Some of the most popular money sites started out as blogs.
If yourfinances are overwhelming, blogging can help you sort things out.
Blogging Sheds Light on Your Money Habits
Behavioral studies about money are always fascinating.
They say a lot about our financial habits and how mindless and automatic they can be.
Wespend less when we pay with cash, for example.
We also tend to save morewhen we simply view time differently.
And there are countless studies on howstores manipulate you into spending morethan you think.
Journaling canadd a little more awarenessto your actions.
Researchers called it self-monitoring.
Like journaling, blogging about money gives you a reason to analyze your behavior and decisions.
Need to start saving for retirement?
Write about how to get started with 401(k)splenty of people need help with that.
This gives you another reason to explore new topics.
Of course, you might just research this stuff on your own.
Lesson learned, portfolio adjusted accordingly.
You learn the ins and outs so you could write about the topic knowledgeably.
Meanwhile, youve increased your financial literacy and stocked up on knowledge that will come in handy.
Blogging Gives You a Platform for Accountability
Finally, blogging in public comes with accountability.
In a way, they hold you accountable for your actions and your goal progress.
Without that accountability, you might just brush it off and do it again.
Theres a lot that goes into money management.
It requires more effort than typing a few words every week.
However, bloggingcanhelp you along the way and its free and easy to get started.
Pick a Platform
First,pick a platform for your blog.
There are plenty to choose from (andKinjais a good option!)
Tumblr: Tumblr is mostly focused on sharing memes, gifs, or images.
Wordpress:Wordpress is probably the most popular platform for long-form writing.
It may not be as intuitive as Blogger, but its more customizable.
Medium: Medium is designed for writers who want exposure, andits a great platform for that.
While its great for discovery, its less customizable.
You also give themroyalty-free access to your content.
Some blogging platforms, like Wordpress, have a paid option where you canbuy and host your domain.
When youre just starting out, a simple free site will do.
For now, youre just trying to journal your progress, not create the next big personal finance site.
Most platforms make it dead simple to customize your own blog.
This way, the accountability can work in your favor.
Blogging can lead to other opportunities, too.
Youmight even make money with it.
Illustration by Sam Woolley.
