Today Little House from Little House in the Valley and I are exchanging question and answer posts. Little House has a great financial blog with a focus on her love for little houses!

After you read her answers here, go over to her site and read my answers. And while you’re at her site, take a look around and subscribe to her blog!

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I own about 7 pairs, but I usually wear 2 pairs religiously. Well, okay really one pair. They are my Keen H2 shoes. In the summer, I end up with stripes on my feet, like a zebra, from where the sun touched them. In the winter, I wear them with socks. I love my goofy looking shoes, and surprisingly I get lots of comments on them. They are really comfortable, but not at all stylish.

Do you use coupons?

I just started using coupons, and I love 'em! Just the other day I bought $50 worth of coupons for cat food for $18 on eBay. I walked out of the grocery store spending $36 on 5 bags of cat food that would have regularly cost me $96.00! Even after spending the $18 purchasing the coupons, I still saved about $42.

If you had $1000 to spend right now, and you could not put it toward debt or save it, you HAD to spend it, what would you buy yourself?

A new bike. Don't get me wrong, I love my current bike. However, it is fairly heavy. A lighter model would be great, especially on windy days or riding uphill.

How many checking accounts do you have?

Three, but not because I want this many. My husband and I have two business accounts and one personal. However, I really only use one of our business accounts for all purchases and deposits, it just makes my life easier this way. My least favorite thing to do is reconcile the bank accounts, so keeping only one of them in constant use makes this slightly easier for me.

Name one of your financial goals for 2010 (that you want to complete by the end of the year).

My goal this year is to save at least $20,000 towards a down payment on a house. This seems like a lofty goal, but if I can even make it to the 50% mark toward the completion of this goal, I'll be looking good.

Any thoughts on the state of our (United States of America's) economy?

Ugh! This is probably one of the worst financial downturn's that I can remember. I know there have been a few other recessions during my adulthood, but I don't remember them lasting so long, or affecting so many people that I know. It's easy to say that the housing market was the cause of our economic woes, but I really think there were some underlying problems within our economy and our own psyches. For instance, the fact that banks were lending copious amounts of money to anyone with a pulse was poor judgment. The average American's consumer debt skyrocketed over the past decade due to this easy lending cycle. I think many people learned a lesson about credit and consumption. Unfortunately it was learned the hard way.

Do you drink Starbucks or regular coffee? Or do you not drink coffee at all?

My one addiction is Starbucks! I've really tried to curtail my spending in other areas and have gotten my daily purchase at Starbucks as low as I can (around $2.50 per day). I know it is a frivolous expense, but it's the one thing I just can't go without.

Thank you, Little House!   Now go on over to Little House in the Valley, read my answers to the same questions and take a look around!