Welcome to the Blogger Spotlight Interview. This week we have Emma from The Money Whisperer taking part in the Blogger Spotlight interview.
If you would like to take part, and your blog is under six months old, or has been re-launched in the last six months, please email me randommusings29@gmail.com
1 Firstly, tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m Emma and I’m a happily married mummy to two beautiful little curly haired princesses.
I’ve had an amazing few years as a stay at home mum and have recently gone back to work part-time in the finance sector.
2 What is your blog’s name and what is it about?
I blog at The Money Whisperer.
I started The Money Whisperer initially as a way to empower and inform others on basic fundamentals of money management and simple products e.g. the best savings accounts for children, how important it is to have a pension, how to apply for tax-free childcare etc.
Speaking to my mummy friends during my maternity leave made me realize that a lot of the financial knowledge I have from my background is not necessarily widespread. Many of them looked to Facebook forums for guidance on things like ISAs to invest in for their children, and I would shake my head reading some of the misguided responses they received.
It worried me how many people made bad financial choices because of a lack of knowledge, or worse still, didn’t have pensions/insurance/savings accounts because they simply didn’t know where to start.
I do a lot of research on products and services that enable our family to save money, invest wisely and build our wealth; sharing it through my blog is easy.
A recent post on the easiest way to spend money abroad is a case in point; I was going on a girl’s weekend to Barcelona anyway, so writing up about my new no-fee debit card was just an extension of my personal research.
Since starting blogging, my content has broadened as I have realised that blogging has to have a personal touch and purely money matters are fairly dry.
We are able to live a great lifestyle because we have made good financial choices since starting our careers, so I also blog on family lifestyle, travel and the things that make me love my life 😊
3 Why did you decide to start a blog?
Blogging is something I thought about briefly while I was on maternity leave but I soon realised I had no time to go to the toilet on my own, so finding time to blog was optimistic.
One night a few months ago, after I had been on Facebook for 90 minutes reading meaningless rubbish, I decided I was going to quit Facebook for a while. I realized I was probably spending 15 hours+ a week doing something mind-numbing. I wanted to turn this around to do something creative in that time instead. And so The Money Whisperer was born….
4 Do you have any goals for your blog?
Obviously every blogger wants people to actually read their articles. It’s pretty demoralising to write an article, post it and see the next day that only 20 people have read it.
The key to getting people to read your blog in the early days is social media. With this in mind, I have set myself a goal of 5,000 combined social media followers within 12 months. I already have almost 1,000 social followers a month after launching and I’m hoping momentum will build as my content grows.
Oh and I’m waiting for a follow from Money Saving Expert on Twitter.
5 Tell us one random fact about you
I lived in Melbourne for almost 7 years and have dual Australian citizenship. We miss our Aussie lifestyle but I do love being close to my family while the children are growing up, which is the reason we moved home in the first place.
6 What is the best piece of blog related advice you have received so far?
Don’t aim for perfection. It’s easy when you start off to get bogged down in how your blog looks and whether there is enough content etc.
The best thing to do is get some posts on the blog and just launch it. Then just keep going and post consistently and with authenticity.
7 What is your favourite thing about blogging?
I have worked in the corporate world where people would stab you in the back without blinking an eyelid. I have joined some fantastic blogging forums and everyone is so welcoming.
There is so much collaboration, sharing of opportunities and knowledge. It really is refreshing and I love it. I can’t wait to meet more of my virtual blogging friends at some conferences and awards I am going to soon, and building some great friendships.
8 Is there anything you would do differently if you were starting over knowing what you know now?
I would have started sooner.
I find writing my blog so cathartic – it has been great for finding myself again after a few years of being ‘mum’ with very little for myself.
9 Anything else you’d like to share with us?
It’s better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb, rather than half way up one you don’t.
10 Where can we find you? (blog link and links to any social media)
Blog: http://themoneywhisperer.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themoneywhisperer
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MoneyWhisperer_
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/moneywhisperer_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-O-F3ifxKSj1JbBViyIS7Q
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/moneywhisperer/pins/
Thanks for having me! Emma
You’re welcome – thank you for taking part 🙂