) The third trip to visit her
7) The trip for the K-1 interview
The tickets to bring her to America
My 3rd trip will be the fiancee interview trip coming up in 2 weeks. My estimate for this trip will be about $2600 because of both of our tickets. I purchased our tickets already for about $1600 and then I budgeted out about $1000 for everything else. $2,600 total...
I will add one more expense.
9) After getting engaged the support, drivers lessons, english lessons, etc...
After we got engaged I told her not to work and supported her. I sent her $250 a month and that was for her living expenses, drivers lessons, English lessons, SMS, sports hall and anything else she needed. I paid this for 10 months so $2,500.
I have spent approximately $15,885. This is very close to everything I have spent in 18 months. I have a detailed account at home and the above I just did off the top of my head but it is very close to the official total. This total is for EVERYTHING including plane tickets, visa, gifts brought home for family & friends, money for the taxi when I arrived in San Diego, etc.
This comes out to $756 a month since we started. All of this money spent is extended out to June 6 when she arrives if all goes well. That will be the total I have spent.
And this is just the start...
Z
