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It’s day four of reader appreciation week! Today I’m giving away a 1GB silver iPod Shuffle. To enter the drawing, leave a comment on this post with some sort of constructive feedback about Get Rich Slowly.
What’s your favorite article? What did you like about it? Or maybe tell me which articles you don’t like and would like to see less of. Are there other topics you’d like to see covered? Should I write more about frugality? Investing? Relationships? Do you want to see fewer guest posts? More of them? Do you want me to post ten times a day? Once a week? Do you want a podcast? Financial calculators? Anything else?
Don’t be afraid to point out areas in which Get Rich Slowly could improve! Positive feedback is nice, but criticism is valuable, too. And don’t forget: you have until the end of the day to enter the contest for the Nintendo Wii!
October 18th, 2007 at 6:41 am
I’ve been a fan of the site since I found it earlier this year (via Lifehacker, I believe).
At my point in the personal finance journey, I find the debt reduction, finance planning, frugality, putting things in perspective, attitude adjustment, inspirational type things the most helpful. I’m not terribly into the investment end of it, mostly because that’s not where I am- however, those are definitely needed, as you do have many readers who ARE at that stage in their financial life.
I liked when you were doing the “three posts a day” thing, with the long post, the short tidbit, and the medium roundup of interesting things. I found that there was almost always at least one article I was interested in each day, even if the other two were less pertinent to my life.
I would L.O.V.E. resources, personally… spreadsheets, calculators, etc. I like interactive type things (I’m trying to get into the forum more as well because of that. I keep forgetting its there). I’m fairly tech-y, but I’m not the biggest fan of podcasts- I find them hard to sit down and wade through.
Thank you, J.D. for everything you do. You put a lot of time and effort into the site, and it shows. Even if I don’t find an article relevant to my life, it’s so well written I tend to read it anyway. You really strike the balance of information- several blogs I read have great ideas, but never quite take them to fruition. I find it extremely frustrating to read an article and wish there were just two more paragraphs, and a *little* more information. It’s rare I get that feeling here. Thank you so much for everything you do- you’re an inspiration!
October 18th, 2007 at 6:42 am
I read often but don’t comment much–I really enjoy your blog though, and since I seem to be constantly obsessing about the whole money thing (savings, retirement, Big Purchases: house & car–ack!!), I think its great that you seem so generally calm about it–reading you really calms me down and helps put things in perspective! As far as things I’d like to see: I’m not a math person but I’d love to see a list of equations (for compounding interest, say, or for figuring hypothetical mortgage payments with differing amounts down and different percentages) I have a feeling this might fuel my obsessing, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting it!
October 18th, 2007 at 6:43 am
I have just started reading Get Rich Slowly. I got the recommendation from a friend when we began discussing investments. i have been very impressed as a college student at the great amount of sometimes very common sense advice that i never would have thought of had I not started reading this. I have definitely added you to my RSS reader which is also something new for me. Keep up the good work and I will keep on reading.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:48 am
JD,
I have been a long time reader (8 months or so) and this is my first post. I love the site, and check it almost everyday. I think the number of articles (1-3 a day) is great, and it is nice to have something new to look at everyday. The content seems right on target for me, so no comments there.
There is one thing that is bugging me (not about the site) and I will attempt to explain. I often see people post that Saving, budgeting, being frugal, being debt free, and living below your means, are all good things, and that we who are accomplishing some of these things that we will be better off than the vast majority of people. When people comment “well most people have 8-10k in credit card debt, a car loan/lease, and all kinds of monthly expenses, and are living well past there means” so being debt free is a good thing. My question is, is that really true? or is that something we (the ones who are working hard at saving, being debt free, etc) tell ourselves to make our struggle seem worthwhile. I have never seen any hard numbers that have come from a reputable source to display the fact that if I have no car loan, and zero debt (other than Mortgage) I am way ahead of the curve. I sometimes wonder if it is really true. Are that many people really living beyond their means?
Lastly, I would love to see more articles about how couples handle finances, especially when there is a large (3-5x) difference in the income each generates.
Thanks for all your hard work.
Ian
October 18th, 2007 at 6:51 am
I’ve been reading your blog ever since I stumbled across personal finance blogs. The thing that strikes me about your site is how professional it is and how diverse the information is. I enjoy that immensely.
When I see one of your posts, right off the bat I know that the article was thoroughly researched (and you include your sources which is a plus!) and you put a lot of heart into it which I know about from reading the MBN forums.
The only suggestion that I have isn’t really a suggestion, I guess. I would love to see you become a full-time blogger so the content can keep on-a-comin’!
Oh, and please don’t post 10 times a day
October 18th, 2007 at 6:54 am
As a recent college graduate, this site has been very helpful to me. I think one of the best strengths of GRS is the frequency of guest articles. Not that you’re a bad writer, but because it brings a breadth of experiences that I don’t see too often.
If it wouldn’t be too redundant, a morning roundup, like what Trent over at The Simple Dollar does would also be welcome. It gives a little glimpse into his life and provides a great opportunity to link other finance blogs and interesting articles.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:56 am
I found your site 3 days ago while searching for a tool to calculate the cost of ownership of vehicles. I can’t stop reading it! I really enjoyed your post yesterday talking about your first financial plan and the theory of the debt snowball. I love the links to outside articles and financial tools. In my opinion you could never have too many guest posts, since there are so many different approaches to gaining financial success. While I love reading about peoples ideas on saving money, I would like to see more information about investing. Thanks for a great blog!
October 18th, 2007 at 6:58 am
I totally love how the whole site covers a full spectrum of what it takes to ‘get rich slowly.’ I find the frugality posts very interesting. Guest posts are great too, because it reinforces that the ideas expressed here aren’t just one guy’s opinion, it’s generally accepted material all across a society.
Oh man, Podcasts are great. In today’s fast-paced world, where most people won’t budget because they cannot find the time, Podcasts would be a wonderful project.
Subscribe to the ‘cast with iTunes, the new one is downloaded as soon as possible, then when i am “À la hâte” I can just plug in my iPod and sync and off I go, listening to my favorite amateur radio programs in the car on the commute to work.
Go ahead and try reading a PDA’s AvantGo screen while driving!! That’s tricky and difficult.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:01 am
The article that has been the most useful to me has been the “Which high-yield savings account is best” because it was a topic I was already thinking about.
In general there are two general types of articles I will spend time reading and going through the comments (which are just as good as the articles themselves)
1. How to be better at something I’m already doing - this category includes all the “How to save money doing …” articles, “Cheap ways to …” and the like. Assuming your life is like the rest of ours, any article on your approach to a task common to the rest of us will be an article I’ll read. Even if you know you don’t do it well, the comments that the article generates makes it worthwhile reading because someone always has a better or different approach.
2. Stuff that not everyone does but might be interesting - Square-foot gardening isn’t something everyone can do but I found it so interesting that the book is on hold at the library for me. Don’t be afraid to write about a subject because it may not apply to everyone.
Keep it real and let the comments flow
October 18th, 2007 at 7:01 am
I would say guest posting is always good, as you get differing opinions, topics, etc. I see a podcast as unneccesary, all that information can be summarized into a post.
I would have to say that if i had a top 3 blogs, GRS would be one of them. I find myself forwarding your articles to my sisters frequently. I feel there is more thought and substance to your articles, and you are not just pumping out words in order to get something on the blog daily. i would always choose quality over quantity.
I would not like more articles on straight frugality, as there are a million blogs on that. More focus on balance, rationalizing financial decisions and thought processes, and not about reusing bath water to water plants.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:01 am
GRS is rather new to me. I found it through some hours of time-wasting not doing work. I find it to relate more to my attitude of financial security/freedom. The article on financial security was the first article to get me to comment, as it is a hot issue in my life right now. The most touching article had to be the one where you shared your story on firing someone. It was that kind of article that made GRS stand out for me, as it does relate to finance (keep your job/ maintain a business) but it had the personal touch. The people who comment are also giving good thoughts to the topics. Great stuff!!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:02 am
Even though the majority of my favorite pf blogs are by women, you are my overall absolute favorite pf blog. I think my favorite part is the very approachable and friendly tone of your writing - some other blogs have great information, but I feel that the tone of the writing can be condescending and self-righteous. Your writing and ideas are not only useful but inviting and encouraging for others. Thank you!
To be more specific, I would love more “hands on” calculators and spreadsheets. I also love when you ask a specific question, answer it for yourself, and ask the readers to answer as well. I don’t enjoy videos at all and always skip over those posts.
Keep up the fabulous work!!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:05 am
I love the frequency of your posts, J.D. I visit GRS all the time because I know there will be something new to see. Please keep it up! I know it is a lot of work, but for what it is worth, I am very grateful.
My favorite article was the IRA primer (where you suggested Vanguard, Fidelity, or T. Rowe Price), not because I really needed it but because it is a simple thing I can pass on to friends who want to get started investing but don’t know how. Think about the power of that post–If my friends, who are young and have jobs, do nothing but follow that one post, they can earn and extra $1-1.5 MILLION by retirement with almost no work. Even my poor friends can increase their end amount by hundreds of thousands. That astounds me.
Just think–if 1000 people are introduced to IRAs through that post, it might be worth a BILLION DOLLARS in total. Maybe I’ll just start talking about GRS as the billion-dollar blog.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:06 am
I was lurking on another website and reading a post advicing a reader to check out your article about how to open a ROTH IRA, so I followed the link and I haven’t left.
Granted it’s only been about 3 weeks but I’ve been checking in every single day, often more than once or twice.
Since then I’ve read through the all the most popular posts. In general I find the little side bar/links/menu really useful. I’ve yet to check out the entire money blog network, but I know I’ll get there.
I’m new so everything is still a novelty so I don’t have any constructive criticism, quiet yet, I’ll let you know though.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:10 am
I’m not sure if I have a favorite article, but in general I like articles about frugality and saving. Also, Money Hacks are cool and fun.
I can’t really think of any other topics I’d like to see covered either.
As for guest posts, I think one or so a week is a good number as, for me, they are hit or miss. It would be a bit of a shame to be innundated by them. Also, for posting frequency, I think one to two posts per day is a good number without being overwhelming if you have enough good ideas to write that many quality posts.
I wouldn’t listen to a podcast, and I already get financial calculators elsewhere, though if your calculators gave more than the average free one, that would be cool.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:11 am
I came upon this site a few months ago (from Google), and have really enjoyed it ever since. At the point where I am in my financial journey, I haven’t yet contributed to a Roth IRA, but I plan to start next year. Today is a big day for me, however, because I am finally getting rid of my private student loan debt! (The government debt will hang around for awhile because the interest rate is so low. Lower than my online savings account, so I don’t see the point of paying if off sooner). This is a huge burden lifted from me! To read about others going through the process and trying to figure out how to balance debt pay-off v. retirement savings v. realistic spending is always helpful. I think the site covers a broad range of all these topics which is necessary. In my opinion, when structuring your own financial picture, it’s helpful to know a little about a lot, but not everything about everything. What I especially like about this site is the personal side that you bring to it, J.D. I like how you incorporate your relationship with Kris into the decisions that you make. For example, whether to buy rotisserie chicken v. DIY, how much to tip at restaurants regardless of the bill amount, what to do with extra money once the debt is paid off. I also like how you discuss incorporating travel into a budget, because that is something I’d like to allocate more money for. The article I remember most, however, is the one about your cousin that had recently passed. In that article, I remember you saying something to the effect of how, with as much as we discuss money, it’s not the most important thing. Recently, I also suffered a huge loss, and this is something I think about every day. Although I work at a job in which I make a good living, I do not find my work fulfilling. I realize more than ever that my time on Earth and the time with my family and friends is limited. But should I switch to a career where I would make less than half my current salary, even though I may feel more energized by my job? This is the dilemma in which I often find myself, and where the human side and the money side meet. Perhaps more articles on people that have made career switches would be good to add to the mix. In any event, I appreciate the time and energy you devote to this site. It is a pleasure to read.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:11 am
I read the articles from Get Rich Slowly almost exclusively through the iGoogle home page, which I think is an amazing addition to your site. It allows me to read the articles that I want, without taking up the extra space that a full-fledged site does.
The only criticism of the site that I would give is that the “Above the Fold” part of the site (say the top 500 pixels or so) is very “busy”. There are multiple colored boxes, borders, shades, and colors of text that just seem like too much. From a design standpoint, too much is happening and it detracts from where you want the readers to go.
And it’s not a criticism, but I would love to see more posts per day. I have the iGoogle homepage up constantly through the day, and every time I check in I take a look to see if there is a new GRS article. Having new posts to read is great (with the caveat of quality over quantity).
Plus, without your site, I wouldn’t be on the path to being debt-free. I would still be in the forest wondering which way I needed to go, and wondering where I had put my boots. Thanks, and keep up the great site!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:11 am
GRS has recently usurped position as my favorite site.
What I love most is how thoughtful and well-written your posts are. I agree with the previous commenter that we need less frugality and more posts that provide a fresh perspective. I recently read your review of Impro and found it enlightening. And I love the guest posts.
There seems to be a wide range of readers on this blog. I am a middle-aged /cringe/, debt paid off person just looking for new ways to think about life. I’d love to read something about identifying potential investments beyond ING direct. How do people identify stocks in which to invest? What are the options for purchasing stocks?
I truly appreciate all the work you put into this blog.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:14 am
I would like to see more on increasing my income outside of work (through hobbies or the such).
October 18th, 2007 at 7:18 am
I found your website via Free Money Finance about a month ago. Like what I see so far. My only recommendation is a construction type of constructive criticism. I would like to see you stretch the page width to get more information with less scrolling. This does cut back on the amount of advertising you can do, but loyal readers are skipping right over the ads, trust me, I never click on them. Just my opinion.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Since you mentioned it, I would love a podcast. I listen to nothing but podcasts on my commute and whenever I play a game on the computer (it makes me feel like I’ve actually done something productive with my time instead of just messing around). I like the posts such as the IRA post, which give easy step-by-step instructions to doing something significant. I don’t think you have kids, but I would also like to hear more about the best ways to save for college. There has been a bit of discussion on it, but not enough for me, as I am in the process of deciding how to set things up for my son.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:20 am
I think I started reading with your primer on IRAs. That was extremely useful to me, it laid out what I needed to know as a personal finance newbie. It was more useful than the personal finance class I’d just taken. Probably your best post.
I like the number of posts you have going right now, not so many that I get backlogged but always something fun to read. It’s also cool that you have a number of guest posters, it’s a way to learn about new bloggers and get broader content in one place.
It would be interesting to see your evaluations of various personal finance gurus, like Orman and Ramsey, etc. Your “guru” section could probably be expanded. Though maybe you’re trying to avoid controversy.
If you podcast, there are probably a number of people who won’t listen to it. I just don’t have the time to listen to podcasts while at home and don’t have an iPod/MP3 player. This shouldn’t necessarily stop you, but you should take it into account when making the decision. So go for it if you want, it’s a cool way to reach people and I think you’d be a valuable podcaster.
Hope that was helpful!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:20 am
I would like to see more information on how to get rich quickly
But seriously, I enjoy the site. I think the posting frequency is perfect, the length of the posts are perfect, and the content is varied enough to keep me interested.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:24 am
I really liked the article about the Shopsmart magazine and I want to find it. I want good deals for my budget, with seven children we are pretty much large consumers of everything.
I subscribe to Ideal Bite, but I have yet to get anything out of it that I can use or is meaningful to my family.
Your book reviews are great and helpful for me. I would like to see more tips and help for someone who has a large family. There have to be deals for us somewhere. Our town used to have a policy that you only paid a certain amount for sports, like full price for three, then it was discounted or free. But that is gone now.
I know that more large families would subscribe if there were something more specific to help us.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:24 am
I really enjoy this site for the quality that is put into every article on here, none of it is fluff. That said, I feel some articles are rather long and might be better to break them up into two parts. Other than that, keep up the great work!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:25 am
I have to say I really like this blog. It’s one of 3 that I check most every day (the other 2 are lifehacker and the make blog.)
I have to say that my favorite posts are those on frugality. I love seeing how others are squeezing more and more out of a limited amount of money. I would like to see more of this with more guest posts from people with personal frugality tips.
Thanks for a great site.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:26 am
The thing I hate the most about most pf books and sites is the advice and stories always seem to talk down to the reader. They write as if they are the end all, be all of personal finance and that if you don’t follow their advice, you are going to fall of the edge of the world. I like GRS because the writing is written in a way to relate to the reader and not look down at them. The articles seem to say, “Hey, look what I discovered. You might not totally agree or following my lead, but I just wanted to share.” I like that. Not only are the articles very informative, the comments also contain a lot of good advice. My favorite article, the one on how to spend $15 a week on food, was actually based around comments left on another article.
I think that the number of posts a day is just right. All of the posts seem very well researched and are thought provoking. I am afraid that more posts were made, that the quality would go down. I also like the round-ups with links to other sites.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:27 am
JD, I honestly appreciate your interaction with folks in the comments. That and you also are actively commenting and participating on other blogs. I know that’s only partially about this blog except that I keep seeing your name all over - which reminds me of this blog.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I have found your blot to be one of the most “practical” ones. I love many fp blogs,’cos I learn from all of them. But I’ve found very practical tips in yours that somehow resonated with me. This was stuff I knew I could do!
Overall, I like the frugal living posts most. I didn’t get in debt by being frugal, as you might guess. Little by little, I’ve become more reasonable — even my friends have noticed a change in my spending behaviour! How’s that for influence? It wasn’t any one thing… just the cumulation of well-thought out, articulate posts that slowly changed the way I thought.
Keep up the good work!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Since I’m a college student, I’m most interested in two things:
1. Good tips and advice (actually good stuff–most of what I find on this subject is common knowledge or not even worth doing) for how to save money while in college. Frugality in college, I guess, would be the short form.
and
2. Advice on what to expect after college. My parents are supporting me a lot right now, something common for most college students, but after I graduate I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Stories of people who have gone through that would be cool. Advice and tips would also be great because I have no idea what to expect.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I read through Google reader, so I only visit the actual blog to leave comments
I like that you link old/realted articles at the end of each new entry. I probably won’t go digging through your archives (unless I’m looking for something particular), but I might read an older article if it’s related to something new.
One of my favorite blogs & one of the very first things I bookmarked was your list of 25 PF books. I’ve shared that link with others on numerous occassions. I find your book reviews in general to be very insightful & helpful.
Thanks for all your hard work!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I can’t remember how long I’ve been reading GRS, I think it’s only been a few months. I subscribed to your feed and have been reading ever since because you give practical financial advice and stimulating conversation.
I also think you partially look out for the little guy. That may sound weird, but the fact that you linked to my blog directly in an entry for entering your Wii contest shows that you’re willing to gives to the little guy as much as you receive from us subscribing and visiting your blog everyday.
To me, that’s quality blognation right there
October 18th, 2007 at 7:37 am
Your content is usually superb. The front page needs an update–it doesn’t have a direct link to the forums, and… it isn’t beautiful.
The blog page is much cleaner.
It might be an undertaking, but newer readers might appreicate a “Start Here” type of guide with organized links to articles about the basics: efunds, roths, etc. You’ve already covered those topics, but gathering them together would be nice.
Also, the wii contest is ending already??? Oh no!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:37 am
I just want to say that GRS has been my favorite site ever since I discovered it in the spring of this year. I love the frequency of posts and the depth of those posts. I never get the sense that you’re posting just to post.
Also, I LOVE the guest posts. I’d like to see those two or maybe even three times a week. What about a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule for guest posts? Some of the most intriguing posts on this site have come from the guests, representing all different types of viewpoints. I don’t know what method you use for selecting the guests, but keep it up!
I wouldn’t be interested in a podcast. I’d probably even be a little sad to think I was missing something if you started podcasting. A podcast requires a definite commitment of time (”this file is 15:00 long…”) vs. being able to just scan and read what I find interesting.
I think you’ve done an exceptional job of encouraging reader participation in the site. I do dip into the forums from time to time to see what’s happening, and I also especially love to read the comments. I typically read your site early in the morning before the commenterers have had a chance to get really warmed up, so I will typically return to an older post the next day to see what everyone else had to say about it. One of the nicest aspects of your writing is that your style naturally invites people to share their stories and discuss the options.
Keep it up!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Things I like:
Best of GRS at the end of each month. (I may have missed something so it’s nice to see what’s the most popular (or is the “best” your own selection.)
I also like the Daily Roundup. It’s much better some of the “Links for..” which are just links. I like how you expand on the articles and explain why we might find them of interest. Maybe you should have a category called “Daily Roundup.”
Which brings me to my last comment/suggestions: make your categories more noticeable on the site, and as Dustin mentions above, more articles on income (including passive)would be nice.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:41 am
They say repetition is the mother of skill, and that can be both a good and bad thing. I love this site, but I would like to offer one piece of constructive criticism. There appears to be a lot of posts that appear repetitive common sense items. A lot of posts fall into the “don’t spend more than you make” and go into detail how that can be accomplished.
Is that the nature of Get Rich Slowly? Essentially it is. As humans we learn from mistakes, and it is more efficient when we can learn from the mistakes of others. But I find that I become bored with some posts here when they fall into the cookie cutter fashion. It appears to me this site is great for the personal finance “n00b”. But once you learn and apply the techniques, and start seeing results, the advice becomes repetitive.
I can only suggest that new content needs to appear more often. You’re doing a great job in this regard with guest posts, links to personal investing ‘classes’, Ads I Hate, etc. It’s a challenge to deliver the fundamentals in a refreshing way. Keep up the good work.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Congratulations on Get Rich Slowly’s success thus far! My feedback is that you change very little, if anything, about the blog. The idea of “Get Rich Slowly” connotes simplicity, moderation, and self-acquaintance. If you add anything, you may risk the creation of unnecessary and distracting “noise” that may erode at your content. Remember this: We consume information but information consumes our attention…
If we are to minimize distraction, quality always takes precedence over quantity…
Thanks for all that you do at Get Rich Slowly…
October 18th, 2007 at 7:43 am
I think that the blog is great. There’s really nothing I can think of that absolutely NEEDS improving. I think it’d be nice to have some articles on government assistance (programs, grants, etc)…I’m sure there are some out there that people don’t know about. And keep doing the book reviews when you have the time…the site was spawned from your great book reviews don’t forget.
As was mentioned, a podcast would be really great. I’d especially like to see you team up with some of the other high profile pf-bloggers in such a thing. I can hear it now…”This Week in Personal Finance”…TWiPF…
October 18th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Sure, I will comment for a chance to win the IPod.
I started reading after your blog was written up in the New York Times and I have checked it every day since then. You are an excellent writer and you have similar financial instincts to my own. A lot of people can identify with your struggles. The personal dimension, such as your temptation to buy comic books, helps us readers see that you are dealing with the same human tendencies that we all have. What I like most about this blog is that it is the perfect space for talking about frugality and putting away money. These topics can be difficult to talk about with friends or professional colleagues, since in our society making and spending money are much “cooler” topics. Talking about getting out of debt or not having money for luxuries can be embarrassing, but people can come here and get sound advice. Thanks for doing this, your work on this blog is a great public service.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:47 am
I echo Patrick in liking the frequency. To me, consistency is the key — it really keeps me reading. I’m amazed at how much content you come up with on a continuing basis — and most of it is quite substantial and well-researched.
I also like the amount and quality of your guest posts. It is the right amount — not more or less please! There is *nothing* wrong with keeping it fresh and different like that — especially since you’re in a somewhat different lifecycle stage from me and not all of what you say always applies directly. That said, you’ve also done a really good job of keeping it accessible, digestible, and not too much at once.
The article that got me started was 25 Best Books About Money. Please keep reviewing books.
I wish there were more forum posters. I love to hear the stories and questions of others, too. I should de-lurk a bit there, I know. But hey, I also like that you highlight tidbits of wisdom and questions posted there. Good job of linking blog with forum, but I’d love to see some more activity.
I’d like to see more “small tidbits” — that could be here or in the forum may be better. I’d like to explore more useful tools like calculators, and to see examples of how they are used. The GRS spreadsheet was great. And, I’d like to hear more (small, digestible please!) accounts of specific personal investment products. I liked the forum post about that site where you can give small unsecured loans to other people — I’d never do it, but it sure was cool to know about something topical and fresh, to know what’s out there. I’m trying to learn about products and find myself swimming in too much information to process at times. (Wouldn’t it be great if it was still as straightforward as that B&W banking video you posted?)
Ooh! This would be a lot of work but I love researched anecdotes. Stories are always fun. A bio on Warren Buffett or a tale of the out of control inflation in Germany after the war, or the former tulip economy in Netherlands. That might stray from PF, but I like anything that illustrates money. Particularly errors, so I can avoid them! True stories connect theory and practice for me. (That’s also what I like about your honesty and candor in posting your very own personal story.)
As for criticism, sometimes I find the frugality posts a little dry. I hate to make that comment, as I know that’s a personal fault, but it’s true.
Thanks a lot.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:48 am
JD,
Well my suggestion for the site is going to depend heavily on where you want to evolve the site to. Take if it you like or leave it.
Have you ever thought about doing a series of posts organized into a school about various topics and by level of knowledge? Basically I’m suggesting creating a series of pages which would act as a basic PF school. You could include lots of how to and basic information pages and worksheets and then depending on where you want to expand it to you could also cover issues specific to various countries with some help from other bloggers.
It could also have the benefit of acting as a living template if you wanted to evolve it into a book.
Just an idea,
Tim
October 18th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I discovered Get Rich Slowly just yesterday, thanks to its week of contests. I first wrote my personal finance success story (or what I think it is) to participate in the Wii contest, and here I am today exploring the other articles on the blog.
My first impression about the blog is: neat design. One is definitely not flooded with ads while browsing through the blog, and the number of RSS subscribers is a an additional proof of the quality of what’s offered on the blog (articles, tips, advice…).
What I’d like to see change is the homepage of GTS.org; I landed there yesterday after I left the website and wanted to come back to check more articles, and I thought I mistook the URL. I didn’t realize there was a link to this blog there. I think there could be a better design for that page, so that it features a part of the latest articles on the blog, and of other sub-categories of the websites.
Just my 2 cents!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:50 am
You are the first blog that I added to my Google Reader, and I would LOVE to hear a podcast. That is my newest “free” thing to have. So it would fit in perfectly with the theme of your post.
I agree with Canadian Dream ^^. I’d like to see a “school” series of posts.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:54 am
JD,
I enjoy reading your blog, but have only a few minor suggestions. First, being a web-savvy person I think the website could use a fresh new look. However that is completely my opinion, and I do think this one is fine but just not 100% up to date.
Second, I really enjoy reading tips about saving money and being frugal w/o being too cheap. A quick example of this would be for myself, whenever I’m going to make a purchase on the internet, I always search for coupons or deals. Sites like slickdeals.net have many coupons for both online and offline. Also, when I go rent a movie, I use Redbox. It’s $1 per day, and you can find some free codes online which make this a free nights rental. Google it if you’re interest.
Good work on the website and keep it up.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:56 am
There are several things that I would like to see covered more in depth:
1. Ways to cut dependence on technology that isn’t so useful.
2. guest entries from other experts on all the topics you have already covered. It never hurts to get broader viewpoints.
3. Continue with what you are doing. Its simple, effective, informative and not full of mumbo jumbo. No tricks. No gimmicks. Just a (forgive the phrase) git-r-done approach.
Thanks.
Karl
October 18th, 2007 at 7:56 am
My favorite article (at least recently) has been the “How to Use the Amazon Marketplace for Fun and Profit” guest post. I never realized I could use Amazon (or Half.com) to de-clutter and earn quite a bit of extra cash on the side!
I, too, would like to see more school/education themed posts.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:58 am
I have been reading the site daily for almost 3 months now. It is definitely in my top three daily-must-read-personal-finance-blogs. I personally would like to see more posts on the psychology of money and our relationship to it. I think that is valuable information … we could all benefit from. Thanks, and many blessings to you!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:58 am
I really like the frugality posts as well as the guest posts. I love GRS because the articles mention the personal finance topics that I think about a lot but can’t really discuss w/ most of my “real life” friends. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one out there who is debt averse and believes in living below my means. I don’t like the investing articles as much, but that’s mostly b/c I have a very simple investing philosophy: regularly buy shares in index funds and leave them alone! I would like to see at least 3 posts a day.
I also enjoy your gardening posts, as you are in a much different climate than I am (southern LA). So, I enjoy reading about what you grow that I can’t, and I also get a chuckle out of the steps that you take that I don’t. For example, freezing really isn’t much of an issue here.
Thanks for taking the time to build and maintain a site that has provided so much help to so many, including me!
October 18th, 2007 at 7:59 am
GRS has been a staple in my feedreader for a while now — the amount of post per day is perfect (just enough and not way too many). Since I added the feed I don’t think I’ve skipped an article - I can’t say the same for other sites that publish way too many times per day.
Favorite Article By Far -
The Power of Yes: A Simple Way to Get More Out of Life
If I’ve ever thought that an article was written specifically for me to read - this was the article.
Thanks JD
Everything we do is a choice - weather you choose to DO something or you choose NOT to do something - it’s still your choice.
“You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time.”
October 18th, 2007 at 7:59 am
The site is best when trying to change how people think about money– what it means, what people ought to make it mean. Both ambition and spending habits depend on a person’s basic understanding of how money works and what it means.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:00 am
I teach personal finance and accounting for a public school in Ohio. I love the book reviews. That helps me effectively use my time for information. Also, the site helps me see other peoples’ points of view. The different perspective helps when dealing with students. I personally have always been disciplined with money, but not all my students have been. The ability to see how to move them to a new understanding requires an understanding of where they are. I also like the posts from readers and the connections to other blogs. It helps me summarize information nicely. Thanks.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:03 am
I have been reading your site for well over 6 months now. I come back every day because I know you will always have some thing on and it will entertain and educate me. I like your humble, straight from the heart approach. Because of this, I had learnt alot from your site and like I had said before you are like a frugal mentor to me. I enjoy your articles and your style of presenting it to me. I would like to see you ‘podcasting’ if that is possible. Good luck and thank you for your effort.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:03 am
I love this site as it is– both your articles and the comments of others have really opened my eyes! I was so financially naive just a few months ago. Nobody in our society is willing to talk money so freely as you folks do!
In general, I’d love more posts from you each day because this is one site I check frequently. The guest posts are great, even when I can’t agree with them (religion in finance?!?). More guests!
Specifically, I’d like some advice about what to say to cable companies to bring my monthly bill down, even just a little bit. I know this might be a trivial request…
October 18th, 2007 at 8:06 am
I found your web site while doing research for a presentation/research paper on the benefits and downside of credit. I love the way you are open to all areas of finance and I would love to see more on investing and saving. I own a couple of mutual funds in my Roth and a few penny stocks and that is the extent of my investment history. I read rich dad poor dad and didn’t quite agree with his idea that a home is a liability and would love some research on this area. Also, I do not own a iPod so podcasts would not be too beneficial to me, but KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. I have to say I forward at least on article a day to my friends and family.
I would also like to see more about real estate investments, like real estate investment trusts and tax lien investing
Thanks for the great Blog.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:06 am
I read several frugality blogs, and I like your take, especially on environemtnal issues and simple, frugal green living. Plus, you have great links to stuff I want/need to know about - green living, gardening, making good purchases.
Keep up the great work!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:07 am
I’m very happy with GRS. It gives me proper perspective on financial issues, when the Joneses around me make me think I should keep up with them. I also love the variety of ways to increase cash flow, without resorting to scams or highly risky endeavors. This is a site I can trust!
I think guest posting is a good thing, but keep it at the level it’s at now. I think 3-4 posts a week is good. After all, we need time to ACT on these suggestions, not just read them.
Lastly, I think a few financial “hacks” would be good too .. short (or long) pieces of advice or hints or tips on how to be wiser and thriftier about spending, tracking, budgeting, etc.
Thanks for your work on GRS!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:08 am
If I could only read one PF blog, it would be GRS, hands-down.
If I have one small criticism it’s with the GRS mantra, “spend less than you earn.” While I think we all understand the idea behind this, the statement itself is an oversimplification. There are times when the key to wealth is actually spending more than you earn, at least temporarily, such as by taking out student loans to finance an education, or putting money into starting a business. I also think spending less than you earn won’t guarantee wealth. Obviously saving $10/month isn’t going to let anyone retire early, though it’s a nice start.
Again, the fact that this is my harshest criticism shows how much I like this blog.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:09 am
I am very pleased with your blog.
I love the conversational tone of your entries. Your writing is accessable and to the point.
If you are interested in our favorite posts I would have to say it is “How to Eat at a Swanky Restautant Without Blowing Your Monthly Food Budget” My wife and I love eating out but we dont want to break the bank. This is a great guide.
I do have one favor to ask. I would like to see more investing tips.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Best part of the site: You. Keep sharing from your heart.
Worst part of the site: You don’t link to me enough.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Get Rich Slowly is one of the first blogs that I ever read on a daily basis, and the reason is because your writing is so good J.D. You write about your personal experiences with money and even when you stumble you are not afraid to let us know, which makes you human to the rest of us who are out here trying to do the same thing you are doing.
My favorite topic is about frugality, so I’d vote for more topics on that in a heartbeat, but I have learned several things about topics like retirement accounts that I wouldn’t have learned without reading your site. I think you have a good balance going on. I do enjoy the guest posts although I have to say I like your writing better. Ten times a day would be great, but I don’t think it would leave you much time for anything else.
One of my favorite things about your site is when you alert us to an article on another blog that you’ve found interesting. I usually always read those.
I wish the personal finance forum were more active because I do enjoy reading it even though I know could do my part to make that happen.
Just my two cents worth,
Belinda
October 18th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Quick review.
I like the post that specifically relate to
- living simply
- tips on frugality
- tips on safe, cheap, and forget-about-it investing
I’d like more specific tips — like exactly which Index Funds are among the safest, cheapest, and (of course) with the best return.
Thanks, Ian
October 18th, 2007 at 8:11 am
You have a great trove of information in your archive of posts. I wanted to suggest implementing a way for people to more easily approach the archives. Maybe there could be some sort of index, and a way for individual readers to mark entries as read/unread/ignore/read in the future …. etc etc.
Something like that would be very useful for me, at least. I could set up a sort of reading list of posts I intend to read later.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:11 am
I’m always impressed with how you respond so quickly to comments. I presume you write this blog as a full time venture?
-Raymond
October 18th, 2007 at 8:14 am
I would LOVE a podcast! I subscribe to a couple personal finance podcasts already and am always looking for more - they are fun to listen to. In particular, I enjoy hearing other people’s stories - so inviting guests to talk about their experiences would be great.
When I came across Get Rich Slowly this summer, you were in a “Money Hacks” phase and I was (honestly) put off by your overuse of the term “hacks” so I didn’t read much. But over the past couple months I’ve visited more often and found that you have a good variety of topics. I enjoyed the guest post on making your own bacon - I would never do it, but was fascinated that someone had! So far my favorite post was the one about tipping - that one generated really interesting responses.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:17 am
JD, I think this site is incredible. I maintain two blogs (one for work, one for home) and I am amazed at the amount of work you put in on a daily basis. Here’s my feedback. Things that are great-
*You respond to specific requests! When I sent you an email asking about something I thought I saw on GRS but couldn’t find, you responded within an hour with exactly what I was looking for.
*Regular updates across a breadth of topics.
*Easy to understand, WELL WRITTEN articles.
*A format that easily allows for dialog - you’ve really created a community of folks with similar interests but lots of perspectives.
Areas for improvement -
*I agree that more hands on tools would be great.
*I think that sometimes an assumption is made that readers might be of a particular socio-economic status. (an example is the recent comment that the interest off a million in the bank might not be enough on which to live comfortably) I wonder if there might be an opportunity for information, stories, and advice about a broader swath of financial situations.
*I like to hear more about what people do with their money for other people. Charitable giving, foundations etc…
The highest praise however is this, I give the GRS website out to friend more often than any other blog I read!
Thank You!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:22 am
The phrase “Get Rich Slowly” makes me chuckle; well picked.
Downloadable spreadsheets for things like loan calculators, investments, budgeting, and other math-intensive-but-extremely-helpful things would be great
I also like the tips that straddle the line between money and lifehacks.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:26 am
I think periodically you should pick some of the best posts from the success stories subforum. Not only do people find these stories interesting, but doing so will a) promote the forum more and b) make for some easy posts when you don’t feel like writing.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:27 am
I was shown this blog by a friend, and have been reading daily ever since (also went through the archives!) I’ve particularly enjoyed the book reviews, it’s gotten me to borrow a few from the local library to learn more! I don’t know that I’d really use a podcast much, but I’d be willing to try it out if you start, I’m happy with the written posts. I agree with other commenters that that the guest posts add a nice variety and depth (not to mention encouraging me to check out their sites as well sometimes) My least favourite posts are those that are quite short, I prefer reading the more lengthy/in-depth posts, even if they’re not as frequent. The exception to this is the round-ups that send me to other sites.
Keep up the good work! Referencing this site has helped me convince some friends and family that frugal isn’t cheap!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I realize there is wisdom in getting rich slowly, being patient with money. Either way, paying debt off (always takes longer than we think) and gaining money (hardly ever get rich quick). This sight is realistic, although a little difficult to navigate for me, unfamiliar with blogs and feeds. Good advice and articles.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:30 am
I’m seeing alot of comments for calculators. This is one of the areas I am supposed to be helping JD with. What calculators would you like?
What about the forums? How is that?
What do you want in a podcast? We are *slowly* gearing up for our first podcast, but I’d love to know what you all want. We’re hoping to have a cast where you can listen live, CALL IN, and then download to your pod later. It’s going slowly because it seems that JD’s life got busy about the same time I got to go on a honeymoon!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Though I am living in Malaysia, I find the articles featured so far, relevant to the local economic environment. What I would recommend is more updated content from other parts of the world such as Asia / Europe, so that the knowledge can be shared equally.
Other than that, keep up the excellent work !
October 18th, 2007 at 8:33 am
I would really love to see more real person investing tips. We’re looking for ways we can grow our money, but we’re not rich by any stretch. We’re also young, both in our mid 20s. However, almost all financial info that I find seems to be geared at rich, old, white golfers. I loved the 31 investment articles thing y’all did, more stuff like that would be very cool.
I also love it when you link to calculators! A side bar link to a post with all of the cool financial calculators you guys find would be awesome, that way I could find them without searching the site (which is rough when my swiss cheese memory can’t remember exactly what the calculator was called).
October 18th, 2007 at 8:34 am
JD,
I’ve been an RSS subscriber to your site for over six months now and it’s been a refreshingly interesting read every day. I run a technology blog and most of my internet reading is related to tech, but I save some of my time for financial reading and yours is one of the best - much better than the “financial-porn” such as money magazine and the others. My work-life is in the retirement administration industry and even though I consider myself to be well-read on financial topics, I still learn from Get Rich Slowly.
As others have mentioned, the title “get rich slowly” is quite excellent - definitely sends a message. Keep up the good work and the great original content.
I’d love to win that iPod too - thanks for the opportunity!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:34 am
This has always been one of my favorite blogs. I think you should offer my user-orientated content. Perhaps some debt & savings calculators, or goal calcs would also be pretty fun.
Or maybe (if you know where to find one) an interactive calculator thats determines what you REALLY make at your job (after factoring time spent driving, gas, et..) That would really be helpful. 
October 18th, 2007 at 8:35 am
I just discovered this blog a week or two ago and subscribed to the RSS feed almost immediately. You talk about many topics that are quite relevant to my life at the moment - frugality, saving and financial goals, food, using what you have, etc. I wouldn’t mind more guest bloggers because they offer valuable insights and different perspectives, especially ones who might routinely blog about slightly different topics [who are more into creative reuse/green living, for example]. I would also love to see a couple posts about the ‘friends/socializing’ aspect. Short of ditching my old friends for new ones, is there any ‘halfway’ ground, or areas of ‘compromise’ that you’ve found where you can still spend time with ’spendier’ friends without having to spend tons of money?
October 18th, 2007 at 8:39 am
OK–what I like most about your blog is how well you engage the readers, and how much feedback you get. The comments are as interesting as the posts themselves.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Hi JD
I am a recent arrival in the blogosphere and while I was initially excited about the vast amounts of information that was suddenly available to me, I was disappointed in the quality of the information provided. That is, until I stumbled across Get Rich Slowly!
Your posts are concise, informative and touch on issues that are important to anyone who is concerned about their personal finances. I also like that fact that you post regularly. In fact, since starting to read your blog I have unsubscribed from a few other PF blogs that:
1) Dont post regularly and
2) Do not have the same content quality as yours.
I for one, feel that you should basically do more of the same. Unless the “relationships” topic was a tongue-in-cheek remark, I suggest that you stick to what has made your site so successful in the first place.
I would enjoy more posts related to general principles of equity investing for example. Book reviews are also always welcome.
In closing, the best compliment I could probably give you is to say that if I ever had to start a PF blog, I would be proud of it if it turned out to be anything as well-thought out as yours!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am
I would love to see some posts about how finances change during/after significant life events (marriage, birth of a child, death of a spouse), etc. Love your blog, though!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am
What I love is that you’re just like a big human flashlight … what I mean by that is often times the world of finance/success is “unlit” and therefore it’s easy to stumble around in this world, but I know I can come here each day and you will have clearly illuminated some small piece w/ your awesome prose so that we can all better navigate this world. This effect becomes addicting, J.D. So it’s no surprise that what I want is more and more and more … so I guess I want GRS to become a freakin’ assembly line for the realities of money and success … I want to see you mass-produce reality in the same way corporations mass produce consumer goods. So I guess I’d just like to see you do this stuff full-time and assemble a team to help you if need be. I mean, we all know it’s your destiny to leave the box factory and do this stuff for a living, so let’s just get on w/ it!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am
My favorite post was “Banker to the poor: Micro-Lending and the battle against World Poverty”. I first learned about micro-lending in college, and I believe it is one of the most powerful tools for helping the least fortunate people in developing countries. Muhammed Yanus has created opportunities for many people, and I encourage people to support the Grameen Foundation in any way possible.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:42 am
I have been a long time reader of the site, I use Google reader for my RSS feeds. I loved the articles where you talked about making money out of your hobbies and how you have a small business going for your self, I would like to see more of those articles about making and creating a side income.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:43 am
I love Get Rich Slowly. I love the posts by you and our guests. I find so many of them to be useful in my own life. I think what I like most about his site is that the topics are so practical and honest.
Another aspect I love are all of the comments from your mtriad readers. It is comforting to see that other people think about the same things I do.
I’d like to see more about rasing children on one income. I wouldn’t care either way about podcasts because I probably wouldn’t have the desire to listen- I like to read!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:46 am
I’ve subscribed to your feed for a while now, and it has been enjoyable to watch this blog grow. My favorite article would have to be “Renting vs. Buying: The Realities of Home-Ownership”. It got a lot of reference throughout the rest of the web, and the majority of it seemed to contradict the opinions expressed in your article. Whether or not your conclusions applied to everyone or were accurately presented, I’m glad that it opened up discussion on something people automatically assumed: That buying was hands-down better than renting. I am currently living at home and have been looking to move out on my own for the first time, so this article was really appropriate for me.
I also enjoyed “The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good” because I, by nature, am totally OCD when it came to large decisions. I’m trying to apply this mantra to my future decisions.
I don’t think you should muddy up your blog with podcasts and other bells and whistles. And the current flow of articles is just fine, my feeds are already overflowing thanks to Gizmodo and others of the like.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:47 am
I have made an email folder titled “Frugal”. Most of my saved articles are from GRS. These were my favorites:
I have 4 articles about Roth IRA’s, I loved the ones about once a month cooking,how to feed a family on $15 a week, the quest post from your wife about chicken stock,the article about homemade grape juice and living on $12,000 a year. My husband and I both benefited from the article about procrastination and fuel economy. Although, I’m still procrastinating about using your article about putting stuff on ebay. I’ve saved the best for last. My very favorite part of GRS are the old videos from the 40’s about thrifty habits,using time wisely,etc. We can learn so much from the wisdom of the past. Thank you, my habit and our family finances are improving slowly.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I really like reading the site. I think the volume of posts is just about perfect too. Some of my favorite posts are the practical advice. How we can deal with money wisely on a day to day basis. Thanks for the blog!!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:51 am
I really enjoy your site and have been reading pretty regularly since May. I haven’t ventured in to the forums very much, but plan on doing so. I would like to see more about investing. The series on the Roth IRA was my favorite and most helpful for me thus far.
Thanks for all of your work.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:54 am
I read Get Rich Slowly via RSS feed at Livejournal. I like the down to earth approach you take and many of qualities you evince are qualities that I admire. Yesterday I read your article about NOT going to college. I found this especially timely, because I have a teenage son who is a senior in highschool. He’s more than usual-teenaged-surly and it can be difficult to talk to him. I’m a bit worried about what he will do after high school. I’ve told him I can get behind almost any plan, but that he must do SOMETHING.
As I said, he doesn’t want to hear me too much, but I thought your article might be of great benefit to him. So I wrote a note and emailed him the link. Hopefully he will be better able to listen to wisdom from you than from me.
I know from time to time you write about issues that young people face. If I could make any change to your already excellent blog, I would have you write more article for young people - and maybe help Zach decide what he’s doing.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Your blogs back in June of this year about IRA/Roth IRA accounts was the single, most helpful site I’ve come across on the web. And that’s how I found Get Rich Slowly.
Being a “newbie” to investing, your blogs about Roth IRAs were so easy to understand and offered the most helpful advice when it came to selecting a company to open up a ROTH IRA account with. I chose T.Rowe Price in the end!
I would love to see more blogs about investing money. While I am still new to the investing market, I want to learn more about stocks, trading, etc. If you could have periodical updates about the best stocks to choose, the best mutual funds to-date, etc., that would be tremendously helpful.
Because this site appears to be made for and by those of us who are your everyday working class Americans, I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone in saying that I trust the advice I receive from this site. It’s honest, helpful, and practical.
Thanks for showing up in my inbox everyday and thanks for putting we well on my way to retiring easily and comfortably!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I don’t really remember how I stumbled upon GRS, but I read some articles, was impressed and immediately subscribed to RSS feeds. I’m fairly young (25) and am in grad school (poor) but have been financially aware for some time now. The GRS articles have reinforced what I’ve read especially with regard to investing for the long-run (hence, the get rich SLOWLY). I also enjoy the helpful, specific hints for everyday use as well as articles in categories everyone may need (mortgages, paying off debt etc…).
I’d like to see something on how interest is calculated on loans or accounts so a reader can do their own analysis on their situation - for example, should I pay off my car early or plunk the extra money into my savings account. With a simple spreadsheet and some knowledge, they can make the best financial decision. Also, I’m just curious about how stuff is calculated.
Before finding this site, I’d helped a few friends get their stuff in order. Maybe a post like this exists, but some positive encouragement might be in order. I know the first month of Quicken was hard for them, but with my help and a little time and encouragement, they got themselves all straightened out and know exactly where they stand. I also think responsible use of credit cards should be discussed. I spend nearly all my money on my card, getting cash back, free money!
Wow, it seems like I just have complaints, but nothing could be further from the truth. I really like reading your posts because it re-emphasizes what I’m doing right now, teaches me how to be smart with my money, and just makes me think about new things.
Bravo and congrats on 18 months!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:57 am
My favorite posts are about doing things on a budget. Especially, eating on a budget. I’m always looking for cheap, healthy meals I can make for my family. I loved that post Kris did about rotisserie chicken, for instance. I would like to see more tips on cheap meals!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:01 am
I love the variety of all the different topics. From Finances to eBay tips. From coupons to car safety. One of my favorite topics was the Free Crash Test Videos from Consumer’s report.
My wife and I are starting to look around for another van and this video scared the bajeeba’s out of me. I usually look mostly at price but, that topic made me think about safety and the protection of my family first. Thanks.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:04 am
JD - your site has definitely allowed me to hit the brakes on my highway to financial distruction. The ask the readers post you did for my question about expenses exceeding income has given me some great ideas to improve my situation. One thing that I was hoping you might be able to post about is how to make money from creating a blog like this. The idea has been in the back of my mind for some time now, but the whole wordpress set up is just really confusing. Maybe you can point us in the direction of setting up our own blog and some general descriptions on the type of return you have generated from your blog since it’s beginning? That would be an awesome post!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:05 am
I have been reading via RSS for about 6 months and it has been a real blessing. I have started to recruit friends from work to read here as well, as most of them are young college aged students who are struggling to figure out the ways to avoid debt and still live comfortably.
Big Chris
October 18th, 2007 at 9:07 am
I enjoy reading most of the posts on this blog. I have been a subscriber for the past 10 months-or-so. I find confirmation here about many of the things that we already do as a family. We are a one income family with four children, paying down a modest mortgage, with no credit card debt, a modest car payment, no cable TV, no Cell Phone, blah, blah, blah…so many of the articles regarding the reduction of these sort of expenses are not relavant to our situation. From time to time though, there have been some additional good ideas that we have incorporated into our life.
I do really like to read about sucess stories that people have…I suppose that comes from the guest posts. I think the number of posts is plenty. Being as consistant as you are is not easy. Thanks for your good work.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:08 am
JD, I like how you don’t just post and disappear. You actually rspond to comments and try to keep the conversation flowing. I think my favorite post is th eone you did a while back on eating healthy w/o it breaking the bank.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I have really been enjoying the guest posts lately, I think it’s great to show various view points about money. Also if there were some sort of calculators or tools that we could download, things that you have found useful yourself, that would be really neat!
Honestly, there isn’t much that you could do more because the site is great already.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:15 am
I’ve been a daily reader for quite some time now, which should tell you that your blog is good enough to keep bringing me back! I’m definitely more interested in investment and savings advice than debt reduction, but I suspect that your blog will begin to skew more that direction as your own debt is eliminated and your focus changes.
I really enjoy posts about daily frugality, but I would encourage you to be sure to include options for those of us with different lifestyles than yourself. People with 12+ hour workdays who live in one-bedroom apartments with no outdoor space can’t focus on gardening, much as they might like to, and can often barely manage to get takeout on the table, much less a home-cooked meal. I’d encourage you to think outside your own life a bit more, whether that’s by allowing guest posts to cover things you don’t have personal experience with, or just putting yourself in the shoes of someone with a totally different life path than your own.
Love the site, though, and I’ll keep reading! I feel like the only person in this country who’s never owned an iPod, so here’s hoping….
October 18th, 2007 at 9:16 am
I found GRS through a link from another blog (can’t remember which one, now) to a post about saving money through gardening, I think. I started reading because of those common-sense, practical ways to save money and live frugally, but over time I’ve come to enjoy the wide variety of posts here. As someone who really doesn’t know all that much about finance in general, it’s been really useful to read your posts on so many different aspects of finance, such as investing, retirement savings, or debt reduction.
I think the frequency of posting is perfect — I like to have something new (or several things) to read almost every day. My favorite types of posts — ones I’d like to see more of — are those practical, every-day living tips, and also on how living frugally ties into environmentalism. You’ve done a few environmental posts that I’ve really enjoyed, so I’d love to read more about that. I also really like reading people’s personal stories about financial successes or mistakes, whether yours or guest posters’.
One suggestion — maybe once in a while you could do a “finance for dummies” type of post — explaining things in a really basic way for those of your readers (like me) who are less savvy in the ways of finance. You write so well, so clearly and accessibly, that I think you’d be great at writing the occasional “introduction to [basic concept]” post.
Really, though, even if you didn’t change a thing I’d still read every day. Thanks for the work you do on this blog!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:19 am
First off, what a great way to attract traffic! Props for that.
I just started reading Get Rich Slowly a month and a half ago. I’m a 19 year old college student, currently halfway done with a course in personal finance. Honestly though, I haven’t bothered going to that class in a while because I’ve been learning so much more on your website [and others I found through your site].
One improvement I would like to see is an easier to navigate archive. I really like how I Will Teach You To Be Rich not only has entries tagged into categories, but also a nice page with sample entries from each category. I’d also like to see a section of “introductory” articles that would help newbies like me get started.
Edwin.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:21 am
I enjoy reading your blog, but was stunned when I realized a while back that you live in the same city as me!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:22 am
J.D.,
I’ve read your blog ever since I came across it for one major reason. You started out where most of your readers are - uncertain and with a poor history in terms of finances. You chronicled your journey and the blog is a brilliant way for people to come in at any point and see the path you took. This is both a testament to your generosity in sharing all this wisdom as you learned and to the power of blogging to document personal growth and learning.
I think that this is really the heart of what the blog is about - bringing us along on your journey. Your journey has gone in phases. You started in debt and learning the basics and fundamentals. Then you applied them toward getting out of debt. So I think future posts should answer and be about the next question: what do you do once you’re in the black? What is the purpose of finances at that point.
So this is going to get into some existential questions, as well as open the door to detailed looks at new topics that come up as one gets wealthier slowly. If the blog is about getting rich slowly, then we will look forward to hearing what you do as you become more rich.
The old posts chronicling your time at each previous stage are already there. No need to rehash them endlessly. People will always have those to go back to. Now you can start giving us the next phases. And of course there is no one answer to these questions of what you do at each stage. They are value judgments and will be personal to you. But you’ve always done a great job of saying what works for you as an example and balancing that with the need to remind us to make our own unique path.
I think you’re doing a great job and have one of the best blogs I’ve seen and I look forward to seeing it grow.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:22 am
As far as posts, I really love those that give me action to take in my life. For example, I am now making money at Amazon thanks to a post on this site. I also have an eBay auction I’ll be posting Sunday because of advice I read here. I do have a tendancy to skip the “Roundup” posts. They are fine posts, I just don’t have time to read much more than the blogs I already subscribe to (and all those links would be too tempting).
Also, I really like the design of the site. I just started my own blog recently so have gained an appreciation for such things. I even adopted a similiar “thanks for visiting” box that sometimes appears on your posts. Also, as someone mentioned above, I think the Related Links is an excellent idea. For whatever reason, when I start visiting a blog I only read articles that were written after I started visiting. I suspect many others are just like me, even though the older posts are no less valuable.
Personally, I feel the posts-per-day are currently good but if you had to move in one direction I’d say more per-day, not less!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:23 am
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/03/07/building-a-personal-finance-library-25-of-the-best-books-about-money/
is my favorite post. I like it when someone takes the time to read and then breaks down the pros and cons of it. Cause it saves me time in making sure I only read things that are relevant.
One to two posts a day is my favorite blog speed. That way I can actually read them as part of my daily morning wake up ritual. More than that and I take to skimming which doesn’t really get any points across.
no podcasts. They take up a lot more of your time for the breakdown of value of the user. Though I guess everyone wants to be a radio host at some point in their lives.
Guest posts are ok. However they need to be used infrequently. I am here because of GRS not because of some other person’s writing.
Financial calculators. Yeah. There are enough out there at the sites that want to get our money. I say just review them rather than place them on your site.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Love your blog. As is often the case, you write in an easy-to-read style and use real life examples and experiences in many of the blog posts.
I don’t really relate to the frugality aspect of your blog, but I think it’s important to it’s identity to keep that emphasis.
You mentioned podcasting and while I like the idea in theory, it can be difficult to pull off. Some of the best podcasts are the ones where one is interviewing a person, you can get a real sense of the conversation (rather than a Q&A transcript). Other than that, a monologue it kinda boring. Also, do you have a voice for radio?
Anyway keep up the good work.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I love your daily (and sometimes more often) posts. I read all of them, except the book reviews. It’s rare I have time to read books, so when I do it usually isn’t going to be a finance-related one.
I like your budget tips and anything that has to do with frugal (but not extreme frugality) living and helpful ways to cut costs. I absolutely love that you admit to going out for expensive meals while explaining that it’s for special occasions and that you save up for them (and still try to keep costs down by avoiding drinks)!
Specific recommendations would be a big help to me: Who are reliable IRA account companies? Is it a good idea to open a personal retirement account with the same company as your work 401(k)? What banks are people using? I can research up and down the internet, but I like having some sort of reliable recommendation to work from.
Some of my favorite posts are from Kris or when you talk about how your budgeting or spending affects both of you.
Also, is it me, or is there a discrepancy between the # comments posted above the article and below the article?
October 18th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Your posts are very interesting, however sometimes when I read them I feel you’re rushing to meet some sort of ‘deadline’ that doesn’t exist! I say just do your best and if people like it, then you’ll do well. If you already are doing that then grats. I don’t think you need to improve anything, just go for consistency in the quality of articles.
One thing that you could definitely improve would be your site look/style. In my humble opinion, it doesn’t look very good at all currently. It is all over the place right now, too many things going on. Try to do some streamlining if you find the time. Try that smooth clean look if you can. Not overtly minimal but as it is, it doesn’t look too good. Though people don’t come here to look at your site design, it is a big aspect of the whole ‘get rich slowly’ experience.
Also, try to change the font of these comment boxes, it wears me down!
Whatever you do, thanks for all the articles so far, and best of luck for the future, whatever you decide to do!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:28 am
I would like to see more information on investing. A lot of people are mystified by the process and I think if you could help bring some transparency to the ideas and process behind it, you could reach out to even more readers. I’ve learned a lot about investing since I started lurking around here, but I am always interested in learning more. The problem for me is that it almost always seems dull, the writing here is usually more entertaining than most most, and I think that could be helpful for a lot of people.
Additionally, more information on stretching money out would be nice. Perhaps on the forum we could share information on cheap/free entertainment that is available in different cities. I know that is not the purpose of this blog, but it may help foster a better sense of community.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Being one of those newest members to this group, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the articles publisshed here. It was by chance I got this site and I wish I got here earlier.
Never mind, articles here are true to real life experiences and close to what I experienced in my life.
I have been a staunch follower of “keep-your-cents-tracked” punch line ever since I learnt the hardway of getting into serious debts.
The bottom line is “Control your today, every day, and you will see a better tomorrow by yourself”
But this website has been inspiring me to continue and am really glad there were so many of you beautiful people in this constant effort of financial empowerment!
Thanks a lot and keep up all the good work!
Regards
Gurudath
October 18th, 2007 at 9:38 am
My Suggestion:
This month, my church is running a series on personal finances, and we’re offering a lot of resources to everyone who walks in the door. This week, we’re including a recommendation of your blog (along with annualcreditreport.com and some other sites) and I think it would be fantastic if you had a prominent link at the top of your site to a “New to GRS? Start Here” type of page. A page with a few links to get a personal finance newbie started, a few links for the intermediate, etc.
I know a lot of bloggers do a post like that any time they get a surge of traffic from reddit or digg or something like that, so you may already have one even. But a good starting point, so a new reader who isn’t necessarily already deep into personal finance could find some of your solid articles on things they’d be dealing with (budgeting, basic frugality, basic saving methods, etc.) and then go from there…I think it’d be an excellent asset to your site and then I wouldn’t have to explain to people I recommend the site to on where to go.
I currently have to say “Well, go to the archives section and look for…” or “Find these one or two tags on the sidebar..” (and then have to explain what a tag is…)
Yeah. So can you have that done by this weekend? thanks.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:44 am
I would recommend keeping it personal. Lately with all the guest posts and other miscellaneous posts the site seems less personal.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:45 am
JD,
I love the site and the forums, so certainly keep those.
Guest posts are great. I have some spare time to read so I wouldn’t mind if you posted more often but it would have to be the same quality of material.
Thanks for the site!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:50 am
interesting you should mention a podcast. thats a very big step for someone to move on too. Continually updating a blog is a serious effort and a podcast is even more. However, if you were to pursue this avenue, i would be extremely interested. i use podcasts as my primary form of entertainment; it fits in to my budget nicely (FREE!) your advice on the forums has been very helpful and it would be great to see/hear some of your ideas and stories from your own mouth -
October 18th, 2007 at 9:54 am
J.D.,
I love your site and check it several times a day. My favorites are articles on savings and the little everyday tricks to stretch the budget (like your wife’s articles on gardening/canning, etc.).
My least favorite have been the video posts - they take too long to get to the points I am interested in; I’d much rather skim an article for the info I want to read that sit through minutes of tv for a gem. Also not my favorite have been the guest articles that are so extreme (like your relatives that go from store to store and never buy, or the one on religion while you were in Europe).
Overall, though, it seems that you have struck a nice balance with your posts. I think I find something useful or interesting every week. Thanks for keeping up the site so well.
Lisa
October 18th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I enjoy GRS, both your posts and the guest writers. Its nice to read a site that isn’t interested in a get-rich-quick scheme.
That said, the food stories don’t do much for me. I would like to read some of your thoughts though on how the schools are preparing kids for personal finance management. So many tricks and schemes out there (high interest loans, bad mortgage deals, etc), the kids need a headstart on how to determine what to ignore and how to set themselves up for a stable financial future.
And thanks for the contest!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I could do without the Investing articles myself - I’m just not in a position to really use them in any way that would make a difference. I’m still in the “Getting Out” phase right now. Perhaps once I get beyond that, I’ll be in more of a position to do Investing, but even then I’d rather do a mutual fund or use a pro than try to manage that stuff myself - I’d rather spend my time doing other things.
Less Video/Audio - more text/transcripts. I’d rather read through an article (perhaps with pics) than watch a video or try to listen to a podcast. I read quickly and can skim through to pick out the points I want and then read more carefully for details. With Video/Audio, I am stuck trying to concentrate on it or find a block of time dedicated to it. I don’t listen/watch and do other stuff very well.
Overall, I really enjoy the site. There’s a lot of practical advice here. Wish I had a story to share for the Wii drawing, but I will admit to having bought a Wii (planned out, thought about it, thought about it some more, one became available and I bought it) so don’t really need one except as a gift to someone else.
-Pete
October 18th, 2007 at 10:09 am
I would love a quick-links tab or post with FAQs, the basics on investing, and other starting points/favorite posts
October 18th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Overall, I love this blog because of the wide spectrum of finance topics covered, even if not all of it applies directly to me. I don’t find the debt-reduction stuff as useful, because I’ve inherited my family’s tendency to save obsessively and don’t have any debt at this point (although grad school is approaching). I would like to see more about different ways of organizing personal finances, because I don’t feel like I have a very good sense of where my money is going, and could probably be doing smarter things with my money.
I would also like to see more posts about investing for people with no experience and people who are at the beginning of their working lives. Most of the things I read are for people who are closer to retirement and know what all the financial lingo means.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:12 am
You are the second PF blog I ran across and honestly you along with some other influences changed my life. I am better managing my finances, started my own blog, and read more now than I ever did.
I’d like to see two things:
1) A podcast or video cast
2) More links to my blog
Seriously J.D. your site is awesome and sets the standard for blogs. A podcast or video cast would make it even better and give me another great podcast to listen to while going to/from work.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:18 am
I read daily, I enjoy the blog. I like the book reviews, that you take the time to evaluate for us whether you feel the book is of value. I love when they sum up the key points of the book, saving me time from actually looking at the book itself. I look at your site daily looking for motivation and inspiration i suppose, to stay on the frugal path… While I am a proponent of home gardening, I don’t find the posts of value, as I am not a homeowner, and the places I rent are not viable options for gardening at this point in time, but that’s just me.
I really liked the ShopSmart: Five eco friendly wallet friendly sites, and the updates with good articles from other blogs and web sites. I like articles on basic financial education, though I never seem to actually sit down and watch the video posts, I usually just have time to skim the site, and get back to work.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I enjoyed the spending plan because it is thorough without being too complicated.
Thanks!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I just bought a house and this site has helped me to realize things that will help me and my families future.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:22 am
I just recently started reading this site and it’s been incredibly helpful. I use it for tips on saving and reducing debt and most of all as a daily reminder to stop spending and keep saving. There’s not much I would change. The range of topics is great, and I love that you have guest writers; it’s very helpful to have different perspectives.<