Welcome to the new Common Cents blog, written by Mike Belt and Shanxi Upsdell.Belt will write about a variety of consumer economic subjects and how they are affecting people’s pocketbooks and bank accounts. He also will write longer, more in-depth stories in print and online.Upsdell will write mostly about how to save money while living in this town.A note to the readers: This blog also is meant to serve as a springboard for story ideas from the community. This is a journey for all of us, and we welcome your constructive feedback. You can e-mail Mike or Shanxi with any story ideas you have.And now, a little about each of us:Mike has more than 20 years of experience as a journalist, mostly as a reporter covering a variety of beats for northeast Kansas newspapers. A native Kansan, he grew up in Columbus in the southeastern corner of the state.As an immigrant to the United States, Shanxi has always felt more conscious about money matters than many of her peers. She experienced the strength of the U.S. dollar firsthand when her overseas currency lost half of its value as soon as her family entered the country.She still feels like a newbie to the Lawrence scene. She commuted from Kansas City during her four-year stint at Kansas University, and she’s interested in what Lawrencians can divulge to her – a former New Zealander who just happened to land in Kansas!