As some people still scurry to find the perfect Christmas gift, it’s something our next Twitter Tuesday profile has been thinking about for 11 months. Carrie, a Kansas City resident working in the business field says starting her Christmas planning so early saves her hundreds of dollars and lots of stress. Carrie is full of interesting ideas– just follow her on Twitter or read her blog, Carrie on the Cheap, to see what we mean.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@CarrieCheap: I started blogging about personal finance in February 2009 and tweeting in June 2009. I haven’t looked back since!

OODC: You say that you paid off $26,000 of debt in three years– what’s the greatest thing about being debt free?
@CarrieCheap:The greatest feeling is knowing my future has no restrictions. I am saving for a comfortable retirement and a down payment on a house and I know it’s possible because I don’t owe anyone any money!

OODC: You’ve already posted your big goals for 2010. Why is it important to set goals like these and which one are you most looking forward to achieving?
@CarrieCheap:It helps keep me focused and keep my mind set on something. The one I’m most looking forward to achieving is passing the CPA Exam! It’s been driving me crazy for the better part of 2009!!

OODC: How do you save money over the holidays?
@CarrieCheap:I start my Christmas list in January – yes, the month after Christmas. I type up an excel spreadsheet and think of gift ideas all year long. Throughout the year, I look for sales or discounts on these items. It helps out tremendously! I only spent about $400 total this year and I was budgeting about $600!

OODC: What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?
@CarrieCheap:I hope people can learn a bit about how to live a good life on less from my blog posts. From my tweets – well, I just hope they get to know me better! I tweet about anything and everything!

OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@CarrieCheap:Good question. @wellheeledblog, @krystalatwork, @frugaldreamer, @punchdebt, @SS4BC

Thanks again to Carrie for being part of our Twitter Tuesday Profile. Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just Tweet me!