Fabulous Financials

Do. You. Know. What. Today. Is?

18 December 2006, 4:14 UhrAnnual Review, Just Bloggin'Single Ma

Today is a special day, not just any day…

I’ve been blogging a whole year. Wow! On December 18, 2005, I wrote my very first blog post. My, my, my, how I’ve grown. Since then, I have had the pleasure of communicating with and learning from many very smart, talented, and ultra fabulous people. I’ve established new friendships, found a new mentor, been approached with several potential business opportunities, increased my fabulosity, and brushed off one or two haters along the way (lol).

I also:

Bought a house

Earned a promotion

Saved $10,000 in an e-fund

Started a Roth IRA

Started a 529 account for my BabyGirl

Increased my 401k contributions to 10%

Paid off all of my ‘unsub’ student loans

Paid down my car loan from ~$12k to ~$4k

Achieved all of my 2006 goals

And increased my net worth substantially

Daaaaaaaaaaaayuuuuuuuum, 2006 has been a fabulous year! I started this blog to hold myself financially accountable, but now I also write to encourage YOU to do the same. As I share my trials, failures, AND success, I hope to motivate just ONE person everyday to take control of their finances like others have done for me.

In no particular order, I would like to give an extra special thanks to:

My Open Wallet (a single sista doin’ her thizzle in the big N.Y.)
My Money Blog (deal finder Extraordinaire)
Consumerism Commentary (Grand Puba of PF Blogging)

They were the first blogs I read. I was immediately intrigued because I liked how they put their net worth calculations out there for the whole world to see. I’d never tracked my own net worth before, but watching their numbers grow made ME excited. I followed their daily posts for a few months before deciding to start a blog of my own. They encouraged me to be accountable for my financial decisions and I attribute them for changing my focus from salary growth to a larger, more important financial picture - net worth growth.

Boston Gal’s Open Wallet

Shortly before starting my own blog, I found this one. Formerly known as Jane Dough, I fell in love with her blog when she hosted the Festival of Frugality. The creativity from that post and the tone of her blog made her feel like the big sister I always wanted but never had. She’s single with an impressive net worth established all on her own (close to a 1/2 million). She encourages me to keep doing what I do. As I’ve told her many times, “I wanna be like you when I grow up!” LOL

All Financial Matters

This is my brother from another mother! I didn’t find his blog until after I started my own. He is the most helpful blogger I’ve ever met. He has such a warm spirit with just enough mean streak to keep you honest (lol). He’s taken me under his wing in the PF blogosphere and I appreciate all of his guidance, recommendations, helpful information shared, and shout outs to me on his very popular blog. Not only is he a personal finance blogger, but he’s also a financial professional. That means he lives and breathes this stuff everyday to earn his bread and butter. Gotta respect his game!

pfblogs.org

This isn’t a blog but a very popular personal finance blog aggregator, run by Flexo. The day my blog was added to the aggregator, my traffic doubled. Presently, I’d probably guess at least 25% of my blog traffic comes from this site. I visit it at least once a day myself to check out the latest finance buzz. Especially when I don’t have time to read news sites like CNN or MSN, I always get my daily dose of pf blogs to make sure I’m in the know.

Outside the PF Blogosphere:

The fabulous Cocoa Girl at Cocoa Girl on the J.O.B.
The fabulous Supa at The World According to Supa Sister

These were the first non-PF blogs I stumbled upon. These sisters are holding it down in the big cities (N.Y. and L.A.). I can’t really call them ‘aspiring’ writers because one is published and the other is well on her way. Their talent shows in the words they choose to express themselves, which keeps me reading daily. They’re both transitioning to bigger and better things in life, so blogging has been pushed to the back burner [temporarily I hope]. At any rate, I love these two fabulous ladies and I wish them the very best!

And to ALL of my readers, I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It’s because of YOU that my blog is a success. As of right now…

According to technorati, there are 617 links to my blog from 159 unique sources.

According to site meter, I’ve had a total of 98,237 visitors and 181,167 page views since adding the tracker in March 2006. This site averages nearly 1,000 page views per day.

According to Google, my page rank is 5 out of 10, which is quite impressive considering I’m only 1 year old.

In Sept, I received my first $100+ Google Adsense check, just 5 months after adding advertising sponsors in April. It took only 2 months to earn the 2nd check and I’m well on my way to the 3rd. Yay!

So if you are reading this right now, I want to thank YOU again for making “Single Ma’s Fabulous Financials” into what it’s become today. Instead of a private financial diary, it’s evolved into a fun site written by some self proclaimed fabulous chic who curses a lot and suffers from ADD so she never stays on topic but throws a lil financial 411 into the mix every now and then. Crazy huh? LOL

If you are new to my blog, first let me welcome you. If you’ve been here before and enjoy reading “Single Ma’s Fabulous Financials,” keep it fab and please consider the following:

Subscribe to my feed

Read me via Bloglines

Or add me to your blogroll

In 2007, I will continue to deliver the quality posts you all have come to enjoy. If there’s anything you would like me to write about or improve on this blog, please feel free to email me or leave a suggestion in the comments. New ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome. Thank you for reading.

Love Ya!

Peace & Blessings

~*~*~*~*~*~
Work to achieve, NOT to acquire.
And as always, BE fabulous!

~SM

~*~*~*~*~*~
Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!

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24 comments:

Tired of being broke, 18 December 2006, 5:47

Happy Blogoversary!! You are truly fabulous and an inspiration to many including myself. Keep on being fabulous, and bring us all the fabulous posts, ADD and all.
Boston Gal, 18 December 2006, 5:59

Happy Blogoversary!

It has been a genuine pleasure reading your posts and am honored to be considered your pf Big Sister! A visit to your blog always leaves me smiling. While your financial progress has been impressive - your positive attitude, common sense, intelligence, inquiring mind, integrity, sense of humor, and generous spirit that shines in your writing is what keeps me coming back day after day. I am excited to continue to follow your progress in the ensuing years!
Bklyn Diva, 18 December 2006, 6:07

Happy Blogversary!!!!!

Definitely inspired me to change the way I look at things so its all good!

Now we are holding each other accountable cause you know folks want to read about your success.. It’s like well she survived.. I can do it too!
Anonymous, 18 December 2006, 6:09

Happy Blogoversary!!!!

Girl, I didn’t realize that you started on the eve of the most-fantabulous day in the world (my birthday:)

LOL

I love your vision and direction…keep up the good work.

Rachel aka C-Girl
prlinkbiz, 18 December 2006, 6:36

Happy Blogoversary! From Kimber and Prlinkbiz at NLL! Rock on girlie! Yours was the first PF Blog I ever read, and continue to read, because it is so important for us ladies to control our own financial future!Thanks for keeping it fresh, honest, and fun!
Miguel, 18 December 2006, 6:40

Hey, Happy Blogoversary!!!

Glad I discovered your blog this summer. And you know Ma, you are now my one and only daily read.

Nuff said.
MsJayy, 18 December 2006, 6:45

Happy Blogoversary Single Ma!! So tell me DOES time fly when you’re having fun? :O) You’ve had a truly truly FABULOUS year not only in terms of your personal financial accomplishments but also in terms of inspiring others. Including this budget/finance shy country girl. :O) YOU ROCK!!
Lys, 18 December 2006, 7:56

Single Ma - Happy blogoversary! Your blog is on my daily “Must reads” and I’ve enjoyed the posts, learned from alot of them and you have inspired me to get my finances in gear!!
chele, 18 December 2006, 8:40

Happy Blogoversary. Keep doing what you do. The way that you’ve been inspired is the way that you inspire. Thanks!
~Dawn, 18 December 2006, 10:02

♪♪♪Happy Blogoversary to You,♪♪♪
♪♪♪Happy Blogoversary to You,♪♪♪
♪♪♪Happy Blogoversary to Yoooouu,♪♪♪
♪♪♪Happy Blogoversary to You.♪♪♪

Congrats on making it a year and here’s to many more!
HC, 18 December 2006, 11:07

A very merry Blogoversary to you.

You’ve accomplished so much; it is indeed fabulous.
JLP, 18 December 2006, 11:22

Thanks for the special mention. That means a lot!

Congrats on a great year. Here’s to MANY more!

JLP
AllFinancialMatters
Aly Cat 121, 18 December 2006, 11:30

Wow, you go gurl! You’ve done alot this year! *clappin hands* *singin* “keep risin to the top, cuz ain’t no stoppin us noowwww, we’re on the move. . ” LOL
Clink, 18 December 2006, 12:16

Congratulations!

You are my fav PF blogger, by far!

Keep it up…
mapgirl, 18 December 2006, 12:42

Hooray! Congratulations lady! Here’s to many more years of prosperity!
Flexo, 18 December 2006, 12:54

Congratulations on your first year of what I hope will be many!
A woman on the move, 18 December 2006, 13:15

Congrats on your blogoversary!!

I truly enjoy reading your blog, you give great tips and advice…
CreoleInDC, 18 December 2006, 15:50

HAPPY VERSARYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
hustlermoneyblog, 18 December 2006, 22:34

Congrats partna..i got some catching up to do.
Single Ma, 19 December 2006, 5:25

*blushing*

Y’all sure know how to make a sista feel good. Thank you so much!
Madame X, 19 December 2006, 7:54

Oh my goodness, happy blogoversary! Sorry I am a little late to the party. First I was just going to congratulate you on your year of blog-writing fabulosity, but then I absorbed the whole other list of real life milestones and accomplishments! I’m amazed you even had time to blog while you got all that stuff done!
And you even thanked me… sniff!
Keep up all your fabulousness, you know I love it!
And p.s., if I lived near you, I’d help you paint your house, I really would!
fin_indie, 19 December 2006, 9:54

Your blog is new to me, and I have to say congrats on one year!

You definitely have a unique and refreshing personality that comes through in your writing and I’ll be adding you to my daily reads! Keep it up!

RetiringEarly.com
bluntmoney, 19 December 2006, 15:58

Happy Blogoversary to you! You’ve really accomplished a lot during the year!
Ms. MiniDucky, 19 December 2006, 21:42

Oh my, happy belated blogoversary! You’ve done more than most people in one year, I can’t wait to see what else is in store as y’all grow up!