Why Blogs and Google Analytics don’t mix

One of my 2012 goals was to continue to grow the blog.

At the end of 2011, I had just started getting into advertising on my site and the money I was making had me seeing dollar signs in my eyes.

For the first few months in 2012, I was busting my butt. I became obsessed with my PageRank, checked my Alexa score almost every day, researched SEO and stuck to a posting schedule.

The income kept rolling in and I couldn’t have been happier.

Until one day, it all fell apart. Google performed some sort of update that penalized bloggers, like myself, who accepted advertisements from certain companies.

In one day, it felt like everything I had worked so hard for completely disappeared.

For a few weeks, I felt a little numb. And then I kinda felt stupid–I mean, what a blogging nerd, right? Who gets this upset over a blog?

Eventually, I came out of the spell and realized how much I preferred blogging without the pressure. Do you know how great it is to blog without feeling like I need to hit certain keywords?

My true voice comes out.

I can honestly say I can’t remember the last time I checked my Google Analytics. The number of hits don’t matter to me anymore–what really makes me happy is when I see a post that resonates with people, and when I read comments that literally make me laugh out loud, or nod my head in agreement. You guys seriously rock at giving advice!

Because what truly matters about blogging isn’t numbers–it’s about connecting. Reading other people’s stories, seeing the challenges they go through, getting personal and making friends online.

How many times can you read a “Six Ways to Pay Down Debt” Post? Or “How to save money on a vacation”? Let me give you a tip: To pay off debt, you need to decrease expenses and make more money. It’s that easy.

Kinda like losing weight–there’s no magic potion, it’s eating less and moving more! If we know the solution is so easy, why is it still so hard?

I know you don’t come here to read the how-tos. You come here to read about how Eric and I struggle financially from time to time, but still manage to have an amazing life together–except for when he eats my cheese. Or about my obsession with babies even though I don’t want them right now.

Some days I have so much to say. And others I don’t. But it’s my blog and I can write about what I’m thinking that day, without having to worry about SEO or how many hits it gets or anything like that.

Yeah, of course I want people to read my blog! Otherwise, I’d just have a diary. But it’s so much more fun to get everyone’s input on certain things. Have I mentioned that I love the advice you guys give?

So “Goal #10: Continue Growing the Blog” on the list of goals for 2012? Yup, I checked that off. I couldn’t be happier with how my blog has grown.

Do you care about Google Analytics for your blog?

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We paid off ONE Student Loan!

With only three months left in 2012, I needed to get cracking on our 2012 goals for the year. Here are the ones we have left to finish:

Pay Off at least One Student Loan
Go on a honeymoon
Save $10,000

I would say the other non-tangible ones, such as Continue Growing the Blog, Eat Healthy Lose Weight Start Running Again, and Be Nicer to the Husband have all been fulfilled but I guess I’ll have to do recaps on those later.

For now, I wanted to share the absolute wonderful news that I have finally paid off ONE of my student loans! Only six more to go!

As of today, I have $20,015 left to pay off. When I graduated college, I had approximately $32,500 in student loans, which means I’ve paid $12,485 over the past six years–NOT including interest. I really don’t want to calculate the interest because it just makes me feel bad.

Sidenote: I can’t believe I’ve been out of college six years…I can’t believe my 10-year high school reunion is this year!

While I feel we made significant strides in 2011 to pay off debt, the debt payoff hasn’t been as great in 2012 for a number of reasons:

We moved which caused an increase in rent and utilities of 40%
Eric injured his back and couldn’t work for four weeks
Eric worked part-time for three months
Eric and I are both going back to school.

Sometimes life gets in the way, and you can’t live according to “The Plan.” Looking at the bigger picture, can I just say this means we’ve paid off 50% of our debt in the two and a half years we’ve been married?!

What an accomplishment! I updated our debt numbers to reflect the debt we really had when we first got married (which was more like $43,000, but I went ahead and low-balled at $40,000), and I am absolutely astounded and so proud of ourselves for how far we’ve come.

This upcoming year, we will again see challenges in debt payoff as we work to pay off our new accumulating school costs. The decision for both of us to go back to school was not easy, because really who wants to acquire more debt?

But I know in the long run, it will be worth it from the bump in pay I know I will receive, in addition to Eric finally landing his firefighter job.

What’s a financial goal you recently accomplished?

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Is it okay to have three children?

Ever since my babies, babies, babies post, I’ve been thinking about two other child-related things that I just have to tell someone about because I want to know if I’m normal. Well, I already know I’m not normal…

The first is…I really want a girl. Like really want a girl. Like, I will be really really sad if I don’t have a girl. And I feel like this kind of sets me up for failure. It’s not that I don’t want a boy, because I do–I want a boy and a girl–it’s just that I feel like I’ll be ~~a little bit upset~~ really upset if I don’t have a girl.

And here’s what I don’t get–when I ask other people, either people who have had kids, or people who are pregnant, all I get is “We’re fine with a boy or a girl.” And it’s like they really mean it. Is that because there’s some rule that you’re not supposed to say what gender you want?

Because I’m telling you know, I really want a girl. And I want a girl first, because then I can relax with my second pregnancy. Because you can bet your butt that if I have a boy first, I’m gonna be soooo nervous for the second…what if it’s another boy? And I don’t get a girl? And I will be sooo sad.

Obviously, I know I will get over it and all will be right with the world. But is it weird that I seriously think about this a lot more than I should, considering we’re still at least two years away from having kids? I mean, I think about it a lot–I have a very real fear of not having a girl.

Please tell me I’m not alone.

And the second thing I want to ask is–is it okay to have three kids?

When Eric and I first got married, we were all like “We’re gonna have four kids!” Now that I’m not drunk on love and can think a little clearer, I think three would be a much more manageable–both physically and financially–number. HOWEVER, I am getting major opposition from some people, ahem my mother, *cough*, that I cannot have three.

I am the oldest of three, and cannot imagine our family without my youngest brother (he was an oopsie). Eric is the youngest of two–and to me, their family just seems so small. My mother is the youngest of four, my dad the oldest of seven. I have A LOT of family and I like it that way. Family gatherings are big and loud and what’s not to love about more presents at Christmas time?

But I am told that three children is one too many. That there’s always drama with the middle child who feels neglected. Are middle children doomed?

Ideally, I would have a girl first, then a boy and I would be happy, and a third would be an option. However, if I have two boys, or two girls, I would be more inclined to try for a third.

I know I shouldn’t spend so much time planning this stuff, because you just can’t plan for this. But these two things have been occupying my mind. I mean, I seriously get nervous at the thought of having a baby because what if I don’t have a girl? And what if I have two boys or two girls? Is it okay to have a third?

SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.

Please help. I can’t be the only crazy one–does anyone else obsess about this stuff?? Or did you before you had kids? IS IT OKAY TO HAVE THREE KIDS? Are you a seriously messed up middle child?

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Now I ain’t sayin I’m a gold digger…

Two weeks ago, we received Eric’s first paycheck with full-time hours on it. This check was more than twice as much as he was making while working part-time hours these past few months and the highest paycheck he’s made since we’ve been married.

I cannot begin to express how much relief this brought us—or rather, how much relief it’s brought me. For the past few months, I had slowly started to get bitter and I was taking it out on Eric. Granted, money has always been a sore subject for us. We oscillate between “Yay, we’re budgeting together!” to “Oh em gee, we have no money, stop spending now! What do you mean you spent $3 at Starbucks again?!” And this happens pretty frequently…

It’s not that I’m proud of my temperamental attitude, but really, there’s only so much a girl can take, right? For the past two and half years of marriage, the financial burden has largely been placed on my shoulders. Eric not working for four months so he can go to the fire academy? Financial burden on me. Eric injuring his back and not working for four weeks? Financial burden on me. Eric working part-time hours? I have to pick up the slack to make up for the lack of money. The straw that finally broke the camel’s back was Eric going back to school to finish his degree.

While it was something we both wanted him to do, I knew that once again, I was going to have to figure out where the money would come from to pay for his schooling. It seemed that the more money I made, the more money Eric got to spend.

So when we finally got a full-time paycheck from Eric, it was like we were catching one huge break. Finally, I have some extra wiggle room to play with. Finally, I can designate money into savings again—and keep it there! Finally—I can start saving up for vacations again, instead of covering the bills with the side hustle. Finally—I don’t have to freak out over a $3 Starbucks purchase. Finally, finally, finally.

We are still 100% Newlyweds on a Budget (well, okay maybe not newlyweds anymore…) …but I’m no longer freaking out over small purchases or saying things like “We can’t spend any more money for 11 days!”

Now, I ain’t saying I’m a gold digger, I just don’t appreciate feeling poor all the time. We both work very, very hard. I know that Eric is still working on his career and one day (soon, we hope!) we will laugh at all the things we had to do to save money. But for now, these new full-time paychecks are helping us get through. It’s like Mile 12 of a half-marathon…we’re almost there.

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TV Opportunity for couples!

A producer from the Katie Couric show is looking for couples to appear on the show to talk about financial issues and financial infidelity. Please see the info below:

My name is Sarah and I work for the “Katie” show on ABC. It is a new talk show hosted by Kaite Couric. I got your information from (redacted).

As he might have told you, we are doing a show on financial issues within marriages and how to overcome both the financial and emotional repercussions of this. A lot of couples experience either financial infidelity, whether it be hidden debt, concealed purchases, or just distrust within a relationship regarding money.

We are working with a relationship expert, Iyanla Vanzant, who worked with Oprah and has a new show coming out on Own. We are also working with a financial advisor to help you and your spouse get an action plan in place to help recover.

This is all the information I have, but usually flight and hotel as well as a stipend for meals is included in these offers. Responses are requested ASAP. If you are interested, please email me at newlywedsonabudget at gmail and I will put you in touch with Sarah.

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