Today’s Thrifty Chatter features the fabulous Jaime (or, as you may know her, Money Savin’ Momma) from Engineer A Debt Free Life. Jaime and her husband both write for the blog, giving it a fresh take – after all, there aren’t too many male frugal bloggers! – and a fun personality. You can tell just by reading it how excited they are about making the most of their money… and helping you do so with yours! Enjoy the interview!

How did you start Engineer A Debt Free Life?

My husband started the site as a way to keep us accountable for our spending and to share great freebies / deals. I started blogging on Engineer a Debt Free Life (EADFL) about 6 months later.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on EADFL?

Sharing freebies, deals, and legitimate ways to make money online with our awesome readers! We’ve heard from many readers who been able to have “special date nights” or even get all their holiday gifts for free, as a result of the deals and income earning ideas we share on our site! It’s very rewarding to know we are making a difference in the lives of our readers and helping them save money!

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

We post lots of freebies on our site, so we sometimes get people who leave comments with their full name and mailing address, because apparently they think we are the ones who are mailing the freebies directly to them!

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

Before making an online purchase, I always check to see if cash back is available through ShopAtHome! Our favorite store to shop at is Target – ShopAtHome offers a great cash back rate and coupons for Target, including lots of special promotions when Cash Back is increased for Target! It’s great to be able to get cash back on online purchases we would have made anyway!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

Wow, there is no way to name just one! We are *always* finding freebies and deals on something new!

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Track your spending! Start by creating a monthly budget and stick to it! Track every single purchase you make, no matter how big or small, to see where your money is really going each month!

Any last comments? Let our readers know!

Thanks to Shop at Home for the opportunity to help us all save money on our everyday online purchases! We’d love to invite everyone to stop by our money saving website and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll help you find more great deals, and some hot freebies too!

Thanks so much to Jaime for taking time out of her very busy life – especially after the very recent addition to the family – to talk with us here at ShopAtHome.com! If you’d like to be interviewed as a part of ShopAtHome.com’s Thrifty Chatter series, email me at blog@shopathome.com for more details!

Meet Kaley, a once self-professed “Coupon Hater” who now runs Cha-Ching on a Shoestring, a blog that is centered on helping you save money on your everyday purchases so you can get the things you want (right now, Kaley and her husband are saving up for a cruise… talk about fun!). Learn a little more about the site and Kaley in her own words, then go check out Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!

How did you start Cha-Ching on a Shoestring?

It all began in April of 2008 when my husband was laid off from his job at a small college. At the same time, I was expecting our second son and was about to give up my part time job. I began seeking out ways to save money creatively, not knowing how long we would be without a paycheck. It was then that I was introduced to money saving blogs by a friend. Little did I know how much it would change our lives.

A former self-professed hater of coupons, I suddenly discovered that when armed with the right information, coupons can be FUN. It wasn’t long before I was sharing my new-found love of couponing with friends and anyone who would listen. Several months later, I mentioned the idea to my husband of starting a blog that was dedicated to chronicling our own money-saving journey.

And thus, Cha-Ching on a Shoestring was born!

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on Cha-Ching on a Shoestring?

My husband and I knew when we started the blog that we were not alone–the economy has not been kind to so many of us.  But I have been amazed to discover how many people are really hungry for the information that we share.  Let’s face it.  Money is at the heart of so many issues.   I’ve had people comment that their marriage has improved or they’ve been able to give more or they are experiencing less fear after a lay-off because of what they are learning from the blog.  It’s crazy to me that this blog that started less than a year ago can impact people across the nation.  I love that.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

We moved about 6 months ago and were in the midst of packing up the house and getting ready to move in two days when I got a call from our local TV station.  They wondered if they could come interview us THAT DAY.  I was partly mortified that they were going to show up to a house that was filled with packing boxes and lacked furniture…but partly delighted that I didn’t have to feel like my house had to be spotless!

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

Of course! Just last week I scored a hot deal at The Children’s Place using a 15% coupon code, a free shipping code, AND 5% back from ShopAtHome.  I got three pairs of pants and two shirts for my son for less than $12!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

Every week it’s something new.  I guess my personal favorite was the week I challenged myself to see how much I could score for only $10.  (You can see my loot here.)

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Don’t feel like you have to score every deal!  There will be 10 more deals tomorrow!  (And I’ll be sure to post them!)

Thanks so much to Kaley for taking time out of her very busy life to talk with us here at ShopAtHome.com! If you’d like to be interviewed in ShopAtHome.com’s Thrifty Chatter, email me at blog@shopathome.com for more details!

Welcome to this week’s Thrifty Chatter series, where we ask the fun questions to some of our favorite Money Saving Bloggers! This week, we’re interviewing Nicole from Nicole’s Nickels. This fabulous blogger shares the best deals, giveaways and so much more with her readers every day… and now you can learn a little bit more about the woman behind the blog!

How did you start Nicole’s Nickels?

I started Nicole’s Nickels in February 2009 as a way to consolidate all of the great deals I was finding into one place. I was previously emailing friends and family everything but it got hard to keep track of who was interested in what.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on Nicole’s Nickels?

The most rewarding part are the emails and comments I receive from readers telling me that something I posted helped them save money or make some extra money and how that impacted their life.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

I was at the store one day and had a fistful of coupons. I had been recently featured on my local NBC affiliate just a few days before. My back was to the person behind me and seeing my coupons and how much I was saving, said to the person with her, “That girl is just like that Nicole’s Nickels from TV using all those coupons to save money. I went to her site and now am addicted to it. She seems like such a nice and genuine person.” I turned around to smile and the lady said “It’s you, it’s you!” and gave me a big hug thanking me for helping her.

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

Yes, I regularly use ShopAtHome and loved being able to get 20% cash back from Old Navy over the holidays. I had giftcards to use and was able to get a lot of holiday shopping done as well as a few things for myself for a very low cost.

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

For me personally, I’ve had the best deals at Kmart’s super doubles events where I can get something crazy like 50 items for less than a quarter. I stock up on necessities and also things to donate to my local shelters.

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Start slow. You won’t be able to stockpile right away, it takes time to build up to that. Make it a point to use coupons on sale items and look through matchups on your favorite frugal blogs. Try picking one of the drugstores near you and following a posted scenario on your favorite blog to make the most of their rewards programs.

Any last comments?

If you’re new, try finding a friend to start with. You’ll learn from each other and hopefully have fun while saving money!

Thanks so much to Nicole for taking time out of her very busy life to talk with us here at ShopAtHome.com! If you’d like to be interviewed in ShopAtHome.com’s Thrifty Chatter, email me at blog@shopathome.com for more details!

Today, we’re interviewing the fabulous Saidah Washington, owner and writer of AProverbsWife.com. A mom of four who is passionate about living her life in the words of the Proverbs, Saidah offers great tips about saving money, being frugal and ways to organize your home!

How did you start Proverbs Wife?

I started A Proverbs Wife as an accountability partner. I wanted to keep track of how I was spending my time as a stay at home mom and how I was spending my money. It helped me become organized with my daily tasks. It also helped me implement new ways of managing my finances, such as shopping with coupons and discount sites. I began tracking my savings online and my readers jumped on board with me.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on Proverbs Wife?

The biggest reward for starting writing my blog has been the great people I have met and the many improvements in my personal life. What I post on my blog is non-fiction. I am living out each struggle and accomplishment day by day. Being able to connect with my readers through their stories and emails is great. I can relate to the joy they get when they save big or overcome a homemaking hurdle.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

My husband tends to be a very private person, so when people began approaching us in our local grocery stores asking about coupons and such, he was very uncomfortable. They would dub him the ‘Coupon King’, but little did they know is he hated coupons at the time. When I would let them in on it later they’d think he was crazy. After all of the FREE stuff he’s gotten he has a fondness of coupon but says he’d never use more than one or two per transaction.

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

I check ShopAtHome.com before I make any online purchases. ShopAtHome is the first site I check with out of all the online rebate sites I use. ShopAtHome is easy to use and most often has the higher cash back returns on purchases.

I’ve always been a fan of Nine West shoes, but cut back on shoe purchases in lieu of being frugal. With a little investigating I’ve been able to match clearance sales at Nine West with my 6% ShopAtHome cash back rebate to score some really great deals.

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

The best deal was my first purchase. I bought a 3 pieces travel bag from OneStopPlus.com for $4.99 and shortly after making my first purchase I received my $5 Shop At Home invite bonus plus 7% cash back rebate for using Shop At Home. Wow! My first purchase was virtually FREE!

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Sign up for FREE accounts that offer a chance to save you money. Whether it be paper coupon, printable coupons, e-coupons or coupon codes. Take advantage of the deals that are available to the consumers. There are tons of ways to save money if you are looking.

Hey guys, I am so excited for you to read this interview with Julia of TheFrugalFind.com. Julia shares her expertise how to live frugally using coupons, where to find coupons, how to budget, and the dreaded meal planning. You can visit The Frugal Find for your daily dose of the best deals at the stores you shop at to save you time & money! She also teaches Coupon & Frugal Living classes to help you get a hang of the Coupon Art. She say’s they’re a family just like yours, striving to live simply yet abundantly.

How did you start The Frugal Find?

I started The Frugal Find as a way to share the deals I was finding with my friends and family, quickly that became bigger – I was sharing them with my local community, now The Frugal Find has a nationwide audience with thousands of readers daily! I had no idea.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on The Frugal Find?

The most rewarding part is knowing that there are families out there that are no longer falling further and further into the deep hole that is debt. My readers now realize that you can live on the income you currently have, and you can live WELL on that income. It’s all about maximizing what you have and getting the most for your money.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your site?

Oh boy, this one is hands down the funniest thing that has ever happened to me. Often I do “Shop-Alongs” with my local readers, it gives them an opportunity to see first hand how to shop and pay with coupons. It also gives them an idea of the REAL savings you can get when you pair a store sale with a manufacturers coupon. I’d done a few shop-alongs but when I announced this particular Target shop-along I thought it would save me time and just announce the when and where details up front so I didn’t have to exchange emails with each person. Well to my amazement there were TWENTY-THREE people at Target ready to go! It was a lot of fun after we all had a good laugh, it was quite a huge gathering of Couponers!

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you’re using ShopAtHome.com?

I LOVED using Shop At Home during the Black Friday deals, my favorite store to shop through Shop At Home is Old Navy. I often shop there as it is and enjoy the Old Navy rewards, but when you can get an additional discount anywhere from 5-20% cash back – you can’t beat that!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

I’m asked this often, but I don’t have many deals that stand out in my opinion the best deals are the ones that stock your pantry while also keeping you within your weekly budget. I do have a video showing how I got $167.00 worth of FREE makeup while shopping at CVS. But in reality, the savings are evident when the “norm” is saving 75% – 100% off of retail prices on your everyday needs.

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Start small, don’t let yourself get so overwhelmed that you quit. Buy an Entertainment Book and a couple of Sunday newspapers each week as a great start to savings. Then find a couple of your favorite blogs and read them regularly – you’re now off to a great start!

Thanks so much to Julia for taking time out of her very busy life to talk with us here at ShopAtHome.com! If you’d like to be interviewed in ShopAtHome.com’s Thrifty Chatter, email me at blog@shopathome.com for more details!

For this week’s Thrifty Chatter, we’re talking with Amy, the owner of AmyLovesIt.com. Her site is an amazing resource for those of you who are thinking about starting a debt-free lifestyle or just want to learn a little more about saving money. Amy is also a Pastor’s wife, and shares bits of her life and knowledge every day with her readers.

A big thanks to Amy for participating!

How did you start Amy Loves It?

I began blogging in August 2008, and started out writing about my girls and homeschooling. In December, I decided to move into more “serious” blogging. I was discovering the joys of couponing and sale-shopping, and I wanted to help others learn what I was learning. I also felt a call to write and minister to others, specifically other pastor’s wives. I purchased my domain, and began writing at Amy Loves It in March 2009.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on Amy Loves It?

The most rewarding part of writing on Amy Loves It would be the way I am able to minister to so many people! It is amazing the wonderful people I have met just through blogging. I have made some very dear friends through blogging. I have been blessed in so many different ways. Blogging is just an incredible blessing.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

As I said before, I have been blessed to meet several amazing people because of blogging. The very first blog I ever read was Keeping the Kingdom First. It was so awesome to meet Alyssa in person last March. We continued chatting on Twitter, and now I count Alyssa (and her family) as one of my very best friends. Without my blog, (and Twitter), this might not have been possible.

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

I love ShopAtHome! I believe the last store I shopped through SAH was Old Navy, and it was double cash-back day, and I made a TON of money off of my purchase… and I did not spend a lot of money I was thrilled! I am new to SAH, but not new to cash-back sites. I always check before I shop to see who has the best cash-back offer, and many times, SAH is the best!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

Oh, my! The best deal I have found? My husband loves the free food and free stuff, but I think the best “deal” I have gotten is going grocery shopping with my two oldest girls. They are 5 and 3.5, and use the terms, “coupon,” and “sale,” frequently when they play. They enjoy going to the grocery store with me and couponing. Both girls are learning the importance of wise shopping and frugal living. That is the best deal I could ever get!

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

My best advice to a new couponer and money-saver would be to start slow. Do not try to be a couponing expert on your first trip. Follow the great couponing blogs, and try to do only a few “deals” and scenarios. If you try to do it all on your first trip, it can be overwhelming. By starting slowly, you can learn the tricks of the trade, and you will see your savings grow with every grocery shopping trip.

Want to be interviewed for an upcoming Thrifty Chatter? Email me at blog@shopathome.com!

I’m so excited to welcome Jennifer from ThriftyNWMom.com to the ShopAtHome.com Thrifty Chatter Series! Her blog is super inspirational to so many, and I think you guys are really going to love what she has to say. Let’s get started:

How did you start ThriftyNWMom?

I have always loved finding amazing deals – it’s exciting to me and part of that excitement is being able to share my great finds with others so they can take advantage of the sales, too! In the past, I’d always call or email friends or family about many of the deals I’d find but then I realized it made more sense to put it all in one place. So, I started this blog a year ago in January just as a way for friends & family to keep up with all the great deals I’d find and for me to be able to share about my newfound love of couponing – how to spend less & get more for your money.

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on ThriftyNWMom?

Definitely hearing the stories from my readers about how my blog has impacted their lives and helped them out during these tough economic times. I receive emails on a regular basis from readers, sharing how they have been inspired to start couponing and finding ways to cut their budgets. However, due to the bargains I’ve found, they’ve still been able to enjoy some of the ‘finer’ things in life (going out to eat, buying Christmas gifts, buying brand-name products) that may not have been possible due to financial difficulties.

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your site?

It always surprises me when I’m out shopping and end up running into someone who is a reader of my blog! We’ll get talking about couponing and finding deals in the Northwest and then I find out that they’re a reader! This just happened to me last week at Target – I found several readers while shopping the toy clearance – so we were sharing stories of which Target’s we needed to check out next & strategies for finding those deals we really wanted!

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

I just recently found out about Shop At Home during the Christmas shopping season & I’m so glad I’ve discovered it. Shop At Home is a great resource to help you save money by earning that cash back on your purchases. It also has helped me find some great coupons & additional discounts to use at my favorite stores! Although I have many favorite online stores, I’d say the one I use the most is Target.com – love that Shop At Home offers 5% cash back for shopping at Target! They have some great online deals that you often can’t find in their stores!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

A Britax Marathon car seat for around $70 on Amazon. It was a pricing error on Amazon back in the fall of 2008 (before I started blogging) and unfortunately Amazon canceled many of the orders. But, I was one of the fortunate ones who actually received my car seat! Considering these car seats are typically priced at $250 and higher-this was an *amazing* deal!

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Start small so you don’t get overwhelmed by the idea of couponing and saving money! You don’t have to go out there and try to do every deal that’s listed and try to shop at all the stores. Just pick one store to start focusing on – start looking at the sales, gathering your printable coupons or coupon inserts each week and then focus on going in to just get a few good deals at a time. Once you get the hang of it, then you can start adding more and more deals at that store and eventually spread out to include additional stores.

Thanks so much to Jennifer for taking time out of her hectic schedule to share a little bit with all of us! To learn more about Jennifer and how she helps her readers save, head to ThriftyNWMom.com!

I’m excited to introduce you all to our newest series here at the ShopAtHome.com blog: Thrifty Chatter! Each week, I’ll be interviewing one deal blogger and letting them tell you a little more about their site and themselves!

This week, meet Katie. She’s the owner of FrugalFemina.com, and she has some amazing stories to share with you! If you’d like your blog to be featured on the ShopAtHome.com Blog, email Jaime at blog@shopathome.com. And now, onto the interview!

How did you start Frugal Femina?

I’ve been blogging in one form or another since 2005. I started Frugal Femina about a year ago, because I wanted to learn how to use my resources wisely and connect with other like-minded folks. It’s extremely rewarding to get things I use every day at a bargain and be able to pass some of it on to those in need. Have you ever seen the look on someone’s face when you donate a box of brand-new items? It’s priceless—and doesn’t take that much effort on your part. And…by getting the best deal, you can enjoy some retail therapy without breaking the budget. Bonus!

What has been the most rewarding part of writing on Frugal Femina?

Meeting the people, hands down! If I just want to chat, find a deal, or get advice, I have tons of friends from all over the world right at my fingertips. I am inspired daily by my readers and fellow bloggers. LOVE them!

Do you have a funny or interesting story about something that has happened because of your blog?

Well, I had read this blog called Mommin’ It Up! for a little while when all of the sudden I got a strange feeling that I knew one of the writers. I wrote her, and sure enough, it was a girl I had gone to college with. I hadn’t seen her picture yet, so I didn’t know it was her. So now she knows I genuinely liked her blog before I knew it was her.

I’ve also gotten to chat with people like Kelsey Grammer on Twitter. Crazy!

How have you used ShopAtHome.com to save money, and what is your favorite store to shop from when you use ShopAtHome.com?

Several people I know have signed up for free at ShopAtHome.com after hearing about it on Frugal Femina. I try to promote ShopAtHome.com whenever I can! If you’re going to be shopping anyway, why not get some cash back in the process? I am currently saving up money so I can buy a KitchenAid mixer at Target when I graduate from nursing school in May. I’ll definitely be going through ShopAtHome.com so I can get an even better deal!

What do you think is the best deal you’ve ever found?

My hubby appreciates the free meals out, of course! But the most fun deal was when I retweeted a random message on Twitter one day. I completely forgot about it, and then I got a message that I had won a $100 Home Depot gift card from ShopAtHome because of that tweet. That totally made my day, because we are building a house right now {as money allows, of course!}. I can definitely use that gift card. It was a great surprise.

If you could only give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting to coupon and save their money, what would it be?

Please don’t give up! My first month of couponing was the hardest. It took a bunch of time, and I just didn’t have a good system going. Once you learn what works best for you and how your local stores run sales, it will come much easier. It is totally worth it. Especially being able to help others learn how to coupon or to donate from your awesome stockpile! Using a service like The Frugal Map to find deals specific to your area helps, too.

Anything I’m forgetting? Let our readers know!

Well, since you mentioned it, I have to give myself a shameless plug! I’d love for everyone to go vote for me at www.mamavation.com. Just click on @FrugalFemina in the right-hand sidebar. I made it to the top 5, and they announce the final 2 on Thursday night, 1/21/10. You can vote daily, and I hope you will!