Our next Twitter Tuesday Profile proves you can even live in the woods of Northern Minnesota and still be a bargain hunter. Christina is a stay-at-home wife and mother of three boys who started her blog, NorthernCheapskate.com, a couple of years ago. In the past she’s worked as an editor of a daily newspaper, college recruiter, an academic adviser and a community college instructor. But these days when she’s not caring for her family she’s tweeting from @NCheapskate, blogging and teaching the world that “cheapskate” is not a dirty word.
OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@NCheapskate: I started blogging at Northern Cheapskate in November 2007 as a way to keep focused on my goals of living frugally and to keep my brain from turning to mommy mush as a stay-at-home mom. I started Twitter as a way to promote my blog and to learn from other people. What surprised me was the sense of community I uncovered from blogging and tweeting. I love interacting with frugal-minded people all over the world!
OODC: The word “cheapskate” can have a negative connotation. What does it mean to you?
@NCheapskate: My hope is take away the negative connotation of the word “cheapskate.” To me, being a “cheapskate” means I’m someone who cares about being a wise steward of their finances.
OODC: What are some of the best ways you’ve found to cut spending?
@NCheapskate: I’m a firm believer in the idea that little things do add up. I use coupons and free samples to help me stretch my budget. Raising insurance deductibles and changing your tax withholding can help put a little more money in your pocket. I’m very wary of monthly fee commitments. It doesn’t take very many $5 or $10 a month subscriptions to add up!
OODC: You wrote recently about the importance of husbands and wives merging their finances. Why do you think some couples resist this idea?
@NCheapskate: I think a lot of folks are afraid of losing their independence when they merge finances. They’ve worked hard to establish themselves and may be afraid they will lose part of their identity. Other folks may have money issues that they don’t want their spouse to know about. To me, I think that if you’ve found the right life partner, you shouldn’t have anything to fear when it comes to merging your finances. Merging your finances will help you to communicate better, which in turn, will make your marriage stronger. If you’re really wary of merging finances, then you should consider a pre-nup.
OODC: What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?
@NCheapskate: I hope that they are inspired to take control of their finances and learn things that will help them live frugally.
OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@NCheapskate: There are so many wonderful people on Twitter, I could name dozens of great money tweeters! A few of my favorites for money-saving advice are @Freebies4Mom, @momadvice, @CommnSenseMoney, @NCN, @freefrombroke, @moneymattersand @JennFowler.
Want to be considered for an upcoming Twitter Tuesday Profile? Just tweet me!