Answers to some questions!
Hey guys!
When I wrote my post about affiliate links and such, you guys had a few questions that I wanted to answer.
And I wanted to clarify a few things.
So, first up: I have several hundred dollars of blog-related expenses every month, between hosting and DNS and email delivery services and whatnot.
BUT, my blog does earn more than it costs each month.
I think some of you read the original post as me saying that I shell out several hundred dollars each month without turning any profit at all, and I just need you to know that I am not that generous. 😉
Much as I love you all, if my blog was putting me in the hole each month, I'd have called it quits a while ago. I mean, I'm frugal, after all!
I'm not becoming rich off of my blog and Mr. FG isn't quitting his job or anything, but I'm also not digging into our family income to keep this up and running.
I use the income from ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate links to pay for the actual monetary costs of my blog and for the taxes I owe, and then what's left gives me something for the time I spend on my blog.
You guys also had questions about Amazon affiliate links. So, here's the deal with those:
When I link to something on Amazon, Amazon keeps track of that visit for 24 hours, so anything you buy within that 24 hour period gives me a little commission, even if it's not the exact product I linked to.
So, you can always help out bloggers by using an Amazon link on their website when you're going to make a purchase, even if you're not buying something the blogger recommended.
Most commissions I get are a dollar or less, but they do add up over time, and I'm grateful for all of them!
Someone else kindly asked if there are any other ways to support my efforts here.
Aside from supporting the companies that advertise on my blog (like Hungry Harvest, Grove, and so on), I'd be so grateful if you shared my blog with people you know.
If I write something that's helpful to you, then could you share it with a friend, click "like" on Facebook, email a post to a friend, or pin a post on Pinterest?
And this isn't monetary, but boy, when you guys leave encouraging comments or send encouraging emails letting me know how my blog has helped you, that really lifts me up and inspires me.
When you blog, the audience is somewhat invisible, and sometimes it's easy to forget that there are real people out there who can benefit from what you write.
So, hearing from you all, whether it's questions or comments or encouragement, really means the world to me.
And that's the fuel that keeps me writing.
(I'm pretty sure that's true for zillions of other bloggers too, so, take a second and show your favorite writers some love when they help you out with their words! It'll mean a lot to them.)
You guys are fantastic, and I'm so thankful you all choose to spend a part of your day here with me.
P.S. The purple plant in this post is a red leaved hyacinth bean, and you can buy the seeds on Amazon right here (yup, that's an affiliate link!). They produce easy-to-save seeds each year, so you should only need to buy seeds once.
Thank you for always being such a positive influence. Your blog blesses me and has for years!
As a fellow-homeschooling mom, you do a great job representing the joys and challenges and success! Keep up the great work!
Great to know. I'm buying an instant pot soon so will go thru your amazon link.
Have you used an instant pot yet? If so I would love to hear your thoughts.
I haven't, but I hear such rave reviews of them from other people. Thanks so much for using my Amazon link!
My 2 cents: I bought an IP on Prime day, and so far I am not thrilled. I am waiting to cook some wintry foods in it to see if I like it better than I have so far. Mostly, everyone says how much time they save and fast it is, but the recipes that say they cook in 20 min neglect to mention that is after it takes 25 min to come to pressure! I haven't found it any faster than cooking on my stove or oven. If you are looking to be able to setup your meal and walk away and do other things for an hour while dinner cooks, you will probably like it, but if you are looking to have dinner on the table in 30 min or less, probably not.
You know, in all the rave reviews about the instant pot, you're right..I've never heard that it takes 25 minutes to come to pressure. Hmm. That does seem like an important bit of info.
We've just spent most of the month of September with my daughter and SIL, and we've used their IP almost every day. Theirs seems to take more like 15 minutes to come up to pressure. We do frozen chicken breasts in about 35-40 minutes (including pressurization), plus they are moist and tasty. Also does rice very well and consistently. Not any faster than when we do rice on the stove, but it comes out perfectly every time. The other useful function is that it can serve as a slow cooker with a timer. Many, many slow cooker recipes call for a 3-5 hour cook time, but when you're away for a 10-12 hour day, that's impossible to do in a regular slow cooker. If you already have a slow cooker with a timer, you obviously don't gain anything, but if you don't, an IP makes a nice multi-use appliance.
Since I'm planning to buy an IP as soon as we're back home, I will absolutely use your affiliated links, Kristen. Definitely want to help you keep the lights on!
So I have had one for a couple of years.
The time it takes to come to pressure depends on how much food is in the pot. If it is full up to GE top (like with stock), 20 min is common. If you have a small amount, like a layer of eggs to be hard boiled, it's less than 5.
I've had an Instant Pot for about 8 months and I love it. Does not take 25 minutes to come to pressure for me, more like 15. I think people underestimate how long putting a good meal on the table really takes--more often than not, I set my pot and then am shocked how quickly the times flies by while I am making a side dish or doing dishes or helping kids with homework, etc. I use my pot several times a week and I have super high standards for my meals (no mush allowed!) and I think it is one of my best purchases ever! There are great free resources online for recipes.
Also, I don't comment often, but I enjoy your blog so much. Everything about it, actually. You come across as so genuine and not like you are writing to be the next big thing. I hope you are very successful! I kept up a blog for several years and it is work for sure, very pleasant and rewarding work, but work nonetheless. I didn't realize that you can earn commissions from Amazon for purchases other than the linked item (I never monetized my own blog so know nothing about affiliate links) but now that I know this, I will send you some commissions! Thank you for this blog, Kristen!
Great article Kristen. I have been reading your blog for quite some time. I appreciate the time you put into it. Keep doing what you are doing:) I know I have benefited by being a better wife and mother when I read your encouraging articles. Reminds me to be grateful for my family!
Blogging takes a lot of time and effort. Sometimes it takes my time away from my family too (I'm working on it). I think it's reasonable that you need an income from the blog to keep it going. Helping others doesn't have to come at the expenses of our family.
I haven't monetized my blog yet, but I will at some point in the future. Thanks for the advice on Amazon! 🙂
Honestly, I'd recommend monetizing sooner rather than later. Readers are much more likely to be willing to accept ads and affiliate links if you don't suddenly add them out of the blue when you have a big audience. Your choice, of course...that's just my two cents.
Well, here's an encouraging comment for you! I have been reading your blog for years, and I look forward to it every day. I like your recipes, your photos, your sense of humor, and the way you seem to keep everything balanced in such a low-key way. I've learned lots of good things from you, even though I consider myself to be pretty frugal--there's always new stuff to learn. For example, we bought phones through Ting and now use their service. My friends can't believe how low our cell phone bills are! So thank you! Thank you very much! I will try to comment more often! 🙂
Ting is amazing, isn't it?? So, so affordable. And I love not having a contract.
Thanks so much for the advice, Kristen! I've been reading your blog for a while now but never realized the importance of comments to the bloggers that I read until I started my own blog at the beginning of September.
When I got my first blog comment, it felt like Christmas! It's nice to know that someone read what I spent so much time writing and tweaking to make it helpful for others.
Thanks so much for the info on affiliate marketing. I have yet to do anything to monetize the tiny traffic I do get but I'm learning and love getting more info from bloggers I trust.
Isn't that so true?? Feedback is a fabulous thing.
Thank you so much for the post on cloudy headlights several months ago. I bought the cleaning kit and the headlights look great. I can't remember whether I used your amazon affiliate link at the time. Yet you may be happy to know my neighbor is going to use the cleaner on his headlights as well. I did mention your blog as the source. So you are keeping a bunch of New Jersey people safer on the road.
Oh, I'm so happy to hear that. Yay for clear headlights!!
LOL, I feel like such a luddite. I know nothing about truncated feeds, rss, and all that jazz.
you're not alone Emily.
FG how about a blogging vocabulary post for us.
Linda
Oh, I'm glad you asked. So, a truncated feed is when you sign up to get posts via email, but the email just contains a snippet of the post with a "click here to read more" link that takes you to the blog.
Mine is not truncated, so when you get my posts via email, you get the whole post, and you don't ever have to visit my blog.
This is obviously less advantageous for bloggers, because email subscribers don't actually go to the blog that much. But as a blog reader, I know it's SO MUCH more fun to get the whole post in my inbox. So, that's what I'm sticking with.
RSSreaders are kind of like subscribing to a blog via email, except you use a service to access the posts...like Feedly or Blog Lovin'. It's basically like a site that puts all of your blog subscriptions in one place, instead of you getting the posts in your email inbox. I hope that helps!
Thanks for the explanations. So what does RSS stand for? What is DNS? Is it more economical for bloggers to have truncated feeds, or why do they do it?
P.S. I don't remember where I first found your blog, but I read and benefit from it, and have for awhile now! Today I made a recipe and a half of your basic French bread in a round shape, then made muffuletta using Aldi stuff and fresh free garden tomatoes! And used the scraps for croutons! My family thanks you!
As a reader (and NOT a blogger), I really, really appreciate that you opt to not truncate your posts. Before blogging really became big, it seemed that most blogs weren't truncated and now it just annoys me to HAVE to go to a site to finish reading a post. Often, I opt not to (and I have even unsubscribed when it annoyed me enough). However, I find that I ENJOY going to your site after I've read the post in my email because I want to click on links or read comments. Yours is one of the most helpful, down to earth, well balanced, well written, non offensive, nicely done blogs out there. Keep up the good work!!
Great information and I appreciate the transparency. I want to keep helping you make enough money to make the blog worth you time - I love reading your blog!
I've commented every now and then, but I'm a serial lurker on blogs. I did want to let you know that I've been reading your blog for many years (since 2009? 2010? in any case, I've seen your kiddos grow right before my eyes and OH MY GOSH SLOW DOWN TIME!).
I've gleaned so much wisdom from you, not just on frugal matters (important), but also how I want to interact with my own children when I have them eventually.
Thank you for being a constant in my frugal journey.
Aww, I'm so happy to hear that my blog has been helpful to you. Yay! And I'm touched that you've stuck with me for so long.
I like the way your blog supports you while still looking clean. I hate popup ads and now people have started putting links to social media along the left side and that blocks the text for me while using Feedly. Your blog is tidy as well as helpful and I appreciate both.
I've been a delighted daily subscriber since 2012. Our lives probably could not seem more different on the outside - I'm a gay urban-dwelling surgeon with no kids. And yet I appreciate everything that you post. I found your blog when I was looking for advice on refinishing furniture in 2012 (successfully refinished three large pieces). And your tips on frugality are inspiring (especially when I was paying off medical school loans). So I just wanted to send you a shout-out from perhaps a less-than-typical reader - you have them in all communities. Thanks for putting such positivity out into the world!
I am always, always happy to hear that I have a wide variety of readers. I never set out to be just preaching to a choir made up of clones of myself...what would be the point in that?
Woohoo about your furniture! Go you. 🙂
I don't use WP and I'm glad. My website costs are $299/year plus AWeber's fee for emails, which fluctuates depending on how many subscribers I have. That $299 fee includes everything WP could ever, ever provide. I never need any plugins and the host continually adds features without raising the cost. I've been paying the same price since 2008. Not only that, it's a drag and drop page creation with a very sophisticated keyword research tool. But most importantly, it's not just a website host, it's a business training, and a forum where hundred's of people are there to answer questions. I contemplated WP, but found it too expensive overall, with no business training included.
P.S. Your link in your P.S. should probably open on a new page, if you want readers to keep your website open on the side. 🙂
Thanks for educating about how bloggers make (and spend!) money. It's definitely not a get-rich scheme by any means; people just do it for fun but would like to break even on time spent and monthly costs.
I too am a long-time reader. (My son is 9, and I'm pretty sure I came across your blog when I was pregnant with him.) I read your blog every day. One of the things I like most about you is your consistency. So many blogs don't stand the test of time. I'm so glad that you've continued producing such informative reading for us over all the years. Another attribute that you have is appealing to a diverse audience. That's not always easy to do, but you do it very easily.
I didn't realize how valuable comments were to a blogger until today. I rarely comment--maybe 3-4 times a year. I will try to improve on that. 🙂
Obviously, I appreciate all the work you put into this. Readers can tell when a person takes a blog seriously and puts in the effort to make it enjoyable.
And then there are bloggers like me that just post randomly because I like to write and I like to hear from other people in comments. I've never made any money from my blog, and never tried to, but it has been a huge part of my life for the past almost 10 years.
Also, I would never be able to tell my children things like their first word if I didn't have the online record. The baby book thing never really happened for me. I've thought about printing out my blog as their baby books, but I've written over 2,500 posts, so the cost would be, uh, prohibitive I expect.
If you don't write it down, you forget it! And a blog is such a handy way to keep track of things.
This is my second email. I like your relaxing way of communicating. Also your lovely pictures. Thank you for sharing about responding to your blog. Of course I'll comment. This is like writing to a friend. Looking forward to reading you tomorrow.
I came to your blog for your bread recipes and I have stuck around because you're a really delightful blogger. I like that your posts are cheerful and upbeat and filled with practical examples of frugality.
Oh! And thanks to your blog, I have a robust collection of pyrex food containers! Thanks for the recommendation all of those years ago.
I took the plunge and ordered an Internet Mattress of my very own, instead of spending an extra thousand dollars to get a brand name one at the furniture store. Thanks for giving me the confidence to give frugal a chance!
Hi Kristen,
I first found your blog 4 years ago when I moved to a new area and had an Aldi in my life for the first time but I wanted tip on how to shop at Aldi. You delivered and I have been following your blog ever since. I wanted to thank you for this blog entry about your costs associated with being a blogger. I am a new blogger and I really like it. I guess I hope that someday it might make money but right now I am just enjoying the ride. I enjoy reading your blog and the information on how to be frugal, which is the way I like to live my life.
Thank you,
Katie
hi kristen. long time reader, I buy TONS of stuff on Amazon (way into the four digits) for my business and wonder if you can make a quick link up top so I can get you all the dollar bills that would generate for you? I won't remember to look for a reply but if you put a little link up top?
Hey, Kristen!
I am way late to the party, but I wanted to offer up a big appreciation for the work you do on The Frugal Girl. I don't comment very often, but I read a lot, which may be surprising as I am a single girl in the city and probably not your usual audience. Nonetheless, you are such a refreshing individual that I get tons of inspiration, even if our circumstances are very different.
I find you so authentic and honest, and I really admire the way you prioritize your life. In the world of crazily curated social media accounts, where the flavor du jour is a lot of humble bragging or "everything is perfect here" messaging, you are a breath of fresh air and a force for good! Visiting your pages brings peace and stillness to my day, and usually something really inspirational I can implement in my own way to bring contentedness and care to me and those around me. As you can imagine, these are pretty rare feelings for a web page to inspire!!
So, yes, I've been a quiet admirer for way too long. Now I am reminded of just how much work this takes, and I am so grateful that you undertake it! Please keep up the good work for as long as it nourishes you, and may the rewards The Frugal Girl brings you grow ever more satisfying!
Many thanks and happy weekend,
Holly
Aww, thank you so much! I'm so happy that my blog feels peaceful and still. Yay!
Thank you for reading. 🙂