Blogger Confessions #37: Miriam from Greenbacks Magnet

Happy Saturday and welcome to the 37th episode of the 'Blogger Confessions' interview series on the blog. Today, I'm bringing in Miriam from Greenbacks Magnet to talk about blogging and how they've managed to keep everything straight as a personal finance blogger.

Take it away.

Blogger Confessions with Riley Adams from Young and the Invested

1: In at least 100 words, describe the target audience of your blog.

The target audience of my blog is for anyone that says to me “I don’t really know much about finance.”

In addition, it’s also for high school and college students. I prefer and try to get to people when their young because they have yet to get set in their ways and are still able to be molded. I think of myself like a teacher and this blog is my blackboard, I try to mold young minds.

I try to teach people that they will be happier with less stuff and more freedom. Freedom is the goal. However, without a plan it is just a wish.

2: What makes your blog different from other blogs in the PF blogosphere?

A lot of my blog involves money lessons I have learned many of which come from movies and television shows. People like the familiar. They saw give the people what they want. That’s what I try to do.

I like to be entertained.

So, I like to make my blog educational, but entertaining at the same time. It’s like Sesame Street, but for adults. I so love to laugh. I usually telling jokes and stories a lot. That just continues on through my blog. It’s an expression of me and what I have learned. I just try to pass it along in a humorous way.  When you read my blog I try to write as if you were speaking to me and make you feel like where ever I was you were there.

I feel like I’m trying to do what Whoopi Goldberg said in Sister Act, I’m just trying to get some butts in the seats. If you’re boring, people tend to tune you out. That negates what I’m trying to do.  I try to create a spark and a sense of urgency to get people talking and learning about money.

3: What’s the thing that you’ve struggled with the most since starting your blog?

Good content to write and a writing schedule. I started this blog when I was in school working on a Master’s. It was hard. Once I graduated, I decided to approach it like I would an assignment. I planned in advance and wrote outlines of what of wanted to do.

Thanks to school, I am able to write papers in my head. It is not too difficult for me to write. The difficulty is in finding a good topic to write about and thinking of a compelling title.

I was able to somewhat overcome that by reading another blog post on the subject. A gentleman came across a book with a humdrum title, but the book was excellent; however, it did not sell well.

So, he bought the rights of the book from the author and renamed it; How to satisfy a woman every time: And have her beg for more!  The book flew of the shelves. I think it sold like 2.5 million copies. That is when I decided to put more effort into my title selections. It does make a difference.

4: Do you publish your net worth on your blog? Why or why not?

I do not as I have read too many times that some bloggers get vitriol thrown at them and I believe that is partially the reason why.

I know it can validate you and your site, as seeing is believing, but some things I just need to keep for myself.

I also know that perception is reality and people WILL judge you based on that number.

I don’t know. I may change my mind in the future. But for now, no.

5: Have you monetized your blog (ads, affiliate marketing, etc)? Why or why not?

I have monetized my blog. I am currently with Google Ads and just published my own product. I wrote an eBook called How to crush debt and save $10,000 every single year. It is sold exclusively through my website and it is affordable as it only costs $4.99. It costs less than a number one at McDonald’s. That’s probably the price of a Quarter Pounder with cheese.

I am looking into affiliate marketing, but finding a product I want to sell is hard. I do not want to endorse anything I do not know.

6: Would you rather be loved, hated or controversial? Explain, please!

I probably have to go for controversial. I like to read the self-made and I notice that well-behaved women rarely make history. I don’t mind breaking the rules, but not the law.

Walking on eggs shells, not making any waves because you want everybody to like you never works. I speak my mind and tell people the hard truth.

I’m the female version of Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank. I don’t believe in being disrespectful, but I am not going to be a doormat and I give you cold, hard facts. That’s it. Take it or leave it. The truth will help you.

I feel that the truth attracts good things to you and lies repel it. My blog is called Greenbacks Magnet. I am all about attracting things and magnetism!

7: Who would you be horrified to know read your blog?

Maybe, some people at work. They do not need to know my every move outside the job.

Otherwise, no one.

8: What’s your most favorite, least favorite and most embarrassing post on your blog?

Least favorite: Getting out of debt one step at a time. It was too short, but that’s when I was still in the beginning stages of the blog.

Most embarrassing: How Millennial Money inspired me to start saving $13,333.06 a year. Only because in it I explain to readers about my shopping addition and that I had to go online for months putting thousands of dollars into online shopping acts just to get my fix. At one point, my cart totaled $18,000! I didn’t buy one item. I felt ashamed, but I told my truth.

Most Favorite: Money Lessons I Learned from Scrooge McDuck. I had to go back and watch the cartoons on Scrooge explaining to his nephews the importance of money, investing, and inflation. It was awesome to write.

In a close second, it’s a tie: Money and Life Lessons I Learned from Mr. T and A Blogger’s Tale: An Interview with Bitches Get Riches. The latter is the most fun I have had writing a blog post. BGR are just fun ladies.

9: Explain your writing process

I am pretty good at churning out posts. I can do one in as little as 45 minutes or it can takes days depending on how much research I have to do.

I write fast. Just like the way I talk. My mind is always racing so writing comes naturally to me. It just flows. Not too many edits or drafts. It just goes from mind my to pen to paper.

10: What is your favorite blog in the PF blogosphere (other than your own!)?

That’s a tough one. It’s another tie. I always find myself drawn to two blogs: Financial Samurai and Budgets are Sexy.

I can barely keep up with Financial Samurai he puts out so much content. He’s just so smart!

J. Money, on the other hand, is just too cool. I like his down-to-earth demeanor and the way he makes me feel when I read his blog. Like I’m important and like I matter. It’s a great feeling. And ultimately, that is what I try to emulate with my blog. Sell your feel goods. I try to plant the seed that make people feel good about themselves.  

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