What is unique about my blog?
A blogging friend of mine sent me a questionnaire this morning, and I managed to answer all the questions reasonably well, save for one. She wanted to know what is unique about my blog, and I thought that you, dear readers, would be better equipped to answer this question than me! My best guess is that the food waste thing makes me a little bit unique among frugal blogs, but I thought it would be interesting to pose this question to you.
So, what is it (if anything) that's different/unique about my blog?
I'll be back later today with a Wednesday baking post (a Deep Dish Pizza recipe is coming!). 😉
I like your photos. You're very thorough with your posts and you aren't overbearing. Keep up the good work!
Your blog is interesting, practical and realistic. I can relate to what you are telling me, feel that I want to try it also because you make it appealing, and you live in a real world with real world problems. I know this is pretty subjective, but the big thing is I simply find it interesting without being preachy.
your photographs - they add such dynamic to your pages. And they are always beautiful 🙂
I was drawn because of the yogurt recipe, but then reading about you, homeschooler, christian, stays at home, handful of kids... That's what makes the blog unique... The person writing it.
I felt like you were frugal but I could relate. Nothing seemed to over the top. Although that was before the laundry basket post 🙂 J/K (kind of) 🙂
LOL Becky! I promise I won't go down the laundry basket road too often.
What is unique is that you inspire me. You inspired me to hang out my clothes more often, rather than use my dryer. You inspired me to be more careful with my menus and my leftovers. You inspired me to use my brain and find free or cheaper ways to do some things that would normally cost a lot. In a way you inspired my blog today, about home-made soil block makers for gardening. I made them for next to nothing from something I had on hand, rather than spend many, MANY dollars for a professionally manufactured block maker. Because of you, I now look at objects before disposing of them, and try to think of other uses. Disposal is a last resort, frugality rules!
I've posted with you for a few years now but I love coming to your blog the most. Not that other places were bad but I like how you keep the material interesting but simple. Your food waste is unique but I have to admit it makes me feel guilty. I try to accomplish what you do in the "no waste" area but I just can't do it. Your $80 a week is an inspiration to me. Just today I shopped to supplement the food I had in teh freezer. (About 5 days worth of stuff.) It was $64.33 and after coupons and sales turned into $53.50. That included 33 items some of them meat, produce, and fish products. I was thrilled.
I like your recipes, your photos, and your self-challenges to spend less. The tone of your blog is always inspirational but never judgmental. I don't go to church; I don't homeschool; I don't stay at home anymore, and I spend quite a bit more money on food for my family, but I still find your blog motivational (and I can't wait to try the deep-dish pizza). Like Amy Dacyczyn, you highlight the creativity, rather than the deprivation, in frugality.
Aren't these nice comments?! Wow! Well, I'm inspired by you too. I think of you every time I open my frig. 🙂
I like the level of detail and actual dollar amounts. So many financial blogs talk about savings and spending in abstractions. I appreciate the real numbers (though your grocery totals put me to shame...)
I like the fact that you get specific about your day-to-day frugality experiences - actual number for grocery shopping, what meals you present to your family, how you modified an actual dress that you found for $0.97 (!) to bring it up to your own fashion standards, etc. I agree with Adrienne - so many financial and frugal blogs talk in abstract concepts that it's nice to see specifics for a change.
I enjoy the fact that you aim to be frugal, but also healthy and as green as possible. There are many frugal-focused blogs out there that neglect the environment in their efforts to save a few pennies. I've been trying to convince my husband that buying organic and doing environmentally-friendly things doesn't have to be expensive, and it's nice to see someone who's following that path!
I also really like your photos. They look very professional and add a nice touch to your various explanations.
It's definitely your photos, the step-by-step recipes, your honesty and creativity. And your posts are short and sweet, which is great for your readers' busy lives too---we all understand it's because you are busy with your kids, and that's the way it should be. You also admit to your challenges and how you learn from mistakes, and that's refreshing. I can't stand "perfect" people like Martha Stewart, you know there's a lot of agony behind that brittle smile of hers! Keep up the good work!
I had a busy week and am now just catching up with your blog. I wanted to chime in because I do find your blog so unique. I think all of the lovley comments left by your readers mirror my thoughts about how interesting, informative and inspirational your blog is, so I will just add that because of you I have added a food waste and grocery spending/menu plan series to my blog. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! 🙂
I like that you do not have the all or nothing mentality of some other frugal blogs. I am a young single profesional who works around 60 hours a week so I can't do everything in the most frugal way but I feel good about being able to do what I can (reducing waste, cooking some simple homemade meals) and appreciate my successes without feeling like a failure that I can't do everything you do (bake bread).
Brandy...I think you absolutely should feel that way! If I had to work 60 hours a week, I'd have a hard time baking bread too. And I definitely think that it's good to avoid an all-or-nothing sort of attitude...some frugality is certainly better than none, and everyone's lives are different, so everyone will be frugal in different ways.
And thank you all for your kind comments...I have the best readers ever!
Hello from the future! I decided to go back and reread your blog to see where it all began which has been a great decision thus far. To me, your blog is unique because I feel both inspired and informed by your lifestyle without feeling inferior like other blogs. You do not preach, you teach. I am in the beginning stages of adulthood with a wedding on the way and I feel that I am learning so much from your life experience and wisdom. Your less waste focus, buying quality, using real ingredients, and embracing simplicity really speak to me. You come through as a genuinely good person through your writing and it just seems effortless. Like I said, you will make a great nurse 🙂
Aww, I am always so complimented when someone reads all the archives. There's a LOT to go through here!
Thanks for your kind feedback. 🙂