Allow me to Reintroduce Myself

So, this is my first entry of the newly revamped, and renamed savings blog. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Janah, a 26 year old college graduate and mother of two. I live a very frugal lifestyle; although just looking at me you would not know it. I've been shopping thrift stores, using coupons, and hitting garage sales since the age of 19, and I love it. I started all of this out of need. I made too much to qualify for foodstamps and any other government assistance, but really too little to get by on like many "middle class" people as we're classified. I took to the internet as that was my second home(My degree is in Computer Engineering) to find ways to save money, and more importantly make my dollar go further.

In 2002 I found The Grocery Game. The Grocery Game, (herein known as TGG) was my first look into the world of couponing on the major level. Back then the grocery game was a much smaller site and had a smaller following. Today, TGG has a "list" in every state for just about every store you can imagine. The trial was $1, and for $1 I would've probably spent on McDonalds I decided to give it a try for those 4 weeks. Since I was already using coupons on a small scale, and understood the meaning and value of a coupon I caught on really quick. My first deal was at a store called Winn-Dixie. It was on the Campbell's Homestyle Bakes and Corolina Pride lunch meat. I was able to get around $100 worth of name brand groceries from Winn-Dixie for around $20. From that point on I knew I had to do grocery shopping like this on a much larger scale. This is called stockpiling. So, I started my stockpile and have not looked back since.

Today I no longer use TGG, but I am active on their message boards as there are some great things to be found there. Not to mention it is like a large family. Everyone understands why you have 10 tubes of toothpaste, or 20 boxes of cereal, and they even cheer you on. Instead of using TGG I find it more fun to actually find most of the deals myself via my grocery stores online shopping section. I grew from a small Family Dollar accordian style coupon folder to a zippered 3 ring binder with baseball card pages. I've also expanded my message board life and view several daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Aquiring multiple coupons for an item is something many people find hard to do. Each message board I visit plays a different part in my frugal lifestyle. I will expand on the message boards in a separate entry.

Where does the name of my blog come from? Obviously I've already explained the frugal part, but let me explain the urban part, and why it was important to have it as part of the blog name. Being urban does not being black or a minority as many people believe. Although, I do fall in that catagory as do many urban people. Being urban simply means living in a city. Because many people have the misconception that urban is being black or a minority I felt it was a good word to use in my blog to attract my target demographic. My blog is catered towards the younger crowd, the late teens just starting out on their own up to the early 30's. The ones that want to learn how to save money, but don't really know where to start. We all want to wear and have nice things, but if we can get them for a fraction of the price then why not? Many urban people do not know where to begin, thus this blog is here.

I will be moving into my new place and have NOTHING. Literally nothing so you will be starting fresh with me. I like it this way since my main goal is to show people they can look and feel like they're living the exspensive life without aquiring it the exspensive way. Each shopping trip will be documented via this blog and pictures, so feel free to grow with me. I was going to wait until February 1st to actually start this blog since I will officially be in my new place. But, I decided to go ahead and get all the boring stuff out of the way while I only have 1 or two followers, that when when someone does find me via whatever method they use they will have good entries already documenting my savings and how I do it. I can read/listen to someone say things all day long, but it's not real until I see it myself. Renovations will still take place during this time, and some days you may come here and wonder what is going on, but rest assured it will all be on point come February 1st. I hope you still around and grow with me. Please feel free to ask me ANYTHING and I will try my best to answer, or point you in the right direction.