http://www.blounttoday.com/news/columnists/christy-bramblett/?partner=RSSblounttoday.com Stories: "Thrifty" Christy Brambletten-uscolumnists/christy-brambletthttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/sep/14/never-pay-toothpaste/?partner=RSSOne of the phrases you hear in couponing circles and on blogs is ‘never pay for toothpaste.’ No one is suggesting that you should do anything illicit to get supplies for your dental needs. Toothpaste companies offer so many promotions at drugstore chains that, if you buy when the time is right, you should be able to periodically stockpile enough tubes of toothpaste that you’ll never have to pay more than 25 cents per tube. news@blounttoday.com (Christy Bramblett)Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:09:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-19138-734394columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNNever pay for toothpasteblounttoday.comnever-pay-toothpasteurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-19138-734394Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/aug/24/thrifty-christy-freebies-are-plentiful-help-celebr/?partner=RSSEveryone in my household just happens to have a summer birthday, so we’ve been doing a lot of celebrating, and not just to recognize the passing of another year. Couponers look forward to birthdays because we know they are a great opportunity to rack up freebies from companies we frequent. This does require a little work because in order to reward you, a company has to have at least a little bit of information about you, including your birthday, your email and sometimes your mailing address. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:29:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-19063-734373columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNThrifty Christy: Freebies are plentiful to help with celebrationblounttoday.comthrifty-christy-freebies-are-plentiful-help-celebrurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-19063-734373Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/jul/20/traveling-coupons-can-be-vacation-saver/?partner=RSSI just returned from a week-long vacation with my family. (I use the term “vacation” loosely, as a week with two preschoolers is not quite the same as a trip to the spa.) There are a number of things I was able to do to keep costs down. For anyone planning a last minute summer trip, here are a few tips: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:44:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18924-734338columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNTraveling by coupons can be a vacation saverblounttoday.comtraveling-coupons-can-be-vacation-saverurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18924-734338Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/jun/22/organization-key-saving-money-coupons/?partner=RSSIf you don’t organize your coupons, you won’t use them. I advise easing into the world of coupons, with e-coupons being your first step. Once you have conquered e-coupons, it’s time to move on to traditional paper coupons. Most people dive right in and start clipping, but I’ve come to realize that if you don’t have a way of organizing our coupons, you’ll get burnt out very easily and may abandon couponing altogether. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:06:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18829-734310columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNOrganization is key to saving money with couponsblounttoday.comorganization-key-saving-money-couponsurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18829-734310Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/may/11/stock-real-savings-real-food/?partner=RSSJust because you’re cutting coupons doesn’t mean you have to feed your family junk. Don’t get me wrong, it’s easier to feed them packaged and processed foods, and really, there’s a time and place for that. I’m not judging. But there are ways to save money while buying fresh produce and meat. Here are a few that work for me: Wed, 11 May 2011 18:56:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18661-734268columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNStock up for real savings on ‘real’ foodblounttoday.comstock-real-savings-real-foodurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18661-734268Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/apr/14/garage-sales-offer-treasure-hunters-adventure-barg/?partner=RSSA good garage sale is like a treasure hunt. At least that’s what I keep telling my husband. You’d think the pirate analogy would draw him in, but unfortunately, I’m the only garage sale lover in my house. Regardless, as the weather gets warmer, I get more and more excited about the prospect of another successful spring and summer spent garage sale hunting. Like many things in life, you will enjoy your garage sale experience a little more if you have a plan. Whether you’re new to garage sale shopping or a seasoned bargain hunter, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you have a fun and successful experience. Or in pirate terms, have a good voyage. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:26:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18560-734241columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNGarage sales offer treasure hunters an adventure in bargain shoppingblounttoday.comgarage-sales-offer-treasure-hunters-adventure-bargurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18560-734241Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/mar/09/money-makeover-thrifty-christy-reveals-transformat/?partner=RSSI was not always Thrifty. Don’t get me wrong, I loved a good garage sale as much as the next girl. Mainly I loved shoes, and the more, the better. However, I wasn’t afraid to pay full price for things either, and I definitely didn’t know the value of a dollar. Recently, I went through boxes of things I’d put in storage after college. For whatever reason, I saved canceled checks for all my purchases during my four years at Auburn. As I looked at where I spent my money, my jaw hit the floor. The “college me” apparently thought it was OK to spend $4 for a coffee at Starbucks, not just once a day, but between every class. The “college me” also thought nothing of frequent weekend shopping trips in Atlanta. I stopped mentally calculating my excess at one point; because it hurt. Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:38:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18414-734205columnists/christy-bramblettChristy BramblettMaryville, TNMoney makeover: Thrifty Christy reveals transformation from big spender to savvy saver and giverblounttoday.commoney-makeover-thrifty-christy-reveals-transformaturn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18414-734205Change0Usable