Hey everyone!
A new series of posts will be forthcoming on my review page from now until the end of October (with weekly $100 giveaways!). The series is all breakfast related, and I hope that you’ll hop on over each week to enter. I’d love to give the $100 away to regular readers. 🙂
Also, I just wanted to clarify something about all the reviews/post series that I do for BlogHer. I am paid by BlogHer to do these posts (which, I think, is totally fair. These take time and energy on my part, and I’m delighted to be compensated for that. And this compensation is always disclosed.).
However, I am not paid to provide positive reviews. BlogHer and the companies paying for the reviews are simply hiring me to share what I think, whether it’s good or bad. If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know that I’m not shy about saying what I think (for instance, I thought one of Wishbone’s recipes was really bad, I disliked Ragu’s Alfredo sauce, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the cheese filling in Crackerfuls.). If I like something, I say so, and if I don’t like something, I say so.
(if you still don’t believe me, go read my Secrets of a Stingy Scroundrel Review!)
Also, I don’t get paid to get tons of entries into my giveaways. I get paid a flat fee from BlogHer whether I get 10 entries or 500. So, if I remind you later in the week to go enter a giveaway, whether here or on Facebook or Twitter, I’m not trying to earn an extra buck. I just want you guys to all have a chance to win the moola!
Hopefully that clears up any misconceptions you may have about my reviews. If you’ve still got questions, do feel free to ask!
Anyways, if you’d like to read about breakfast at our house and also enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, hop on over to read my first post in this series and leave a comment there!
Misty
Thursday 12th of August 2010
Kristen, I started reading your blog a few months and absolutely love it. We don't have children, but when my husband decided to quit his job to pursue starting his own business last year, we really had to get creative to stay on budget. He is a writer and for years put his short stories on a website for free. When he started limiting that free access to everyone, his readership really dropped. Its sad what people think they deserve to get on the Internet for nothing in return, so I commend you for finding ways to earn an income online while at the same time continue to educate so many people on frugal living.
priskill
Thursday 12th of August 2010
Please add me to the overwhelming numbers of readers who trust you and are very happy that your talent earns you some money!!
Vicky Kelly
Wednesday 11th of August 2010
awwww.....I think all of the ways you earn money is totally fair. Legit ways for a mama to be able to stay at home & school her children. No disclaimers needed for this loyal reader.
Angela
Wednesday 11th of August 2010
Thanks for your honesty, but I don't think it is our business if you're paid. It was apparent it was a paid review for advertising purposes, but I can't imagine why that would irk some people. Furthermore, you are giving us advice, free recipes, and a place to vent. Of course you should get comepsated!
Thanks for your blog and for the giveaway opportunity.
Angela
Kristen
Wednesday 11th of August 2010
Well, the internet is just sort of weird that way. For some reason, people do sometimes expect people to work online for free when they wouldn't expect that in real life (and the really odd thing is, usually online content is free, so the user isn't even having to pay the author/blogger.).
I think maybe the thing that worries most people is that they're being "had" or something...sort of like how you feel when someone from Amway gets ahold of you.
Anyhow, I just prefer to be as upfront as possible so that people don't feel like I'm sneaking something by them.
Hannah Avery
Wednesday 11th of August 2010
The link didn't work for me either! Just wanted to say that I am about to make your recipe for yogurt. I have already made it twice before with great results! Thanks so much for everything you do!
-Hannah