Welcome back to our latest Wise Words Wednesday post and today we are welcoming Vicky to the blogger hot seat.
I’m really enjoying getting to know all the bloggers who are taking part in this series and its a great way to get to find new blogs.
Vicky blogs at I Beat Debt and it is a great site to read about her story of debt and ways to save and make money. I’m going to leave it to her to introduce it more:
Tell us a little bit about you & your blog:
Hi, I’m Vicky and I blog over at https://ibeatdebt.com. I blog both about my debt story (how I got in to it, and then out of it) and also my top ways of making and saving extra money so that going forward I don’t end up in debt again. Bargains and freebies are some of my favourite things to share too.
What inspired you to start blogging?
I actually started blogging as I wanted to learn about web design. I figured setting something up that was a live project would be the best way of doing it. I knew I had to pick a topic I was passionate about and once I started I fell in love with blogging and focus on that now.
What has been your highlight of blogging?
I love the community. I’m in various blogging groups online and no-one is out to hurt or sabotage anyone else. It seems quite alien compared to the real world we live in where quite often it seems everyone is out to help themselves only. It’s lovely and refreshing! Many bloggers have reached out and helped me, given me tips and answered questions. I’ve not met them but I do consider some of them real friends.
Is there anything you have learnt about blogging which you wish you knew when you started out?
It’s a lot of hard work – much more than I ever realised. I’ve nearly given up several times, but I keep chipping away at it. I know I need to stick at it, and celebrate every win no matter how small. There is also no point comparing myself to bloggers who have been around for years and are making a fortune as that just makes me feel like a failure, but I have to remember that they had to start somewhere too.
Bloggers sometimes get a lot of stick however many work really hard and are reaping the rewards, what has been the most rewarding part of blogging for you?
Sharing some of my money-making hustles has really helped other people. I know of at least one person who said if I hadn’t shared some of my tips with her (in particular about matched betting), she wouldn’t have been able to afford to take as long off with her baby on maternity leave. She was so grateful to be able to take that time at home.
What would be your 1 tip you would give all new bloggers starting out?
It is hard work so you need to be sure you choose a subject which you know and are passionate about as that makes it a lot easier. I enjoy helping people save money and find bargains so when I do sit down and write a blog post I enjoy it!
Who do you find inspiring to read/watch in the blogging world?
Emma Drew was the first money blogger I was really aware of. I came across her on social media and have been following her ever since. She is a big inspiration.
Francesca from From Pennies to Pounds is so helpful. I have never met her but I can message her about things and she always helps out no matter how busy she is (I regularly ask her if she even sleeps)!
Fiona from Savvy in Somerset is another lovely blogger I can ask my random questions to! She and I are both relatively newbie bloggers and it’s great to have someone to reach out to who is in a closer position to me than I am. She is a big encouragement to me!
Lastly – do you have any big plans/dreams for your blog in the next 12 months?
Realistically I want to start making some money for myself from my blog. I love that my hints and tips are helping people, and I’d love to be able to do this full time. In order to work from home I need to be making some money from it though. I’m enrolling on some online courses about marketing and blogging and who knows what will happen! Either way I am learning a lot on the journey.
A huge thank you to Vicky for taking part in our questions today, if you would like to be in the hot seat just get in touch.
