I have a new review up (with 11 more to come!) + a note about BlogHer reviews.
Hey everyone!
A new series of posts will be forthcoming on my review page from now until the end of October (with weekly $100 giveaways!). The series is all breakfast related, and I hope that you'll hop on over each week to enter. I'd love to give the $100 away to regular readers. 🙂
Also, I just wanted to clarify something about all the reviews/post series that I do for BlogHer. I am paid by BlogHer to do these posts (which, I think, is totally fair. These take time and energy on my part, and I'm delighted to be compensated for that. And this compensation is always disclosed.).
However, I am not paid to provide positive reviews. BlogHer and the companies paying for the reviews are simply hiring me to share what I think, whether it's good or bad. If you've read any of my reviews, you know that I'm not shy about saying what I think (for instance, I thought one of Wishbone's recipes was really bad, I disliked Ragu's Alfredo sauce, and I wasn't a huge fan of the cheese filling in Crackerfuls.). If I like something, I say so, and if I don't like something, I say so.
(if you still don't believe me, go read my Secrets of a Stingy Scroundrel Review!)
Also, I don't get paid to get tons of entries into my giveaways. I get paid a flat fee from BlogHer whether I get 10 entries or 500. So, if I remind you later in the week to go enter a giveaway, whether here or on Facebook or Twitter, I'm not trying to earn an extra buck. I just want you guys to all have a chance to win the moola!
Hopefully that clears up any misconceptions you may have about my reviews. If you've still got questions, do feel free to ask!
Anyways, if you'd like to read about breakfast at our house and also enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, hop on over to read my first post in this series and leave a comment there!
The link at the end of your post ("my first post in this series") isn't working for me! Just wanted to let you know, I'll keep checking back.
I'm sorry about that! I scheduled the post to publish and then left to spend the afternoon at the pool.
I think the time zone setting on that page must still be screwy. I thought I fixed it this morning!
Didn't work for me, either.
I wish people didn't care what you get paid to do or not do. It annoys me that people think you don't have a right to get paid to provide a service. I think you should get paid for every single thing you do on this blog and your reviews. It makes me sad that you feel like you need to clarify what makes you money and what doesn't. I wish people didn't care. I am sorry they do.
Aww, thanks. I appreciate your kind attitude about this!
Link is still not working...
The link isn't working for me either. I even tried going to your review blog and poking around, but there was nothing there that I saw either.
P.S. I am happy that you get paid to do reviews. Your blog is so wonderful. If anyone deserves to be paid for a blog, it should be you. You are, by far, my favorite blog to read each day. I check it on my breaks and lunch at work each day. It gives me something to look forward to. YAY!!
Oh, I'm happy that my blog makes you happy.
That makes me happy too. lol
Oh, and this reminds me to ask you, what are some of your favorite books? We have seen your favorite cookbooks, but do you read other books and what do you read? I love to read and would love to see a list of your favorites. The older I get the more non-fiction I like. ha. Right now my husband and I are reading Harry Truman by David McCullough. It is excellent. I also love Missionary biographies. I love books. I could go on about them for a long while. Maybe I should ask also what are some of your kids favorite books or your favorite books as a kid (that you loved to read)? That would make an interesting post. 🙂
I will file that away for a Q&A post. 🙂
The link didn't work for me either! Just wanted to say that I am about to make your recipe for yogurt. I have already made it twice before with great results! Thanks so much for everything you do!
-Hannah
Thanks for your honesty, but I don't think it is our business if you're paid. It was apparent it was a paid review for advertising purposes, but I can't imagine why that would irk some people. Furthermore, you are giving us advice, free recipes, and a place to vent. Of course you should get comepsated!
Thanks for your blog and for the giveaway opportunity.
Angela
Well, the internet is just sort of weird that way. For some reason, people do sometimes expect people to work online for free when they wouldn't expect that in real life (and the really odd thing is, usually online content is free, so the user isn't even having to pay the author/blogger.).
I think maybe the thing that worries most people is that they're being "had" or something...sort of like how you feel when someone from Amway gets ahold of you.
Anyhow, I just prefer to be as upfront as possible so that people don't feel like I'm sneaking something by them.
awwww.....I think all of the ways you earn money is totally fair. Legit ways for a mama to be able to stay at home & school her children. No disclaimers needed for this loyal reader.
Please add me to the overwhelming numbers of readers who trust you and are very happy that your talent earns you some money!!
Kristen, I started reading your blog a few months and absolutely love it. We don't have children, but when my husband decided to quit his job to pursue starting his own business last year, we really had to get creative to stay on budget. He is a writer and for years put his short stories on a website for free. When he started limiting that free access to everyone, his readership really dropped. Its sad what people think they deserve to get on the Internet for nothing in return, so I commend you for finding ways to earn an income online while at the same time continue to educate so many people on frugal living.