This week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile goes to Alabama resident, and lifetime bargain hunter Kristin Thompson, aka @KristinBrianne. She’s the brains behind the blog, Making Cents Out of Life. A disability has made Kristin unable to work outside of the home since last year, but she saves and earns money through blogging. And Twitter helps her forge new relationships.
OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@KristinBrianne: I began blogging in February, and I joined Twitter in March I believe. Now I’m addicted to it!
OODC:You say you’ve been a bargain hunter for a long time– how long exactly and how did it begin?
@KristinBrianne:Since childhood, every time I had money I tried to get as much for each dollar as I could. I shopped clothing clearance racks for back to school shopping rather than drop my entire allowance on just a few pieces, and it nearly crushed me if I felt like I blew a big amount on just a couple of items. When I moved in with my husband, those ways carried with me into buying for our home and personal needs like groceries and toiletries. When I became unable to work, those ways became more of a necessity rather than a hobby so I had to work hard to learn how to combine sales with coupons and learn the ins and outs of my grocery stores so we could get what we needed.
OODC:Where are your favorite places to find bargains?
@KristinBrianne:For grocery shopping, the best deals are at Publix. It just takes work and organization. Not too long ago, I got 6 months worth of cat food just paying tax! I’m also a Walgreens-aholic, because we haven’t had to buy most of our toiletries in over 2 years. They also have wonderful grocery deals and OTC medication deals. Flu season would have done us in last year had we not stocked up on Theraflu, which was free. Deals can be had almost anywhere as long as you know when to look, what to look for, and are prepared. High end department stores can often have the best deals when you shop end-of-season sales, Target and Kmart have awesome toy sales months before Christmas, and clearance tables in grocery stores can carry hidden gems if you take the time to look.
OODC:What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?
@KristinBrianne:I enjoy sharing life with my readers and followers, and I love the interaction between myself and those friends I have met through Tweets and blogging. I started doing all of this as a way of helping those who may need to stretch their money to make ends meet because we have been there, but also to make friends and form relationships with others who have some of my same interests.
OODC:Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@KristinBrianne:Rachael Coe (rachaelcoe) has become a great friend whom I love Tweeting with every day, and I also look forward to reading Jamie (IAmAMoneyMagnet) because she always shares her deals and inspires me to do more to save and to help my family save. Tweeters who respond to their readers and followers are tops on my list because I feel like that is the purpose behind Twitter- to interact with others as well as to share and communicate. If I’m going to take the time to Tweet someone, I appreciate it when they take the time to respond. It shows that that person or company cares about what their followers think.
OODC:How has Twitter impacted your life?
@KristinBrianne:When I started using Twitter, I did it as a way to try to expand my blog as well as communicate with my friends whom I don’t often see. Now, I still do all of that but I also look to Twitter to help me save money in my personal life. Twitter brings together consumers and companies, helps to form relationships for personal and professional levels, and takes Social Media to a level that almost anyone is able to relate to and utilize.
Want to be considered for an upcoming Twitter Tuesday Profile? Just tweet me!