I know, I know—you’re sick of hearing how Twitter is the next big thing, right? I won’t try to talk you into tweeting or engage you in a hashtag discussion. Twitter has quickly become my favorite social network, but I’m not going to say it has to be yours. I will, however, let you know exactly how to use it for big savings, even if you never tweet!

In general, Twitter is a conversation.

It’s different than Facebook in that you won’t be bombarded with pillow fight requests or have to read things other people say to your friends, unless you choose to follow them. If the conversation doesn’t interest you, how about exclusive coupons & deals? Many brands, services & retailers use Twitter for broadcasting.

In fact, the Inexpensively Twitter is a broadcast feed. We will answer relevant questions & respond to our followers, but we’re primarily focused on sharing deals & money saving tips we find. Sometimes, we just need a single, quick line to offer a little extra advice. Twitter’s 140 character limit is perfect for quick tips, deal reminders or sharing info from fellow frugal bloggers.

How To Save Big on Twitter:

1. Sign-up for an account: You don’t have to use it, but it’s always nice to secure your favorite username, just in case. Even without an account, you can check out our Twitter feed on the front page.
2. Add a picture: It doesn’t have to be a photo of you, but you need this to set you apart from the (unfortunate) spam some users find. A new user with zero posts and no pictures tends to send up red flags, causing some people to block you automatically.
3. Follow Inexpensively: (Shameless plug!) We share links, advice, deals and reminders so you can live the life you want within your budget. Our IT guy also has an account, for alerting you to updates, changes or downtime.
4. Find your favorite brands: A quick search for your favorite brands, stores and local attractions will be your ticket to coupons, deals & exclusive offers. Check out their homepage for links to their account or use Twitter’s search feature to find & follow users. (You can also start with our lists.)
5. Consider adding your mobile number: If you add a cell phone to your account, you will have the option of allowing Twitter to send SMS messages—text alerts with tweets from your favorite businesses! This works best with an unlimited text messaging plan; otherwise, you’ll pay for each message your phone receives. Some accounts have heavier volume than others—we average around 5-10 per weekday.

Now, sit back, watch the deals fall into your lap and prepare to get sucked in! I resisted heavily, then began using Twitter only for Inexpensively. Today, my personal account is one of the top 100 tweeters in Indiana. That’s a few more than 5 per day. Oops.