A little over one year ago, I published my first Ask Me Anything here on Making Sense of Cents. That went super well, so I decided to make it more of a regular thing!
Ask Me Anything is literally that – you can ask me anything. If you’re struggling to figure out what to ask, here are a few of the topics you may want to know more about:
- Personal finance
- Blogging
- My life
- Travel
- RVing
- Sailing
- Being location independent
- Business
- Making extra money
- Questions about my dogs
And so on, and so on.
Seriously, ask me anything in the comments below, and I will take the time to answer every single one. Of course, please nothing inappropriate or creepy. I’ll let you be the judge of what is creepy, I guess, haha!
All right, go for it, ask away!
P.S. If you’re looking to see all of the comments and questions, make sure to hit “Older Comments” or “Newer Comments” below. The comments break apart in pages once there are over 50 comments.
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Hi Michelle!! I get so confused about follow and no follow links, can you please explain when we should and shouldn’t use each of them. Thanks so much x
If the link is paid, sponsored, or you were given a product for the mention, then it should be nofollowed.
Does that make sense?
I have so many ideas, where do I start? Can this be real, for me? Are you even real?! haha!
Michelle
P.s Great name btw!
Yes, I’m real 🙂
Do you mean start a blog?
Hello! Michelle. How are you? Is blogging worth the time & investment? Blogging seem to be very overwhelming. Instagram is taking over and people seem to want to view photos/videos rather than a bunch of content. Marketer ‘Icon’ Frank Kern said email marketing is dead. What’s your honest opinion?
Yes, blogging is worth it. I don’t know who Frank is and I definitely think he is wrong, haha.
Hi! I want to get into affiliate marketing on my blog. Do you know if I would have to report sales tax on earnings from being an Amazon affiliate even if I’m not actually the one selling or shipping the items? Or are there sales tax requirements for affiliate sales? Thanks so much for taking the time to answer!
Being an affiliate is different from selling items.
Yes, I realize that. There have been a lot of changes lately so I was looking for clarification. Do you cover any information in your course about sales tax requirements?
What I’m saying is that as an affiliate, you don’t cover sales tax. The person/company who is selling the item is the one who takes care of that. As an affiliate, you aren’t actually/physically selling anything.
Does that make more sense?
Hi Michelle,
I’ve been thinking of starting a blog but I have doubts it would become successful because I feel like there’s already so many blogs out there. Do you think the market is already full?
Also, how do you manage your taxes?
Thanks!!
1) I don’t think the market is full. I am going to copy and paste my answer from above.
2019 is a great time to start a blog.
People were saying the same thing when I first started Making Sense of Cents – that people who started in 2011 were starting too late and that no one would ever be successful with it.
However, that’s definitely not the case.
The online world is still so new, and there are new ways to monetize and to grow that come up all the time.
There is a lot of room for new bloggers, and there is plenty of room for growth well into the future. I believe that companies and advertisers are only recently starting to realize the value of online influencers, such as bloggers, which means that the blogging world will continue to grow well into the future and that opportunities for making money from a blog will continue to increase.
More and more companies are starting to advertise with online influencers on their blogs, social media accounts, and more, and I expect this to just continue to grow well into the future. Whereas in the past, it was mainly celebrities that companies advertised with, but now, it is actually shifting to bloggers and other online influencers (such as Youtubers and Instagrammers!).
The world is a huge place and the online world is just going to keep growing. Every blogger earns a living online in a slightly different way, and everyone has a different message and story. Plus, there are so many different ways to make money through a blog, and I expect this to keep growing.
Of course, blogging is constantly evolving, and there are always new things to learn, which will probably always be the case for managing any business.
So, if you are thinking about starting a blog, today is the day. Don’t let your fears hold you back any further!
2) I use an Excel sheet and also have a CPA.
Hi Michelle,
I have so many questions & they’re based on the fact that I’m at a pivotal time in my life. I’m now 70 yrs & living on fixed income with some health issues. I feel so desperate to figure things out cause life is not going to wait for me. I just now started to type some of the horrendous details of my life, but after second thought, decided to delete. In summary, I had to start over 20 yrs ago & was able to purchase a town-home, but lost $40k following the mortgage crash because I had to sell & then relocate again. Now I’m starting over with a 30 yr mortgage & I also have large parent plus loan from years ago that I regret. I don’t think I’ll live to 100 to pay off the mortgage, but maybe it doesn’t matter. I purchased the financial bundle for $37 & hope to learn some gems that will help me form a plan to pay down debt.
So my questions are:
* Do you know which of the ecourses, ebooks or other financial info provided in the $37 bundle that I should read having to do with paying down loans (mortgage & student loan), etc. I will start to read the cheat sheets in hopes to identify where I’d like to start, but would like your recommendations too.
* I have thought about a blog, but I’m not personally sure if I have what it takes. Are there successful bloggers in their 70s & 80s out there? I would love to hear if you have some recommendations on specific blogs having to do with grandparents helping grandchildren with autism/special needs, blogs about seniors deciding to travel the country (van-camping/class b) on a strict budget in search of like-minded others in similar age group that have figured out debt free solutions & living their best life, or blogs about creative nomads or homebodies that later in life decide to make beautiful things for sale to supplement their income. I personally sew, but have dreamed of learning pattern design. These would be a few of the areas of what I’m interested in & have thought to blog about myself, but I’d like to know if you are aware of any current successful blogs on these topics.
I have lots more questions, but I’ll send these off for you to ponder. I basically want to learn how to pay down debt as quickly as possible & have the freedom to do whatever my heart desires in whatever time I have left on this earth.
Thank you!
Some that you may find helpful include:
1) Debt Free Guide: Practical Tips and Lessons To Reach Debt Freedom;
2) Debt Free in 18 Months;
3) Pay Your Student Loans Fast: A Proven Plan for Eliminating $42,000 of Student Debt in Less Than 3 Years; and
4) Student Loan Knockout
There are so many successful blogs on so many subjects, and it would be impossible for me to know them all. I do think a simple Google search would be helpful for you, and I’m sure you’ll find many great results.
Jackie,
It’s possible at 70 for you to be a “side hustle millionaire” with affiliate marketing and blogging alone. I encourage you to read many of Michelle’s past blogs so you have a better understanding how to get $ gUaP $ online from marketing affiliate programs on your site. I read and listen to Michelle and she’s absolutely amazing when it comes to learning about the “side hustle millionaire” dot com life with affiliate marketing and blogging as the ultimate “side hustle.”
Hello,
I want to start my blog. I’ve had it going for a bit but only have a few posts and keep getting stuck on the photos. I don’t feel like I have a good cohesive theme even though I try hard on it. Is there any resources you can give for taking photos for blogging and creating content? What camera and editing software do you use? The process?
Thanks!
I would not say photography is a strong skill of mine. I use Lightroom and Picmonkey for photos, though.
Hi Michelle, I ordered your free email course to get started blogging including the techy stuff earlier this evening, but don’t see it in my email. How long does it take? I’m ready to jump, but really enjoy your style of teaching and need the helping hand. Please let me know when to look for it. Thanks so much!
Hello,
It says you signed up a few weeks ago and read those emails already, so it won’t send them again due to spam settings.
Hey Michelle,
My question is about affiliate products. I read about how a lot of blogger’s sales come from emailing their list.
I’m just curious what percentage roughly of your affiliate commissions comes from an email you sent out versus other reach ( FB, SEO, Pinterest, etc) Say for example Bluehost affiliate sales.
Thanks!
I honestly don’t keep track of it super closely, as I have never been a very analytical blogger. I send most traffic to my email list, though, so everything is pretty intertwined.
Hi Michelle,
I really like the look and design of your website. Do you have a web developer who manages your website or do you manage your own? If you do have a web developer, would you mind sharing who it is?
Since I don’t really know how to manage WordPress, I always need a web developer.
Thank You!
Thank You so much Michelle!
HI Michele,
I am about to start a blog on faith and money, how they are not mutually exclusive and how infact one can serve God faithfully and still pursue wealth at the same time without feeling guilty. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil not money itself. So my question is do you think I can make money writing on a topic like that? Also I am an introvert by nature so I tend to be quite private, can I make money writing a blog?
1) Yes I think it is possible.
2) I think most bloggers are introverts 🙂
Charles, I can tell you that is a topic I struggle with big time. It’s a major mental block for me and I think it is for many people. I think you’re on to something here. I’d definitely read it!
By the way, I have a well read blog and am quite the introvert ;-).
Hello Michelle,
I’ve started a blog. How would you proceed to becoming a leader in my niche ? My blog does require a lot of research which I like, but might be a time constraint. Advice to grow a blogging tribe in the least amount of time? Thanks a lot.
Social media and growing an email list are the two top things that I recommend doing!
I’ve been trying to grow my mailing list for a while, but it remains mostly stagnant. I have a very hard to getting much reach through social media (Instagram and Facebook). Any direction for resources or tips?
Have you taken any courses on the subject?
Im no expert and I am in the process of starting a blog. But I went to your site because I was curious as to why you’re not reaching success although you’re promoting on social media. Your website, it’s somewhat confusing. What exactly are you trying to promote? The navigation itself is a bit unpleasant. Also all those random pictures on the homepage without any direction can be off putting. You say you’re trying to build your email list yet I don’t see any subscription sign ups.
So in my opinion as “traffic”, I think you need to fix the design and structure of your website to get people to convert.
I read your blog often. You are really doing a great job.
I hope this isn’t inappropriate or weird, but I have a favor to ask of you and a question.
Would you link your page “you may be wasting thousands of dollars on these 7 things”
https://fund-rise.live/2015/08/you-may-be-wasting-money-on-these-7-things.html%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> to my page “Bottled water is expensive: How to be frugal”.
http://startsavingmoneytoday.com/bottled-water-is-expensive-how-to-be-frugal/
I think it would be a good fit for your paragraph “Bottled water”.
If you would prefer to link to one of my other pages from a different page of yours please feel free to do so.
My question is; what is your linking strategy.
Thank you
Douglas
I only do organic linking.
Hello Michelle,
I’m about to launch my dog blog hopefully soon..
Homesweetpups.com and since you have dogs I would like to know what kind of ebook would you find helpful? if you would be looking for help with your dogs. Also ideas for freebies you would be interested in..
Thanks Kris
Maybe something about senior dogs? Training?
Hi Michelle –
I am very familiar with budgeting, travel hacking, and saving money. However, I am not as familiar with investing. I currently contribute to 401K with a company match as well as a small amount to a Roth IRA every month. I would like to be more educated on investing where I could do some of it myself such as finding, buying, and selling stocks. Where to start??
I recommend starting here – https://fund-rise.live/2018/09/how-to-start-investing-for-beginners.html%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
🙂