#dbest Featured Blogger – Melissa Austin

Welcome to a brand new feature here at D Best Of, our blogger spotlight. We feature the very best products for you every week, as well as the best of community. Now we’d like to share with you some of the best bloggers and their very favorite things. Our first featured blogger is Melissa Austin, a writer and mom. Get to know Melissa in her own words.

What is your blog’s name and URL?

I have a few different blogs. The first one is Crayons in my Dryer (http://crayonsinmydryer.blogspot.com) The next one is Diary of a Fat Mom (http://diaryfatmom.blogspot.com) and my business one is Melissa Austin (http://melissa-austin.blogspot.com)

What do you blog about?

Crayons in My Dryer is my mommy blog, as a stay at home mom of 4 kids (3 of them 4 and under). Life gets pretty interesting sometimes. I cover just about anything there.  Diary of a Fat Mom is my new weight loss blog. I am on a mission to lose 80 pounds and run the Chicago Marathon in 2011. My business blog is also new. I am an upcoming author, full time freelance writer, editor, and writing coach.

What are some of the ways you save money?

We buy groceries every two weeks. So I make a menu, then a grocery list. I make sure to purchase ingredients, instead of meals. Meaning I get more for my dollar is I buy noodles and cheese rather than buying a box. I use my crock pot ALOT. I also shop thrift stores. You can find new clothes for a fraction of the cost.

What kind of products most interest you?

I am a huge video game nut. So anything related to XBox360, Wii, or PC (World of Warcraft is my favorite.). I am also interested in anything for my children. Toys that help them learn, encourage social skills, motor skills, things like that. I am an avid reader, so books are always being bought. (Well, I just bought an e-reader, so they are being downloaded ALOT, LOL.)

What are the 3 main products you can’t live without?

My Blackberry. I just got one about two months ago, and I would be lost without it. My laptop. I am a writer, so all my files are here. My third would have to be my iPod. I use it when I am working out, or just want to drown out the noise in the house.

What is your favorite store for saving money?

Walmart. My husband is a manager there, so we get an additional discount. But even without it, they are pretty reasonable.

Where do you shop for bargains online?

Overstock.com, Walmart.com, and Amazon.com.

Tell us about the best deal you’ve ever scored on a product.

My laptop. It’s brand new, updated operating system, but it was returned with a scratch on the top (visible when it’s closed). So I got a 60% discount, then an additional 10% Walmart discount, so it was 70% off. I had a gift card from my birthday. So all told, I only spent $10.00 out of my pocket. It never hurts to check the open box table at places like Best Buy or Walmart. Just because it’s open doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Wow, what an amazing deal! Thank you so much, Melissa, for sharing your bargain hunting strategies with us. Visit her websites to learn more about her, especially if you’re a writer. Sounds like she has a lot of great information and knowledge. And don’t forget to follow her on Twitter, @melissa_austin.

About the author

Mary Davis wrote 33 articles on this blog.

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