Happy 14th to my blog!
Today, it's been 14 years since I first hit "publish" on a Frugal Girl post.
In case you were interested, I started out my blog by sharing a photo of a skirt I made by refashioning some pants.
I didn't start blogging with much of a plan or vision, but I am so thankful that my 2008 self gave it a try. I have felt thankful every year, but I am especially thankful this year for the income I get from my blog.
Income = choices = freedom.
In honor of 14 years of blogging, I'm sharing 14 observations from my years of writing here.
And as is usual for me when I make lists...these things are in no particular order other than the order they occurred to me!
1. Consistency matters
I have never been the flashiest, most cutting-edge writer in the blogosphere, but I would feel comfortable accepting a gold medal in the Consistency category. I've been churning out 4-5 posts a week here for 14 years, so that's almost 4,000 posts (this one will be 3,891).
A lot has changed on the internet (and in the blogosphere!) since 2008, but I have consistently kept trucking along, which matches my personality quite precisely.
I am a steady plodder and consistency is my superpower.
2. Low expectations = happiness
I didn't start blogging with grandiose plans or expectations, which I think was a gift to me. I was so excited when I got 20 hits a day, or when I earned $15 in a month!
My low expectations helped me to avoid burnout and discouragement in those first slow years.
3. Kindness matters
The internet can be a rather spicy place, and sometimes, it's not a site owner's fault when the commenting section becomes a miserable place to be.
But I do think that setting a tone of kindness helps to create a culture of kindness. Like attracts like! Angry content creators tend to attract angry audiences, while gentler content creators tend to attract gentle readers.
I have been repeatedly amazed to see that when I respond to a spicy person with a kind tone and genuine care, they will often soften. And sometimes this has happened with people I least expect.
(This is probably a good thing to remember when I enter my nursing career because I am sure I will encounter spicy patients sometimes. 😉 )
A gentle response doesn't always calm someone down, of course, but it's way more likely to have that effect than an angry response will.
4. Care for others comes back around
Obviously, back in 2008, I had no idea of the turns my life would take, so I didn't build this community with the idea that it would support me when my life hit the skids.
I just wanted to help people!
But I have been so grateful to be on the receiving end of help from you all this year, in the form of prayers, love, and encouragement.
5. Sometimes it's best to jump right in
I didn't have the faintest clue what I was doing when I started blogging. But I learned as I went, and I think that's sometimes the best way to go.
I talk to so many people who think they need to have their ducks all in a row before they launch some sort of content creation channel, and I think that's a mistake. One of the best ways to learn is by doing.
(and doing and doing and doing and doing.)
Speaking of which...
6. Repeated practice is so valuable
I know I've gotten better at writing blog posts in the last 14 years, and it's largely because I have been typing, typing, typing all these years.
7. I prefer to not be in an echo chamber
The internet has become extremely polarized in recent years, and sometimes I observe content creators purposely creating echo chambers for themselves.
They say things like, "If you haven't gotten vaccinated, just unfollow me now." or they might say, "If you're one of those sheeple who got the shot, go ahead and see yourself out."
I really, really do not understand this. If you think your content and message are important and helpful, don't you want it to reach as many people as possible? And don't you want it to reach people who don't already agree with you?
How will you make a difference in the world if your audience already thinks exactly as you do?
Relatedly...
8. You can be friends without agreeing on everything
Something I love about the community here is that we are not all the same. We represent a variety of lifestyles, religious beliefs, political persuasions, socio-economic statuses, family situations, and more, so I am positive we do not all see every issue the same.
And yet, we are all able to co-exist here, and I love that!
9. People like to be inspired, not told what to do
Since I write in a very personal way, I am almost always just sharing what has worked (or not worked!) for me, and people seem to like that.
There's something about human nature that resists being told what to do, and maybe that's why a "This is what helps me." approach works better.
10. You can bless people even if you don't have noteworthy gifts and talents
I feel like my posts here are very...regular. And I mean that in the sense that I'm not doing anything here that has the possibility of going viral. There's nothing flashy or newsworthy.
For instance, I think one of my gifts/skills is the ability to be cheerful and content. That is not something people tend to look at as noteworthy, but so many readers have told me that the cheerful vibes here have helped them get through hard times in their lives.
11. I am going to struggle to spell double-letter words until I am dead
I am a top-tier speller in many ways, but when I do make an error*, 99.99% of the time it's a word with multiple double letters in it.
*other than typos/auto-correct!
For instance, I initially typed, "occurred" wrong at the top of this post. I don't know why my brain cannot seem to get this type of word right, but I think if I am still making these errors 4000 posts into my blog, it's probably hopeless. 😉
12. Blogging doesn't really feel like work to me
There are parts that suck, like having to deal with taxes/legal stuff/tech stuff.
But the actual work of blogging, like creating content and responding to comments, is fun for me!
I like talking to people, I like writing, I like taking pictures, I like sharing projects...blogging is just a very good fit for me.
13. It's hard for me to imagine a blog-less life
I've been blogging so much, for so long, it's hard for me to even remember what it was like to be blog-less.
There are a lot of unknowns in my future right now, but I can't really imagine a no-blog future. As long as blogs are still a thing, I will probably still be typing away over here.
14. I appreciate YOU so much
What would a blog be without readers? The community here is such a delight; FG readers are simply the best on the internet.
Thank you for being here. 🙂
No, YOU'RE the best. Thank you for blogging all these years!
@Becca,
Also, re #2, my husband is fond of saying "Keep your expectations tiny. That way you won't be so whiny." 😉
I love this.
Happy fourth. Your blog brings simple joys to my life. And my life has also been hard for the past two years! ( tears while typing!).
Ohh, I know the tears-while-typing feeling. Hugs to you, friend.
Congratulations. I can't remember exactly where I found your blog but I remember it being near the beginning. So glad I've been able to read this for the last however many years it has been.
Aww, Battra, you HAVE been here for so long. You were one of my first readers! I'm glad you are still here.
Congratulations. You have built quite the community here - I certainly enjoy it.
I LOVE the term spicy people. Even when you are dealing with annoying or angry readers you are positive. Kudos to you!
Isn't it the just best term? I like it so much more than "haters". It's a little gentler, but we still all know what it means because we have ALL experienced spicy internet people.
@Bernadine, I agree. I love the term "spicy people". Hoping it is OK to use it beyond here.
Use it as much as you want! I'm sure I'm not the first person who used the phrase. 🙂
@Bernadine, we use the term "spicy" in veterinary medicine as well - typically about a cat that is not excited to be there and is letting us know!
Glad to hear you don't foresee a blog-less future. I'd miss your posts so much. I really do look forward to them each day during the week. And I think being in this community with you and your readers makes us frugal people feel less alone in our efforts. Thanks for your posts all these years.
IIIIII would miss writing blog posts too much. Ha. And I would miss this community too much too.
You're a bright spot in my day! Thank you for sharing your life with us.
I am so glad I found your blog years ago. You and I are almost exactly the same age, though lead different lives slightly (I've never married, no kids and live in a big city). But I relate to words in practically ever post.
Thank you for sharing your life with us and inspiring us with your kindness and honesty. Looking forward to reading for years to come!
Kristin you are the best & I very much appreciate how your blogging has shaped my life in many positive ways. I had to say you have influenced me in more than 20 ways. One main way is sending one's children to community college while in high school. My two children graduated with 70 credits from community college at the same time as high school & they went right into being college juniors, received 1/3 to 1/2 scholarships for college, & will have no student loans. Thank you for being such a positive person.
Oh wow, this is amazing to hear. Good for them, and for you!! Yay!
You have brought much joy to me over the years. I started reading your blog in 2011, followed advice from it and enjoyed it. You were a light when my husband passed of covid and it has been a welcoming site to see the consistency of your notifications in my inbox. You have touched people!
Oh my goodness, your comment just brought tears to my eyes because I am so very sorry to hear that you lost your husband. Big hugs to you.
I am honored to have been a small part of your healing after such a loss.
Happy Blogiversary!
I especially appreciate your consistency; not to sound overly dramatic, but it was truly a lifesaver for me during the anxiety-laden days of 2020. I also appreciate that the blog is apolitical and your audience/community are so respectful in spite of our differences. If you could somehow get this aspect of your blog to go viral, the whole country could benefit. 😉
I'm so happy for your pursuit of a nursing career, but, selfishly, hope you will indeed continue to blog well into the future.
Kristen, on a July 4 when I am struggling on many levels to find optimism, thank you SO MUCH for maintaining this blog for 14 years (and many more, I hope!). I routinely tell people that TFG is one of the few communities I know where people of many different ages, situations, and outlooks can still come together peaceably to share views--and you are the founder and linchpin of this community. A very happy 4th of July to you, and best wishes for the future! (I'd throw in some fireworks, but that would just send a lot of our cats and dogs into hiding...)
@A. Marie, I love Kristen’s blog and cheerfulness - even (especially) in hard times such as these. I also have some favorite commenters too and you are definitely one of them. Some of us are navigating relatively sad chapters, but it is so nice to hear some reliably familiar, authentic, honest and optimistic voices. I am grateful to Kristen and this community. Thank you.
@Jean,
Same here! A. Marie, you are one of my favorite commenters, too. I lurk much more than comment, but I love seeing familiar favorite names in the comments.
@A. Marie, I agree! I hardly ever comment, but I have been stalking you, WilliamB., Battra92 and a few others (in addition to Kristen, obviously) for YEARS hahaha!
14 things I learned from The Frugal Girl:
1. A soft answer turneth away wrath. This is something I've always struggled with, as a fighter and arguer.
2. How to be more content.
3. Those red sauce chicken enchiladas I can't get enough of.
4. How to make chicken broth that tastes like something.
5. A good answer for why I don't boycott companies.
6. Look for the good. There's usually something to be cheerful about.
7. It's OK not to be good at everything. Another thing I've always struggled with.
8. Even seemingly perfect families have flaws.
9. That I probably need my nose turbinates done.
10. Tortellini soup. Never occurred to me.
11. Watch kitchen waste--again, an ongoing issue.
12. Keep thing visible in the fridge.
13. Bread flour for pizza crusts.
14. That lazy daisy cake.
Thanks, Kristen!
Aww, Rose, I LOVE THIS. Thank you for sharing.
I'm glad you are here. 🙂
@Rose, I love this list!
@Rose, I comment infrequently on Kristen’s fantastic blog, but I thought I’d let you know that I always look for your comments. I think you’re awesome (Kristen, too, of course!).
@Rose, I love how you did this. And that you could consciously state 14 reasons.
@Abigail, Thanks.
@Rose, your No. 1. Amen, girlfriend, amen.
I think I just might have been born with my two fists curled and a suspicious look on my face.
@Anne, When someone tries to pick an argument with me, I channel Tony Montana (rotten movie but whatever). You F with me, you're Fing with the best.
Also my son, when they handed him to me for the first time, I thought, "Oh, so that's what you look like. Boy, you look pissed off."
@Rose, yes!! The pizza dough is our go-to recipe! My kids love it when I make homemade pizza and it’s the only pizza my daughter will eat as a leftover.
I always find your blog interesting. Your kind tone sets a good example for us all. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for sharing all these years. I appreciate your authentic, positive posts, and everything I have learned from them. And I agree, your readers are the best! I so enjoy the comment sections - it is wonderful to see that community spirit.
Congratulations!
"consistency is my superpower" - I love this so much! Congratulations on 14 years, and thank you for all you do. I enjoy reading your posts at the beginning of every work day.
Our situations are different, but I do understand just how difficult holidays can be. I know it won't always feel this way, but I dread these "special" days right now. Sympathetic hugs to you.
Kristen, Congratulations on 14 years on the blogging circuit. Yours was the first blog I ever subscribed to and I read every post. I am a generation older than you, and my four kids (3 girls, 1 boy) happily went to public schools...which makes me wonder how I got connected to you in the first place. It was early on, perhaps 13 years 11 months ago and I've loved every post! I bake all of our bread using your recipes. I wash and reuse plastic bags or find alternatives to using plastic in the first place. I shop at Aldi and Goodwill whenever possible. I especially LOVE your furniture make-overs and your posts about contentment. You're my kind of girl and your parents must be very proud of you. I can't imagine a week without your blog, even though I give you permission to cut back or change up, as needed, once you're a full-time nurse. Your life is wonderfully balanced and you give hope and inspiration to many. Thank you!
I am so delighted to hear of all the frugal things you are doing. Yay you!
I can’t remember when I found your blog but it’s the only one I follow at this time. Your words on kindness and responses
(since you are working toward being in medical field) brings a memory back. I was with a doctor trying to help a patient in the ER. The patient was not happy (nothing would have pleased him) with the doctor and recommended treatment. The patient’s words were mean and nasty in every way. His final words were “you are only good enough to take care of animals.” The doctor nearly laughing said, “Sir, you are more correct than you know. I was a veterinarian before I went to medical school.” The patient gave a glare to the doctor and walked out of the room.
I was feeling down a bit this morning because my tomato plant blooms didn’t set fruit because of the extreme heat for many days. I remembered the great success I’ve had in previous years, though, and plan to start over again with planting for fall tomatoes this week! Your words encouraged me.Thanks
Ahaha, that was a spicy patient indeed. Yikes.
I hope your next batch of tomato plants is a booming success.
Thank you for creating such a lovely reprieve on the internet!
Regarding your third point, that kindness matters, this could honestly be the tagline for your blog. As for this outlook aiding you in your future as a nurse, I’ll repeat what a friend once told me about her good and bad days at the her hospital: “I try to remember that, chances are, I’m seeing someone on the worst day of their life.” Graciousness goes a long way and helps her get through rough days even when the patients (or their families) are… extra spicy, to use your own words! 😛
YES. This is the reason I want to be a nurse; to make a difference for people who are having a rough time. You can't always heal people, but you can always offer sunshine, kindness, and patience.
@Kristen, to piggyback on this thought, one thing I have learned in my (ahem) many years of patient care (can I really have been doing this for 34 years?) is that many, if not most, patients are either scared or angry or both. And with good reason! It helps me tremendously to keep that in mind and to be understanding of their emotions. I can't count the number of times that I have worked with someone who is a challenging person, only to discover that if I put aside my initial reaction to them and listen with patience and kindness, that they become much more pleasant to be around and are willing to work with me. Really, I have been the one to benefit the most. Learning to see people with new eyes takes practice. You will be a rock star at patient care!
Congratulations! I remember the skirt post...I guess I've been a reader since the beginning! Your posts are a lovely part of my day!
Wow I had no idea how long you have been on here, so glad to have found you when I did not even sure when I started reading you but it has been for a whole lot of years. Happy 4th of July to you and your girls. I hope your day is awesome and keep up the great work you do. I do hope life is going ok under your circumstances and all. My heart breaks for you and I know life is not an easy road on your own now. May God comfort you and give you his grace as only He can do!!
Congratulations on your 14th birthday! I too love the term ‘spicy people’ and will use it now with a flourish.
Congrats and Happy 14th!
Happy Anniversary!
May you continue to build a world where kindness is not a risk but the norm!
I don't remember exactly when I started reading your blog consistently, but I remember reading some posts shortly after I graduated college and started working in 2011. I remember thinking your blog probably wouldn't be very relatable to me as a 21 year old without kids, but here I am all these years later still reading it. I think finding your blog when I was adjusting to living on my own was actually perfect to teach/reinforce some good habits. I was just thinking of you yesterday as I made a fridge-clean-out meal to use up some quinoa and veggies that I may have thrown out if I'd never found your blog all those years ago. I appreciate your consistency over all these years!
And I'm so glad I found your Swedish meatball recipe!
I’ve been reading a long time - and I remember that first post, but maybe as a look back link. Over the years, you have inspired me to pull out my sewing machine, make a dress (not 2, though :D). Make yogurt and bread and generally supported a more frugal lifestyle with kids and kindness. It’s been fun getting older alongside you and watching your changing path - kudos on nursing school, very admirable. Keep on posting, Kristen!
Happy 4th of July, and happy 14th blogiversary! I'm going to use the term "spicy people" all the time now, haha!
Your blog is such a bright spot! Grateful you started it and grateful you will continue!
Congratulations on 14 years, Kristen! Thanks for all you do to make this world a better place. I know that you certainly have been a blessing in my life! Enjoy today.
Also, I love that picture of you in the jean jacket!
Kristen, yours is the only blog I follow. I look forward to your posts, your non-flashy, matter of fact posts. The "fun" posts (the fashion ones!!). And I'm always amazed at how talented you are (at the piano, schoolwork, furniture rehab). I feel like somewhere inside of me is the ability to do more, and I will keep reading your posts and try to gently motivate myself. I don't want to accomplish much, but just doing anything (productive) is hard for me a lot of the time. So thanks for the encouragement.
Congratulations! (Or maybe happy anniversary). Love your blog!
Wow, 14 years! Happy birthday to your blog, and thank you for writing and sharing with the world.
Congratulations. You have built a wonderful blog and community. While I have great friends and family members this blog is also an important part of my life. You add a facet that is mostly missing in my off-screen life. I wish you continued success.
Happy 14th, Kristen! Yours is the only blog I have kept bookmarked in my favorites over the years. I’m so glad you’re here.
Happy Blogiversary! Another faithful reader - thanks for always being consistent in both the frequency and tone of your blog. I come by pretty much every single day and love reading your posts and the comments. I've learned so much here and especially during COVID when I wasn't interacting much with those outside our home, it's been so comforting to read updates from real people. It is impressive what you have built here. Congrats!
Happy 14th! I am grateful for you and your blog.
I’m one of the newer folks here—I’ve only been with you for about the past 3-4 years—but this is one of my favorite blogs. I love reading the content and the comments. Thanks for producing such great content!
I found you when I was searching for frugal tips years ago. You have helped me in many ways and I look forward to each blog. We could be friends I believe. Keep on blogging.
I rarely comment but read most of the comments. I pray for you, your family, and many of those who comment. I am letting my nursing license expire after 49 years .... very sad. I loved nursing! I completed my BSN 29 years after I started nursing school. I am so cheering you on as an adult learner. Thank you for blessing me, encouraging me, pushing me to be better, and sharing your life with all of your blog family.
Happy blog anniversary. I have been here a long time, appreciate the kind, positive vibe here! I was a huge fan of food waste Friday. Sure helped me turn the don’t let that get stuck in the back of the fridge and remake those leftovers rut I was in.
Hi! I stayed as a reader because you are so positive and non-polarizing. Some of my other favorites take jabs at events that I'd rather not think about when I'm reading happy money saving blogs, so thank you for creating a space that is real and uplifting. Because I believe we are all here to lift each other up. 🙂
Happy Fourth of July! With special warm hugs to the wonderful UK readers.
Kristen, I am so impressed at how long you’ve blogged and I love the calm, quiet sense I find here. I always come here first when I check blogs.
This blog and these readers are THE BEST even when we don’t always agree! Thank you for continuing this blog through thick and thin.
Happy 14th Blogiversary Kristen! I'm a daily reader and appreciate your work! Keep on typing 🙂
Thank you for being you!
Happy blog birthday!
You made my day with this blog, since I am one follower for 10 yrs I believe now. You have common sense that I so like!! Take care my friend. (HUGS)
Adding my thanks and kudos for being the driving force behind this happy corner of the internet! We appreciate you- and the kind community you've built over the years 🙂
This is such a safe and kind place to come-both you and my fellow readers.
I am so glad that you intend to continue blogging! You and the Non Consumer Advocate are the only two blogs I read consistently and they are how I start my day, as I drink my morning beverage. I am sort of a crabby person by nature (I even have the bitchy resting face to go with it, so I look crabby even when I am very happy) and it is good for me to begin my morning with the cheer and kindness you provide. Thank you.
Happy 14 years of blogging! I think your superpowers go beyond consistency- I would also add in kindness, persistence, common sense, and looking for the good in people, situations, and objects which can be DIY'd into something beautiful. I also appreciate how you manage to reveal all these things in your photographs.
Thank you so much for all your years of blogging, Reading your blog and the comment section is a highlight of my day.
" I think one of my gifts/skills is the ability to be cheerful and content. " This is one of the reasons I have stuck with you - and am inspired so often. You ARE positive. You DO try to convey an upbeat mood. I need this in my life. I have become pretty picky with what I will tolerate on the Internet and social media (the little that I do). But I never fail to read your posts. I also admire your honesty and willing to share some personal stuff. I think that is really brave. And yet, it makes me feel like I can do that tool
Thank you so much for being there for the last 14 years. God bless you and your family, both blood and by choice.
Congrats on 14 years! Consistency of that magnitude is such a remarkable accomplishment.
I will say here too - #10 really resonated with me. I've been feeling very average lately in a not good way, and it's a good reminder to me how much things that aren't as flashy skill-wise are still bringing me joy and friendship.
Many thanks Kirsten, your blog always lifts my spirits and nurtures the better aspects of my character. I feel truly lucky to have had the good fortune to find this great place on the internet. Thank you
I think started reading this year when I was bored with omicron and needed some entertainment. It took me a bit to get into things but wow, this chick posts consistently and often. I love your WIS WWA. I've never seen that anywhere else. I don't know why I'm so nosey about what other people eat but I like it. And your commenters are really interesting. It's a great blog, congratulations on 14 years.
I've been a reader for years. I'm much older than you are but I keep learning from you and being encouraged to keep on even when times are tough. I look for your posts everyday. Thanks a million for all you do to help us all to be kinder and more thankful people.
Thanks for your blog, Kristen. You truly make the world a better place! I've definitely been inspired by the kind tone you use when responding to the occasional not-so-nice comment, and your outlook when dealing with life circumstances that may be less than ideal. And I love that you post so consistently. Hopefully there will be many, many more years of your blog!
Congratulations on 14 years!! I am very grateful to have found your blog and to you for creating the content and the community here. Thank you!
#7. Another content creator I follow recently said "if you only love people who agree with you, you don't love people, you love yourself".
@Linda, wow, great statement.
Wow, what a landmark!
And to think I've been reading with you for a out 11 of those years? They flew by!
Thanks Kristen and readers! My favourite blog.
Aaaand on to the next 14, I hope!
I am a long time appreciative reader of your blog. I'm always inspired reading your words and in turn, all of the insightful readers' comments. Your kindness and sharing has even helped our feathered friends. A few years ago I began to feed Baltimore orioles using the grape jelly recipe you featured here. It is the only recipe that has consistently worked for me. Most store bought jelly has corn syrup which isn't preferable for birds, and the 'natural' store bought jellies are expensive. I am thankful to you each time I feed them using that recipe. They nest here, and we adore watching the parents and babies come to the feeder until they are ready to begin their long journey south for the winter.
@Cherilyn,
When I first read that, I thought you meant the baseball team!
Happy Birthday to your blog. I have been reading for years &truly enjoy it. Your kindness & positive attitude r a joy in these crazy times.
Congratulations on 14 years! Yours has been the first and sometimes only blog I turn to every weekday morning since finding the yogurt recipe. I appreciate that you want to be a nurse in a time when many nurses are leaving this field. And I will tell you, especially in geriatrics, there are "spicy" people. Carry on Faithful Friend!
I've been blogging for 10ish years, and agree with so much of this. (Although, on a wayyyyy lesser scale, because consistency is not my super power, and you just have this incredible voice.) I love the fact that your content is so approachable. Whether that was your plan, or just a window into who you are, it works for you!
And, the kindness of your readers is my favorite part of all. I don't always agree with everyone, but people really do keep it to positive things.
Here's the secret: there was never any plan. Ha. I am an extremely non-strategic blogger.
I'm a newer reader, just a few months, I think. I too appreciate your kind tone and regular posts and the friendly community here. Thank you. I'll add, as a divorced woman, have faith, it gets easier, just keep taking one step after another and be gentle with yourself.
I feel this on so many levels and admire you for it.
Yay for you! Happy birthday to both The FG and The US. 🙂
Happy anniversary! So glad you and your community are here. I look forward to every post and comment. Thank you for all that you are.
Happy Blogging Anniversary!
I came for the tips on frugal living but stayed for the calm, positive sharing from you and your readers. Keep going:-)
This is such a common theme among readers here. Maybe I should change the blog name to The Calm Girl. 😉
Happy 14th to the Frugal Girl blog and thank you for your gift to us!
Thanks for your blogging! I’m a recent reader and enjoy this friendly community. It is not easy to buck the spendy, wasteful attitudes of much of our culture and you have drawn together many of us who are pushing back. I have worked hard to be more frugal and remind myself how fun it is to be debt free!
Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary!
1. The birth of the blog?
2. The blog is really part of you, so is it the marriage between you and the internet/readers?
Hmm, that's a good question. Umm...maybe more a birthday?
Years ago I remember when you said, "It doesn't have to be perfect to bless someone."
This has stayed with me and I have repeated it to myself and others many, many times. It has encouraged me to take a meal to a friend when I'm not a "cook" and share my out of style home with visiting relatives. And so many other things. I just love how your simple phrase has been a faithful encouragement to me for so many years.
Oh, yay! I'm so glad it's been helpful for you like it has been for me.
Happy blog birthday!
I've been here for 13 out of those 14 years. I don't comment very often these days, but I still love your blog!
Your consistency has been so admirable -- faithfully gifting your readers very relatable content year in and year out. I think it's your relatability that makes you so encouraging. "Influencers" on the internet usually live lives that are completely foreign to most of us, but your quiet way of just getting on with being faithful with seemingly small things like sticking to a budget or not wasting food or practicing contentment even when you don't feel like it has been very encouraging and influential to me. As far at I'm concerned, you're one of the top influencers on the internet, simply by being your consistent, cheerful self. I hope you blog for many more years!
Aww, thank you, Franci! And I keep meaning to tell you that I really appreciated one of the comments you left recently, about the theme of me finding beauty in what others might see as ugly. That was so encouraging to me.
Congratulations on the anniversary! I am new to your blog but I love the kind tone here.
So glad to have you here. Welcome, welcome!
Congrats on 14 years!
Yes, you definitely will deal with spicy people as a nurse, but you will be a blessing to your patients!
Yes, the double letter words! Dang you vacuum, tomorrow and spaghetti! I can never remember how to spell them!
Ugh, yes, I am always misspelling vacuum. WHYYYYY do I think it should have two Cs??
@Yolanda, yes to vacuum! That (and license) are the two I just never can get.
Yes! Vacuum, broccoli (seems to ME it should have two l’s instead of two c’s) and more I can’t think of. I think in Canada we have even more of them (counselling, jewellery, I’m looking at you!)
Oh no! Why, Canada, why?? 🙂
I am so thankful that 2008 you was inspired to start a blog! As I was reading your list I would think, on this is the best reason.....until I read the next one!! All of them are what make you and your blog a happy and comfortable place for us all. Thank you for the gift you give us every day!! Peace!!
Consistency is a very rare superpower. I can’t think of a better one for a mother, community leader, and soon to be nurse to have.
Congratulations! Your blog is a bright spot on the Internet--there's so much kindness and good stuff going on here.
I am so so tired of what you talk about in #7. I've never understood people who are trying to sell me something telling me I suck because I don't believe what they believe. It's almost bad enough to never want to stay a part of the internet world.
Fourteen years is a long time. You show great consistency in blogging and in your life.
I am glad to know you, Kristen, says Mia's mom. Hugs!
I'm glad to know you too. 🙂
Thank you! And congratulations on 14 years! I am a consistent creature, too, and if I haven’t read your post by the time I go to bed, I’ll often read it then. I wish I could remember exactly how long I’ve been reading, but I’d guess since 2012. Take care!
So glad to be here!
It was a joy finding you (2011?) & of all the blogs I read back then it’s just yours & Money Saving Mom that I still read. I love learning mothering insights & the work (and sometimes fun!) of making frugal choices from you. Happy #14!
Thank you for sticking with it. I appreciate it very much.
I’ve been reading your blog for many years and this is my first comment. I love the tone of your posts, you are so level headed and even tempered, and that will take you far in your nursing career. You WILL meet many “spicy” people, and being kind and and calm will help more than you know. As a long time (42 years) nurse, I’ve always tried to be kind and calm, and I know you are going to be one amazing nurse. Congratulations on 14 years blogging! It’s been fun watching your kids grow up, and family situations do change, you have been very brave to openly discuss some things which I am sure would be easier kept private. You keep clean boundaries, which is so important!
Congratulations on your longevity and consistency! I wasn't here on day one but I'm pretty sure I started following you in the first year or two. It's been a great ride so far.
Congratulations on 14 years and thank you for staying with us so long 🙂
I started reading your blog in 2010 when I was looking for some tips and support on a frugal lifestyle, feeling quite alone in this regard. I had quit my job to care for my newborn twins (youngest of 4 children). I had no support network of extended family and most of my friends were in a higher economic bracket, with helpful tips such as "get a house cleaner" to manage our new life. I could hardly explain how we could not even afford a larger car that fit the whole family, let alone any other supports.
I felt like other frugal blogs were geared toward frugal consumerism, whereas your blog helped by keeping the mindset of a frugal lifestyle that felt more meaningful without always having to acquire new things to create meaning. On the other hand, it was grounded in practical, no-nonsense tips that I loved. Our particular lifestyle differed, but the mindset was the same.
Take care and good luck on the great new things to come in the next 14 years!
I have looked forward to reading your posts for years. Many other blogs have come and gone, but yours has been a steady, gentle, and encouraging presence. congratulations on this writing milestone!
Congratulations Kristen. When I plonk down on the lounge at night, your blog is where I always look first. Often I see what you have posted before others, or few, have commented, because it is morning where you are and night in Australia. I love going back the next night and reading all the comments, even though I very rarely comment. Always much appreciation, though.
Yes! There are very, very few blogs that write as consistently as you do. We appreciate you!
Longtime follower here…Kristen, you have ALWAYS been a ray of sunshine. The internet can be a very dark place, but you have consistently produced cheerful, practical, helpful, wise (and funny!) content. From reducing food waste to buying second hand, to homeschooling to photography to furniture painting to mending to parenting to weekly grocery shopping to recipes (remember Wednesday baking posts?) to Monday Q and As to appliance repair (!), you’ve been inspiring us all for years to CHEERFULLY live a frugal and content life. That message is much needed these days as many of us did not grow up with positive role models who demonstrated how to live a beautiful and meaningful life (one that doesn’t live for the next purchase or thrill), but to be grateful for the simplest of life’s pleasures. Even with the recent difficult changes in your family life, you have remained positive, practical, frugal, content and genuine, and THAT is rare among the best of us! You’ve mentioned before people have commented that they feel they could be real life friends if they lived closer. I am one of those people!
Just felt compelled to share the impact you have personally had on my life (I homeschooled and graduated my twin sons last year and am also re-entering the workforce).
You are a treasure and we all love you! Hugs from Michigan❤️
I read several blogs and I’m always amazed at how kind/thoughtful your comments are.. and how many you get! Seriously! Also, that part about being inspired and not told what to do, totally why I’ve kept reading your blogs all these years!
As is so much in life, the term spicy as applied to humans is one I appreciate. As you may or may not know, I adopted my girls from China as a single parent. The part of China where they're from (Szechuan and Hunan provinces) is known for it's spicy cuisine and oh my goodness, it was the best travelling food I've ever had. Anyways, we were told by our adoption facilitator that the people of these provinces refer lovingly to their strong willed, high spirited children as spicy, or their little chili peppers. They truly embraced the spiciness in these children, whereas I often think we try to mellow it out of them in our culture. So to me, being referred to as spicy always seems a positive attribute and to be honest, I may have once been one of those little peppers, lol. I am definitely raising one right now.
Congratulations on 14 years of blogging, Kristin! That is something to be proud of and I'm still pleased to have found you all those years ago.
Wow, I can't begin to tell you how much I admire you. You have a very difficult situation with your children and separation and yet you just keep on plugging along and I really admire that. I pray that you will be able to practice nursing in the very near future, that your children will honor you and that your separation will ease as you become an empty nester and your financial situation stablize.
Congratulations on 14 years. I enjoy reading your blog, as well I love to read all the comments, you definitely have a kind and gentle community. Regarding "spicy", I have to add that I am caregiver/momma to my senior "very spicy" cat, challenging but I totally adore her. (she is 18).
Yes, the multi double letter word IS a killer and I'm also a very good speller.
These reasons you listed in today's post are the foundation of why your long-time readers have stayed. You have a deep understanding of yourself and your strengths.
I think you give a voice to "the common man" or woman, as the case may be. You show how profoundly everyday people doing simple, everyday things can affect change. That is so powerful.
Happy 14th blog-iversary!! I’ve loved your blog for years and years (I think Zoe was maybe 3 when I first started reading?) and one of the reasons my love of it has only grown over the years is your willingness to be vulnerable. It feels like a real friendship, where as time passes you get to know each other better. I know in some senses that’s an illusion, as you can’t know us the way we feel like we’ve gotten to know you, but in what is often a scary place (the internet), it’s incredibly valuable to have the feeling of encountering a friend. Safety, trust and caring, and a warm, gentle presence give me that feeling of home. And when the world was on lockdown I appreciated that all the more, with fewer real encounters and more of my life lived online. So most of all, I want to say thank you for being you!! I’m grateful for the feeling of a friend online, and your community is awesome too!
Zoe was two when I started blogging, so you must have been here almost since the beginning!
Thank you for your blog. I’m not exactly sure when I found it but yours has long been my favourite blog and helped me though some tough times. Bring in Ireland, the shops and deals were all different, but it was the regular motivation that worked. Xx
Congratulations on 14 years! I can't remember exactly when I discovered your blog, but I don't think your children were high school age yet. Pretty sure you were still putting the stuffed animals in the groceries. 😀
I love the community of your blog, and your kindness and honesty. Thank you for making this a place of happiness and support and for sticking to the frugal path.
I went back and read the first column and it appears I remember it and have followed you since the very beginning! I also accidentally commented on that post first, so you will have a comment on a post from long ago-oops. Anyway, congrats, I have appreciated this blog from the very beginning:)
Happy Blog-iversary!
Wow, it has not felt like 14 years!
And double-letter words are just a problem. I once had a conversation with two friends, and the three of us had a doctorate, two master's degrees, and a law degree between us, and not a one of us could remember how to spell "committee."
Amen and amen. Especially to numbers 7 and 8. Thank you for your transparency and regularity. ❤️
Thank you Kristen for writing 3891 blogs and counting! You bring encouragement and inspiration to me, to this community. Thank you for creating such a place where community happens and continues to grow. Your cheerfulness, kindness and caring ways are a bit contagious, and these are things everyone needs more of. Thank you for being you!
Thank you so much, Jeanine! I'm so glad that you enjoy the community here.
Kudos for 14 years of blogging.
Thank you for blogging all these years! Here's what keeps me reading your blogs:
1. Do-able frugal, 2. "this is what helps me" approach, 3. cheerful and content, 4. tone of kindness.
Keep on keeping on! I love reading your blog posts.
I think I’ve been reading for 12 or so of those years. I remember finding you as a stay at home mom to two kids under 4, and needing to be very frugal with our one income. I consistently read you and Soule Mama (who no longer blogs, really)
and you have been so helpful in my journey as a stay at home mom, and now a part time working mom. AND I also went back to school three years ago and am steady plodding along with that as well. Thanks for still being here!
Being consistent and content are definitely your super powers! 🙂 And I will forever call my difficult patients 'spicy' now, thank you!
Kristen, you are amazing!! I have been reading your blog since the beginning and you have helped me through so much and taught me tons!
Thank you for being you!
It's been a pleasure to be able to read your articles for me. Happy for you. You have a great blog.