Hello Reader,

I'd like to share an observation. It's something that has changed drastically during my lifetime and I'm not sure if it's a totally good thing.

We’ve become used to getting everything so quickly.

If we want something, we buy it, we pay with a credit card and sometimes it shows up at our doorstep within hours.
If we’re hungry, we order food and whatever we want appears on the porch.
If we feel like doing something fun, we make it happen right away.

And while that immediacy feels good in the moment, it skips something surprisingly valuable.

Anticipation.

The looking forward.
The planning.
The excitement that builds over time.

Anticipation is part of the joy.

When you plan something in advance, a meal out, a small trip, even a simple treat, you don’t just enjoy it once.

You enjoy it twice.

First in the anticipation:
Thinking about it, imagining it, letting it become a bright spot in your week.

And then again in the experience itself.

And now I have that Carly Simon song stuck in my head.

Do you remember these commercials?

​

So, I thought I'd share, and you can have it stuck in your head, too. You're welcome.

But I digress.

Frugality naturally creates space for this.

When you’re intentional with your spending, you tend to plan your “extras” instead of reacting to them. And in doing so, you stretch the joy instead of compressing it.

What once would have been a quick, forgettable moment becomes something you truly savor.

Not because it was bigger or more expensive…

…but because you gave it time to matter.

May I ask your advice?

I want to spend my time writing about the things that truly matter to you, Reader.

Where you are right now, not where I assume you are.

Would you help me understand that a little better? Just click on your answer.

When it comes to your everyday life—meals, groceries, shopping, and how you plan your days—what do you need more of? A. More Money B. More Time

Thank you for being part of this with me—I’m so grateful for you.

Speaking of Charcuterie Boards . . .

I have a bit of an unusual situation to share.

I had to reschedule one of my classes, and because not everyone could make the new time, I suddenly have six open spots in my next Charcuterie on a Budget class at Portland Community College.

It’s happening Saturday, May 16th from 10:00 AM to 12:50 PM, and if you’re local and would like to spend a very pleasant morning playing cheese and crackers with me… I would absolutely love to have you join us.

For more info and/or to sign up click HERE.

And another thing!

A quick little “future you will thank you” moment—I’m in the process of turning my Perpetual Pantry Guide into a paid workshop.

Which means if you’ve been meaning to download it while it’s still free… this would be the moment.

👉 [Grab it here]​

One more time: Perpetual Pantry Guide​

It's Something NEW on the website!

Here’s what I’ve been working on this week over on the website, two timely pieces that go hand-in-hand.

First, I took a closer look at what’s really behind the rising cost of beef.

It’s more than just inflation and understanding what’s going on can help you make smarter, less stressful decisions at the store.

Then, I followed it up with something practical you can use right away, a simple guide to stretching meat using beans and TVP (textured vegetable protein). It’s an easy way to make your meals go further without sacrificing flavor, nutrition or satisfaction.

If beef prices have been making you pause at the meat case lately, these will help you feel a little more in control again.

Why is the cost of beef so high? Learn why it's happening and what you can do about it. Quick read, lots of info!

Beef, Beans, or TVP? The Ultimate Budget Battle for Your Dinner Table There's a fun recipe for chili in here!

You may notice something new around here.

I’ve started incorporating a more stylized, Art Deco-inspired look into Divas On A Dime. It’s a bit of a departure from what I’ve been able to do in the past and something I’ve envisioned for years but never quite had the means to bring to life.

I’ll be honest, it feels a little complicated. I’ve been writing this week about the beauty of anticipation, and here I am using tools that can create something in moments that would have once taken an artist much longer and more resources than I could realistically afford.

But I’ve come to see it a little differently.

For me, this isn’t about replacing creativity, it’s about finally being able to express a vision that’s been sitting in my imagination for a long time. And in a very practical sense, it allows us to use our resources more wisely. It frees up the amazing Jason to spend more time doing what he does best, bringing stories to life through video.

And speaking of bringing things to life …

We’ve started production on something I am so excited to share with you.

Over the past few months, I’ve taken one of my most popular in-person classes and reimagined it as an online workshop. I'm calling it Frozen Assets, and it’s a practical, no-fuss system for turning your freezer into your best kitchen ally, helping you prep smarter, save money, and have real meals ready even on your busiest days.

More to come on that soon… but I couldn’t wait to let you in on what’s been happening behind the scenes.

A Little Savings Never Hurts

Saving money doesn’t have to feel like going without.

Sometimes it feels like getting better at life.

A Cheat Sheet for Stretching Meat How to serve less meat to your “meat and potatoes” family. Very Handy!

Best Healthy Foods on a Budget Let's save money so we can buy a pound of hamburger, okay? Foods under $1 per serving

ZOODLES WITH TURKEY AND SPINACH MEATBALLS Delicious, light meatballs made with turkey, spinach, garlic and parmesan. But, what's a zoodle?

Before I go, I want to point you toward someone I truly enjoy, especially as we move into planting season.

If you’ve ever thought about growing even a small portion of your own food, I highly recommend following Toni Farmer (yes, that really is her name, and it suits her perfectly). She’s a Master Gardener with a Master’s Degree in Regenerative Agriculture from the University of Pennsylvania, and she teaches sustainable agriculture at both Rowan University and Penn.

If you’ve been even a little curious about getting your hands in the dirt this year, she’s a wonderful place to start.

Toni Farmer's Garden Interested in growing your own food? I’ve been growing fruits and veggies organically in my backyard for 30 years. You CAN grow a supermarket in your garden Visit her website

Your Mission This Week:

Plan Something to Look Forward To

Choose one small thing to plan this week, not for today, but a few days or even weeks from now.

It might be:

• A favorite meal
• A coffee outing with a friend
• A movie night at home complete with popcorn
• A walk somewhere beautiful to soak in Spring

Put it on your calendar.

Let yourself look forward to it.

Notice how it changes the tone of your days leading up to it.

It doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.
Sometimes the simple act of planning something ahead is what turns an ordinary week into something quietly special.

*Bonus points if you take a moment to really picture it—the smells, the flavors, the feeling of being there. Let it become something you experience twice.

Small plans. Big difference.

And that's very Diva.

That’s it and that's all for today.

Wherever this week finds you, I hope you give yourself something to look forward to—something simple, something planned, something just for you.

We don’t need grand gestures to create a good life. Often, it’s these small, intentional choices that make our days feel calmer, richer, and more our own.

Thank you, as always, for being here with me. It truly means more than you know.

Onward and awkward!
​Diva Patti D.

Grace Notes:

• Your Phone, only better:​
  Change your phone wallpaper to something meaningful to you.
• To Do-oodle: Hand write your to do list. Make it art. Add color. Draw something that makes you happy. Make checking things off a joy.
• Frugal Spa Treatment: Treat your hands and/or feet to a mini ritual: warm water soak, scrub, lotion. You don’t need a spa, just a few minutes to feel cared for.
• Anticipate the Anticipation: Pause for a moment and think about something you’re looking forward to and let yourself feel that little lift. Appreciate that joy doesn’t have to be immediate to be meaningful.

See you next week! xx