Just over four years ago I started writing this site, even as I wondered (a) if anyone would care and (b) whether I could keep it up.
The answer was “yes” on both counts. Sort of.
I haven’t got the huge fan base and influence of a “name” blogger, and there have been times when I was too overwhelmed by my paying jobs to devote enough time to my avocation.
If I had more readers I could turn the site into what the kids call a serious alternate income source. It does make some money, but nowhere close to a living wage. More to the point, I’d like more followers because, well, what writer wouldn’t?
It’s not enough to think you have something to say. You need readers to hear it – and, with luck, to comment on/debate your points.
Of course that requires having something to say consistently. Long stretches of inactivity turn people off. I squirm to think of the weeks when the only things I put up were giveaways and maybe one small green-vegetable post. But I was simply too busy and too tired to do much more during those times.
At least I didn’t quit altogether. And since I passed the one-million mark in March, some readers didn’t give up, either. (See “Couldn’t have done it without you,” above.)
Personal finance, personal examples
Fortunately, things change. My personal life veered off into a new and entirely delightful direction. My professional life is morphing, too: I quit one part-time writing job (Get Rich Slowly) and both changed and cut back on my main gig at MSN Money, and have begun to do more writing for women’s magazines.
Still detoxing, so to speak, from the dead-run of the past eight years. That is, I’m using some my newfound free time to take deep breaths and long walks, hang out with friends, operate Café Awesome, see some plays and the occasional midnight movie, and generally try to figure out that work-life balance thing.
Haven’t got it knocked yet, but I’m sure enjoying the process.
Looking back, I can see how the mix of personal finance and lifeitsownself has shifted. Initially I thought it had to be mostly PF because that’s where I felt I could do the most good. Lately I’m seeing that personal examples are as important as personal finance. Judging from the comments, my attempts at living life well and fully are at least as instructive as my recipe for garbage soup.
I know that my blog traffic would go much higher much faster if I maximized search engine optimization potential, guest-posted nonstop at other blogs and spent hours every day on social media. All of that takes time and focus, which I haven’t had.
It also takes inclination, which I may never get. How much time do I really want to spend on self-promotion? Not enough to make myself even moderately famous or influential, apparently.
A culture of relentlessness
Oh, I think about it, especially when I see people with mediocre writing skills put forth as expert bloggers. Which I suppose they are: They’ve figured out how to sell the sizzle rather than the steak. I confess that this does rankle from time to time. But if it bothered me enough, I’d do something about it.
Then again, most of those bloggers are in their 20s and 30s. I’m in my mid-50s and ready to back a few steps away from a culture of relentlessness. Now that I’ve had a glimpse of how lovely life can be I’d like to slow down and savor it. Specifically, I want that life to be about more than simply lurching from deadline to deadline.
That doesn’t mean I’ll be rocking on a front porch any time soon. Retirement isn’t an option this point, or maybe ever. Right now I still have all the work I want and family issues to attend.
Balance, dammit, balance. I’m going to set the Cruise Control of Life on “amble” and seeing what happens. Hope you’ll stay with me for the ride.
A few thanks are in order:
First and foremost, to Eli Natan of Promoting Group, a “boutique” Internet marketing company based in Los Angeles. He’s the one who got me started and who also hosted the site for the first two years. Bless you, Eli, for giving me the pants-kick that I needed. May you live to be 1,000 and people the Earth with your offspring, if that’s the sort of thing that interests you.
To the readers, naturally: I appreciate your attention more than I can say.
To my daughter, Abigail Perry, who’s been blogging for nearly five years despite life challenges that would have made me want to lie down and scream. She’s offered advice and provided an example sticktoitiveness that I greatly admire. Abby is among the world’s top five brainstormers, and the number-one daughter in the universe.
To Crystal at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff: She helps me get ads on my site. Bless her heart. If you’ve got a blog and want to make money from it, see the “Crystal for Hire Advertising Services” section of the above link.
And, of course, to DF – friend, lover, court musician, fellow frugalist, staff poet, personal chef, pun buddy. Thank you, dearest companion, for the gift of delight.
Happy anniversary! You’ve built a great audience here, and kudos for all your success. And you know I’m a big fan.
Many thanks, Jersey Boy. Maybe I’ll see you this summer when I’m visiting my dad; will also be in New York City, which may be easier to arrange.
Been reading you for ages and followed you here. Keep it up. Thanks.
Wow. Four years! Congratulations and happy anniversary… I look forward to many more 🙂
Happy Anniversary. I read what I believe was your first article and was hooked for life. It was something about living on $6000/yr or maybe not, maybe living on less than minimum wage. Even if you have a dry spell or get busy, I still watch for your writing and keep you on my blog roll.
The young’ns who get lots of traffic are attracting youth who only read and relate to the young only because they don’t trust or think older people can relate. I am quite sure that if you advertised you were 25-yrs-old, the young would flock to you.
That was probably “Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year,” a piece that led to my starting the MSN Money Smart Spending blog, which led to my becoming a personal finance columnist, which led to my starting the MSN Money Frugal Nation blog, which has led back to writing for Smart Spending. As Mr. Twain says, history doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme.
If I wrote about pop culture more I might get floods of readers. If I accepted sponsored posts I’d make a lot more money. But I think I’ll just keep doing what I do.
Balance-a perfect word!
I’ll never leave you even with the restraining order. 😉
Donna – I’ve been following your blog for probably 3 of your 4 years. I know I found you fairly early on, but I don’t remember how.
Don’t change! 🙂 I love your blog. I love the laidbackness of it (yes I just made up that word). I love the blend of real life and financial wisdom and rambling thoughts. I’ve loved reading about your life as you’ve moved to Alaska and built a life with your DF. I enjoy reading about charred toast as much as I do about investing for retirement. 🙂
So congrats on 4 years of blogging and I hope there are many more!!
Thanks, Kara…Here’s hoping that the lifeitsownself vibe continues to draw interest.
Happy Anniversary, Donna! I’ve been with you from the beginning and I intend to stay for the duration. Middle-aged women ROCK!
You are both awesome *and* famous (on the internet). I knew who you were before you had the blog or wrote a single thing for GRS. (Why? Because you were always one of the few things worth clicking, the others being Liz Pulliam Weston and that one other lady who did the Women in Red or whatever it was– I’d recognize her name, on MSN whenever I opened up IE instead of Mozilla, not having set the default page on IE.)
Keep up the good work! (And your fanbase would never say no to more posts.)
That was MP Dunleavey, who now is at the Daily Worth and writes a monthly column for Woman’s Day.
Thanks for your kind words, and for leaving consistently thoughtful comments.
YES. I knew there was a D in there somewhere.
I’m a newbie, but I’m glad I found the blog. I have read you on MSN Money and a forum. Plan to keep reading.
Congratulations, Donna.
I like the fact that you live life and work on your own terms. And by doing so, you have so much to share with us. I’ve learned many tips from you and many great recipes.
Here’s to another 4, or 8 or ??
You are entertaining and original and a teacher. I like all of you I have experienced so far.
Huh? All this time I thought you were famous!
Hardly! But thanks.
Congratulations, Donna!
Congratulations and Best Wishes from your #1 Fan! 🙂
Happy Anniversary!!! 4 years, yay!!! I am so happy to have met you and to be able to read as you go along!
Thanks, Crystal. Hope to see you again at the Financial Blogger Conference in September….?
Happy Anniversary! Congratulations! You’ve had me as a reader ever since you wrote the article ‘Surviving and Thriving on $12,000’….always looking forward to what you have to say.
Can’t believe it is ONLY 4 years. We must have met shortly after you started to blog (downtown Chicago -you were in for a blogger event & stying at a local hostel).
All the best in the future & keep on blogging, at least somewhere.
Yep. That was the first SaveUp conference. Tempus fugit, huh?
Congratulations and best wishes, Donna! You always make sense. Just the other night, DH was talking about getting a new lawn mower, and I suggested we look on Craigslist. We now have a line on 2 lawn mowers, both in fine shape, and both well under $400. Just reading your blog saved me the equivalent of the monthly cable/internet/phone bill. Thanks, and many more “amblin’ happy” years. xo
Nice! Craigslist can be a real boon if you know what you’re doing. Even if it needed a tune-up you’d have saved enough money to do that right away.
I will always be a fan fellow Jerseyan. Your insights on the reality of life,imperfections and general messiness of even the best laid plans keep me inspired.
Right about what moves you and I will gladly read.
Congrats on 4 years!
Oh God that should say ‘write’
We South Jersey folk have to stick together. 🙂
Congrats….4 years…it seems just like yesterday.Your short “movie” is still on you tube showing you picking stones out of beans…it’s a hoot!
Yeah, I know…All four of the ones I made are still floating around out there. I think I sound like a doofus, though.
Thanks for being such a consistent commenter.
Big fan of you and your daughter’s “I Pick Up Pennies”. Keep living casually.
I think you are a very accomplished woman and deserve a huge pat on the back. Let us know when you have a magazine article coming out so we can get it!
I’ve got one in Woman’s Day this month, on “microjobs.” I wouldn’t say it’s great writing, though. (Hint: that particular feature is extremely formatted.) I’ll have another one in Woman’s Day in July (I think) and one in All You magazine fairly soon.
Thanks for your interest.
Happy Anniversary, Donna. I found your articles about 3-4 years ago and have enjoyed reading about your adventures ever since. You are living my dream (writing your blog and articles). I love the new look of Surviving and Thriving – you are doing a great job. I also enjoy Abby’s blog over at I Pick Up Pennies; she’s a real inspiration and you should be proud. One day when my hubby and I get up to see the Northern Lights, which is on my short-term bucket list, I will look for you to find the best frugal watering holes for eating and drinking. Wishing you many more happy years of blogging and writing!
Do it during the first weekend in December, so you can attend the Talkeetna Bachelors Auction and Wilderness Woman Competition! My niece and I saw some very nice aurora there last year. After that you could book a trip to Fairbanks, where the aurora-watching is primo. Just keep it in mind…
Thanks for your kind words, and for leaving a comment.
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!
I found your articles and blog a long time ago and have shared them with many co-workers, family and friends. You have inspired more people than you know by your outlook and determination. And yes, we make “garbage soup” too!
Here’s to many more years of growth, happiness and articles!!
Stay frugal, my friends!
Happy Anniversary! Congratulations! You had me hooked since “Surviving and Thriving”, but then I lost you for a while. Thank goodness I found you here! You are part of my PC life, and I always look forward to reading your thoughts and musings!
Congratulations on the anniversary! And for figuring out what works for you instead of doing what everyone else says you should!
“…figuring out what works for you instead of doing what everyone else says you should.”
Let’s all do that, shall we?
Congrats on your anniversary. Love reading what you write, and hope you continue to share your life with us! I look forward to each of your posts, as they bring inspiration to me each time I read them. Mostly, you help me remember to enjoy life and all the delights along the way!
What a kind thing to say, Renee. Thank you.
Congratulations!! FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!
Snort.
Congrats! Love your writing and anxiously await your posts-I too thought you were already famous….so here’s to fame and fortune if that’s what you want-Yay YOU! I’ll be with you for four more and four more and….
Not fame for the sake of fame, but for the chance to share thoughts with more readers. A little more fortune wouldn’t hurt a thing, either.
Thanks for your kind words, and for leaving a comment.
Thank you for sharing your journey; four years are only the top of the mountain we see after your climb, your personal journey. Would you ever consider writing a book or memoir of your journey? You are an excellent writer and I sincerely hope that one day there will be a book!
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
Happy Anniversary, Donna! I know what you mean about being too busy for blogging. My life is like that, too. And I only have one blog to deal with. Keep up the good work. Your posts are great reading and I will be with you as long as you are here.
First “met” you on MSN Money, and admired your spirit as well as your writing/advice. I have a life, thankyouverymuch, so don’t spend oodles of time online. Had not realized you’d begun this blog, but you’re now on my Favorites Bar.
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!!!
Welcome! Hope you’ll browse around. (Hint: More of those “spirit” articles can be found under the Popular Posts button at the top of the site.)
Wow! Has it really been 4 years already? I guess blogs are a bit like children…they help you realize that the years are flying by. Wishing you continued success. I do look forward to reading your newest posts.
Exactly! My niece is about to turn 40 and I can only say, “Huh? But she was just born last week! While I was in high school!”
Thanks for your good wishes.
I think you are doing a great job, Donna. I like your writing style — I find it easy to “hear” your voice, a sign of a true writer if you ask me. Keep up the good work, and happy anniversary!!
Congratulations!
I always feel so very much at home on your website. There’s so much to enjoy, because it ranges from thoughtprovoking to funny (often even both). I love your posts on small things like how to cook with a slow-cooker just as much as your posts on the more important stuff. I think you should write a book, with tips on personal finance and being satisfied with less. An e-book, if you insist on keeping it digital.
What a nice thing to say, that you always feel very much at home. Thank you!
Happy Anniversary! I’ve seen you at MSN, Money Talks, and Get Rich Slowly. Love your posts. I appreciate that you’re trying for a balanced life. Thanks for all your insight.
Happy 4-year anniversary, Donna! You’re a fantastic writer and I look forward to another 4+4+4+4 years of reading you …
Thanks, ma’am.
Congrats! Four years is a long time in the blog world! I hear you on there being times where there simply is not enough time to write or publicize. I’m going through that myself and and struggling, but determined, to keep the Wise Dollar going!
Very special day for you. Celebrating with you. The past few days I have overdosed on all the archives from years past. Happy now to being up to date at least month wise. Stand Tall!!
You read all the archives?!? Wow. Thanks for your interest!