Three years ago I sat down at my computer and started writing about my early experiences with money. The story started with the sentence “In the summer of 1996 a glazed Krispy Kreme donut changed my life.”
Now, I can say, “On January 24, 2013, writing about a Krispy Kreme donut changed my life.”
Launching this blog and delving into the world of personal finance completely re-routed the course of my twenties. In 2013 I was earning $37,500 a year as a pleb in the world of public relations. A job I’d taken out of necessity to earn a living more than any actual desire to compile media lists and get shut down by reporters. My life seemed to be already heading in a direction outside of my control because I needed to make rent, but felt too scared to take a risk and pursue a career I truly wanted. Frankly, I wasn’t even sure what I really wanted.
Enter my first (of several) quarter-life crisis.
Broke Millennial reintroduced me to my long-time love of writing and reaffirmed this is the path I’m meant to follow. I’m still not entirely sure the ultimate direction, but I do love continuing to learn about money, break down financial concepts for others and help fellow millennials embrace financial literacy.
Since launching Broke Millennial, I ditched the low-paying public relations job and since then have significantly more than doubled my salary between my day job and my freelance work. I’ve left the computer screen to speak in front of real-life people. And I’ve managed to find that often talked about intersection of working a job you actually enjoy and living.
2016 is already filled with lots of potential for Broke Millennial as a website and a brand that I can’t wait to share, but for now, I’ll recap the best (and worst) moments of 2015.
Highlights from 2015
- Featured on CBS Sunday Morning
- Invited to be a speaker at NYU three times and on a panel at SABEW/NEFE Personal Finance Reporting Workshop 2015
- Top mentions included: The Wall Street Journal, Refinery29 and The Boston Globe
- Posts were syndicated to: New York Magazine’s The Cut and Thought Catalog
- Doubled my freelance income goal for 2015
- Started Certified Financial Planning courses
Failures of 2015
- The least of amount of posting in Broke Millennial’s history. Instead, I ramped up on my freelancing work and thus my “free” writing got pushed to the back burner.
Goals for 2016
A few of these are going to be kept to myself in my Broke Millennial dream journal (yeah, that exists). But the ones I’m willing to share include:
- Refreshing the site
- Launching a newsletter
- Posting at least four times a month
- Consider generating revenue off Broke Millennial instead of focusing just on freelance income
Favorite Posts from 2015
- Getting Financially Naked with Your Partner
- Don’t Be a 20-Something Idiot
- The Day I Got Bullish With Money
- The Golden Egg: A Financial Easter Tale
And thank you to YOU, person reading this website. Whether you’re a friend, relative, regular reader that’s never met me or brand new, I truly appreciate you taking the time in your day to be here and participate in this community.
Ok – I am biased but I am also very proud of you.
Thanks, Mosby’s grandfather!
Congrats! Three years is a crazy long time in the blogging world — and here’s to many more. And I love your Krispy Kreme donuts story. 🙂
Thanks, Sarah! The Krispy Kreme story is still the nearest and dearest to my heart.
Happy third birthday!!!! I love that I have had a front row seat (and usually an opinion) on the direction your life has taken since starting this blog, and I am SO proud of how far you’ve come. I miss your personal blogging here, but I am applauding and celebrating all of your success outside of this blog. Keep up the great work my friend!!
I do love fellow women with strong opinions! I truly appreciate all your support over these years and don’t worry, I shall be making a stronger return here this year.
Congrats on three years! It’s amazing to see what you, and other PF bloggers have accomplished JUST because they started a little ol personal finance blog. Truly incredible. Hope this year is a really successful one but, ahem, don’t work TOO hard! 🙂
Don’t you work TOO hard either!
Happy third birthday! It’s cool reading posts about how starting a blog has made such an impact on people’s lives. Pretty interesting that you’re taking certified financial planning courses…I’ve always considered that as well. What are your plans for that?
To be honest, I haven’t quite decided. I started them more for the knowledge base and to feel more credible giving advice. I’m not entirely sure I want to be a practicing CFP in the long run, but I’m not ruling it out either.
Happy 3 years!! That’s awesome! Huge congrats on how successful you’ve been at increasing your income–so fabulous. And, it’s great to hear you’ll be posting here more often–looking forward it 🙂
Thanks so much! I’ve loved watching your success over the last year too and I can’t wait to see where the Frugalwoods family ends up.
3 year? Wow! That is really something and has proven your dedication and hard work. Congrats! Another 3 years to come!
Thanks, Jayson!
Nice Anniversary! Congrats! Blog worth of respect. So many bloggers by that time vanish. Keep up with good writing!
Thanks very much, Temmy! It certainly feels like I’ve made it a long way in blogger years.
Happy blogiversary, babe! XOXOXO
Thank you!!!
Good job on the 3 year blog anniversary! It’s so cool to see what all the personal finance blog writers (including you!) have been able to accomplish with the help of their blog.
It’s amazing what a blog can do as a platform and a body of work. Probably made it to bigger writing platforms than if I had stuck with a traditional journalist path.
Congrats on three years! I didn’t know you were on CBS Sunday morning. That’s so great! Hope to stop by here more often in the future and looking forward to three more years of your posts.
Thanks, DC. The Sunday Morning spot was amazing and has proven to be highly valuable. Something I hope to be able to speak about soon!
Excellent! Wow, I love the momentum. Congrats on turning 3! It is very inspiring to see all the action you have taken:)
Thank you, Tracy! I’m excited to put more creative energy back in to Broke Millennial in 2016.
Happy third birthday! That is so awesome you were featured on CBS! Good luck finding the time to post here a little more often to refresh the site. Here’s to another 3 years!
Cheers to another 3 years indeed!
Congrats on your 3 year blog birthday! Blogging totally changed my life too and I can’t imagine where I’d be without it.
It’s been so fun to watch you (and many of our peers) launch into such interesting careers. All from putting pen to…well typing on WordPress!
So far so good. Hope you are going to continue good work.
Best wishes!
Thanks very much, Tod.
Cheers! Congratulations! Three years of great blogging! Hope you have a wonderful year ahead.
Here’s to hoping!
Congrats, I noticed your blog in second year, and I could say you done great job here. Just keep up going same way you did until now. Keep up!
I sure will! Thanks, Fred.
Congratulations! I am always so excited when I come to your blog and there is a new post. Breaks up my monogamous work day. Cheers to many more!
Monotonous *** (whoops!)
Congrats! My blog is 2 1/2 (because when you’re below 5, you count in half years), and it can definitely be a struggle to give it and my full-time job the attention they need. It’s so worth it, though! Good luck with your goals this year – they are some of mine, too 🙂
Congratulations Broke Millennial and happy blogiversary!
I have enjoyed reading your blog and following your progress.
Here’s to another year!
After reading this, I am convinced. Everyone needs a “F#ck Off” Fund!
Love reading your posts! I am a corporate financial planner and I have looked into getting my CFP however it seemed as though without having customer facing financial planning experience you can’t get certified. Do you have that experience or is that not actually the case? Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much, Alexa. And you’re right, you do need 3 years of experience to be a full-fledged CFP and use the label. But once you pass the test, you can say that you’ve passed the exam and are currently sitting for full certification. You can even advise clients during this time. It sounds like you may already be doing work to get the experience portion checked off your list though!
Can’t wait to hear your podcast! I don’t know of another financial millennial podcast and I think it could be a hit. You’ve created an awesome platform already. I am recently podcast-obsessed and it’s really the direction most blogs are going. It’s also great for generating revenue with ads! Cheers to year 5!
meant to write this on 4!!