It’s with some reluctance and yet excitement that I announce the next step of our journey as a family. The Frugal Find is our family’s ministry and has also become our business, allowing us to focus full time on the blog. We’ve shared extensively about how TFF was born, the whole thing wasn’t anything we could have orchestrated or planned. TFF is at the heart of our family, we live and breath what we do here on the blog. We are wholeheartedly passionate about helping families get on the right path financially and until the Lord takes us in another direction, we are here to stay.
Recently however a law was signed into effect here in CA that meant a big change in our income as a blog, we had a couple of options but we really only felt compelled to go in one direction – to move. Moving out of CA opened the doors wide open again for Mr. Frugal and I to run our blog as a family business and to minister side by side. A blessing we never take for granted. We aren’t looking at the move as our only option, instead we see it as an opportunity.
So as we explore communities outside of CA, we are eager to see what will unfold. We have our hearts set on a city in Oregon (and a home in particular) but it’s a waiting game at this point. I didn’t want to wait too long to tell you guys because I could already see it seeping out here and there on Facebook and Twitter. I wanted it to come from our family firsthand.
What does this mean for you, our readers? That’s the best part! We are able to expand because of the move and take on even more stores! In the next few weeks you’ll begin to see stores (some that I haven’t been so consistent in covering) on a weekly basis – and there are even more being added! We have a team of deal hunters working alongside us throughout Washington, California, and Oregon to bring you even more deals. Rest assured – nothing will end up on TFF that hasn’t met my approval first. This however will free me up a bit more to write articles and content that will hopefully enrich you and encourage you.
Why was I reluctant to share our big news? Change is tough for everyone. We’ve never left CA, so it’s a pretty big change for our family. Since we see you all as family, honestly we do – we don’t want you to feel as if we are moving away. We have worked hard to develop a sense of community here at TFF and that will never change. Our blog is a bit different from most as we have always been passionate about focusing on the families within our reach, that is why California has been covered heavily. Our reach is expanding a bit now, and we can’t begin to contain our excitement.
We ask that you please pray for our family and for The Frugal Find as we take these next few steps of the journey. Trust me there is so much more I want to share about how this is all unfolding, and hopefully in time I will be able to. For now though, we move as the Lord leads step by step as He lights the way.
StacyK July 8, 2011 at 8:08 am
For the sake of our sanity (and small business) we recently moved out of California … and as much as we miss our friends/family, we are SO THANKFUL to be out of that rat race. I had no idea how crazy (and ridiculously expensive) that pace of life was until we moved into an entirely different culture where people slow down (everything is slower here!) …. and where the state government actually has a budget that they stick to.
Our move was a FRUGAL one, so let me know if you want to know who we used to get our household goods safely across the country (for less than $2500!!) I am so excited for your family and cannot wait to hear how God unfolds the next chapter of your lives!!!
Love, Prayers, and Blessings to you all!
stacy
Pat Lake July 8, 2011 at 11:03 am
I will pray for you and your family. Move to a place that is less expensive. California is way to expensive. The southern states are really nice like SC near Myrtle Beach. Houses are really affordable and its a great place to bring up children. Lots of luck and thank you for all you do. I love your emails and facebook page
Stacy Joyce Kennedy via Facebook July 8, 2011 at 8:13 am
So completely excited for you!!! <3 Praying for you and your family as you make this huge wonderful transition! <3
Breanne July 8, 2011 at 8:15 am
Good luck on your new adventure and now you will be able to reach out to more people!
Lisa July 8, 2011 at 8:17 am
congrats and good luck! (love the family picture on this post!) i hope to finally meet you at church before you move.
you and your family are such a blessing!
Karen Smith July 8, 2011 at 8:33 am
Your business/ministry has come so far so fast! I remember attending one of your classes at the church in downtown Concord. God is good! I hope you’ll be able to still give us the local deals – when I’m busy sometimes I just print your store lists and ideas and go with that, which saves me a lot of time. But besides that – I hope your family has an glitch free move to where ever you end up.
Thank you for teaching me how to save.
Leah July 8, 2011 at 8:42 am
Congratulations and best wishes for you and your family. This is all part of God’s masterful plan, and I can’t wait to see what that has in store for your family and TFF.
Regina July 8, 2011 at 9:03 am
I haven’t known TFF for very long but I love you guys already! U are in my prayers and I thank Him often for bringing you into mine and my families lives!
Scott July 8, 2011 at 9:14 am
Julia,
Wow, was this mainly because of the Amazon Associates program being shut down? So that was substantial enough that moving to get it back would be worth it?
I only found your site about a month ago, but I immediately put your link on the far right of my browser bar so I would check it many times a day. I need to since you publish so many things every day.
I liked that you were in my area so that most of the stores you report on are ones I go to. Especially my favorite, WinCo. I hope you get the place in Oregon since they have WinCo there too.
Scott
carriem July 8, 2011 at 9:14 am
Hey, I live in Oregon, you’re going to love it here!
Caitlin July 8, 2011 at 9:15 am
Best wishes to you and your family. I will continue to enjoy reading about your deals regardless of where your family relocates. Wishing you all the best!
Katherine July 8, 2011 at 9:29 am
I’m in Oregon! You’ll love it here! What a big change for your family. You’ll be in my prayers!
Mandy July 8, 2011 at 9:30 am
Wow! I’m both excited and overwhelmed for you! Such an amazing journey and what an incredible testimony you have!! I am so honored to call you “friend”! Big hugs, and even bigger prayers coming your way!!
Melinda July 8, 2011 at 9:40 am
Good luck and thanks for being such a great Blog writer! I don’t know which law you are referring to but I think you should publicize this move and point out to our representatives that a hard-working, family-owned business is now being forced to move out of the state in order to continue conducting business. That’s a travesty and should be an embarrassment to our lawmakers.
Michelle July 8, 2011 at 10:21 am
How exciting! We used to live in Oregon and we really loved it there but moved back to CA to be closer to family. We keep talking about moving back out of CA because its soooooo expensive but where to go??? Good luck and I wish you and your family the best. Keep us updated!
Monica Mack July 8, 2011 at 10:26 am
Congratulations! I live in California (born and raised) but have been coming up to Sunriver Oregon (near Bend) for 15 years now for vacation. I love Oregon and am definitely considering it for retirement. Oregon is a wonderful place to raise a family. God Bless you all.
Vallerie July 8, 2011 at 10:28 am
I am new to The Frugal Find but LOVE IT!! I’m so glad that you will be to continue your work. It is hard to make the change especially leaving the home and friends you are used to. I live in Oregon and love it up here. I’m not sure which town you are thinking of but I think you will like it. Thanks for all the hard work you do.
Sherri July 8, 2011 at 10:48 am
Julia,
I just mentioned Oregon and Washington last week on your Facebook page. I’m glad you’re making the move; you won’t regret it! I used to live in Beaverton and then in NW Portland before we moved back to Kansas so I could attend nursing school. I moved out here to the Bay Area to take a nursing job at a large hospital in SF. Since moving out here, I was diagnosed with MS. I’m no longer able to work. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, because my husband and I have been talking about eventually moving back up there. Hubby misses the hiking trails and I miss Depoe Bay! The state is beautiful and the people there are incredibly nice. I wish you the best and I’ll continue to follow you whether I’m here or up there. Thanks for your hard work and dedication!
Angie Martin via Facebook July 8, 2011 at 11:22 am
Good luck on your new adventure as a family! so excited for you and your family thanks for all you do!
Alyssa Lulie via Facebook July 8, 2011 at 11:32 am
Good luck!
Susan T July 8, 2011 at 11:37 am
I am so happy and excited for you! You may live in California now, but your ministry has spread across the entire country. Prayers for you from Tennessee and all over as you start the next part of your journey!
Tiffany July 8, 2011 at 11:38 am
I’ve lived all over Oregon. I grew up in Bend, went to college in Ashland and live in Portland now. The state is beautiful and if you love the outdoors, there is no better place to be. Welcome!
Barbara July 8, 2011 at 11:50 am
Congratulations on your move! Kids adjust well and a new adventure is a great change. Have fun!
Misty Grenz via Facebook July 8, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Best of luck to you all!!
Jenna Ramirez Hulsey via Facebook July 8, 2011 at 1:24 pm
What was the law change?
Amy July 8, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Julia,
I consistently pray for you and your family since you are such a blessing to mine. I am curious how you know when something is God’s will/plan for you. I am facing a decision, and I am struggling with is it what I want or is truly God speaking to me through others. I am asking everyone that I run into that I see facing similar situations.
I am so grateful for all that you do and share with us.
God Bless,
Amy
Dana K July 8, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Wishing you the best…i love love love Oregon and can’t wait to have you!!
Carmen July 8, 2011 at 3:50 pm
Would love to have you in Texas!!!
I check your website at least once a day……
Good Luck!!!
You are an inspiration…..
Kathy July 8, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Good luck Julia! I don’t think that you will regret leaving California. Like you say, it is too busy and way too expensive! May the Lord continue to bless you and your family, and The Frugal Find!
Ronni July 8, 2011 at 7:32 pm
How exciting, that is wonderful news. I love CA because my family is here. I have visited Oregon several times and just love it, I would move there to if I could.
God has blessed you with a way of reaching out to people and he will continue to do so.
And hey…… there’s Fred Myer there…that’s a good thing!
Hannah Jennings July 9, 2011 at 10:26 am
Hi Frugal Family,
9 years ago last month we left Sacramento. We moved to a little town (Spokane, WA). If you move to the Pacific Northwest, Northwest, or the like; life is indeed very different. Now we have two kids, and THREE on-line business we run full-time. I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you the positives and the negatives of our big move.
1. Family, if you don’t have a network of family and friends in the area you move to, life is going to be very difficult at first. You can’t just trust anyone with your kids (even within a church family). It will take a few months to REALLY get to know people. Date nights, and alone time with your spouse will need to be tweaked a little bit.
2. POSITIVE NOTE: You get to meet new people and expand your ministry. Your doors will open to things you never imagined possible, and the [extensive] time with your spouse and family will eventually be really a blessing to you.
3. Costs, yes, California is very expensive, however, not always. We noticed when we moved to Washington, food (especially produce) was very expensive. I never payed over $0.50 a pound for fruit and thought nothing of going to the farmers market once-a-week to stock up. There isn’t year around fruit and veggies up here. You will have to anticipate paying at least $1.00 a pound for produce. Get canning supplies and prepare to save money by doing a lot yourself.
4. Bonus: You get to feel like a pioneer. I think that is a good thing…right?
5. Driving. Once you get north of the California/Oregon border, no one can merge (except former Californian’s). Oh, and four-way stops are hilarious. It is a case not of, he who goes on the right is first it is “You go, no you go, no you go.” It can be a test of patients and endurance, but you will eventually except the feel of the town and how they drive.
6. Everyone will want to know your business. This is good in one way, because if your kids misbehave, you will know about it. Not so good because, people will form opinions and offer LOTS of premium advise on how to make sure that you can do a better job. This goes for every aspect of your life. Your neighbors will know you inside and out, and you will know them. (Oh, and most people don’t care about how they look, so be prepared for people mowing the lawn in short shorts that weigh over 200. Not judging, just observing; do a walk out side before you let the kids go play. You never know if your neighbor is sitting outside in her bra reading the paper.)
7. Fred Meyer, is AWESOME.
8. Find lots of things to do in the winter. No, I am serious. Think, I am going to be inside this house for about 7 months of the year if I can’t find something to like about the snow. Embrace the snow.
9. You will have a brand new-found appreciation for the heat. I know that sound un-imaginable right now, but it is true.
10. You will actually have to take vitamin D. In Cali, you can walk around the block and have enough D to get you through the day. Not anymore. You will need a vitamin to make sure you have the energy to enjoy the place you moved to.
All in all, I love this area. I love the summer, and I love our little life. I know every street. I never get lost, and I can get to where I need to be in 30 minutes or less. However, I miss our family. I miss the chili peppers, and being able to grow cantaloupe. I really, really miss farmers markets. But, this is a decision you have to pray about and make with your husband and kids. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions.
Nancy Burgess July 15, 2011 at 11:14 pm
hello
My friend Jonathan told me you are moving to Bend. I can’t wait to meet you. Jonathan and I are couponing buddies!!!
It will be great to have you here!!!
Julia July 16, 2011 at 4:59 pm
We are very excited!
Cathy Pratt Spencer via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Have loved learning from you. May God bless you in your new adventure. Looking forward to many more wonderful posts.
Cathy Pratt Spencer via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Have loved learning from you. May God bless you in your new adventure. Looking forward to many more wonderful posts.
caroline July 20, 2011 at 3:53 pm
good for you! Sadly moving out of California is what a lot of families are having to do. My husband and I have talked about it numerous time and I wish we could move out of California also. Best of luck to you and your family and I hope it all works out.
Brooke Faill via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Best of luck to your family!!!!
Brooke Faill via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Best of luck to your family!!!!
Nina Dyba via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Beautiful family! Glad you are keeping the CA deals going even ifyou are in Oregon!
Nina Dyba via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Beautiful family! Glad you are keeping the CA deals going even ifyou are in Oregon!
Damon Collins via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 4:32 pm
wow….i hear so much of this happening, that law is going to be so counter-productive for that already overburdened state.
Damon Collins via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Good luck in your move!
The Frugal Find via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Thanks Damon!
Jodi Campbell via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 6:58 pm
I appreciate your ministry….from Orlando. I will be praying that the Lord will open the right door so you can’t shut it, and shut any wrong door so you can’t open it. Blessings!
Misty J Cochrane via Facebook July 20, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Praying for your future.
Beth Redinger Neri via Facebook July 21, 2011 at 7:37 am
We want to hear moving tips, and strategies please!! We may be moving too
Amanda July 21, 2011 at 10:54 am
Line up all your utilities on a comparison site like WhiteFence.com. You can fill out your change of address form online (for free) and then compare and sign up with a TV, Phone, and Internet provider and, depending on where you live, can even set up your electricity and natural gas in just a few minutes.
Sarah July 23, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Try grocery stores, Walmart, or other large stores around midnight for free moving boxes! When the store is restocking their product, they are usually willing to give away as many boxes as you want!
Good luck!
Denise July 25, 2011 at 12:45 pm
So excited for you. But I know all too well how hard it is to move out of CA and away from everything you know and feel comfortable. When we moved to TX 8 almost 9 months ago, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but even though we miss friends and family so much, we do not miss CA in the slightest. What I tell people is, I miss the weather and the landscape/scenery. That is the only thing about actual CA I miss. The people and church we miss terribly, but they are not CA, they are people. KWIM? Anyway, it is much cheaper, more homeschooling friendly, more patriotic, less liberal laws, etc. etc. CHEAPER oh my goodness is it cheaper. I think that this will be a good move for you. We considered Salem OR and Selma (yes I know both are the same letters but in different order) OR. But those never worked out. But God worked out the move to Texas in ways that we are just now finding out about. It was a total God thing and I believe this will be for you as well.
Now on a seperate note, could you post the link to the free homeschooling link that you use to get your materials online and at library’s and at garage sales, etc. etc. again. You posted it a long time ago, but I can’t find it now. Thanks!
Good luck on your new adventure!
Miki August 11, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Julia, although I am sad to see you guys leave California know that you have affected many lives. Thank you for your obedience to God. I know He has used you and your family as a great testimony of faith and service to your readers. The frugal find has been a huge inspiration to me. So much so I started a blog of my own. It’s in it’s beginnings. My hope is to help people save and pass on what I know to glorify God.