Publisher

In 2010, I was a new grad student who had just transplanted to Chicago after a lifetime growing up in southern California. I came to Chicago to get my Master’s Degree and it ended up being my $32,000 mistake. A few months into my first semester as a graduate student in Chicago, my surefire plan began to unravel. I ended up at the (aptly named) Rock Bottom Brewery off the Red Line questioning everything in life, including how I’d ever find happiness. THAT NIGHT, I WAS LITERALLY CRYING INTO MY BEER. It was then, the idea to blog about my quest for happiness was born. At the time, I didn’t realize it would be as profound as a “quest for happiness,” but Frugal Beautiful was created to discover a beautiful life when your greatest asset, both financially and otherwise, was simply: spare change. I wanted to learn how to be live on $800 a month in Chicago (spoiler: you can’t unless you get crafty..read more here), but also, how to be happy doing it. At times, it seemed easy to assuage my anxieties and discomforts by leaning on credit card debt, but I knew that consumerism was an addition and debt is a bad drug of choice- I wanted to learn how to live happily on whatever budget I could muster. YEARS LATER, I’M THANKFULLY NO LONGER LIMITED TO $800 A MONTH, BUT THE IDEA IS THE SAME- EACH OF US MUST LEARN HOW TO LIVE A FRUGAL, BEAUTIFUL LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT OUR BUDGET. NO AMOUNT OF “STUFF” WILL CREATE BEAUTY IN OUR LIVES, WE MUST FORGE IT FOR OURSELVES. That is my hope, for this humble blog- to learn how to create beauty and feel happy no matter where life takes us. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I’m Shannyn…27 years old, living in Chicago with my pugs and planning a wedding with my fiancé. I’m half Canadian, but born & raised in California. I’m a Social Media Manager… In addition to blogging, I am passionate about social media management, influencer marketing & am app-obsessed to the point I made it my career! I love to run…I’ve become obsessed with racing against myself and using fitness as a way to both help myself and others. After being a couch potato for 25 years, fitness is a cornerstone of my life. I’ve completed nearly 20 half marathons, three triathlons. My inspirations include… Kate Middleton, America’s First Ladies, Blake Mycoskie (creator of TOMS shoes) and Terry Fox (a young man and amputee who attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in the 80′s) I adore classy fashion…attire that leaves something to the imagination. Sexy hosiery, vintage finds, high heels, the right shade of lipstick. I’m a self professed ginormous geek…Doctor Who, Star Trek, tons and tons of books, a documentary nerd, fondness for Mickey Mouse, Kawaii & Hello Kitty. FRUGALBEAUTIFUL ISN’T JUST CHATTER, BUT A BLOG THAT GIVES BACK. -The Rescuing Ralph Fundraiser (Spring 2011) $740.71 -The Makeup That Matters Fundraiser in memory of Kassie (Summer 2011) $554.82 raised -Donated $300 in Mary Kay products to Love Drop -Gave Up My 26th Birthday for charity: water (Summer 2012) $2,601.00 donated. -$500 raised for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (Fall 2012) MY FAVORITE BLOG POSTS: Build A Wardrobe On A Budget: Fashion Essentials Every Frugal Girl Must Have The Craziest Week Of My Life…A Death, Job Change and a Marriage Proposal Frugal Confession: I Bought A Pair of $600 Louboutins & I’m Still Frugal Confession: I Watch Hoarders…and I Was One. My First Half Marathon: The Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2013 Race Recap Why You Should Start Saving For Your Wedding On The First Date OUR WEDDING STORY (WHICH IS STILL IN PROGRESS FOR A JUNE 2015 WEDDING DATE!): The Week That Changed My Life: My Mom Died, I Quit My Job & He Proposed The Story Behind My Engagement Ring Wedding Inspiration Mood Board Our Plans For A Debt Free Wedding How I Surprised My Bridesmaids By Popping The Question