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!
- Kanwal Sarai @ Simply Investing – course worth $347
- Van Beek @ Stock Trend Investing – course worth $191 + $25 via Amazon
- Miss T @ Prairie EcoThrifter – $50 toward iPad
- Simon @ Sustainable Personal Finance – $50 toward iPad
- Young & Thrifty – $50 toward iPad
- Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff – $25 toward iPad
- Cents to Save – $25 toward iPad
- Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey – $25 toward iPad
- Sandy @ Yes, I Am Cheap – $25 toward iPad
- Squirrelers – $20 toward iPad
- Edward Antrobus – $5 toward iPad
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!
Congrats on your second blogversary!
The iPad would certainly be helpful with day trading.
Congrats on your anniversary. I would love to see tips on saving for retirement.
Congratulations on your 2 year blogversary and thank you for the opportunity to win.
Watching the Masters… are you? 🙂
More for those just starting out
trippyjanet at gmail dot com
Congratulations on your anniversary! ^^
And thank you so much for the giveaway!
If possible, going forward I’d love to see more posts that help readers make sense of new laws and policy that affect their finances!
Way to go on 2 years! Keep up the great content, you don’t need to do anything different over the next 2 years!
Thanks, Robert!
Congrats on the blogaversary! Love the contest 🙂
Congratulations on two years! Thank you for the chance to win ipad. I just start to read your blog, i have no knowledge on investment, starting to look in to it thanks to your blog
Congrats on the milestone! Great idea for a giveaway. Can’t wait to do one similar to this one!
Let me know so I can ply my hand! 😉
I’d love to see a blog post on investing in TFSA during university and then pros/cons or using those savings to pay down student loans after graduation!
Congrats on blogging for two years !
I envy you… amazing job in the past 2 years… and fantastic giveaways! iPad, yeah!!
Congrats on you blogaversary!! =]
Congrats on 2 yrs and future success. I would like to see more diversified retirement information beyond the 401(k) options and IRAs. Thanks for the fun giveaway.
This is my first visit to your page, and I love it! I’ll definitely be back.
Has it only been 2 years? It feels like you’ve been here forever and a day! Congrats.
Thanks, Sandy! The time does go by fast…
Congratulations! I appreciate all the tips so much.
I agree with the poster who said that more info for those just starting to invest would be useful.
Congrats on your blog success. Here is to many more years. 😉
im new to the world of personal finance blogging. just started my blog in January 2012 due to a layoff that has left me unemployed. I don’t want to fall apart because of this and so im learning through all your blogs what i need to know to avoid that and once back on my feet, so keep going and achieve financial freedom!!
I’m happy to see your proactive approach, and wish you the best of luck. 🙂
Kevin, sorry I didn’t get round to this post just yet! Here now.
You have had a really interesting few years and it is always odd to look back i find! A lot happens in a lifetime and 2 years is a nice slice of that.
You are going to be looking back in two more years and I bet your path has veered off somewhere you didn’t exactly imagine!
It definitely has! Thanks for all of the support, and looking forward to where the next couple of years takes me. 🙂
Just did my entries, would have to go to my girlfriends US address if i am lucky enough to win 🙂
Thats great, everyone has a chance. Good luck
I’d love to see tips on saving for college and kids in college savings.
Congrats on 2 years! I’d love to hear more about “Do Good” investing — something along the lines of Kiva.. ways to help better society with your investments.
Congrats on 2 years! I would love to see something about retirement savings and also charities!
i’d like to see more focus on technology in the future!
Agreed, Jeff. I actually touched on this a bit in my most recent post.
Thanks, everyone, for your entries, supports, and comments. Only a few days left to go, so keep on tweeting and promoting to increase your chances to win! 🙂
Congrats!
Congrats Kevin for the second anniversary! I would like to follow your success story as an entrepreneur via your blogs. Nothing beats being your own boss — I missed out but so glad to see you on your way. Hopefully my children will also follow in your footsteps!
Best wishes.
I’m very new at reading here, so as far as future I can’t speak to that too much quite yet, I’d say keep on as you are!
Congrats on the aniversary
Would love an Ipad!
Investments are theway to go. That is our retirement income and its wonderful.
Congrats on your 2nd anniversary. I’d like to see the mix of stories you currently have… including more giveaways – thanks
I would like to see more on planning for retirement.
congratz on hitting your mark
I would love to see advise on off main stream opportunities, features on popular stocks, maybe with company profiles, any wallstreet news – and most of all keep it easily understandable – thats what I love about your page
…and make the comments accessable for opera – I got error messages when I tried to submit, went over to chrome and it’s working fine
more info for newbies.
Congrats on the 2 years. You’ve made it over the hardest part of blogging.
I would like to see clean investing. Investing into things that don’t feed the corporate oligarchy, because they are all corrupt and cheat to make their money. There should be a way we can all get together and stop feeding the beast!
I’d like to learn more about the best investment opps for college. What is the best way to save for my kids college. I know there are different types of 529 plans and other things but which is the best way?
I most definitely need to update myself when it comes to investing wisely. I’m glad I found your blog through the iPad giveaway. There is some pertinent info on your site I need. Thank you for this great opportunity!