Blogs

Ilona

Good morning. In reply to WantToBeSE, I grew vegetables for seven years up until last year. The battle with slugs was a nightmare, my compost was worn out, I gave up with brasiccas altogether and ended up with beans, courgettes and potatoes. Now I have flower beds instead. I was never an expert, a bit like my cooking, have a go and see what happens, so I can't advise, sorry.

There is a very good gardening section on Down the Lane Forum. Lancashire Lass know everything there is to know about all aspects of growing veg. http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=54

Easy mistake, Pollyanna, similar names, one letter difference.

Interesting to read your opinions of blogs and bloggers. I prefer to have no adverts, no guest posts, no sponsorships, basically I will not try and sell you something. Blogger keep telling me that I could be making over £90 a month through installing Adsense, due to the high numbers of page views I get. I do not plan to go down that route. My blog is about making the most of what I already have, not about making more. To put adverts on the blog would be a contradiction and I would lose credibility. It's a hobby, I do it for fun, it isn't a job.

looks like a nice day today, so get out and enjoy it while you can.
Ilona

moneyistooshorttomention

I knew about bloggers being paid for adverts Ilona - but I hadnt realised it was so little - £90 a month!

Not worth it for that imo.

Best to keep your integrity - as you do.

Kevie192

Ilona wrote: »

Interesting to read your opinions of blogs and bloggers. I prefer to have no adverts, no guest posts, no sponsorships, basically I will not try and sell you something. Blogger keep telling me that I could be making over £90 a month through installing Adsense, due to the high numbers of page views I get. I do not plan to go down that route. My blog is about making the most of what I already have, not about making more. To put adverts on the blog would be a contradiction and I would lose credibility. It's a hobby, I do it for fun, it isn't a job.

I think there are two different types of blogger out there really.

For some, it's an advertising platform. They use it to make money and are paid to recommend all kinds of things with little quality control or reference to what they actually use at home. These are the same as bloggers who receive any old freebie and write a paragraph of nonsense about it in return.

For others, it's a personal space. A hobby. I fall into this category. Although I do make money from my blog, I do it through sponsored posts rather than blatent advertising etc. I will never have banner ads etc. on my site because I cannot control the content. Almost all of the commissions I take are because either I already use and love the product or I had a recipe in mind to post anyway and I can fit the commission around that.

On many occasions, I have written to a brand or a PR and told them I would not accept their commission after trying their product because it isn't any good or I wouldn't use it normally. Turning down money in order to keep my blog true to me.

I think as long as you keep your integrity and keep it honest and real then there's no problem with making a little extra money from your hard work. In fact, it makes the blog better because I am forced to think of more innovative recipes and I can afford to put the money earned into things like my shiny new camera which makes a massive difference to the look and feel of the blog. This is MSE after all

Brambleberry

Great thread OP - thanks to all who replied, it's always good to discover some new writers to follow!

I've had frugal queen on my bookmarks for a few years, but hadn't read her blog for a while - gosh it has changed focus! I think it would have been nice for her to create a new chapter with a new name. I'm pleased for her that her efforts have paid off and she is working on such a nice project (quite partial to France myself) but I agree with others, she is going down the wouldn't-you-like-to-rent-this? route a little too much.

mickeymouse303

Have you tried http://www.thriftylesley.com/? Her site has recipes, meal plans, breakdowns of nutrition information etc.

Skint Dad also has some recipes and useful tips: http://skintdad.co.uk/recipes/

tessie_bear

lovely to read that the bloggers i admire will not be trying to sell me ready cooked jacket pots and fawn over the wonders of the coin star machine

thankyou tessa

Ilona

I have no qualms about people making money from blogging, as long as it fits in with the ethos of the blog, and as long as the blogger is upfront about it from the start. The reader can then decide whether they want to read it or not. I personally ignore all advertising, whatever form it takes.
ilona

Manxcottageonthehill

Hello,

Probably not quiet what you are looking for but I am starting my blog up again, I had started it when I moved into our little cottage almost a year ago but over winter and properly breaking my ankle have meant I've not been able to do anything. I will be nattering about old-style, saving money, simple living and gardening. I am hoping to make my less than 40sq meters garden as poductive as possible. Can be found here https://manxcottageonthehill.wordpress.com/.

Nessy

tessie_bear

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I knew about bloggers being paid for adverts Ilona - but I hadnt realised it was so little - £90 a month!

Not worth it for that imo.

Best to keep your integrity - as you do.

well said imo

WantToBeSE

Ilona wrote: »

Good morning. In reply to WantToBeSE, I grew vegetables for seven years up until last year. The battle with slugs was a nightmare, my compost was worn out, I gave up with brasiccas altogether and ended up with beans, courgettes and potatoes. Now I have flower beds instead. I was never an expert, a bit like my cooking, have a go and see what happens, so I can't advise, sorry.

There is a very good gardening section on Down the Lane Forum. Lancashire Lass know everything there is to know about all aspects of growing veg. http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=54

Easy mistake, Pollyanna, similar names, one letter difference.

Interesting to read your opinions of blogs and bloggers. I prefer to have no adverts, no guest posts, no sponsorships, basically I will not try and sell you something. Blogger keep telling me that I could be making over £90 a month through installing Adsense, due to the high numbers of page views I get. I do not plan to go down that route. My blog is about making the most of what I already have, not about making more. To put adverts on the blog would be a contradiction and I would lose credibility. It's a hobby, I do it for fun, it isn't a job.

looks like a nice day today, so get out and enjoy it while you can.
Ilona

Thanks Ilona, i will have a look at your blog..how do i find it?
i am very much a 'try it and see how it goes' person, so that'll suit me quite well

Ilona wrote: »

I have no qualms about people making money from blogging, as long as it fits in with the ethos of the blog, and as long as the blogger is upfront about it from the start. The reader can then decide whether they want to read it or not. I personally ignore all advertising, whatever form it takes.
ilona

I agree. As long as the blogger says 'such and such a company sent me this product to try, and this is my opinion'. Rather than 'Oh, such and such a company are selling this brilliant gardening product' when they are a food related blog.

I am not against sponsored posts, or people making money from their blogging at all, but where FQ went wrong was trying to capitalise on her audience by trying to get them to rent her new pad in France.

If she had simply just put up a blog about how people can rent it, how much, and how to arrange it...then stopped with the 'i bought these blankets/cushions/beds that will be so comfy if you ever decide to rent this place from us' nonsense, i think it would have been a better idea.