Invest It Wisely

Maximizing your EV in life

Two Years of Blogging: My Thoughts, and an iPad 3 (The “New Ipad”) Giveaway + Other Great Prizes!

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Birthday cake. Source: (seen on multiple sites)My second blogversary is tomorrow, Thursday, the 29th of March. My very first post went live on March 29 two years ago. It has been quite an adventure since then, with many changes both in my personal life and in the online world! Here are some of the highlights:

  • I purchased a home with my girlfriend, and we moved in together.
  • I started taking my first Mandarin courses a bit more than two years ago. I’m now almost finished the whole program (30 credits!). On one hand, I could be halfway through an MBA or something like that. On the other hand, it was great learning a new language, even if I still have a long way to go. It wasn’t easy going through the program, but I enjoyed it.
  • Two years ago, I was in a bit of a rut at my job. Things were going well, but I had been doing the same thing for a while. Since then, I learned a great many new things, got promoted, and even mustered up the courage to take a leap into the world of self-employment.

It’s been a great adventure, and certainly one that I haven’t shared alone. I’ve enjoyed sharing the journey with you, my fellow reader. 20s Finances is asking us to share our advice and tips for newer bloggers out there, even though I still consider myself a young blogger. Here are my answers to some of the questions a lot of you may have:

Why did you start blogging?

At the time of my mild rut a couple years ago, I was debating if I should go back to school to pursue a CFA and MBA, and perhaps jump into the world of finance. I had done well in those classes at school, and I liked to compare different scenarios. My fellow colleague, Mich from Beating the Index, loved to talk about investing in oil & gas companies, as well as his daily battle to beat the index. I recommended he start an online journal to record his thoughts, and I decided to try the same to document my own thoughts and journey in personal finance. Back then, I didn’t know much about the blogging world or about other personal finance bloggers.

I’ve since learned that I’m not as much into the finer details of investing in stocks as my buddy is. I like seeing my money grow, but I prefer an approach based on index funds and following simple and sound strategies, such as spending a LOT less than you earn, and not getting ripped off by the banks.

I’m not sure if this blog succeeded in helping me pursue a CFA/MBA in the end. I’d like to pursue a master’s someday, but since it’s not cheap, I also need to look at the opportunity costs!

Where this blog really helped me the most is in forming new connections and learning new ideas. I have learned so much in this short span of time. Invest It Wisely is the main reason I was able to make my jump to full-time self-employment. It’s still too early to say where things will go, and I’ll be honest: I would have had a much more relaxed schedule had I stayed at the job. I also would have hated my job. It’s enjoyable to fight the storms and fight for your future, instead of letting it be dictated by what happens at your company and by the whims of your bosses!

I am also starting to write my first book and a major section of a second. Many of these doors have opened for me simply by being exposed to this world of opportunity. For that, I am again thankful to you, dear reader, for keeping me going through the thick and thin of it.

How long did it take you to earn $100?

Probably almost an entire year. I made very little money at all during my first year of blogging. Blogging doesn’t make a significant amount of money for me even today (far less than what I earned at my day job), but it helped me accumulate enough extra savings so that I could make the jump.

What is (at least) one thing you wish someone had told you before you started blogging?

Tough to say. However, something I highly recommend is regular backups, of both the database and of your files. This is doubly important if you don’t have your own hosting. Most importantly, breathe, and relax. Not always easy, I know, and I need to often take this advice myself, but the key to blogging is longevity and resilience, and you won’t get there if you’re always feeling stressed out.

Giveaway

On to the part I know you’re all waiting for. 🙂 To celebrate my second blogversary, I’m giving away over $1200 in prizes! There are three prizes to win in all:

  • Top prize: The new iPad 16GB with 4G + Wifi (value $649) . The new iPad has a high-res screen of 2048×1536, quad-core graphics, and long battery life. With the 4G connectivity, you’ll have access to high-speed internet wherever you are. I would love to get one for myself!
  • Follow-up prize: Simply Investing course (value $347). This course is a simply investing approach to value investing with a focus on dividends. Learn the same techniques used by successful investors like Warren Buffet and Benjamin Graham.  You can find out more at the Simply Investing course description.
  • Follow-up prize: Stock Trend Investing Gold Membership + $25 via Amazon (value $216). This membership will give you access to simple investment strategies and teach you how to analyze the market to grow your savings and net worth. You can learn more at the Stock Trend Investing website. There is also a $25 gift card via Amazon to make the prize even better.

Please note: This giveaway is open to legal participants in Canada and the U.S. only. Also, entries are only valid if they are new entries. For example, if you’re already subscribed by email, you can’t count that as an entry. You have to do something new.

Sponsors

Thank you very much to everyone who has kindly sponsored this giveaway!

Thank you all, for helping to make this giveaway possible! The contest is now closed; thanks for participating! See this page for the winners.

Listed on:

Contest Girl
Online Sweepstakes

Best of luck!

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Comments

  2. Wow! What an amazing two years! Happy blogaversary!!!

    My favorite posts are when you talk about finances from a personal point of view or with real people involving real life scenarios that call for financial planning.

    Keep up the great work and thanks for the awesome giveaway!!!

  7. congrats! More saving tips please. Just can’t seem to make ends meet much less save.

    • Sorry to hear that Stephanie, I hope you can turn that around! How could you increase that gap between your expenses and income?

    • Thanks, James! I like how you picked out your domain name, too. Are you also associated with the same name if you remove the period?

  9. Congratulations on two years! I just started reading your blog and I enjoy it! keep up the good work.

  10. Congrats for 2 years of blogging! Wish you more success and blogging years to come.

  13. hi kevin.
    good blog, i enjoy reading it!
    Congratulations for 2nd year, and i hpe to read intrest blogs also ta the 3rd year!

  14. My first time here, but very interesting blog. I am very interested in the world of investing and like to read as much info as possible

  15. Congrats! I am new to the blog but I would love to read about the apps! Thank you!

  18. how about tips and ideas to keep your money earning in this down economic time without taking tons of risk?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Suzanne,

      To avoid tons of risk, I’d continue to invest in long-term index funds or ETFs, such as Vanguard’s, which offer a really great value. I am also partial to keeping 10% of assets in physical bullion.

  21. Kevin,
    Congratulations on your two year blogging anniversary. I see you having many more profitable years in the blogging business. Also, I always enjoy reading your post and financial ideas. And thank you for your very generous prize give away.

  22. Congratulations on your blogversary.

    I would love to win this, my husband and I are entering the world of self-employment.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  23. Review the basics – how do you determine if an investment is a good fit for you? how do you determine ROI? I’d like to see articles on these types of subjects. Congrats on 2 years.

  24. Congrats on the two years! Been reading your blog on and off for over a year. Keep up the posts!

  26. Congrats, and I sure would love to see the following, which is relevant to my life right now:

    How to get over the angst of owning two homes at the same time, between the sale of the first

  27. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! It’s great to see such interesting and creative content. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Invest It Wisely.

  31. Happy 2nd blogversary! Thank you so much for the chance to win the new iPad! awesome, 🙂

  32. Thank you for the giveaway and congratulations on 2 years with your blog!
    Any posts about saving and financial planning would be helpful. I’d also like to learn more about managing college/tuition costs.

  34. Wow. This is a really nice giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity. 2 yrs is a pretty big stepping stone, you’ll be at 5 before you know it!

  35. Congrats on the Blogaversary! Keep up the good work and I’d like to see more info about ETF investing!

  36. Congratulations on the 2 years of great blogging and thanks for the great giveaway!

  38. Congrats on your 2 year anniversary. Love your posts, I like the real life situations that you write about most investment and money advice is over my head your posts are very easy to read

  41. Congratulation Kevin on making 2 years. Most blogs do not even last 6 months right? It was great to know you and I’m sure you will succeed in your endeavor.

  43. Just found your blog recently, in my quest to support more Canadian PF bloggers! 🙂 I’m trying to get caught up on the back posts, so i have no suggestions where to go in the future–just stay true to yourself. The sound of honesty always rings true, and keeps me coming back. 🙂

    Congratulations on your anniversary! 🙂

  45. Congrats on hitting the two year mark. I’m about to hit two months 🙂 so I have ways to go. Love the tips on your site about blogging. Keep u the good work. Looking forward to reading more. I wish you the best on your new endeavor and hope 2012 is an excellent year for you!

  47. Two years and you’ve come this far – impressive. Congratulations on your successes!

  48. Your articles provide some good common sense approaches. I hope you can provide input on the many options available to reduce taxes during retirement. How to shift assets from 401k to Roth accounts, work the capital gains, etc. Best wishes on your anniversary.

Trackbacks

  1. […] @ Invest It Wisely celebrates two years of blogging with a great giveaway.  An iPad 3 is a nifty enticement to go over and participate, is it […]

  2. […] Invest it Wisely: ‘ I highly recommend is regular backups, of both the database and of your files. This is doubly important if you don’t have your own hosting. Most importantly, breathe, and relax. Not always easy, I know, and I need to often take this advice myself, but the key to blogging is longevity and resilience, and you won’t get there if you’re always feeling stressed out.’ […]