what is "cheep & cheerful" ??

"cheep & cheerful" is a lifestyle choice.
it's a way to live a cheerful life and have everything you need-- by consciously spending less money. in my posts I'll share tips on how you can live this lifestyle where you deny yourself nothing, and watch your savings add up !! for just about everything you could ever need or want-- there is a cheaper way to get it !! sometimes it may take a little extra time & effort on your part-- but the results are well worth it !!

a bit about me...
the bargain huntress
I come from a long line of bargain huntresses, and have been practicing the "cheap & cheerful" lifestyle my whole life. I remember, as a young girl, being dragged around by my mom to swap meets, thrift stores and clothing outlets to buy clothing and necessities, and to this day, even as an adult, I'm still the gal who is constantly seeking out "the deal."

from riches to rags
during my 20 year long career in entertainment, I lived pretty well by LA standards. I had an impressive home in the city, a "weekend" beach condo and a BMW in the driveway (all were great deals, by the way). my amex bill was routinely $3000+ a month, and I thought nothing of it (everything I got was a deal-- right??) well, unfortunately my ride came to an end when I lost my job, most of my 401K, and a chunk of equity in my 2 homes. now, like everyone else these days-- I've had to scale down, re-examine my lifestyle and discover what makes me happy. in my case-- I definitely think simpler is better.

how I practice being "cheap & cheerful"
in the old days I would think nothing of spending $100 on a fabulous lobster dinner at the palm (they had an $89 lobster special- such a deal), but now I buy a lobster tail at ralphs (on sale) for $5.99 and I'm just as happy !! these are the kinds of things I will share on a daily basis.

the foodie
you will probably notice from my posts that I'm a total foodie. I love to eat, cook, entertain & explore the culinary world, and will be sharing tips on how to do this cheeply & cheerfully, as well-- so stay tuned !!

cheap & cheerful recipe of the day:
melinda's $7 bruschetta pasta salad
my pal melinda made this several years ago (during our disney days), and I just love it !! it makes a ton of pasta-- and is the perfect "cheep & cheerful" dish to take to a BBQ or party.

ingredients: (all from trader joes):
1 bag farfalla pasta = 99 cents
2 containers of (refrigerated) bruschetta sauce = $3.98
1 jar of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil = $1.99

boil all of the pasta, drain & cool. add the containers of bruschetta sauce and the jar of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil (chop the large sun dried tomatoes into smaller pieces) and toss together. garnish with salt & pepper, parmesan cheese & basil, if desired. you can eat this hot-- but it tastes soooo much better if you let it chill in the fridge and eat it cold. delish !!