A few weeks ago my good friend Julie posted to facebook a list of her priorities. Kids first, then her relationship, then work, then working out (health), then friends. I liked her list but mine looks a little different:
#1 – Ben and Cassidy
#2 – Eating chocolate.
#3 – Work
#4 – Eating bacon.
#5 – Friends.
#6 – Getting rid of love handles caused my #2 and #5.
And here is where I’m going with this…
We are struggling financially. Ben is still out of work (although keep your fingers crossed for the prospect I mentioned before), we have pretty much exhausted all the cushion we had, unemployment is running out and we really just can’t afford to live on my income alone because it really just covers our mortgage and nothing else.
*shakes fist at California housing prices and rereads Britt’s email about why we should all move to Texas*
I haven’t really written about it here for a few reasons. Mainly because I hate sounding like a whiner. There are people out there that are a LOT worse off than we are and I feel kind of like a jerk when I talk about how broke we are as I sit on my comfy couch with my laptop and a full belly while there is a family out there somewhere sleeping in a car tonight because they don’t have a house to go home to.
Also, we are VERY LUCKY to have people that can help us out when we need it. Like parents that will wire money to us to help us get through.
It’s just… it’s hard. And it’s not somewhere we want to be which is why I’m about to say what I’m about to say and PLEASE DON’T HATE ME:
I’m going to start doing some paid blogging on aflux.
THERE I SAID IT.
This is something that I’ve avoided here for the last six years. I never wanted aflux to be about The Money. I had other blogs were I did it but this was always My Space, free from the stigma and filled with only words I wanted to write.
But there is also a reality I’ve been looking past for a long time and that’s the money making potential of this blog. I’ve gotten quite a few offers to run text link side bar ads, do reviews and paid blogs and I’ve always turned them down. I really can’t do that anymore. My family needs the money and my family makes up the top part of that list and all of you, my dear, lovely, awesome, fantastic internet friends that I love SO MUCH, are just under the bacon. And the posts will, you know, pay for the bacon.
I’m working on getting it set up so that if you use a feed reader (and if you aren’t WHY THE HELL NOT!?) you will never have to see the paid posts. I’ll block them from getting sent via RSS and all you will ever see is the normal awesome posts all about me. Well, as normal as anything can be when it’s all about me.
When we have steady income again everything will go back to the way it was before but for now, I hope all of you understand why I have to do what is best for me and my family.
*heart* you all lots and lots.
I can’t believe how totally effed your priorities are. I thought you were better than that. Bacon is not nearly high enough on the list. Unfollow!
You have to do what you have to do to keep your family afloat, and you shouldn’t feel bad about that. Personally, if they are written like a real blog entry, I don’t mind paid posts at all. Jenn (jenn.nu) posts paid posts often, and I still read them and even often comment on them because 9/10 times, she’s said something interesting and still made it relevant to the links. I hope things get better for your family soon!
I swear to god if I come here and that “Punch a Monkey, win a prize” ad is here, Imma Punch a Anna win a..I don’t know
Other than that, make money off of your blog and feed the family. Only an asshole would begrudge you that.
Do it. <3
Also, I totally agree with Sara. BAAAAACON!
I do understand and I think it is great that you are setting it up so that the paid blogs don’t go into RSS. I love when people do that.
Family is awesome!
Okay three things.
01. Mark Twain once said, “Nothing that grieves us can be called little: by the eternal laws of proportion a child’s loss of a doll and a king’s loss of a crown are events of the same size.” So you’re perfectly allowed to feel pinched. It’s being logical enough to call this pinched that shows you know just how much worse it could get and you’re intelligent enough to worry NOW while it’s still early on. And then you’re completely allowed to whine about it on YOUR blog.
02. I got so damn excited when you mentioned relocating that I totally didn’t finish this post and was already upstairs prepping both yours/Bens guest rooms and Cassidy’s because IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, I JUST KNEW IT. So, I am beyond thrilled you’re staying where you are, near friends and family and loved ones… but should you decide that those kind of things just aren’t the kind of things you care about, you should know we have a lot of guest rooms, plenty of work and an entire length of fair dedicated to deep fried bacon. Juuuuust throwin’ that out there.
03. Don’t worry about paid posts and what people think. People understand. Namely your readers. You won’t be reviewing your favorite double-sided pleasure toy with crude wording anytime soon, so by all means, go for it. I have SO MANY OPINIONS (read: I’m bossy) and if someone wanted to pay me for one of them, I’d be a happy camper. SO YOU GO GUURLL ::head swivel::
WAIT. I want to add a fourth thing. I love you.
Mmm Bacon. It’s your space, you don’t have to justify to us!
I have a seperate blog for my paid blogging and although it brings in money that I definitely need, I would very much benefit from doing paid blogging at my main blog. I have been, like you, avoiding it for years but after reading your blog about needing the money, I’m considering doing it too. I really DO need the money and if I could double my earnings from doing it at two blogs then I really shouldn’t stop myself.