Hello, my name is Stephanie Ann and I am the creator of thecheapdiva.com blog as well as the book The Cheap Diva's Guide to Frugal and Fabulous Living: How to Shop Smart, Look Your Best, Decorate with Style, and Have Fun for Less Money! The motivation for creating a budget friendly style blog and book was more than a passion for fashion, entertaining and home decor. It was a sense of frustration that came from looking at style related magazines and web sites and not finding anything that related to the way I really live.
Fashion magazines with outrageously priced outfits that didn't even look good on the skinny teenage models made me feel like the fashion media would gladly embrace me if I was only younger, skinnier and had loads of money to spend on fashion items so trendy they would be conspicously out of style withing 6 months.
I found glossy Home Decor magazines to be a little more useful than fashion magazine. The problem with using glossy home decor magazines for inspiration was that my modest income often meant living in an apartment. Apartment living for me means I am not going to remodel, paint the walls, refinish kitchen cabinets or make any long term improvements that would improve someone elses investment.
I am also not a fan of magazines that promote “easy” entertaining recipes that required a dozen ingredients and at least an hour to make. Have these people never heard of a cake mix? Food preparation should never take longer than the party will actually last. To be perfectly honest, I'm lazy when it comes to cooking and if the recipe calls for more than five ingredients it's not getting made.
I dedicate this magazine to all the Divas out there who embrace style without letting a lack of money or time diminish their enthusiasm.
Why name the magazine The Cheap Diva? Because living with style is not about spending a lot it’s about spending smart. Frugal is fabulous!
