Why You Won’t See Ads for Loans, Debt or Credit Cards on This Blog
This awesome and one-of-a-kind (hehe) blog officially passed its 3 month birthday 3 days ago. I’m still figuring out what to do and what not to do on a daily basis. I don’t have a strategy for how I’m going to make money yet with this thing, although I think there are opportunities. Even if I don’t, this will all have been one big learning experience and a heck of a lot of fun. What’s weird is that I have figured out a strategy for what I’m not going to do.
I may stand among a select few in this niche in committing right now that:
The promotion of credit cards, loans and/or debt of any kind will never exist on this site from today forward.
Debt Promotion on a Personal Finance Blog? I Don’t Think So.
I don’t think highly of debt, at all. Back when I had debt, I was very anxious and I felt trapped. I wouldn’t have wished it on anyone. Now that I’m out of debt, I know many others who aren’t so fortunate and I feel bad for them and their situation and want to do everything possible to help them out of that mess. Having a personal finance blog to me is all about sharing my experiences with my readers (you) in hopes of helping you help yourselves out of any financial mess you might be in, like I have started to do. Because I feel hard work is worth being compensated for, I have added Google Adsense to my blog, meaning I make money (however very little at the moment) from advertisers, who I’ve allowed to display ads on my site. Google’s tools for managing these ads are very robust, allowing me to have a ton of control over which ads to show and which to block.
All ads on credit and lending are officially gone as of 8:30 PM CST tonight, to never return. As a subscriber to 90+ personal finance blogs through Google’s RSS reader, I’m clicking through to many of their sites on a daily basis and SO often see credit card promotions, payday loan links and even blog posts that promote going into debt on low interest loans.
But Not All Debt is Bad, Kraig.
I’m personally not going to yell at anyone for liking debt or feeling like it’s a tool to be leveraged in certain opportunities. That’s fine with me that you feel that way. I just simply will not promote it through my blog posts or through my site’s advertising. That may be where most of the money is to be made with a site like mine, but frankly if that’s the case, I may have to find other ways to make additional money.
I want to be a blog that helps people get out of a messy situation, not one that dangles red meat (debt promotions) in front of their face. My readers are going in the positive direction, not the other way around. We’re in this together!
Category: Getting Ahead
Good for you! It’s disheartening to go to a PF blog and see posts about being gazelle intense with those types of ads in the sidebar.
I just found your blog today and love it BTW.
Thanks for liking my blog! I hope you subscribe and stop back again!
I’m with you on this one Kraig! I believe in not going into debt, but I also stand those who feel like they’re leveraging their money.
Debt was a disaster for me and it is for most Americans. The best thing anybody can do is avoid it whenever possible.
Yay! Thanks for being on my side! Debt stinks! Debt stinks!
I don’t know, it depends on what the ad is to me. For example, I don’t think highly of payday loans. However, I would review credit cards that have excellent rewards because I believe if you can pay off your balance every month, it’s something that you can take advantage of. Also, I would put ads for some peer to peer lending systems (like lending club). My boyfriend had a loan with 20% interest that he couldn’t refinance out of and couldn’t pay down immediately – so we looked and he got a loan on Lending Club for 9% which is much better.
I understand what you’re saying though – but I think sometimes, some of them are ok. It just depends on both the blogger and the advertiser.
I agree with you that dumping a loan with 20% interest and picking up another for much cheaper is something that’s helpful to someone. Like I mentioned above, I’m not going to yell at people who promote those things, I just don’t feel like it’s something I want to do here. Debt hurt me. I’m still holding a grudge, haha.
I think that it’s great for you to stand by your beliefs.
Thanks Katie! That means a lot.
Amen Brother! I don’t have any adds on my site, debt or otherwise, except for those I have affiliations with (and most likely have had them as a guest on my podcast).
I’m glad to see you take a stand, not just in what you are saying with your blog but also what you aren’t saying!