How To Blog

October 3, 2017 by Saving and Simplicity

How I Went From Making Less Than $10 A Month To Making $10,000 Blogging

Blogging the simple truth.

Blogging is an amazing way for a stay at home mom to make extra money. Or for any individual to make an income as a side hustle.

The best part of blogging is you can start a money making blog in under 30 minutes. No coding required.

Share your voice and your ideas with the world. Start blogging today.

The baby steps of blogging.

Blogging is a journey, a business not a race. You can blog part-time or full-time and still make a great income.

Initially, I started blogging part-time to make some extra money to help pay for groceries and maybe, just maybe a weekend away. Now I make way more than I imagined.

In the beginning it was a struggle… I had so much to learn.

The best resources for taking your blog to the next level.

Elite Blog Academy

Where do you turn when you want to learn everything about blogging from one of the most knowledgeable sources? Elite Blog Academy that is where.

Elite Blog Academy was developed by Ruth Soukup to teach bloggers how to take their blogs to the next level.

You learn step by step how to start a blog, perfecting your vision and your voice. All while learning who your perfect audience is. Who will respond to your message?

You learn about social platforms and expanding your blog reach.

Elite Blog Academy will also teach you how to monetize your blog. How to create a money making blog with multiple levels of income.

Elite Blog Academy is an online course offered only once a year with limited entry. The course is taken at your own pace lesson, by lesson. Full of easy to follow videos, worksheets, Q&A’s and so much more.

This course is a must for any blogger wanting to take their blog to the next level.

You can checkout Elite Blog Academy here. Make sure you get on the list so you know when the next course opening is. Space is limited.

Pinterest Presence

Pinterest is social media, digital advertising, search engine and idea board all rolled into one. It is simply the best platform for getting your blog noticed.

I have personally found that 75% of my blog traffic comes from Pinterest. Which is HUGE. If you can be successful on Pinterest your blog will see the success and pageview traffic from your efforts. With traffic comes more income.

Pinterest Presence is a course developed by a Pinterest Expert. You are shown how to start a Pinterest business account. How to develop eye catching, appealing clickable pins.

You are taught how to schedule and pin for the best viewing results.

Learning Pinterest from a Pinterest Expert is a must. It will change the outcome of your blog. Pinterest Presence can teach you how to increase your pageviews which will in turn increase your income.

You can checkout Pinterest Presence here.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a large portion of blogging income for some bloggers. Affiliate marketing is talking/blogging about products you use and enjoy and offering them to your reader so they can have an opportunity to try them. You do this by linking through your blog, social network or newsletters.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing takes all the complication out of affiliate marketing and teaches you how to make more money. No more pushy sales. You are taught to relate to your audience and fill their need.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing will help you monetize your blog and help you earn an income while working from home.

You can checkout Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing here.

How I took my blog from making less than $10 a month to making $10,000.

I took each of the courses above and took my time learning each lesson. I also found my unique voice and my perfect audience.

I also put in long hours…

Blogging is not for the faint of heart. Blogging and building a money making blog takes time, perseverance, constant tweaking and updating.

You are always learning something new. Investing in you is an important part of blogging. Taking new courses, reading new books like this one.

In the beginning…

I would blog into the wee hours of the morning while my family slept. And yes, there were some nights I just wanted to toss it all in and say I can’t do this.

There are still days I think about packing it all in. But the benefits of blogging and working full-time have paid off.

I started blogging part-time. I learned how to blog. I took courses to help further my voice.

I struggled through the hiccups and oh there were hiccups.

But now…

I blog about a subject I love. Saving money and living well on less.

I also make money working from home. I blog about 10-15 hours a week around my family’s schedule.

Social media and blogging will always change and be prepared to put the time in.

The most important lesson I have learned is…

Service your reader. Provide your reader with information, skills, products and knowledge. Your reader is your audience. Without an audience you have no income.

Write great posts, full of quality material that answers questions and serves a purpose. Have fun, enjoy the ride.

The world is full of great blogs and amazing bloggers. Strive to be one and introduce yourself to a few. Make friends. Blogging is an amazing community.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia
Saving & Simplicity

September 20, 2017 by Saving and Simplicity

3 Online Courses To Grow Your Business

Have you been thinking about starting a blog?

Are you a stay at home Mom looking for the perfect job to fit in between school drop off, laundry and after school activities?

Blogging is great. I will admit that it is hard work. But it is so rewarding. I have met and gotten to work with some amazing people and some great brands.

Creating an income that I can work around my family is great.

The opportunities available to bloggers today are limitless.

Did you know you can create a great income using Pinterest? Read more on how to make a full time income with Pinterest in your spare time.

Are you looking to take your blog to the next level?

Are you looking to grow your business? Yes?! I am going to walk you through the courses that changed my blogging life and income.

In the beginning I struggled I thought I could rewrite the book and DIY all the things I needed. After a lot of hair pulling and sleepless nights I gave in and spent the money.

I invested in me and my blogging future. And to this day I do not regret it. In fact if I could do it all over again I would have taken all these courses sooner.

These 3 courses helped me:

Grow my Pinterest following
Increase my repins & traffic
Double my pageviews
Triple my income
Learn SEO & gain new followers
Broaden my income and affiliate sources
Turn my blog into a business

These three courses helped me take my blog to the next level.

If you are just starting a blog.

Invest in yourself and purchase a Genesis theme wordpress platform through a valid host. This was my first mistake in blogging I chose a pretty platform that was not Genesis and oh did I regret the choice. Genesis is a must.

I am currently hosted through Bluehost and their web services and 24/7 technical support department are great. You can hop over to Bluehost and checkout all the options available to you. Bluehost also offers a great introductory special to new bloggers. You could be up and running with in the half hour.

Click here to checkout the current deals on Bluehost.

Now that we have gotten all the preliminaries out of the way.

I want to tell you more about the courses that have made all the difference in my blogging career.

Please note I am not going to tell you that I went from zero to making $10,000 in my first four months of blogging. Like I said I flustered and tried and I finally found these great courses that made all the difference.

So I want to be clear that I am recommending products that I have used and believe in. Products that have helped me get to where I am today.

Elite Blog Academy

If you want to learn the steps to take your blog to the next level this is the course for you. Ruth Soukop is amazing. Together with her team she has created a well thought out, easy to follow course that walks you through each step of creating a profitable blog.

Broken down into easy to follow videos, reading sections, worksheets, activities and Q&A’s. You learn exactly what your blog needs to succeed.

EBA is a take at your own pace course. Step by step Ruth will guide you through building, changing and altering your blog to bring out its best value.

Elite Blog Academy isn’t just a read and do worksheet course. You will bring all your studies back to your blog, alter and upgrade what you need to before moving on to the next level.

If there is one course and only one course you take out of all the courses I suggest this is the course to take if you are looking to bring your blog to the next level.

Important note.

Elite Blog Academy is only offered once a year and space is limited so if you are thinking about it make sure you sign up here.

Click here to learn more about Elite Blog Academy.

Pinterest Presence

If you have been around blogging even for a short time you have probably heard of Pinterest.

Pinterest is a digital image bulletin board whos main audience is women. It is also an amazing search engine and traffic driver for bloggers.

You can hop over and checkout Saving & Simplicity’s Pinterest page here. Pinterest in essence is a visual feed of images linked to blog posts and articles. Users click the images and are directed to the desired posts.

Pinterest Presence will teach you how to master Pinterest and drive traffic to your website, increasing growth and profitability.

With six comprehensive modules, an interactive workbook, live Q&A’s, bonuses and more Pinterest Presence will help you explode your traffic.

If you are looking to put your blog in the forefront, grab your readers attention with your amazing digital imagery, get your blog noticed and increase your pageviews and traffic than Pinterest Presence is for you.

Click here to learn more about Pinterest Presence.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing

Bloggers make money in a variety of ways. Through advertisements, networks, products and affiliate marketing.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing teaches bloggers how to use affiliate marketing to increase their income without being salesy. You will learn how to relate to your audience and search out products they need and will be willing to buy.

Bloggers, blog primarily to make a difference. To write a post that resonates with their audience. There is nothing wrong with making a great income at the same time as making a difference.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing isn’t about just increasing your income, it is about relating to your audience and opening up doors. Opening up opportunities for your audience to try new things. And opening up doors for new income and business opportunities for yourself.

If you are looking for ways to monetize your blog Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is the course to take.

Click here to learn more about Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

Are you wanting to take your blog to the next level?

If you are wanting to take your blog from earning zero to making a part time or a full time income these courses are for you.

If you want to quit your day job and stop the 9-5 struggle these courses are for you.

If you are a Mom blogger looking to turn your hobby blog into a business and start earning an income from home these courses are for you.

Three courses all step by step from amazing teachers who have been blogging for years and have the experience to help you and guide you to a greater outcome.

Three courses you can take at your own pace. Step by step, no rushing. Fit them into your schedule on your timeline.

Three courses that will help you take your blog to the next level. Course that will help guide you to be a better blogger, a better entrepreneur and a better boss.

These courses will open up the doors to possibilities and limitless opportunities.

Click here to learn more about Elite Blog Academy.

Click here to learn more about Pinterest Presence.

Click here to learn more about Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia
Saving & Simplicity

Are you looking to save money? Checkout these money saving resources:

Are you looking to get your finances under control and learn how to budget? You can get our free budgeting printable here.

Another great resource for budgeting and learning all the ins and outs of personal finance is The Total Money Makeover. This book changed our personal finances for the better and is a must read.

If you have read my blog before you have heard me talk about MyFreezEasy meal plans and how much I love them. You have also heard me talk about all the time and money meal planning saves me. I use to choose take out or drive thru coffee or dinner at a restaurant after a long hard day. Learning to meal plan effectively helped curb that habit and now we are enjoying yummy homemade meals that our family love.

Is your grocery budget stressing you out? Are you trying to figure out how to feed our family healthy meals while you watch the price of groceries rise? You are not alone. The Grocery Budget Workshop taught me how to save money at the grocery store. It taught me how to cook efficiently, manage a grocery budget, shop sales and coupon quickly. It also taught me how to save over $700 a month on items our family really didn’t need.

Are you ready to earn money while you shop? Yes, I said earn money while you shop. Have you heard of Ibotta? Earn cash back on everyday purchases. Simple select the items you will be shopping for in your easy handheld app, go shopping, redeem your rebates and earn cash. Simple and easy.

September 2, 2017 by Saving and Simplicity

How To Make Money Using Pinterest

Pinterest 101

Pinterest is this amazing search engine full of online articles relating to just about everything. You can find articles on frugal living, or time saving crockpot recipes. You can find DIY home decorating how to’s on Pinterest.

Pinterest is this amazing collection of information all at your fingertips. What makes Pinterest different from all other online search engines is the “pins” or graphics that appeal to the viewer.

These pins are linked to articles or blog posts referencing what the viewer is looking for. Such as this pin goes to a very popular post on frugal living.

Pinterest drives traffic and revenue.

Pinterest pins and links drive traffic and revenue for bloggers and businesses a like. Creating the perfect pin to attract the right reader is a skill. One that is in high demand.

Having that perfect pin go viral for a blogger or business could mean an increase in traffic, an increase in business or an increase in revenue. All of these things could mean a Mom Blogger gets to stay home and raise her family or earn extra money to help with the bills.

Are you looking to make more money?

Are you a Mom Blogger or a Mom looking for the opportunity to make extra money from home? If you answered yes. Then I have this amazing opportunity to tell you about.

Like I have said previously, Pinterest pins are the creatively crafted digital images that direct viewers to a blog post or article.

These pins are created by a blogger or a Pinterest Virtual Assistant. And the most in demand job right now is that of a Pinterest Va or a Pinterest Virtual Assistant.

Think about it.

Wouldn’t it be great to work from home during the hours of your choosing designing pins and working on Pinterest.

Many Pinterest Virtual Assistants are earning between $25 – $50+ an hour. These positions are so high in demand by blogs, online business, brick and mortar shops. There is a shortage of Pinterest Va’s.

Right now you have the opportunity.

You have the opportunity to learn a new skill, provide for your family, pay down your debt, save up for something special. Become a Pinterest Va Today! covers all the bases that you need to know if you want to start a new freelance career.

Here is what you get with Become a Pinterest Va Today:

5 comprehensive videos instructing you on:

What exactly a Pinterest Va is and does
How to establish a business
How to find clients
How to work with your client
How to expand your Pinterest Va Practice

You will also get a workbook that will walk you through and help you take action in your learning.

And bonuses…..

You get some great bonuses:

Learn how to design pins
Learn how to setup and navigate Pinterest platforms
Learn about Tailwind and how to use it
Learn how to use analytics to increase your business

On top of all of this with Becoming a Pinterest Va Today you get:

A client onboarding workbook
Pinterest Va rate calculator
Q&A sessions
Access to a private Facebook group

If you have ever thought…

If you have ever thought about or dreamed about starting your own business now is the time. Pinterest Virtual Assistants are in high demand. Don’t miss out.

Click here to find out more on Becoming a Pinterest Va Today!

Bloggers do you want to master Pinterest?

To drive traffic to your website and increase growth and profitability? If you do checkout Pinterest Presence.

Learn how to perfect your pins, how to use SEO to attract your audience. Gain traffic and grow your blog and your income.

Click here to learn more about Pinterest Presence.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia
Saving & Simplicity

Are you looking to save money? Checkout these money saving resources:

Are you looking to get your finances under control and learn how to budget? You can get our free budgeting printable here. Another great resource for budgeting and learning all the ins and outs of personal finance is The Total Money Makeover. This book changed our personal finances for the better and is a must read.

Is your grocery budget stressing you out? Are you trying to figure out how to feed our family healthy meals while you watch the price of groceries rise? You are not alone.

The Grocery Budget Workshop taught me how to save money at the grocery store. It taught me how to cook efficiently, manage a grocery budget, shop sales and coupon quickly. It also taught me how to save over $700 a month on items our family really didn’t need.

November 4, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

Blogger Christmas Wishlist

This post contains affiliate links.

Are you a blogger or are you buying gifts for a blogger?

Look no further below you will find 10 of this seasons must have e-books, courses and downloads for bloggers.

Is your blogger looking to start fresh with a new blog?

If so take a look at our easy to read step by step instruction on How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner.

Below you will find some amazing e-books, courses and downloads from some of the most acclaimed professional bloggers. The have been in your shoes they have built their blogs and they are sharing their success stories with you. Learn their tips, tricks and secrets to increase your page views, grow your email lists, take your blog to the next level and harness the power of social media.

Blogger Christmas Wishlist:

1. Elite Blog Academy

Elite Blog Academy is an amazing online course for those wanting to take their blog to the next level. Elite Blog Academy is open only once a year and seating is limited. Make sure to check them out here, reserve your seat and try some of the FREE resources they have available.

2. Building A Framework

Building A Framework is written by Abby Lawson and is a great guide of how to take your blog from simple to great.

3. How To Turn Your Blog Into A Six-Figure Money Making Machine

Sarah Titus says it like it is in this book. She breaks down the steps she took building her blog from nothing to six figures. This book is straight forward and inspirational

4. How I Went From 17K to 350K+ Monthly Page Views in 9 Months

Lena from What Mommy Does wrote this great e-book on how she took here blog from 17,000 page views to 350,000 page views in nine months. The book is a great step by step account of how she captured her audience.

5. Strategies Worth Sharing

Are you frustrated with Facebook, is your blog growth slow. This e-book by Brittany Ann will help you get to the next level. She took her Facebook fans from 2,000 to 100,000 in five months.

6. How To Blog For Profit: Without Selling Your Soul

Ruth Soukup the acclaimed creator of Elite Blog Academy wrote How To Blog For Profit: Without Selling Your Soul. This book is a must have for any blogger.

7. Blog Planner

Your guide to defining your purpose, creating clarity, and building a year of killer content with a blog planner.

8. Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community

Are you looking to create a community with your blog are you looking to make a difference than Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community is for you.

9. Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing

Michelle took her blog from making $0 per month in affiliate income to over $50,000 a month in affiliate income. In her course Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing she teaches you how to do the same.

10. Pinterest Power

Market your business, sell your product, and build your brand on the world’s hottest social network. Bring your blog to your readers learn the tips and tricks with Pinterest Power.

Bonus: Tailwind

Tailwind is a Pinterest users best friend. You can pre-schedule all your blog pins, sit back and let Tailwind do the pinning for you. It is a time saving and blog builder.

If you or your gift receiver are interested in starting a blog, I have created a super easy tutorial that will help you start How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner. If you are looking to start a money making blog my suggestion is to use a self hosted WordPress Platform. Self hosted is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional to your future clients, advertisers and readers. You can easily learn to blog, set up a professionally looking website for cheap and make money at the same time. You could be creating your new money making blog today, checkout How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner.

Have a great day.

October 25, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

New Blogger Resources

This post contains affiliate links.

Bloggers have you ever sat there wondering how am I going to get ahead?

How am I going to increase my page views? How am I going to make a living blogging? I wondered all of this and more until I found the great resources listed below. During my first few months of blogging I had minimal page views while I learned the blogging ropes. I though about quitting, I though about changing my niche. Then I took a few courses, read a few books and my page views increased ten fold.

I started adding affiliate links to my posts and google Adsense and I started earning money. It was a great return on investment. Analyze your data see what your viewers are clicking on, write posts that your readers need.

If you are wanting to get ahead, if you are wanting to see a difference in your blog these resources will help you rock your page views and your income:

1. Elite Blog Academy

2. Building A Framework

Building A Framework is written by Abby Lawson and is a great guide of how to take your blog from simple to great.

3. How To Turn Your Blog Into A Six-Figure Money Making Machine

Sarah Titus says it like it is in this book. She breaks down the steps she took building her blog from nothing to six figures. This book is straight forward and inspirational

4. How I Went From 17K to 350K+ Monthly Page Views in 9 Months

5. Strategies Worth Sharing

Are you frustrated with Facebook, is your blog growth slow. This e-book by Brittany Ann will help you get to the next level. She took her Facebook fans from 2,000 to 100,000 in five months.

6. Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing

Michelle took her blog from making $0 per month in affiliate income to over $50,000 a month in affiliate income. In her course Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing she teaches you how to do the same.

7. Tailwind

Tailwind is a Pinterest users best friend. You can pre-schedule all your blog pins, sit back and let Tailwind do the pinning for you. It is a time saving and blog builder.

Learn From The Experts

Check out these great resources above from these very successful bloggers. They know what they are talking about. They have been the new blogger struggling to get ahead. Let them teach you their secrets. Let them show you how to get a head in the blogging world and share your voice.

If you are interested in starting your own blog, I have created a super easy tutorial that will help you start How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner. If you are looking to start a money making blog my suggestion is to use a self hosted WordPress Platform. Self hosted is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional to your future clients, advertisers and readers. You can easily learn to blog, set up a professionally looking website for cheap and make money at the same time. You could be creating your new money making blog today, checkout How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner.

Have a great day.

September 14, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

10 Reasons To Start A Blog

Starting a blog is a great experience and people start blogs for numerous reasons.

You can start a blog to journal about your pregnancy or your Motherhood experience. You can start a blog to promote your Etsy site or your crafting site or your business.

Have you written a book, you can start a blog to promote your book. Are you a photographer? You can start a blog to promote your services and photos. Do you like to travel? You can blog about it. You can start a blog simply to put your creativity and ideas out into the blogosphere.

I started blogging to help our family and others live more frugally. I have a friend who blogs about photography and another who blogs about life on her farm. Your blogging options are endless.

Blogging is both a personally rewarding hobby, as well as, a financially rewarding career. You get to write about what you love, inspiring others with your articles and stories. You can also learn to monetize your blog and make a pretty good income.

I have corresponded with some pretty amazing bloggers, learned from some of the best in the industry. I have read and continue to read great blogs about a whole variety of subjects.

10 Reasons To Start A Blog:

You get to help make a difference in peoples lives.
You get to meet lots of truly amazing people.
You can make a great income from blogging.
You get to have a voice and express your creativity.
You get free stuff.
You learn so much about so many different subjects.
You can blog in your pajamas 🙂
As a blogger you become part of a larger blogging community.
Your income opportunities are endless.
You get to spend more time with those you love, doing what you love.

Starting A Blog Of Your Own

If you are interested in starting your own blog, I have created a super easy tutorial that will help you start How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner. Bluehost is offering blog hosting starting at $3.95 per month (this low price is available only through my link). If you are looking to start a money making blog my suggestion is to use a self hosted WordPress Platform. Self hosted is essential if you want to monetize your blog as you will appear more professional to your future clients, advertisers and readers. You can easily learn to blog, set up a professionally looking website for cheap and make money at the same time. You could be creating your new money making blog today, checkout How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner.

August 11, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

How I Increased My Page Views By 7000 Per Month

This post contains affiliate links.

In the beginning I dived right into blogging trying to learn as much as I could.

I began blogging as a means for self creativity and frugal accountability. I wanted to inspire us as a family and others to save money, live frugally and use a budget.

In the beginning I made a bunch of mistakes and I learned a few things the hard way. I honestly don’t think I did enough research before I started. I knew nothing about what I am going to tell you now. There is so much more to blogging than writing a post.

If you are looking to start a blog take a look at How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner I detail all the steps I took in creating this blog, the WordPress plugins I use and essential how I got started as a blogger. Please note there are affiliate links in this post.

Here are the 7 essential steps that helped increase my page views by 7000 per month

1. Content Is King

You need to write amazing content. Content that is helpful, informative, personal and unique. DO NOT copy content. You are unique and your blog is unique, your viewers are visiting your blog to read your words and see your pictures not a cut and paste version of another bloggers site. Unique words are also great for SEO (which I will talk about in a bit).

2. Images & Graphics

We are a visual society and we are attracted to warm colorful images. Use great graphics and pictures when creating your blog and social media posts. Warm bright colors do well versus darker imagery.

3. WordPress Plugins

This is important in my first few months of blogging I wasted so much time and installed all the wrong plugins. If you are wanting to be successful as a blogger you need to install:

Yoast SEO which will help with your search engine optimization. It allows you to add meta tags, descriptions and keywords that will help viewers find you on google and other search engines.
Google Analytics is a must, this enables you to track your page views, post views and see what is driving your traffic.
Pin it! which will help readers pin your content. There are various pin buttons available for you to choose.
CommentLuv this allows other bloggers to comment on your posts and link to back to their blog. Trust me this is good for blogger morale and great in the word of link ups.
Akismet will help deter spam from your blog, a must in the world of blogging!
Google Adsense is great if you are wanting to add advertising revenue to your website. The revenue will be slow at first and increase as your page views increase.

4. Invest in education, ecourses, blogger books and read post by other bloggers

Educate yourself. I saw a huge transformation in my blog and my page views when I read or took part in the following courses:

Building A Framework : The Ultimate Blogging Handbook by Abby Lawson is an e-book you can order and download at anytime.
Elite Blogging Academy by Ruth Soukop is only open once a year and it is worth its wait in blogger gold. If you are serious about blogging invest in this course. Click the link and sign up for the waiting list today. Only a limited amount of students get in each year.

Read blog posts by bloggers you admire, study how the are doing things. Pay attention to the details in posts you like. Make notes of things you think your readers may enjoy and implement them.

5. Invest time in Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual search engine and a great social media share site. As a blogger sharing content is what drives page views. With Pinterest, readers pin and share your content to their boards and new viewers see your pins and they pin and share and so on. Your one pin can be pinned and shared over, and over, and over again increasing your page views.

I had a post pin go viral 2 months after it was originally posted and it is still going because the right person pinned and repinned the post to their boards. Viral pins and viral posts can’t be bought or planned their are just blogger blessings.

When signing up for Pinterest, sign up for a business account which allows you to track your views and it also allows you to sign up for Rich Pins which is a must. My pins got deleted off a group board once because I didn’t have Rich Pins.

On your Pinterest profile include an image of yourself or your blog logo. Include your blog site address and a brief but informative description of you and your blog. You can see my Pinterest main page here.

Create a minimum of 10 boards relating to your blogs topics and pin 10 to 15 pins per board of your pins and others pins. Pinning other peoples pins is again good blogger practice and it helps vary the topics on your boards. To give you an idea I currently have 139 boards some are my boards and some are group boards.

Group boards are boards with lots of pin contributors. Group boards generally have larger Pinterest followings. With large followings comes new viewers of your pinnable content. Group boards vary by subject matter, some are topic specific and others are open to all family friendly content. PinGroupie is a great source for all group boards. I have two group boards Money Saving Tips For Families and Group Board ~ Pinterest If you are interested in joining either group board please follow Saving and Simplicity and message me your Pinterest contact information to info@savingandsimplicity.com

Quick Note:

Invest in your blog post content and your pinnable graphics before you join group boards.

I use Canva.com for my Pinterest graphics it is FREE and they have a preset “Pinterest” size graphic to use as a guide. I also get my images from Stock Unlimited. Remember to use bright images and bright colors. Ensure that your pins link directly to your blog content that there are no broken links.

You can manually pin your pins on Pinterest or you can use pin programs such as Tailwind or Boardbooster. I am currently with Tailwind because I like the drag and drop feature. Set it and forget it. You pick the time, the board and the pin and they do the rest for you. I have found using the Tailwind program has increased my views substantially. You can try Tailwind for FREE and see what you think.

6. Invest in blogger groups and link parties

The web is full of blogger Facebook groups and link parties. Not all blogger groups are the same. Some groups are based on a pin for a pin or a share for a share. Others are truly based on supporting, educating and sharing good content. I belong to some great blogging groups Naptime Nation, Inspired Bloggers Network and Blogging On Your Own Terms.

You can find a great list of blogger link parties at The Premium Blog Hop & Link Party List. The purpose of link parties are to share your blog posts and meet new and fellow bloggers.

7. Post, Share & Pin regularly

Your readers need to know when you are posting new content, be regular in your posting and pinning schedule. Are you a post everyday blogger? Are you a post Monday, Wednesday and Friday blogger? I currently do the latter and find that it works well for me and my page views. Do what works for you.

Once I post I have a regular follow up of activities including the following:

I post my new content to my blog
I share the post on my blog Facebook page
I share the Facebook post on my personal Facebook page
I share the blog post with my Facebook Groups
I pin the new content to my boards and my group boards
I tailwind the pin content to be pinned at a later date in my pinning schedule.

Blogging is Hard Work

You will work long hours for no money before your page views go up and the money starts to roll in. You will actively be learning as you go. Educate yourself the more and more you blog. You must love what you do and love what you write about to succeed. Do not compare your blogging beginning to someone else’s blogging middle.

7000 monthly page views is nothing compared to the 100,000 monthly page views other bloggers are getting. It is a step in the right direction and it is way more than the page views I was getting at the beginning of my blog.

Let’s recap what helped increase my page views to 7000 page views per month:

Content Is King
Images & Graphics
WordPress Plugins
Invest in education, ecourses, blogger books and read post by other bloggers
Invest time in Pinterest
Invest in blogger groups and link parties
Post, Share & Pin regularly

Remember, be yourself and blog about topics you love. Focus on these seven tips and you will see and increase in your monthly blog page views. I increased by 7000 page views per month and I am still growing.

Have an amazing day and happy blogging.

August 8, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

Start A Blog For Less Than $3

This post contains affiliate links.

Have you been thinking about starting a blog? Well today is your lucky day!

Bluehost is offering an amazing deal, you can start a blog today for only $2.95 per month for a 12 month period. This is a great deal considering regular month fees run in the $3.95-$7.99 range. Please note this post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.

Pricing this low doesn’t come very often, so I recommend you take advantage of it if you have been thinking of starting a blog.

This means you can start your blog and pay less than $36 for the whole year! The cost of blog hosting is primarily the only cost when starting a new blog. Trust me this is an amazing deal, it is cheaper than when I started my blog. Blogging is an affordable side gig or hobby and with this great deal you can try it and see if you like it without spending a fortune.

If you are interested in finding out more about starting a blog checkout my post on How To Start A Blog -Tips For The Beginner.

Make sure you checkout this amazing deal in blog hosting from Bluehost as the sale price is only available on August 9th.

Have an amazing day and happy blogging.

July 5, 2016 by Saving and Simplicity

How To Start A Blog – Tips For The Beginner

This post may contain affiliate links.

Today, you will learn how to easily create your own blog. I have included a discounted price that Bluehost has made available to my readers.

You will receive a FREE domain name too. Act quickly because I am not sure how long these low prices will be available for and who can pass up a FREE domain name. Some companies are charging $20 or more for just your domain name, here you are getting it for FREE. Along with your domain name Bluehost is offering select site builder technology for FREE and believe me this is a huge help. I am not technically minded and found the FREE site builder a huge help.

On Bluehost you will be able to create a self-hosted WordPress blog which is what you want if you are looking to create a money making blog. Self-hosting is the way to go and there are so many different options available to those using WordPress. If you are looking to make money blogging advertisers and companies tend to look more favorably on those using a self-hosted WordPress blog than those blogging with other platforms.

Click here to start a blog on WordPress, then use the tutorial below for easy directions.

Starting your own blog for cheap.

Today we will go through step by step how to create your very own blog and it is so easy anyone can do it! Bluehost is one of the top web hosting companies and you can start your very own blog with them for $3.95 per month (this low price is available only through my link). Also when you sign up through this link you will receive a FREE domain name and FREE select site builder technology. Your FREE domain name and site builder technology are available to you when you sign up for at least 12 months of hosting through Bluehost which is an amazing deal. Bluehost offers 24/7 support and they are there to help you build your blog. This amazing deal is affordable and they offer a refund policy if this opportunity isn’t something you want to pursue.

First, you will want to head over to Bluehost if you want to know how to start a blog.

If you are wondering why choose Bluehost, when there are many web hosting companies out there to choose from. Bluehost is one of the best to choose for hosting and creating your blog for many reasons. These reasons include:

It is super easy to use. I have no coding or technology background and I find Bluehost so easy to use during the blog creation process and after.
Bluehost offers amazing 24/7 technical support.
Bluehost is extremely affordable at $3.95 per month
You receive a FREE domain name with your purchase.
You are self-hosted and can monetize your blog and create and income for yourself.
With Bluehost you will appear more professional to your readers, future clients and advertisers.

If you are planning to start your own blog on Bluehost and you are interested in learning how to start a blog using WordPress please continue below.

Click here to begin starting your own blog.

Once you open the Bluehost screen hit the green “get started now button”.

Step 1: Register Your Domain

When you register with Bluehost you get a FREE domain name as long as you register for 12 months of hosting. This makes it well worth signing up with Bluehost as you save a larger amount of money with these FREE features.

Step 2: Choosing Your Hosting Plan

Next you will need to choose your plan from Bluehost the basic is most likely all you will need depending on your blogging requirements. Select it and continue.

Setting up a blog on Bluehost is very easy. To receive the cheapest price to start your blog, choose the basic at $3.95 per month. It is $3.95 per month through my link (due upfront) if you sign up for 36 months. The price increases nominally the shorter your hosting time. If you are unsure about blogging sign up for the 12 month plan this way you still receive the FREE domain name.

The other fees you may pay are the $0.99 per month Domain Privacy Protection fee with keeps your information private and safe. Choose the site back up, search engine jump start and site lock only if you require these items they are not necessary.

Step 3: Setting Up Your Blog With Bluehost

You will need to enter in all your personal information name, mailing address and etc. You will be required to re-select your hosting plan and I want to reiterate choose a minimum 12 month plan is the wisest choice as you get your domain name for FREE. Do not choose to go month to month, if you miss your renewal day by just a day all your information is lost. I suggest signing up for the 12 months and start creating your blog. You can also apply for a refund at anytime, so I highly recommend signing up for the 12 months as it is the most economical.

Here are the steps again to signing up for your new blog with Bluehost

Go to Bluehost and click the get started now button.
Click on the hosting package you wish to choose.
Enter your domain name choice.
Enter your personal and payment information.
Next you will be asked to create a password. Make sure it is secure and something you will remember.

Step 4: Setting Up WordPress

WordPress is the best choice for bloggers as it is self hosted and your options are limitless. If you choose to monetize your blog, seek out clients and advertisers WordPress is the way to go. Customizing your blog and learning WordPress will take some time but it is well worth the investment in your future.

Log back into your Bluehost account if you are not logged in already.
Head over to your cpanel and find WordPress and click.
Install the blogging platform you want to use such as WordPress and follow the steps, which are pretty easy.
Throughout this process and your blog setup process you will receive emails from Bluehost with all your required information set these aside and save them.

Step 5: Design And Start Blogging

This will be the most time consuming part of your blog set up process. Don’t worry if you set it up and don’t like it you can always come back and tweak it later.

There are so many different themes to choose from! Ranging in style and price. There are also a wide array of extras and plugins as well.

Will you choose to design your own blog or hire someone to upload and design it for you? I choose to pay my blog designer to upload and design it for me. Once it was uploaded I changed the colours and menus and tweaked the overall presentation to make it unique to me.

Genesis themes appear to be the most popular themes, or there are free themes through WordPress.

Once you are in WordPress and it is finished loading click on themes, choose the one you think will work best for the style of blog you wish to write. Start designing your website.

Here are some general WordPress tips for navigating around:

You can create new posts by clicking on the “Posts” on the left hand side of your WordPress dashboard.
You can create pages (like your contact or about me page) by clicking on the “Pages” on the left hand side of your WordPress dashboard.
If you are looking to add pictures you will need to add pictures to your media file which is again located on the left side of your WordPress dashboard.

I suggest adding the following Plugins to your blog which you can do by clicking Plugins and Add New:

Yoast SEO which will help with Search Engine Optimization.
XML Sitemap & Google News feeds which will help with Google SEO.
Akismet which will protect you from spam.
CommentLuv if you are intending on having others comment on your posts.
Google Adsense if you intend to monetize your blog.
Google Analytics Dashboard for WP, this will allow you to view your stats.
SumoMe which will help you grow your email list.

These are just a few of the plugins that I use, there are also plugins for Pinterest, Facebook and much, much more.

The initial set up of your blog will be quick and easy. Once you are ready to design your blog and start posting you can let your creativity run wild. Your blog can be as simple or as complicated as you desire. Set your blog up with your audience in mind. Be real, be honest, let your voice shine through.

If you are looking to further invest in your blog and your blogging future invest in blogging education!

I can not recommend the following classes and e-books enough they have inspired me, educated me and help take my blog to the next level.

Building A Framework : The Ultimate Blogging Handbook by Abby Lawson is an e-book you can order and download at anytime.
Elite Blogging Academy by Ruth Soukop is only open once a year and it is worth its wait in blogger gold. If you are serious about blogging invest in this course. Click the link and sign up for the waiting list today. Only a limited amount of students get in each year.

I wish you the best of blogging success!

Have an amazing day and happy blogging!