Blogging Inspiration

2007 was my first full year of blogging (I started in the fall of 2006), and as much as I enjoy writing my own blog posts, I also love reading everybody else’s.   Since I started blogging, we’ve paid off our non-mortgage debt, opened an HSA (and fully funded it in 2007, which is the first time we’ve ever fully funded any savings account!), opened a Roth IRA, contributed faithfully $100/month to our ING emergency fund throughout 2007 (without taking anything out of it), and saved more than 20% of our income in 2007.   Many of these goals were set after reading blog posts from other pf bloggers who provided the extra motivation I needed to get moving.   In many cases, all I needed was the little push to set things up, since a lot of our financial milestones were met through automatic funding of accounts.  

I love reading about other people’s accomplishments – and setback too, since they make the accomplishments seem that much sweeter –  and finding myself redoubling our own efforts after being inspired by people I only know through the pf blogosphere.   It’s one time when keeping up with the Jonses is good for us all!   If you max out your IRA and tell me about it, I’ll be that much more inspired to to the same with mine.

So here’s a shout out to several bloggers who made big strides during 2007 – and here’s hoping that 2008 is ever better!

Being Frugal is starting 2008 with a positive net worth for the first time ever.   What a great feeling!

Tricia has paid her credit card debt down to under $17,000 – quite a journey, considering that it started at over $37,000!   I’m looking forward to seeing how low that number gets in 2008.

Paid Twice paid off nearly $10,000 in debt principal in 2007.   Snowflaking at it’s finest!

Mrs. Micah has done all sorts of good stuff.   I am inspired by her desire to create full-time work from a patchwork of jobs and freelance work – keeps life much more entertaining and flexible that way.   Her goal is to be earning $2000/month from a variety of sources by April, and I have no doubt that she’ll do it.

SavingDiva had three big financial goals and she more than exceeded two of them and came within $1.52 of meeting the third (I’d call that close enough!)

Patrick had a 43% increase in networth (!!) even though his wife left her military job and their income dropped by $20,000.  

TBH left her job to concentrate on freelance writing (a feat made much easier by her long-term commitment to living without consumer debt – proof that it pays to live below our means), and has also fought back against cancer this fall- her blog always inspires me.  

These are just a few of the bloggers that I find impressive, inspiring, and motivating.   Thanks for keeping the bar high!