Twitter Deals

The Topic: Tech Tips

The Dish: When you're on a tight budget, saving money can feel like a full-time job. Frugal living shouldn't be a constant worry, and I'm working on making my methods habit rather than chore (Yes, even I succumb to convenience-store snacking and weeknight events more than I should.) Thanks to fancy modern technology, finding a network of like-minded people is easier than ever. If you're a Twitter fan, like millions of other people, near-constant updates on hot deals and useful coupons has never been easier. I've briefly mentioned the benefits of Twitter before, but now I have to share a few great sources.

In addition to keeping up with the dribble of your favorite celebs and, more importantly, the latest news in veganism (from VN's lovely tweets to your favorite veg companies), there are a number of accounts devoted to tweeting savvy steals. Vegancoupons is a great place to start, doing the dirty work of weeding out the irrelevant, non-veg updates. Mambosprouts isn't exclusively veg, but for natural food products, it's a great resource. Ever seen those little coupon books at your local health food store? That's Mambo Sprouts, and they put out some great discounts on delicious veg products. HealthyLifeDeal also focuses on whole foods, including Trader Joe's tips, free Rice Dream, and more. Sign me up.

The Final Word: Frugal tweets are many on Twitter, on everything from travel deals to grocery steals. A little digging can help you find lots of amazing resources, and a quick "follow" guarantees reliable updates. Just remember to check it daily! And by daily, I mean every five minutes, because it's crazy addictive. Are you a twitter fiend? Who are your favorite tweeters?

Shopping for Sea Shepherd

The Topic: Money Well Spent

The Dish: When I'm in the mood for shopping and low on cash, you know I'm a fan of buying (or swapping) second-hand. Which means when I found out about SOS Thrift, I was pretty ecstatic. An online thrift store you can both buy from and "sell" to, SOS is ran by four Etsy members set on raising funds for the horrific Gulf oil spill. All profits go to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, who are planning to send one of their ships to the Gulf and assist in rescuing marine life, which is a huge, challenging, and expensive job.

As far as the online selection, it's a mix of gently used items donated by shoppers (who in turn receive 25 percent off their next purchase) and new items that run a bit more price-wise, like this adorable handmade "respect, protect" turtle necklace. If you have a dog in your family, there's currently It's A Vegan Dog's Life for sale, which is a great resource, whether or not your dog is completely veg—including lots of great, easy recipes. New items are always being added, but there's already some great finds available. Oh, and a great steal? This never-used, certified-vegan Arbonne face masque for only $2—it retails for $18.

The Final Word: If you don't feel like acquiring more stuff but still want to help, you can still make a donation to Sea Shepherd, if you're able. But if there's anything on SOS you've been looking for, it's a win-win for everyone.

Bonus: Heads up—Matt & Nat will be on discount site Rue La La tomorrow, which I'm hoping means deep discounts on fancy bags! If you've been looking to splurge but still want to save money, check it out.