I've been deceiving you

It came to me that my Frugal Queen title may sound deceiving to some, as they see my facebook and twitter posts on all of the things I have bought. It's true that one of the wikidefinitions of Frugal is "suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint." If I am truthful with myself and others, I may not fit this defintion completely, as my husband and I struggle with the need instant gratification daily. But further defining includes, "reducing  waste, seeking efficiency, and defying expensive social norms while aiming to cut expenses, have more money, and getting the most from one's money." THIS I can relate to. When learning how to budget, one must know what they want out of life.  Do you dream of traveling to far away lands, feeding the homeless or a little of both? Whatever your convictions, this is where you start. I believe you can do anything you set your heart on if you know what it is. Most of us don't have the money to spend on EVERYTHING we want, and changing your views on what is important is a good start (but a totally different blog post :) Once you know where you DO want to spend your money on, where can you cut costs? Can you ride your bike to work? Try cloth diapering instead of disposable? Cut out HBO? We decided that our Iphones were worth cutting out a landline for.  That fun field trips were worth cutting coupons for. A scooter and the long way to work on cold rainy mornings was worth saving the gas.  And steak dinners weren't as important as a meal for the less fortunate.  So my definition of frugality might be slightly different than most, but I stand by my goal of living life to the fullest while spending the least amount of money.  

My Obsession Confession

I love my camera.. My father inspired me to take pictures as a child while traveling across the country, admiring natural wonders and man made creations.  He carried at least one camera wherever we went snapping pictures of anything from flowers to Mt Rushmore to the Hershey factory. I came to appreciate color, composition, emotion, movement, and general artfulness in a picture. Tinkering for a couple of years with my advanced point and shoot,  I often had sittings for friends and family.  When finally able to finally purchase my first DSLR, I was in Heaven.  Comments on my Facebook pictures grew and I loved the new possibilites that came with a better camera but something was missing.  A DSLR comes with an extensive manual, which of course I didn't read. I needed instruction.  I found it in an all day workshop a few weeks ago, and I feel that I've blossomed as a amateur photographer. Now that "manual" mode on my camera doesn't scare me, I can focus what really matters: my subjects. Photography for me has become an obsession. It's capturing a moment in time, a look, an emotion. I use pictures as a trigger to help me organize events in my horrible memory. Some people say put down the camera and live the moment away from the vewfinder..But I live through my viewfinder.

I know this is completely different from my normal content but for some reason felt compelled to share.  I've spent the week documenting my friends' visit on "film," and loved every minute of it. If you have a hobby that is your passion, don't just meddle in it.  Do it all out.  Get training, take a class, hang out where the professionals are.  You won't regret it.  I'm hoping to post a few of my fav pics, and I'd love it if you'd leave comments.  Constructive criticism only please :)

Facebook meets Frugal

If you haven't noticed, the internet has become an amazing place to save money these days.  You can cut coupons and spread deals virally with little effort.  It's word of mouth times infinity. What does this mean for you? AMAZING opportunities to save money and even make a few bucks to spend.  If you have a small business and are properly networked through social media you could gain thousands of customers in a single tweet, for free! No ads to buy, no paper coupons to walk from door to door.  A whole world of people with open wallets ready and waiting.  For consumers? It means producers of your favorite items are right there at your fingertips waiting to compete for your attention. My page, which is constantly under construction, can help you navigate the possibilities out there waiting for you on the web.  Cheap, or free advertising and an endless supply of customers worldwide equals a market that supports everyone..Win-Win.. So let them eat cake- Half Off!

GIVEAWAY!!

Well, I'm stuck and I need your help!!  Although my following on Facebook and Twitter continue to grow my blog has hit a wall...So to peel myself off the ground and get me going again I'm hosting a giveaway when I hit 100 followers..So what does this mean for you? SHARE!! Your friends will need to follow my blog to get all the good info I have And will be adding and at the end we all get a surprise! It's Win Win! I'm collecting donations now and Java Mama (my first business of the day) has already agreed to make a donation. I have also added five different spa treatments. So let the fun begin! If you have, or know of a business that would like to get in on the celebration let me know!

Business of the day:Java Mama

Do you currently use duct tape to keep your children quiet while you have an adult conversation?  Do you get toddler backwash in your caramel machiatto? Then Java Mama is for you. Java Mama, located off Mira Mesa Blvd, is a coffee shop/kids haven.  Picture letting little Jack and Jill climb and play while you relax on the other side of a wall with your cup o joe or fresh tea (loose leaf of course :). I LOVE this place.  I can let the little ones play while I have lunch alone (or with a friend) and I don't have to listen to "mommy...mommy...mommy...mommy".  Don't get me wrong, I love my kids but many a rainy day  when we've been stuck in the house I wished upon a star that a place like Java Mama existed..Guess what? It does...If it doesn't sound amazing to you, it's because you haven't been . Try it..you'll like it.

SHE LIVES!

I know it's been quite a while since I've posted but I'm alive and well.  I have been extremely busy with kids and school and work and life in general but I'm buckling down and hoping to update more regularly..So if you didn't know my latest endeavor has been working as a local business consultant to a website http://juiceinthecity.com/?referrer=3me5cg46m2   It's a daily deal site run by moms for moms and families, focusing on the small businesses in our area.  I love it because we get all of the places "the locals" go, the best food, the best spas, the best goodies.  I have found a huge number of great businesses while I've been out "deal sourcing," and even if they don't sign a contract with us I think they are worth sharing with you guys! So I've decided to highlight businesses throughout the week that I just think are great so that you can discover them too! Who knows if you tell your friends and have them follow me too maybe I can get you some deals of our own!

The Budget Mommy

If you don't follow her already you should! She's on Facebook and twitter and if you look to the left you'll find her blog.  She has amazing giveaways and awesome information.  Right now she has a giveaway going for teething bling.. If you haven't heard of it you should check them out too! Its jewelry made to be safe for your little darlings to chew on (cuz you know how much they like to grab jewelry).