Happy holidays everyone! If you are viewing this post on the site, you may notice a big change. I’ve changed the header, updated all pages and made the site easier to navigate. If you are viewing this in a reader or via email, click here to get to the site. I’ve made these changes for reasons that you will find out below.
The Big Confession
As you know, someone by the name of Chris has been posting on the site about his debt. Well, I am here to confess that I am Chris. When I first started blogging, I wanted to share our journey out of debt. However, my wife felt a little different about that. So, I thought I would create a pen name (Chris) to blog under. Did I get ya? Did you know it was me?
Lately, I have been talking to my wife about coming clean and she agreed that it was time. We have had great support from the readers here and over at Frugal Dad (where I am contributing weekly). We now want to share with you our journey out of debt on a more personal level. I think it makes it much easier to follow someone on this type of journey if you can connect with them. That’s why I now have my picture (and my wife’s picture) on the new about page. We want to get to know you and support you in getting debt free just like you will support us. Transparency is our new goal.
The Big Changes
I have also decided to change the way I blog. Long gone are the days where I talked about lipper fund averages and what the best reward credit card is. There are just too many bloggers doing that today. All future posts will be about our journey out of debt and how we live our life while in debt. If you read the about page, my wife and I want to continue to live a somewhat normal life while in debt. We won’t be eating beans and rice. We won’t be making our own deodorant. You never know when something will happen in your life and we don’t want to sacrifice everything to get out of debt 12 months faster.
I am going to try desperately to stick to a schedule. I want to post three times a week here (a post on Monday, a post on Wednesday, and a roundup on Friday). I will also continue to have a weekly post on Frugal Dad (every Friday). The posts will hopefully be a little bit meatier than in the past. I want to put out some quality things that will cause some great discussion here on the site.
Here are some other things that are changing:
- I want to include many more guest posts.
- I have removed all Google Adsense for regular readers. As long as you visit the site once every six months, they will not show for you.
- Advertising will be limited to a single page and will not clutter the sidebar.
- I want to include much more discussion.
- I will be creating a free eBook sometime in early 2010.
These are just a few things that will be changing around here. Be sure to comment below about the new design, me being Chris, or suggestions that you want to see in upcoming posts.
Have a great holiday! 
Nice changes, and I love the picture of you two. You’re a cute couple
Thanks Yana, we know we look good!
Congrats, Adam, I’m looking forward to seeing where this journey takes you. I wasn’t expecting you to be Chris, but it makes some sense now that I look back over it. And I understand about your wife’s wanting privacy for a while, it’s a hard thing to get up and admit that you have such a big burden. For me it helps to have a pseudonym, but good for you for coming out about it.
Mrs. Micah´s lastest post ..Finding Joy in December
Thanks Mrs Micah! Yeah, some people have already mentioned that the writing was very similar. I guess that makes it easier to realize now looking back.
I think it was a lot easier to come out knowing that the majority of our debt is student loans. If the $150,000 was mostly credit cards and vehicles, I don’t think this transition would have happened. I mean, the family loan we have is still a burden but it is such a small chunk of the total amount.
I really like the comment about not sacrificing everything just to get out of debt a few months earlier. I’ve learned the same lesson. Need much more of that thinking in regards to getting out of debt.
Martin´s lastest post ..Seven Different Wedding DVD Templates now available
Thanks and that’s truly the way we feel. Why make the next 6 years of you life miserable just to get out of debt 1 year sooner? That logic just doesn’t make sense to me.
Thanks for commenting and I hope to see you around in the near future!
Hi Adam, my name is Paul and I’m also in debt. Best of luck to you and your wife on your journey, transparency and all. Look forward to your new look and focus.
Paul @ Fiscalgeek´s lastest post ..45 Days to Debt Freedom How We’ll Raise $8572.91
Thanks for the kind words Paul. We hope that you will share your story with us sometime as well.
I will have to check out that link that you posted. Are you really going to be out of debt in 45 days? I hope so! Best of luck to you as well!
That is the plan. The clock is ticking and the end of January is what we are looking at we started at $63,535.65 and no not any student debt in there. Believe me when we hit that goal I’ll be everywhere!
Paul @ FiscalGeek´s lastest post ..Free Gift Wrapping Using Unconventional Materials
Nice! It must feel great. Looking forward to reader/hearing about it in the future.
Adam, what you and your wife have done took a lot of guts…bravo! I like your approach making debt freedom a top priority, but not THE top priority. As I like to say over at FD, remember to stop and smell the roses from time to time.
I look forward to following your progress and one day helping you celebrate debt freedom.
Jason@Frugal Dad´s lastest post ..What Have You Done Right Lately?
Thanks Jason! We knew it would be a hard decision and so far, we are glad we made it. I think this approach will give us plenty of accountability. I mean, if we mess up, the readers are going to tell us about it!
I look forward to continuing to write for Frugal Dad and sharing our journey with your wonderful readers as well.
Hi Adam,
I just found you thanks to Paul (FiscalGeek)’s RT, and I’m definitely looking forward to your upcoming content.
Congratulations on making a bold move, but one that I’m sure will end up benefiting both you and your readers. Way to go!
Frank Frugal´s lastest post ..Have a Festive and Frugal Holiday!
Hey Frank, thanks for stopping by! I hope you will stick around and join in the discussion in the near future.
I knew it!!!! Ok, just kidding. I had no idea. Congrats on the new look – and the fresh new take that you’ll have now that you’ve completely come out and will be up front about your situation. Should be good!
Peter´s lastest post ..Good Customer Service And The Power Of Social Media: eBillme Goes Above And Beyond To Fix A Problem Through Twitter
Thanks Pete! We hope that completely coming out will help others who are in our position realize that they are not alone and that debt freedom can be achieved. I mean, it may take a few years in our case, but the end result will be amazing. I envy people like you!
The redesign looks great. It sounds like your content will only get better. I’m glad you are not letting debt rule your life but realize you need to rule debt.
Evolution Of Wealth´s lastest post ..Gift Cards: Don’t Do It!
Thanks! I like the simplicity of the new design. I really want readers to focus on the content and not the distracting things like Adsense or crap on the sidebar.
Our debt is going DOWN!
Hi Adam, it takes great courage to come clean. I admire that! Great looking blog and I look forward to reading your content.
Thanks for the comment! Hope to see you around!
The header looks great! I look forward to reading more of your stuff.
Ken´s lastest post ..How to Finance Fun
Thanks, I actually made it myself. I just found the picture and added the writing in Photoshop.
Hope to see you around!
Your header is great. I’m a Dave Ramsey fan, but also have categories in our budget for entertainment, dining out and even vacation. Everything in moderation except it’s all done without new debt.
Congratulations on your decision to reveal your identity. I still need to keep my blog separate from my business life.
Bucksome´s lastest post ..How to Spend $1100 on Medical Expenses…Fast
Thanks! I really like the header too. It almost looks like the person is looking right at my site name.
Not adding to your debt is a big step. In my opinion, if you are not adding to your debt, you are going in the right direction. It takes a lot of willpower to go from spending with credit to going cash only. Thanks for stopping by!
Great site and I look forward to reading more. Congrats on the new look and your ‘coming out’ party.
Hey Bobbi! Great to hear from you again (it’s been awhile)!
Just clicked over for the first time from a twitter link. I am not familiar with your blog from before but the new ideas and path sound great, so I think I’ll stick around
Hey Emily! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the future posts. See you in the comment section!
Hey Adam,
I don’t know what the old site looked like but the new one looks great.
Also congrats on coming clean, i’ll be posting all about my debt very soon too.
I’m slowly tweaking my site to make it a bit easier on the eyes. Sadly I need the advertising as I earn from my blog and work online full time, but Adsense is hidden for regular readers so it only appears to search traffic.
Anyway i’ll be sticking around and I am interested in possibly writing a guest post here.
Forest´s lastest post ..Money Saving Tips
Thanks for visiting Forest! Looking forward to hearing your story about debt as well.
I had Adsense only for SE visitors as well but I just didn’t want them to leave the site. My main goal is to keep them on the site and poke around.
Looking forward to that guest post. Email me!
Glad to find a new-blog-to-me!
And as for the transparency to your blog readers… totally makes it so you have to stick to your guns in getting out of debt!
Money Funk´s lastest post ..How I ended up with $10,000 in my bank
Glad you found the site! I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
I could always use guest posters!
I’m going to have to start calling you Chrisadam. LOL.
No worries. It took me 10 years to come out of the closet about my bankruptcy. It was both very hard and very liberating. You will find a new found confidence in your mission and goals of beating debt.
Congratulations on making the move.
Steve
Steve Rhode´s lastest post ..Inside Information on Credit Reports and Credit Scores
Ha! It just doesn’t have that great of a ring to it.
I think this decision will be very beneficial to us. It just makes us more aware about our debt because everyone can see it!
Really handsome design! Your new approach will make a very interesting blog…and possibly a very interesting book one day. People will find your story compelling and useful.
Holy mackerel…a hundred and fifty grand in debt, and scarcely a wrinkle on your young faces! Scary. It’s surprising how fast you can pay it down, though, when you’re really determined. And no, you don’t have to eat beans and rice to do it.
Hm…though I hafta admit, I do love a good bowl of beans.
Happy New Year! Looking forward to seeing how much the debt is reduced by 2011.
Funny about Money´s lastest post ..Bumhood: The fruits of financial freedom
Thanks for the comment on the design. Handsome is a different way to describe it!
Yep, $150,000.
A bowl of beans just isn’t my cup of tea. Yuck!
I know this is belated but way to go man! You did it
and quite a response from your readers here. I look forward to reading as you progress towards freedom.
Jesse´s lastest post ..Happy New Year