A Little About Me

Before I start wowing you with my simple tricks to living well while being...well, economically disabled... I thought I should share a little about who I am, how I know what I know, and what I'll be blogging about.

I am an almost-quarter century college student at Towson University in Baltimore. I got my A.S. degree from Hagerstown Community College and just moved to the city after years of living between a cornfield and a mall. I started my college career at the age of 22, a bit behind the curve but much more attentive to my schoolwork because of my years away. This age group is relatively unique: most of the "returning students" are over the age of 25, and most of the first time students are around 18. My age has allowed me to thrive in a gray area between the two ages: I'm old enough to know what life is like in the "grown up" world of rent, car payments, and work; but I also identify with the popular culture, fads, and sense of humor of the younger group. At HCC I was able to use this middle ground to reach out to other students by running workshops for resume building and job hunting skills, developing new clubs and joining established ones, and having fun hanging out with students several years younger than me. A lot of times I forget how old I am! This is a very fun place to be: I get to have all the fun of a younger student while having the responsibilities and the knowledge to life live as an adult.

I moved out of my parents' when I was eighteen and lived with roommates and on my own before moving back in 2008 to return to school. Saddled with a car payment, a cell phone bill, and all the other trappings of being a "grown up," I was unable to fulfill my dream of returning to college without the support of my parents. Because of their dedication, I was able to earn scholarships and fund my transition to a four year. Last month, I moved out of my parents' and into my own apartment about 10 minutes away from my new campus. While the financial prospect is slightly brighter than it was two years ago, I am still definitely a poor college student (or a poor writer in a garret, depending on my current outlook). I also have expensive taste! I like nice things, I like environmentally responsible things, and I don't always have the money to buy what I want. I am the type of girl who would rather go without than get a cheap version of something I really really want. To counteract this, I have learned to be creative and to plan ahead. In this blog I'll share with you tips and tricks to make your lives easier, cheaper, and more sensible. Most Americans really overspend for convenience items that are bad for you, bad for the environment, and cheaper than homemade alternatives. But I'm also a little lazy, so this blog isn't going to have you working from dawn to dusk just to save a few bucks!


If you have questions or suggestions, want to yell at me for my grammar, or get more information on anything I mention here, please email me at acengland85@gmail.com. I don't claim to be an expert in anything and my advice and recommendations are purely based on my experiences, so feel free to enlighten me if I'm wrong!