Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanitria Blake.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started couponing when I was in high school (25 years ago). My mom was having surgery and my stepdad asked me to get some things from the grocery store while he was picking her up from the hospital. I can’t remember exactly how I got coupons but I clipped some and took them to the grocery store and I was so excited to come home and show my parents the receipt where I saved money with coupons. After that, I didn’t coupon again until 2007, I wanted to save money and I lived in Texas then and the grocery store there (Krogers) allowed coupons to double and triple. I loved getting so many things for free or super cheap.
In 2015, I was back to couponing and decided I would post a video on YouTube to show some people how to coupon at CVS. A lot of people were telling me it was hard to coupon there and I thought it was easy. I created a YouTube account and posted the video not thinking much of it. A few months later, I decided to post another video of some things I got at Kroger and from there, we are here today. My YouTube channel started getting more views and subscribers and here we are today. I became a well-known YouTuber with over 20 million views, over 116,000 subscribers and also a YouTube plaque. It’s been my proudest accomplishment.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
YouTube has definitely not been a smooth road. Of course, I love YouTube and the reward I get out of it #1 is being able to help so many families across the world save money and come out of a financial rut just by watching my videos. When you are deciding to open up your life on camera, it comes with a lot of sacrifice and you have to be ready for that. You have to make sure you are ready to work hard 24/7 because you want to succeed with your passion of helping others. You have to learn how to tune out the negativity that you may get in comments (and some things can make you cry) and keep pushing. I had to work my full-time job, which was 40 hours a week, plus run my YouTube channel and continue to be a full-time mom to my four children. YouTube is a job of consistency and making sure your content is up daily and keeping your audience entertained. I always say “Nothing worth having comes easy and my YouTube is worth having so I keep working”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a well-known YouTuber, “Couponing With Toni.” I help people all over the world save money by couponing. Most people think it’s hard and don’t have the time for it, however, I show you how easy it is to save $20 with digital coupons just by having the apps to your favorite stores you shop at. I am from Houston, Texas and recently moved to Orlando. I lived in Texas when Hurricane Harvey hit and tore up my city. We were completely underwater and it was horrible. Because I was a “famous” YouTuber, I was able to share what was going on in Houston to my fans. I had no idea that I would get thousands of dollars in donations, as well as having an entire school district from Oklahoma drive down to Texas to donate school supplies, clothing, etc. to a local school.
I couldn’t believe the impact I had to be able to accomplish this just by being on camera every week with so many people watching. With all of the monetary donations I received along with everything my fans sent, I drove out to different flooded areas and handed out supplies to people who had lost everything. I cried knowing I could be able to help so many families and I THANK YOUTUBE SO MUCH FOR THIS. I would say what sets me apart from others is that I am very authentic; what you see on camera is what you get from me in person. My fans always tell me how they relate to me because not only do I coupon, I also share some of my personal struggles on camera. I never knew how many emails I would get that would be so supportive and thanking me for sharing my personal life because it helps them know there is light at the end of the tunnel with whatever you may be going through.
What’s next?
I hope that I can have an impact on Orlando just as I did back home in Houston, Texas. I hope to be able to form new relationships with others in the community so that I can always give back. I am looking forward to my new journey as I now call Orlando, Florida, “Home.” YouTube has opened the door for me with so many opportunities and I have my heart set on a clothing line and tying it in with my couponing.
Contact Info:
- Email: couponingwithtoni@gmail.clom
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/couponingwithtoni/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCniXLy3Sc3YUsrKGZ3mtE6Q
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/couponwithtoni
