I’m still recovering from a long week at FinCon and trying to get back into the swing of things at work and here on the blog. The natural thing at this point would be to write a FinCon recap post, but a lot of people have already written about their own FinCon experience, and in truth, I don’t think I have a ton to add to the conversation (plus, I didn’t go a great job documenting my week at FinCon anyway).
Instead, in today’s post, I wanted to address one of the takeaways I got from attending FinCon. It was to ask myself the question of why I write this blog in the first place. Anyone who writes a blog is doing it for a reason. But what is the reason? It’s an important question to think about – one that I admittedly haven’t given much thought to.
You can think of this post as the mission statement that I should have written long ago. So what are my reasons for this blog? Why does it exist? I’ve got three primary reasons:
1. To Impact People
Without a doubt, the primary reason I do anything on this blog is to impact people. It’s not just to get people to understand the ideas I have, but also to get people to act on the things I write about. I write from personal experience, and when I write about something – some gig I’m doing or some app I’m using – it’s because I genuinely believe that the thing I’m writing about is something that will help someone out there.
That’s why one of the biggest joys I get from this blog is when I find out a reader has actually done something I’ve written about. Take the example of Michelle, a blogger I met at FinCon who blogs over at Frugality and Freedom. She told me about how she had made $137 in a week taking pictures of hiring signs with Job Spotter (an app I’ve written about and that appears in every side hustle report I’ve written since 2017). This was amazing to hear about – made even better by the fact that Michelle did all of this while she was just out and about, exploring a new city.
Or take my friend Young Fire Knight, a financial independence blogger that I met at CampFI this past August (I haven’t written about my CampFI experience, but Young Fire Knight did, and you can read more about CampFI in his recap post). I told him about how I was charging up these Lime and Bird scooters on my way into work, and that based on where he lived and worked, this side hustle was perfect for him to incorporate into his life. Sure enough, he actually went out and did it, making himself an extra $310 in a month to literally commute to work. He wrote a great blog post in which he documented his own experience charging scooters for Bird and Lime.
Related: My own post about charging up Bird and Lime Scooters.
It’s people like this that make this blog worthwhile. It means something to me when someone out there reads or hears about something I wrote, goes out and does it, and it actually makes a difference to them. My hope is that, with this blog, I can impact as many people as possible to see the world a little differently and to understand just how much opportunity is out there. You just need someone to show you where to look.
2. To Share My Voice
The great thing about the internet is that it makes it possible for all of us to start up our own little, independent media companies. All you have to do is figure out a way to put yourself out there – whether that’s starting a blog, a podcast, a YouTube channel, an Instagram page, or whatever. With the way the internet works, it’s possible for all of us to put our voice out there and have hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people hear it.
That’s why I started up this blog. I think I have a voice that’s worth listening to. And even if I didn’t think this, I still think it’s worth seeing if maybe someone out there thinks differently.
There’s an imposter syndrome in all of us, though. This idea that our story isn’t good enough. It’s often one of the reasons people hesitate to put themselves out there. After all, most of us think we’re pretty normal and live normal lives. I don’t think I do anything really crazy. So why would anyone care what I’m doing?
When it comes to sharing your voice, I think it’s important to remember just how big this world is. There are 3 billion people on the internet today and that number is only going to keep growing. You might not think that anyone cares about your story, but of those 3 billion people, there’s going to be some portion for which your voice will resonate. They say it only takes 1,000 true fans to make a living as a creator. That’s a really small amount out of 3 billion people.
So that’s perhaps the second purpose of this blog. My voice might not be the most interesting voice in the world. But I don’t think it’s the least interesting either. What I do think is that it’s a voice worth sharing. And if the stuff I write can resonate with just a minuscule portion of the 3 billion people on the internet, then I think this blog will have done its job.
3. To Prove That I Believe In Myself
There’s a funny thing about a lot of us. Most of us believe in others more than we believe in ourselves. That’s why we spend the prime hours of our day working for a single employer, who pays us for the hours we put into their business.
I’ve started to think a little differently recently ever since my wife bought her dental practice. She bought it straight out of residency, so from day one, she’s bet everything on herself, believing that she can make a living just from her own wits, rather than relying on someone else to pay her. And why not? If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you believe in anything?
I’ve started to think of this blog in the same way – as a way to prove that I believe in myself. I didn’t start this blog with the intent of trying to make it a business. But as I continue to grow this blog, I’m starting to see the potential in it. It’s a big world out there, and if you have something to say and can build an audience, eventually, you’ll figure out a way to make a living.
So all of the time I put into this blog is my way of showing that I believe in myself, that the stuff I write is something that I can maybe make a career out of one day. When people ask me what my ideal life is, I always tell them that same thing. I just want to basically Postmate and blog forever. I do know that I don’t really want to work for anyone again. At least not if I don’t have to. I just need to believe in myself.
Anyway, it’s a little bit different of a post compared to what I normally put out there, but I thought that getting this information out in writing was worth the time. This blog was born in 2016, about a week or so after I paid off my student loans. A pretty sizeable chunk of people have stumbled onto this blog over these past two years. My hope is that this blog can continue to impact people over the years. That it continues to show that I have a voice worth sharing. And maybe most importantly, that this blog demonstrates a belief in myself.
More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes/scooters I've had the chance to do a review for:
- GEN3 Outcross Bike – The GEN3 Outcross is a solid, affordable fat tire ebike that does a good job of doing what I need it to do. It works great for city riding, giving me a smooth ride in all conditions. It’s works really well as a winter ebike since the fat tires give it good traction over snow and ice. Check out my GEN3 Outcross Review.
- Himiway Escape Bike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Bike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with $100 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Moomoo (5 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 5 free stocks (usually worth around $75-$100) if you open an account using a referral link and deposit $2,000. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Webull (5 free stocks) – Webull also gives you 5 free stock valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free stocks using Webull.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- US Bank Business ($500) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: AZ, AR, CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, SD, TN, UT, WA, WI, WY. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
- SoFi Money ($275) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $250 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($100) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- Upgrade ($50) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $50 referral bonus if you open an account and complete three debit card transactions. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Importantly, this bonus says that it’s now scheduled to end on April 15, 2023. As long as you get your account opened before April 15th, you should be eligible. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $50 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link.Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- Digital Federal Credit Union ($20) – Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $20 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a saving account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000. Check out my in-depth post on how to set this account up.
- Netspend ($20 + 5% Interest Savings Account) – Netspend is a company that provides 5% interest savings accounts. If you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get a $20 signup bonus once you make your first deposit into your Netspend account of $40 or more. That means you get a 5% interest savings account and a free $20 to start! Make sure to check out my in-depth guide on how to set up these accounts.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Varo ($30) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $30 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $250 if you complete a direct deposit.
- US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $500 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
- DCU. Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $20 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a savings account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000.
- Personal Capital. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
Just this morning I was working on my (still brand new) blog and thinking, “why am I doing this?” when I went out to read some others for inspiration. Great time to see this post in the Rockstar feed! These are the same 3 reasons I’ve started writing but I’m still in the early habit forming days so it can be tough. Thanks for the post and the reminder! 🙂
Welcome to the blogosphere and thanks for stopping by! Just remember why you’re doing this and keep hustling!
You’ve certainly impacted me – keep going.
Thanks! Definitely gonna keep trying!
I’ve definitely appreciated this blog. I enjoy the straightforward way that you write about personal finance topics. You’ve encouraged me to try out fun side projects, like doing walking deliveries for Caviar during my lunch break. Keep it up!
That’s awesome! Caviar was the best delivery gig, but sadly, they left my market. And what a great use of your lunch break – instead of spending 10 bucks on lunch and sitting at your desk, you get outside and make a little cash. I bet you can make $2k a year literally just walking around at lunch.
Thanks for the shoutouts! Your posts have definitely inspired me to think outside the box and know there are so many ways out there to make money by just living your regular life. Your “whys” are very similar to mine as well. Though I don’t necessarily consider myself to have a great story, I do think I can provide value to others and have a voice in the community. Keep up the awesome work and hoping you have even more success!
Thanks YFK. Gotta see you next year at FinCon. We’ll grab some scooters and charge them up in the breakout session rooms…haha.
I’m so happy I came across your website. For the last couple of months, I’ve been thinking about ways to supplement my salary (recent law graduate working for the government) and be able to pay off my student loans quickly. You’ve definitely inspired me to get things going. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help!
Thanks. I started DoorDash after reading your site. I honestly never thought of Doordash. So, your blog has impacted my life. Will use the extra side money to pay off debt. I hope to impact people’s lives as a blogger too. I liked that you used to be a lawyer. Most of my friends are in corporate American. I don’t think most of them would think of something as simple as DoorDash. I think that is an important, unique perspective. A lot of people hate their job in corporate America. I don’t have the answer, but perspectives like yours (as a former lawyer) are important.