Blog post number 100. I’m not sure how I got here since starting the blog back in July, but I guess it pays off to be strict about posting every Monday and Friday without fail, with an occasional Wednesday for good measure. Instead of writing a post where I go over just my thoughts about blogging these first one hundred posts, I decided to turn it over to others and answer their questions instead.
20 Questions: Blogging Q&A
1. How has your life changed since staring your blog? – Operation Husband Rescue
Blogging has made me hyper aware of my spending habits to a degree I’ve never experienced before. I felt like we have always been “frugal,” but we had some pretty big holes in our budget that I always just explained away. The accountability factor of being transparent online is great motivation to do better. The more people who read my posts, the more I feel like I have to be completely honest because I don’t want to make anything seem easier/harder than it’s really been.
2. Any obstacles or fun stories from being obsessed with constantly publishing? – Elementum Money
To be honest, I don’t feel like I’m “always publishing.” I only write maybe 2-3 days a week, and the rest of my blogging time is spent on the “fun” part of interacting with everyone and reading other blogs. I think it helps me a lot not to feel like I have to write every day.
3. Do you ever feel like every other blogger around you is writing so well, and you are not? I feel that constantly. – Countdown To Tranquillity
I felt this most strongly when I was competing in the Rockstar Rumble, especially in my last round when I made it to the final 16. Tawcan is an incredible blogger and I definitely felt some imposter syndrome going up against him. I’m usually pretty happy with what I write though, and I feel like I’ve improved a lot since I started blogging.
4. Where do you find inspiration normally and where do you find it when you’re feeling uninspired? – She Picks Up Pennies
I keep a huge list of blog ideas in my draft posts that are usually just a sentence or two about a specific idea that I think I’d like to write about (usually from conversations I’ve had or other posts I’ve read). When it comes time to write another post, I pick one of the list if I don’t have something particular I’m inspired to write about. Sometimes I’ll get a paragraph or two in, and if the words aren’t flowing, I’ll send that post back to drafts and pick another one that I’m feeling that day.
5. How has blogging helped you in your professional life & career? –Making Momentum
I do a bit of writing / creating informational documents for work, and my work has improved a lot with the practice I’ve gotten from blogging. For example, I had a 7 page proposition paper I had to write for our City Council, and it looked / flowed a lot better thanks to my blogging skills. Blogging (and podcasting) about why I don’t necessarily want to retire early also helps to remind me on the days that work is dragging WHY I care so much about my career.
6. How has your purpose / mission / reason for blogging changed since you started? – PF Geeks
I started out blogging mostly just for me – to have an outlet to talk to other people about personal finance beyond when most people’s eyes glaze over, as well as a place to keep myself accountable with our spending and savings goals. I’d say those parts are certainly still there, but as I’ve begun to reach more people, I really want to be an inspiration to people when it comes to their finances. The very best comments and emails I get are from people who have changed some part of their financial life because of something I’ve written. This goes for people in real life as well – I’ve had two different friends increase their 401k contributions from conversations we’ve had, which is so totally awesome.
7. How do you produce so many posts and still find balance in your life, especially with a kid? – The Luxe Strategist
To start with, I actually only write maybe 5 hours a week, so writing posts isn’t a huge chunk of my time. I tend to write my Monday post on the weekends during nap time because that’s the one that takes a bit more time (and usually I’ve jotted down somewhat of a basic outline during the week previous). My Friday post is really quick and fun to write, so that usually takes less than an hour altogether. Since it’s a round up of frugal things I’ve done during the week, all it takes is to recap my days, and since I’ve lived them, the words tend to flow.
I also don’t proofread or edit my posts, so that saves a ton of time as well. I do occasionally have a spelling error or mistype in there because of it, so I really appreciate when someone points it out to me! This means my posts might not be perfectly polished, but I’d rather have them published than sit in my drafts forever until they’re perfect. Oh, and 95% of the time I write on my phone, so I’ll write a bit whenever I have a little down time. I’m the kind of person who just can’t sit still, so that helps too 😉
8. What’s your favorite post of the 100? – Kiwi And Keweenaw
That’s a hard one, but I think I would have to pick The Women Of The Financial Independence Movement for its impact as a whole on the personal finance community and how it’s launched separate discussions because of it. Plus I absolutely love how many referrals it sends to other fabulous female bloggers.
9. At what point did you feel as if you were no longer writing to the void? – The Financial Freedom Project
Not until at least a few months in. I had a few views, but very few (or no) comments on most of what I posted. Thanks to sharing occasionally on Facebook, I’d have some people read what I’d posted, but there weren’t many who would come back to read more. I’m glad I wasn’t out to make a lot of money / have a ton of views because it would have been really discouraging.
Thanks to the urging from Military Dollar, I joined Twitter in November and I finally felt I had found my “tribe.” Even now, the number of comments I get on my posts are way more exciting than the overall number of views. Blogging is way more fun as a community, and the back and forth is something I really love.
10. What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give to new bloggers just starting out? – Spills Spot
Just write and publish, even if you don’t feel like your post is absolutely “perfect.” Your writing will get better over time and you’ll get into the habit of writing, which makes it easier to keep going (at least for me). Starting out, I was worried I’d run out of ideas to write about, but the longer I write, the more ideas I have. Also, connect with the blogging community. Read and comment on other blogs. Create friendships. It’s the community that makes blogging a worthwhile endeavor.
11. When you look back on your time as a blogger, what is your proudest achievement? – The Smart FI
I’d have to answer this similarly to my answer about my favorite post. I didn’t realize at the time I published it how important it was to have a personal finance blogroll specific to women. Now that it’s out there, I realize what a big deal it is, and I’m proud that my blog has become a hub for lifting up female voices.
12. What do you enjoy most about blogging? What do you like least about blogging? – Minivan Adventures
Like I’ve said up above, the people and the community are hands down the best part, as well as feeling like I’m making an impact on other people’s lives. My least favorite part is definitely the technical side of things. There’s so much I’d like to do to improve the look and feel of my site but I still struggle with the basics. If money was no object, I’d pay someone to do it for me 😉
13. Is there anything you are doing now you wish you had implemented earlier? – Auditing Myself
Hands down, this would be to share my blog in real life sooner. Since I’ve gotten more public with my blog, I’ve had some awesome conversations that I never would have had without that lead in. I hesitated sharing because I didn’t feel confident about my writing, but I now realize that everyone has a story to tell, and writing doesn’t have to be perfect right off the bat.
14. How has blogging changed your perspective (on life)? – The Give and Get
Blogging has forced me to really think about my “why.” Writing out our goals for the year – and the reasoning for our pursuit of financial independence – makes me look closely at our life to make sure I’m on the track I want to be. It’s so easy to just let life happen and have the years slip away from you, but blogging has helped to force me to stop and consider where we’re at and why we’re here (and if we actually want to be).
15. What’s the most surprising/unexpected thing that’s happened to you as a result of blogging? – Wise Mind Money
Just last week, I was added to the Your Money Or Your Life website’s resource page as one of her favorite blogs. I’m still a little star struck that she knows my blog at all, let alone the fact that she apparently loves it. A little intimidating as well though as I continue to write, because I want to live up to that honor.
16. Did you write a post you thought would resonate with people but didn’t? And vice versa. Was there a post you weren’t sure people would like but they loved? – LifeZemplified
I expected my post on why I don’t want to retire to do better than it did. Perhaps I need a catchier title? Or maybe it’s just that my blog hadn’t gotten much attention at the time I wrote it. Or maybe it was just boring 😉 Whatever the reason, it was a post I was fired up about and it didn’t seem to get much interest.
On the flip side, I hesitated for a long time before writing about my recent hearing loss. I’m not someone to be bothered by other people’s opinions in general, but there was something about going partially deaf in my 20s that felt really bad and like something I needed to hide. I was blown away by the response, and I feel less alone in this now that I realize how many people are going about life with invisible handicaps.
17. If you had to start a second blog on a different topic what would that topic be? – Smile and Conquer
The upside of writing a more broad “lifestyle” type blog than most personal finance bloggers is that I don’t really feel like there is much I can’t write about. I already write about running, cooking, gardening, our pets, the environment, and my family, and those are the things I’m most passionate about. Thinking about it though, it could be fun to write a blog about what I do for work – specifically affordable green building.
18. If you could pick only one blog post for your son to read in 20 years, which would it be? – Financial Pilgrimage
That would be one of my earliest posts actually. It might not be the best written, but the content is there. I’d want him to know that we put in a lot of thought on how we wanted our lives to be and how to raise him. We may have given up a considerable amount of income for it, but I wouldn’t change the general shape of our lives at all. I hope I can pass that sentiment on to him – that if your life is wildly different than you’d want it to be if money was no object, then do what you can to shape that life now.
19. What was your favorite source of inspiration that led to a blog post? – Reaching for FI
One of my early posts (that hardly anyone has read), was actually inspired by a church service and it’s become a life goal of mine to continue to close the intention-action gap in all aspects of my life. I realize now that I may have turned some readers off due to the religious nature of the post, but it’s relevant regardless of your spiritual views.
20. Would you keep blogging even if no one read it? – Budget Epicurean
Literally no one? Then I’d have to say no. I’ve never been one to write journals or diaries (even my son’s baby book is just a random string of notes in a note app on my phone). The big draw of blogging for me is the community that surrounds it and the forced accountability for my goals. Publishing the posts in general give me a sense of accomplishment, but it’s everyone I interact with through this platform that makes it really special.
Top Ten Posts (in order of total views):
- Meet The Women Of The Financial Independence Movement
- What A Year Long Clothes Buying Ban Taught Me About The Privilege Of Minimalism *
- What I Learned About Our Spending Habits From A No Spend Month
- A Week In Hawaii For $400 A Person
- We Cut Our Grocery Budget By 63% And Eat Better Than Ever
- Friday’s Frugal Five (Vacation Edition)
- Live Like You’re Financially Independent (Even When You’re Not)
- Our Millennial Family Saves An Additional $4,982 A Year By Eating Avocado Toast
- Why I Suddenly Quit My Awesome Side Hustle
- 8 Zero Waste Alternatives That Will Save You Money
*My very first Rockstar Finance feature!
Is there anything else you’d like to know? What would you like to see me write about in the next 100 posts? Anything you’d like me NOT to write?
Congratulations! And loved the questions and your responses.
Thank you! This was a fun one to write.
This post is a brilliant idea:) Congrats on 100 posts.
Amazing you can spend one hour and have a post, I struggle with my writing sometimes…the french in me!
Thank you 🙂 And my Monday posts take me well over an hour. Now if I tried to write them in Spanish… that would be a whole ‘nother story.
Congrats on the 100 post milestone!
I was wondering how long you’ve been blogging! I forgot to add that question before you closed off taking questions.
Have you thought of adding categories so people can easily find older posts? Hopefully I didn’t just miss it if you already have it…
Thank you! And maybe I do need an easy access archives list. Honestly didn’t even think about the fact I don’t have one, because I love it when blogs have that option.
Makes it so much easier to binge read blogs I like!
So true!
100 posts congratulations! Keep writing about all you write about, I love reading for all your posts!
It’s always interesting seeing bloggers perspectives about which of their posts they think will hit it off or not be taken as well. It’s funny how it always seems to surprise on the ones you don’t think would be well received!
Glad you do 🙂 I know I sometimes go a little off track with the gardening and food posts, but it’s my blog and I’ll write what I want 😉
Congratulations on post #100! That’s awesome!!! Keep up the awesome work 🙂
Thank you!! A little crazy to think I’ve written so many posts.
I think we spend more money since we started blogging! Probably due to reading other blogs more now and seeing the cool things they are doing (e bike) and wanting to try them out for ourselves.
Also you write pin your phone!?! That’s just crazy!
Ha yeah I write from my phone more due to necessity than anything else. Other than naptime on the weekend, I don’t generally have a big chunk of time to do anything 😉
WOOHOO happy blog bday! You’ve done amazing work so far, and from what I”ve seen, the sky’s the limit. You have a great story, great writing, and an amazing heart for others. I see this blog and you doing really amazing things.
“The accountability factor of being transparent online is great motivation to do better.” – girl, so true. I super-analyze things I pick up in the grocery store now, knowing I’ll have to post it to the blog later! And this: “the number of comments I get on my posts are way more exciting than the overall number of views. Blogging is way more fun as a community, and the back and forth is something I really love.” SAME! I love these people so much… I feel like I “know” everyone better than most IRL people! lol
It totally helps that you’re just a fascinating person with a great perspective/world view. There’s not much you could write about that I don’t want to read! Tell me more about running to work, balancing mom ness and blogging and real life and part time work, and your amazing story of achieving life milestones decades earlier than most of us. Tell me more about your food, grocery shopping, your roommate situation, your backyard slash giant parkland, your passion for the environment and your garden. I’m 100% here for the next 100 posts! (PS can I just say I am DYING from excitement at meeting you in just 25 DAYS!!)
JEALOUS OF YOU TWO HANGING OUT. I know, I know, I’m meeting Angela a few weeks later, but I’m still mad at her for the fact that you won’t be there when I go home next month 😉
Wellllll maybe we need to make that big FI ladies vacation happen some day then!!
❤️❤️❤️ this comment put the biggest smile on my face this morning. And I’m certain you’ll hear alllll about those things both on the blog and in real life 😄
Damn girl, 100 posts is no small feat! I’ll be there…in a few months haha. And so totally agreed on the interactions making the work of blogging worth it. I wouldn’t have said that when I first started, but now a year in I’m here for the community. And my readers, of course, but it’s a lot easier to write if you know someone is reading!
Glad to hear you don’t regret the day you gave me your number since I keep texting you about spelling mistakes and don’t have a super-cute son I can send you pictures of to make up for it 😉 I think that one from your Portland trip is one of my favorite photos of him. Besides all of the ones where he’s wearing his amazing capes haha.
I somehow missed the post you linked to in your answer to my question so I’ve got more reading to do today 🙂
Like I said it was an early post, before hardly anyone was reading 😉 And I am SO glad you’re looking out for me on the spelling mistakes! The downside of doing little to no editing means that they show up from time to time.
Congrats on 100! I’ve always admired your writing, and it’s interesting to see you had doubts about blogging at first. You are such a natural! Quells my anxiety a little bit.
Your consistency is awesome, and I can’t wait to read 100 more posts!
Thank you!! You should go back and read my first few posts, because they were basically just stream of consciousness thrown out into the void. But hey, they got me started!
This was a fun one to read! I’m with you that the thing I like least about blogging is the technical parts. I would love to be able to pay someone to do that part for me! Also, it was very interesting to hear that you do very little editing. I think that is where I get stuck… I feel like my posts are forever in draft mode because they still need to be proofread or edited. Maybe I can learn something from you in that particular area. Congrats on 100 posts!!!
Yeah, I finish writing the post, add in links and pictures, and then off it goes the next morning! Or, if I haven’t finished it ahead of time, off it goes as soon as I’ve written the last sentence 😉 As the saying goes, perfect is the enemy of good (or even better – perfect is the enemy of done).
Also – nothing says you can’t go back and tweak things after you’ve published the post. That I do from time to time as well.
Congratulations, Angela! And I need to drink the same water as you, because I’d love to spend five hours writing and achieve results like you. You’ve done an amazing job cultivating a community, and I look forward to seeing what else you’ll do in the future!
Thank you! The community is seriously the best part. And I think having as much going in my life as I do forces me to write posts quickly, or they’d never get done. Amazing what the pressure of time constraints will do for you.
Wahoo! Congrats on your 100th post.
BTW, I can’t do technical stuff either. I have to do like an hour of Googling to change/improve one tiny thing.
But I think you’re blog looks pretty awesome already.
Well good, because I’ve more or less given up on changing things because that part is so un fun for me. Ha
Congrats on your 100th post. That’s a big milestone for sure. After almost 4 years of blogging I only have 337 posts published so you’re definitely pumping out quite a bit of posts. 🙂
Thank you! I’ve definitely slowed down a little (set at 2x a week now), but I’m finding having the consistency helps keep the momentum.
Congratulations! 100 posts is a great accomplishment. The Q&A is really great too. Nice job. Keep at it!
Thank you! It was fun to find out what others were interested in learning.
Congratulations on hitting #100! This article was a fascinating view into the life of a blog (and blogger) 9 months along on their journey. Thanks for sharing!
I second the aggravation of the technical side of things. I’m a grinder by nature and sheer determination has seen me through more things in life than talent or skill, but I find coding to be a real bear. Still working on improving in that aspect.
As a fellow believer in the importance of conserving both money and the environment, I enjoy the “Tread Lightly” portion of your name and aspect of your writing. I look forward to your next 100 posts!
The technical side is the WORST. I feel I can learn most things if I take the time to understand it, but this stuff is just flat out hard for me. And I’m planning on talking a bit more about the “Tread Lightly” side of things in the future, because that’s where my motivation starts from.
Congrats! This was a fun read. Lots of great questions and answers of course. 🙂
Thank you! It was a fun one to write.
Congratulations. Quite an accomplishment to not only hit the 100 post mark but to be more enthusiastic about blogging today than you were 9 months ago. As a newer blogger myself, I really took away from this post a deeper message. Don’t worry about the small things. Write about your passions and the rest will take care of itself. Thank you. You are a great inspiration.
That is so true – I am way more excited / motivated to keep blogging as time goes on. I feel like I’m starting to hit my stride 🙂
Welcome to the fold! I’m new as well. Saw you comment on ROG. Neat idea for a blogpost..haven’t seen that before. Looking forward to reading more about your story.
Thank you! And it was a comment from someone else (I can’t remember who) that sparked the idea. Glad I went with it, because I had a lot of fun answering the questions.
Congrats on 100 posts, that a huge accomplishment! Thanks for answering my question, I think your advice is spot on. The times where I get caught up in making a post “perfect” usually means I don’t end up publishing anything for awhile. It’s better to get it out there for the world to see and impact people, then tweak/edit if needed later on.
Thanks! And there are a few posts I think I may have been a bit too hasty hitting publish on, but I’d rather err on that side rather than the not publishing side.
The more you write, the more you get ideas. I’ve found that to be true as well. I kept thinking I’d run out of ideas pretty quickly but posts and comments spawn other ideas. I hope it never stops!
And I can’t fathom writing on a phone! The tiny screen, the tiny keys, it’s all so….. tiny 😉
And I have the iPhone SE, so it’s not even a large screen 😉
woohoo iPhone SE!!
It was the cheap version 😉 (and I like the smaller size)
Congrats on the accomplishment Angela!! Having 100 posts within 9 months is really good amount.
This is a great format you have for your 100th post with the Q&A, it brings the community to be involved and ask about your blogging experience.
I definitely agree the fun part of all this, the interacting with other bloggers on Twitter and reading their blogs. It’s always great to read other people’s experience with personal finance and life in general.
Thanks! It was fun to hear what people wanted to know and get to write about it. The community is seriously the best part of all of this 🙂
Congratulations! It brings me back to the 100 day we celebrated in elementary school.
I agree with the theme throughout your responses of how wonderful the PF community is. I cannot get over that you write out your posts on a phone!!!
Did you intentionally write your response to me about telling people IRL? I’m getting there… eventually. 🙂 Cheers to the next 100!
Hah. Apparently me writing posts from my phone is the big shocker from this post. And you aren’t the only one I was writing to on that one… 😉
Congratulations on 100 posts! These questions and answers were insightful and inspiring as I hope to let go of some of my fears and go live with my blog. I get hung up on the editing – maybe that is something I should let go of. Looking forward to the next 100!
Melissa
Thank you! Glad it inspired you. The editing piece seems to be a snag for a lot of people.
Congrats on 100 posts and what a cool idea to celebrate that instead of a specific date.
Lots of great questions and answers. I’m so impressed you don’t edit your posts, it certainly doesn’t come across that way! Here’s to 100 more posts!
I guess that’s what comes from working at the writing center through college and otherwise editing a lot of friends’ writing; I more or less edit as I go along.
Congrats on 100 posts! I’ve already fallen on the wayside of 2 posts per week so I’m really impressed that you keep it up! I also have a list of drafts with ideas but sometimes the post just won’t come.
That’s the magic of my Friday posts – they don’t require a lot of magic, but they’re still a lot of fun to write 🙂
Congrats on 100!!! And I’m so glad you joined us on Twitter 😉 Blogging is fun but the interaction is AMAZING!!
So so true!! The community interaction is really the best part.
Congratulations! I’m really impressed you reached 100 posts in 9 months! I can see how you pick up speed with a regular series, such as your Friday’s Frugal Five. Good strategy! Again, congratulations!
Thank you! It was a strategy originally to give me inspiration when I was stuck, but now they’re just a regular thing and I love it 🙂
Congrats on reaching #100! Your blog is one of my favorites.
I wish I had your posting discipline. At my pace I’ll join you in the 100 post club in 2021. 🙂
Awww, thank you. That’s my favorite kind of compliment 🙂 Sometimes I wish I didn’t feel SO attached to my posting days, but it pays off in the long run.
I can’t believe you write on a phone! I feel like I have to make edits bc my paragraphs are always too long and making the headings sounds hard on a phone!
Congrats on 100 posts!! Here’s to 100 more:D
Yeah, when I do occasionally write on the computer, it does go faster/easier, but then I’d have to rely only on when I could have my computer open, so this way works well enough haha.
Congrats on 100! That’s a club I haven’t joined yet!
Thank you!! Yeah apparently I write a lot…
Congratulations on the century, Angela! It’s a super achievement especially considering the time frame in which you have managed it.
I loved the Q&A format of the post. Thank you for including my question 🙂
Looking forward to many many more of your posts in future!
Thank you!! The next 100 won’t be *quite* as fast 🙂
I carefully read through each question! Love what you did for your 100th post. Thank you so much for being so transparent and putting out all your lessons learned to help others! Cheers to the next 100 or 1,000 ;o)
Thank you! Hope some of it helps 🙂
YAY! Well done! I love the comment about push it out there and worry less about typos. I write so much in my other non-blogger life and those pieces take so long, I really love the space to write and release. I’m really glad to read what you have to say.
Yeah, I have to go a bit slower with the work related content 😉
Financial independence alongside writing freedom.
Woot! You’re on your way to becoming the West Coast Frugalwoods… Or eventually, the new Frugalwoods! Love your writing and down to earth, relatable style. So glad you’re part of the community. You support so many of us with your comments and engagement – and it’s hugely appreciated.
All that said, don’t ever move to Ohio. It’s the pits. (take it from someone who grew up in “Ohio North” — aka East side Michigan.
You’re the second person to compare me to the Frugalwoods – high praise in my opinion as I love her writing 🙂 And I don’t expect we’d ever move to Ohio, though I do like the place.
Congrats on your 100th post! Happy 9 months!
I can’t believe you write your posts on your phone! I can barely write comments on my phone. Maybe I need to get a bigger phone 😉 What an inspiration you are!
Your son is so cute!!
Thank you!! And I don’t have a big phone, but small hands 😉
And I think he is pretty darn cute as well. Toddlers are (mostly) a ton of fun.
I’m FINALLY getting around to reading this lol. It’s been on my to read list since you published it. Kudos again!
“I keep a huge list of blog ideas in my draft posts that are usually just a sentence or two about a specific idea that I think I’d like to write about (usually from conversations I’ve had or other posts I’ve read). When it comes time to write another post, I pick one of the list if I don’t have something particular I’m inspired to write about. Sometimes I’ll get a paragraph or two in, and if the words aren’t flowing, I’ll send that post back to drafts and pick another one that I’m feeling that day.”
👆I do the same thing! It totally helps because our phones are always there and there are no scraps of paper to lose. It’s like, having 70 drafts of ideas constantly flowing is always good, especially when one idea is flowing, you just focus on that and send it out into the universe lol. 😀
That’s exactly how it works for me as well. And then if something isn’t flowing, I just go down the line until I find something that will 🙂
Congratulations on your 100 blog posts!! Confetti and kazoos coming at you! !!
Thank you!! Crazy how fast it snuck up on me.
I get the feeling you’re at a really good place in your life right now… it’s nice.
That’s the goal 🙂