Oh friends! We are almost there! Yes, it is week 4, but if you remember, we are doing numbers 1-31, so after this week we have one final group of 3 numbers to finish up. BUT – let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before we finish off, we must get to week 4.
The numbers for week 4 aren’t bad.
Sorry for skipping out on you last week! I took a break, pressed pause, and left town for a few days. I highly recommend it, if you can swing it!
Is decluttering dragging you down? Feeling uninspired and unmotivated? Here’s a fun article about different methods to decluttering. Which one HAVE you done, which one could you NEVER do, and which one are you intrigued to TRY? For me, I’ve done the “four-box method” or a version of it. That one comes pretty naturally to me. As a shopper, I’d NEVER do the “one in, one out” method – although it would probably be great for me…but NOT gonna happen. And honestly, the “packing party” is pretty intriguing to me. That section of the article references “The Minimalists Podcast” which I’ve listened to a few times. These people are HARD CORE, man! I admire it, but I don’t live that way at all. Moving has always been a great time to declutter, so the packing party method does seem like it would be really effective. Maybe I’ll do our primary bedroom in that manner. Or maybe not. Probably maybe not. Ha ha.
Well, that’s that. Get going for week 4 and see how many things you can declutter! If you complete this week’s challenge it’s 89 items and 99 with the “bonus”. My areas of focus this week are going to be the living room, primary bedroom and bathroom. I’ve done SOME work there, but those are the spaces we spend a lot of time in and they need some help!
Good luck this week and no matter what, remember that a few things decluttered (or a space) is better than nothing! Progress is progress!
Let me just start right out of the gate and admit – I decluttered ZERO items last week – but that’s ok. I’m going to give myself some grace and remember that Rome was not built in a day and decades of stuff isn’t going to get moved out of this house in 4 weeks. Time to dust the week off and move on.
You may have noticed that I like to include a graphic with a quote on each week’s declutter numbers graphic. I like to choose those quotes for how I’m feeling about the process and this week’s quote is VERY fitting!!!
Part of cultivating a good life is knowing when to STOP what you’re doing, switch gears, take a break, and come back to it a few minutes or a few days later.
YES! So much this for me last week. Every time I tried to start going through a drawer, a section of the closet, etc I just got so distracted, kinda emotional, and just generally overwhelmed. At one point I just thought – decluttering is NOT for me right now, and that is OK. I’m just going to circle back to it next week.
As with all households, there was PLENTY of other things for me to focus on, so today I made some meals for next week, transplanted some tomato seedlings that I had started and are too big for their former home, planted some plant starts that I had been propagating, and washed a couple rugs that needed it. Is that a lot for me to get done on the weekend? NO – but you know what, those things were all on my “Tasks” list for this week and now they’re done.
Transplanting some tomato plants instead of decluttering!Sidebar
Actually, washing the rugs was NOT on my list, but in order to help myself feel more productive, I 100% added that shit to my “Tasks” list and then checked ’em off! It’s silly, but it’s my list and I’m the boss of me.
Here’s a WIN for last week – the items from week 1 are GONE, out of my life, out of my house! I think that pile was one of my barriers to being motivated for Week 2 – but regardless, it’s GONE now and that makes me happy!
Better numbers this week – We’ll have 118 without the bonus and 140 with the bonus. Dunno about you all, but that sounds a lot more manageable than the 162/180 from last week.
Let’s circle back to last week. I’m not giving in on last week. I’m going to focus on THIS week and the 118/140 – and then IF/WHEN I complete that I will go to the numbers for last week. In the end it’s not about doing it on schedule – but DOING it.
So – Week 3 starts now. Get that box, grab the marker to make your tally marks, and get busy. If you find yourself not feeling it, remember this week’s quote and take a break and come back to it! We’ll all get there!
OK, let me just say, anyone who decluttered even ONE item last week is WINNING! Every bit that I get out of my space I feel is a personal victory! Now if I could stop brining stuff IN – but I digress.
Week 2. Not gonna lie here folks – we have some pretty big numbers for week two. BUT – we can do it, right? Yeah – totally. We can do this. Same as last week – seven numbers for 7 days of the week and one bonus number for the “in the zone and not stopping now” people. I did all 8 last week and I’m not sad about it. I got a lot of items out of my closets that needed to go. And drawers. And other random areas. I do find myself looking at things now with a “do I really need/want this in my space anymore” focus. The total for Week 1 was 71 items without the bonus – and 99 with the bonus. Week two is making week 1 look like decluttering for amateurs.
Week 2 is coming in hot with 162/180 items. Dang – that’s a lot more but WE GOT THIS!
I’m not gonna lie. This one is making me a bit nervous, but it’s all good. One day at a time – one item at a time. I’m going to follow my own advice. Pick an area of focus, set a timer, and start going through items in that area of focus. Mark off on the box as items are placed in the box.
Anyone have any tips or tricks to share from your experience last week? I need to get rid of the 99 items from last week, so they’re going to someone holding a fundraiser garage sale – and they’re going next week. I need this stuff OUT of my house and then maybe I’ll feel as if some progress has been made.
OK, it’s go time! Do you know if you’re donating or selling or both? Do you have a container(s) and a writing utensil? Do you have your area of focus? If not, maybe you need to go HERE first and get ready. Or maybe you’re just reading. Either way, here we go!
For week one I am using a random number selector (no repeats – except for the bonus) and choosing 7 numbers. These are the 7 numbers of items that you will be decluttering this week – PLUS one bonus for those of you who get into the mode and want an extra challenge!
OK, the rules are simple – there ARE NO RULES! The challenge is to declutter the amount of items before the week is out. So, go to your area of focus, choose 7 items, and place them in the container to donate or sell. Grab that writing tool and tick off 7 hash marks on your container, because YOU just decluttered 7 items! Still feeling it? Get on back in there and grab up 20 more items, friend! Overwhelmed by the first 7 and think you need a break? That’s totally fine. Baby steps.
YOU do YOU. No judgement. If you are super proud of yourself and want to share your success – head on over to the Facebook Page for the blog and post about it! Maybe you’ll inspire someone else to get back in there and do 20 after starting with 7. Maybe you do 15 and then go back for 12 more later. The goal here is to have 71 (or 99 if you do the bonus) items in the container before the end of the week AND to have taken that to the place where you’re planning on donating it! It’s G O N E.
You’ve got this! I believe in you! Free your mind and feel the calm…once your anxiety calms down from decluttering over 70 items from your space, that is. Hugs – you’ve got this!
Hello friends! Some of you recently saw my Facebook post of a Good Housekeeping article that talked about a decluttering strategy called the “Minimalist Game“. The short version is you declutter the same number of things as the date for one month….one item on the 1st, two items on the 2nd, etc. If you follow this for 31 days you’ve eliminated 496 items from your home.
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Really? 496 items? WHO does that? I mean, at that point, it would probably drive me insaner if I didn’t just round that UP to 500….but I digress…..
When I posted this article on my personal Facebook page I got some comments with varying interest and some suggestions to make it more manageable. For a few days I’ve been mulling it over and now I’m ready with the official, The Neverending Lori’s Spring Declutter Challenge!!!
Before we dive in, a few housekeeping items
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Ha ha – get it…”housekeeping” items. And we’re doing a decluttering challenge which is kinda part of housekeeping. No? Just me. OK…back to your regularly scheduled programming…
First up – the RULES
NO judgement. No judging yourself, others in the challenge, or anyone who doesn’t participate. Worry ’bout yourself. But don’t judge yourself. It’s stuff. We all have too much stuff and even if you complete 1/4 of the challenge – it’s less stuff. Everybody wins.
Speaking of winning – it’s a challenge, but not a competition. EVERYBODY wins! Decluttered 500 items….50 items??? No items but got motivated and might do it for fall? GREAT! Everybody wins – and your prize is less shit in your space. Woooo!
Sharing. Yes, sharing IS caring, but in this case – you share as much or as little as YOU feel comfortable with. You can comment on a post here on the blog, or you can hop on over to the Facebook Page for the blog and join in the fun there. I will set up events for each week and you can share photos, comment, etc. But NO judgement! Want to see what others are up to but don’t want to share or comment? Lurking is totally acceptable. Unless you make it creepy and then it’s not ok. Ha ha.
The schedule. This week I’m posting on Thursday and you have until Sunday to complete the Prep Days tasks. Each WEEK after that, starting on Monday, March 24th, I’ll post the challenges for the week. NOBODY – and I mean NOBODY – is gonna come knocking on your door asking why you didn’t finish the Week 1 challenge by 3/30. Also, NOBODY is going to show up with a cookie if you finish Week 1 on 3/24. Personally I’ll be hella impressed, but that doesn’t really get you much! The point here is do what YOU can. Every little bit helps, right?
To truly “COMPLETE” a weekly challenge, the items have to be GONE. G O N E. Out of your space – and by “space” I mean home, apartment, RV, whatever you live in and are working on decluttering. The items must be G O N E in order to complete the weekly challenge. Every time I’ve decluttered, getting it out of my space is the final step that I generally have a hard time with. Get it out! You’ll feel much better and feel like you really accomplished something.
OK – Prep Days are first. You need to make some decisions here. Each person’s experience will differ based on their own needs. But, as I’ve been thinking this through, I do think some prep work will make a world of difference.
First of all – determine WHAT you want to do with your decluttered items.
Are you donating all the items?
Are you selling any items?
Next, determine your “area of focus”. For me, I think I’ll be happier with one or two areas in my home that are REALLY decluttered vs me just running around like a nut job and grabbing stuff from different rooms. A focused approach will likely result in more visible results, which will possibly encourage me to declutter more. Now, do I NEED to declutter every room in this house? Oh, yes – friend….YES. But, for me and THIS challenge, I’m going to choose a few areas of focus and try to stick to those areas. Will I not “count” an item if it’s not from that area of focus? Uhhhh, NO, every item out counts, but I’m going to try and focus on a few key areas. You do what works for you!
Once you know your area of focus, be that a few rooms or just “this whole messy house”, and you know if you’re donating, selling, or both – you SHOULD have a better idea of what you need for the next step.
Get yourself a container – a box, a bin, trash bags, laundry baskets, etc. Maybe you’re decluttering an area with larger items, so you might need 2 containers – one for donate and one for stuff to sell. Gather ye supplies, decluttering friend. Your goal here is to have an easily accessible spot to put your decluttered items and move on! You’ll also want a marker, pen, crayon (some kind of writing utensil) located near the box/bin spot. If you’re decluttering and will need multiple containers, keep one container (two if you’re donating AND selling) in your accessible spot and put the extras out of the way so that your “drop spot” isn’t cluttered. You should have one or two containers and a writing utensil. That’s all ya need.
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I mean, that’s probably all you need. Unless I forgot a really integral part of this whole process, in which case I’m going to look like a complete ass. Hmmm…I guess I have until this post goes live to think this through and come up with any other things one might need for decluttering. Oy….why do I get myself into these things???
There ya have it! Get yourself ready and on Monday (3/24) I will post the details for Week 1. Let’s make it fun, encourage one another, and get rid of some of the clutter. For me, less stuff makes my brain happy and puts my mind in a more calm space. Our Florida home is pretty minimalist and I always feel so calm there. (That MIGHT be the Tito’s though). Hopefully we can all use this time to get rid of some of our excess and make our spaces calmer and more enjoyable for ourselves and others.
OK, a little departure from my recent posts, but I had to share this one asap! As many of you know, I follow FASTer Way To Fat Loss for nutrition and exercise. Thankfully my time in Hawaii didn’t derail me, and now that I’m home I’m trying to get right back on track and let the program do what it does. Monday and Tuesdays are always “low carb” for macros and HIIT for workouts.
Confession – I struggle with my macros on Monday and Tuesday. The biggest struggle is planning for Monday and Tuesday. It’s easier for me to “throw together” food on “normal macro” days than it is for me on low carb days, so if I want to really get those targets, meal planning is necessary.
Here is something I saw on a reel (maybe Instagram, maybe Facebook) and I thought – “Oh yes – that one is happening”!!! Now, let me say, this is basically the same thing I normally eat to break my fast, BUT it’s just presented in a different way. I’ve done a “base” recipe here that I can add items to in order to switch it up and get some different flavors.
Personal Quiche
This one is SUPER easy. I used the SOUPer Cubes baking dishes that came with the set that I purchased. If you haven’t read my posts about these awesome tools, click HERE. I have two of the 5″ square ceramic baking dishes, which I used for two quiches (one for today, and popped the lid on the other for tomorrow).
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 Carb Balance Flour Tortillas
1/4 cup cottage cheese
Seasonings of your choice
Spray your baking dishes with cooking spray. Place a tortilla in each baking dish. Crack two eggs into each tortilla, making sure the tortilla is placed such that the egg isn’t going to run out. You’re using the tortilla as a “crust” for your quiche! Using a fork, mix up the eggs a bit. Add in 1/4 cup cottage cheese and mix lightly. When mixing, make sure you don’t break through the tortilla! Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice.
Carefully place the baking dishes into a preheated oven (375 degrees). Bake until eggs are set (use a toothpick or a knife to check eggs). Turn oven off and let them sit in the oven for 5 additional minutes to crisp up your “crust”.
Enjoy! You can eat one now and save one for tomorrow’s breakfast! The macros on this meal are awesome, IMO!
Macros
If you want to add items to this, it’s so easy! Add bacon, veggies, etc and add those to your food log with the Personal Quiche as your “base” recipe. Toss in some spicy sausage, peppers, and top with salsa for a south of the border flavor!
Two personal quiches – ready to go!
If you’re interested in Souper Cubes or FASTer Way To Fat Loss, check out my “A Few of My Favorite Things” page for links! I hope you enjoyed this quick, easy, delicious, and super healthy meal!
You may have noticed that this post is NOT titled “Day 2 Itinerary”, and I will explain why. Everyone will have a different pace that they need to follow. You and your travel partner may be ready to roll on Day 2, but another person might have slept poorly and is feeling exhausted on their first full day. The remainder of my posts will be sample “what to do in a day” posts. You can pick and choose what you want to do from these or follow them to a “T”. It’s your trip and it’s 100% up to you.
No trip to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. Well, if you’re traveling with really small children, maybe this is NOT the activity for you, but other than that, it’s a really moving experience. What follows are my tips for a day of Pearl Harbor.
First up, eat a good breakfast. You’re going to have a big day, so start it off right and fuel your body. You know your body best, but I do suggest having a good balanced breakfast. Yes, the French Toast with whipped cream, strawberries, and popping boba SOUND great, but that’s a big sugar spike – only to be followed by an even bigger sugar crash. Maybe today you opt for a few eggs (protein), some healthy fats (avocado), and some carbohydrates (toast or breakfast potatoes).
NEWSFLASH – there is a traditional Hawaiian dish called the Loco Moco. I’m NOT a fan of mixing foods together so I was super hesitant, BUT, I tried it and ohhhh myyyyy gravy. WOWZA! Who’s now a Loco Moco fan? This girl right here! What’s IN a Loco Moco you ask? It starts with a bed of rice (you can get white or fried rice, I prefer white for this dish). That’s topped with a ground beef patty, Portuguese sausage, sautéed mushrooms and onions, topped with brown gravy – and with two eggs (cooked your choice of ways) on top of all that.
The Loco Moco from Eggs N Things (Saratoga)
Once you’ve fueled, head out to Pearl Harbor. You have many transportation options (Lyft, Uber, city bus, rented car, taxi). Our Lyft XL from near the Honolulu Zoo to Pearl Harbor cost about $50. There were four of us going together. Cost for Lyft and Uber vary by time of day, so your results may vary!!
I suggest you plan ahead for Pearl Harbor and buy your tickets online. We had done that, and had tickets for visiting the Arizona Memorial at 1:00 and everything else was at our discretion (time wise). We allowed a half day and that simply wasn’t adequate. We visited the Arizona Memorial and after that the guys went on the submarine to tour that. I’m not a fan of tight spaces, so I opted to walk the grounds while they were on the sub. After that we boarded a shuttle out to the USS Missouri. Unfortunately they were closing within an hour and a half of our arrival, so we really had to hustle through. Was it worth it, even at a rush? ABSOLUTELY!! But, as it was our first time, I could’ve easily spent an entire day there, and the hubs agreed. I’m not going to share a lot of photos from the “destinations” because honestly, you want to see it for yourself. The Arizona was deeply moving to all of us. Over 80 years later, and there is still oil bubbling up from the wreckage. I heard one woman remark that they call those oil bubbles “black tears” and that seemed quite fitting. The hubs had a neighborhood “Mom” during his childhood who had a brother die on the Arizona. It was really something to look at those names and see Mrs. K’s brother’s name up there.
May they all rest in peaceI had no concept of the size of these ships until we saw one in person. They are absolutely massive. To think that a ship this size was hit by an 18″ bomb and came completely out of the water is simply mind boggling. Beautiful – Inspiring – Emotional – Solemn
Our visit to Pearl Harbor left me feeling very emotionally drained. I thought a lot about my Dad and uncles as we visited. I wondered how visiting PH had impacted my Dad, as his knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor was a lot closer than mine. We all would’ve liked to have had time at the Aviation Museum, but time had gotten away from us and we had to go. Again, this is why I’d 100% suggest you allow a full day for Pearl Harbor. I don’t think you’ll regret it – UNLESS you’re traveling with small children and frankly it’s just going to be too much for them. You know your children better than anyone but I definitely wouldn’t want to subject the youngsters in my life to a full day at a military memorial.
Our Lyft back to the Waikiki area was less expensive than our one out. However, my Lyft account shows that it was a standard ride vs. XL. The ride back was $25.
You may find yourself needing a short rest and/or refresh after a day at Pearl Harbor. Depending on the day of the week and crowds at the time of your travel, you may want to make reservations for dinner. As of February 2025, Open Table seems to be the most commonly used app for reservations in our experience. Choose something for dinner and discuss your experience at Pearl Harbor. Dinner is also a great time to discuss plans for your next day. Perhaps after Pearl Harbor you’re wanting something a little less emotionally taxing. In my opinion, nothing heals the soul as much as good old Vitamin Sea – so maybe a day at the beach is what’s next on your agenda! Don’t forget to enjoy the sunset and take a stroll along one of Honolulu’s bustling sidewalks! There are great restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, with a range of price points. We enjoyed Noi Thai Cuisine, which offers their dishes on a 1-5 scale for spiciness. For a complete list of restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, click HERE. It’s a beautiful spot to walk through before and after dinner! Remember my thoughts on going to bed on a full stomach! Get that post-dinner leisurely walk!
If you’re still ready for fun, stop in one of the hotels or restaurants for a drink. The Sheraton Waikiki has a bar/restaurant called “Rumfire”. In the spirit of research for the blog we tried the Mai Tai flight – and discovered that our favorite was the Rumfire Signature Mai Tai. We enjoyed it so much, we tried it again just to make sure it was as good as we believed. And then we went back at least one more time – just to make sure! As of 2/2025, Rumfire offers a dinner menu from 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm, last call for cocktails at 10:45 pm, and last call for food at 9:45 pm. They also offer Happy Hour from 3:00 – 5:00 daily. And, in case you’re wondering, the Mai Tai is $9 during Happy Hour. They have a good selection of food on their Happy Hour menu as well as those delicious beverages!
Pro tip – don’t drink a bunch of Mai Tais and make an impulse buy on your way back to your hotel. Although, this hat might be my favorite Waikiki souvenir!
My sister-from-another-mister always helps me make questionable decisions!
To be clear, YES – I bought that hat and NO – I regret nothing. But, I’m not sure how I’m gonna get that sucker back home. I may have to ship it. The hubs says he’s gonna wear it on the plane. I think he’s bluffing. Kinda.
If you try any of these suggestions, leave a comment and let me know! Heck, if you READ a post, leave a comment and let me know! I dunno if anyone is even out there….helloooo……????
You landed in Hawaii and you’re ready to GO! Except you’re not. You’ve likely been traveling since the wee hours of the morning (Hawaii time) and now you’re ready for bed and it’s mid afternoon. My tip for Day 1 – and I’m counting the day you LAND in Hawaii as Day 1 – is to give yourself some grace!
Get to your hotel, Air BnB, resort, etc and get settled in. BUT – DO NOT – I repeat DO NOT – take a “nap”. Normally I’m a big proponent for napping, but in this situation, NO NAPS!!! Put on some walking shoes and head out to explore. You may want a quick shower after travel, but DO NOT nap!
First up, explore the area around where you’re staying. If you’re on or near the beach (and that’s a pretty good bet) take a walk along the shoreline. There are wonderful sidewalks, lots of people to watch, and there is NOTHING as invigorating as the sea breeze blowing in your face. Don’t let the sound of the waves lull you to sleep – but let the activity of the beach get you enthused for your Hawaiian vacation!
You’re gonna see ABC Stores – go ahead and just go in one and check it out now! Pretty much anything you need, an ABC is going to have it, and you can find one on just about every block. Remember to throw a reusable shopping bag into your bag or back pocket, because you’re going to pay for every bag in Hawaii.
If you need a snack or a drink, pop into one of the many establishments that you pass as you walk and enjoy. You’re in Hawaii, so as a wise man once told me – “If you go to Hawaii and DON’T have a Mai Tai…did you REALLY go to Hawaii?” Ha ha. Explore, have a drink, grab a snack, and start looking for where you’re going to have dinner.
Killah Dragon at LuLu’s Waikiki – they have a great selection of Gluten Free items and their Happy Hour is from 2-4 pm (Monday – Friday)
Day 1 – it’s PROBABLY going to be an early dinner. If you’re traveling to Hawaii from anywhere in the mainland US, it’s much later “at home” than it is locally. Please just accept the fact right now that you MAY be ready for “dinner” or “supper” at 4:00 pm in Honolulu. No, that doesn’t make you old. Matching clothes makes you old, but I’ll get to THAT later. The GREAT news about being ready to eat so early is that a lot of places have “Early Bird” specials from 4-6, so look at those menus as you walk by and pick out your first Early Bird spot. Do what makes YOU comfortable, but I like to try new stuff when I travel. There are a lot of chain restaurants that we have on the mainland right here in Honolulu. But, for ME, it’s a hard pass to eat at PF Changs or the Cheesecake Factory. I mean, MAYBE, but it’s not my first pick. It’s a 100% hard pass for McDonalds or other mainland fast food. I am not here to experience the stuff I can get at home. That’s just me, so if eating dinner at Denny’s helps you because it’s familiar, no judgement from me. Just don’t ask me to join you for dinner, because then I’m probably going to judge you. Ha ha – kidding – kinda.
Eat a nice meal and have a cocktail if that’s your thing. You’re on VACATION baby! And not just vacation, but a HAWAIIAN VACATION!!! That’s super special in my book. Order the dessert. You’re doing a lot of walking!
We are tired, but we’re walking, because we cannot go to bed at 6:00 pm, no matter how much we want to! Enjoy the walk, enjoy a meal, and then get ready for a good sleep!
Now, once you’ve eaten and you’re all stuffed and happy, take a leisurely walk back towards “home”. Maybe walk a little past “home” and then turn around and head back. Just give yourself a little “digestion” time, because nobody I know feels great when they go to bed with a full belly. Before you go to bed, drink a glass of water – because HYDRATION! You’ve had a long day of travel and your body needs water! Pay attention to the local time, and my general rule of thumb is that as long as you make it to 9:00 pm LOCAL TIME, you’re good on Day 1. You’re likely exhausted, so making it to 9 pm may be a stretch, but give it the ole college try!
Our first – of many – Waikiki sunsets
Get a great night’s sleep because much adventure awaits tomorrow! If your Hawaiian “home” is near the beach and the temperature cooperates (which it almost always does), open the windows or slider and fall asleep to the sound of the waves. Ahhh – there’s just nothing better in my mind!
One of the biggest expenses when planning a trip to Hawaii will be your travel there. Airfares have been steadily going up since 2023, and fares to Hawaii are no exception. The hubs and I flew to Hawaii for less than $50 total (for both of us). Yes, you read that right. Let me explain how.
I take FULL advantage of reward programs. So, we have the Southwest Visa card that we use for absolutely EVERYTHING. Now, this takes some discipline, because I’ve seen people do this, and they don’t SAVE the money they’re spending so when that credit card bill comes every month, they don’t have the funds to cover it. DO NOT DO THAT!!! It’s SMART if you’re fiscally responsible! Don’t go buy random crap to get miles! Here’s what we do.
Everything possible goes on the Southwest Visa card. I’m talking EVERYTHING!! Utilities, insurance, groceries, gas, etc. If they accept a card, I use that card. Then at the end of the month I go and pay the bill off. If you’re unsure about being disciplined enough to save the money for the bill, here are a couple tips. One is to pay the card every time you use the card. You could do it daily or weekly if that helps you budget easier. You could also move the money from your primary checking account into a savings account daily or weekly, as you spend on the card. However you do it, just remember that you DO NOT want to roll a balance from one month to the next.
I use that card for everything until the Southwest Companion Pass is achieved. Not only am I getting Southwest points on every charge, I also am working my way towards a Companion Pass. Now, perhaps you don’t know what a Companion Pass is. Southwest Airlines has a program where if you earn the CP, someone that you designate as your Companion flies with you for free – you pay the taxes which currently run $11.20 for a round trip flight. There are rules and restrictions for the CP program, but we have had really amazing luck with it. If you’re interested in a Southwest Rapid Rewards Chase Visa, click HERE and not only will YOU get bonus points for joining, but I’ll get some points for referring you! As of 2/14/26, you can use the link to earn a CP valid through 2/28/26, plus 30,000 bonus points! If you’re a business owner you get even more points with the Premier Business Credit Card!
Now, because the hubs and I are business owners, we also have a Southwest Rapid Rewards Business card that we also use. Once the CP has been earned for ONE of our RR accounts, we switch and start using the other card in order to get the CP for the other person as well. Then, if we’re both flying with 2 guests, the guests are free. Please note there are rules and regulations for changing your companion, but it’s pretty straightforward and as long as you pay attention to the rules you’ll be golden!
Now, another concern is “ewwww….flying to Hawaii takes SOOOOO long”. Honestly, it was NOT bad! We flew from St. Louis to Las Vegas. It was an early morning flight and I never sleep great the night before a flight so I was ready for a nap. Anyone else get paranoid they’re going to oversleep and miss their flight?
Once we got to Vegas, we had enough time to hit the restrooms, grab some food, and board our flight to Honolulu. I ate my sandwich, knit for maybe 30 minutes or so, had one cocktail, and then it was off to sleepy land for me again!
We saw the Sphere when taking off from Vegas!
Yes, it’s a 6.5 hour flight from Vegas to Honolulu, but it was not bad. A couple tips –
HYDRATE! Take a refillable bottle of water with you and fill that baby up at every stop. Liquid IV packets are a great way to help get the water down and balance your electrolytes.
Get up at least 3 times during your flight (that’s about once every 2 hours) and walk to the restroom. It’s good to get some blood flowing in your legs and give yourself a stretch, as well as empty your bladder from all the water you’re drinking (see #1 above).
Pack things to keep yourself entertained on a long flight. I loaded up my Kindle with books, I had a knitting project, and I had music on my phone. It was nice to have distractions from sitting.
Here’s another product recommendation and I don’t get anything from this one! Just sharing the love! The hubs and I both get sore legs after prolonged sitting. I had read about Firefly nerve stimulators and decided we’d give it a try for our long flight. Once on board the flight we both put them on and started them up. I can honestly say I feel like they REALLY made a difference for me and I will not only be using them on our return flight, but I’ll also use them on future long car rides (anything over 2 hours tends to make my legs hurt). You can order HERE. Again, nothing gained for me by you buying them. But, anyone who knows me knows that I would never recommend something unless I had experienced a benefit and really believe in it! For our trip I ordered “The Ultimate” so that we both had a pair of devices and straps. You are able to turn the device off when not in use, but once the battery dies, the device must be thrown away. At this time they do not have a rechargeable device.
Now, there are LOADS of airlines that fly to Hawaii, lots of deals to be had, etc. I’m giving you OUR experience, which was with Southwest. If you’re really bougie and want to fly first class, treat yourself! I’m a little bougie and would’ve loved first class tickets, but MAN, I’m also a bit practical and two people round trip for less than $50 – even I’m not passing that deal up!
Once you GET to Honolulu, you need to get from the airport to your hotel, resort, condo, etc. We chose to get a Lyft because we were tired, lugging a lot of luggage, and didn’t want to mess with having to think too much. Lyft and Uber are great options.
You can take the public bus. We have used it a lot since settling in, but did not use it to get from the airport to our condo. I would suggest that if you have the time to plan, order your bus pass ahead of time so that you have it and are ready to go when you land. You can get the bus pass HERE, but remember to allow enough time for the actual physical card to be shipped to YOU at your home address! You can add funds to your card once you get it. At the time of this post, as far as I know, there is not an app on your phone for the bus system. But, I will admit that getting the bus passes was a task I asked the hubs to handle and I don’t know much about it. I just was handed my card and scan it when I get on/off the bus.
There are private taxis and transfers that you can also schedule to get you and your party from the airport to your hotel/condo. Viator has some options. I’m sure you can also find good ones on Google. Just make sure that no matter what you choose you check the ratings!!!
Some people prefer to rent a car for their stay. Parking, however, will be your biggest hurdle for renting a car. Know before you go if parking is available at or near where you’re staying, and how much it costs per day. Parking CAN be very expensive and in our experience thus far, we have not had a need for a car every day.
Check back soon for my first “full day agenda” for adventure on Oahu! Until then, Mahalo friends!
Adventure. Exploration. Wanderlust. Discovery. No matter what you call it, there is nothing as invigorating as traveling to a new place and discovering new things.
For most of February, the hubs and I have had the privilege of being in Honolulu. A week here is an indulgence, but a little over 3 weeks is an insane opportunity that we just could NOT pass up. I’ve decided to create some posts about our time here, including tips for traveling that made our travels easier, sample agendas for different day trips, and some of the restaurants that we’ve really enjoyed. I’ll sprinkle in photos from our travels as well. So, if you are stuck in cold weather and don’t want to hear about it or see absolute paradise, I suggest skipping the posts tagged with #travel or #Honolulu. Ha ha.
Sunset on Waikiki Beach 02_14_2025
But, if you’re interested in travel or think you may want to visit someday, follow along for what hopefully will be an inspiring and educational trip!
The Neverending Lori 