Gooood morning, internet-land!
If you’re seeing this, we have some fun news to share!!
I, J. Money, have acquired the blog back and am coming out of retirement!!
Let’s gooooooooo!!!!
The Motley Fool has decided not to continue with their acquired sites, and while I was completely at peace with the decision to sell three years ago to them, the opportunity was too exciting to pass up so we’re dusting off the keyboard and getting the party started again!! Pass on the word to all fellow budgeters and mothers of budgeters! We’re back, baby!! 😂
And we’re gonna do this thing OLD SCHOOL too like in 2008 when it was a simple blog-blog here, sharing tips and thoughts and ideas and not messing around with SEO or Growth Hacking or any of the other stuff that comes along with building a successful “blog business” online. We did all that, learned from it, capitalized on it all, and now we’re going back to the roots as a pure passion project.
We’ll see what type of schedule we’ll be having here, but it definitely won’t be every day Mon-Fri like in the past – probably more like M, W, F or maybe even just once or twice a week until we get things going here so I don’t burn out again… And will prob bring back some old friends to the site over time too, like 5AM Joel and other great storytellers from around the community!
It’s going to be fun!! And I hope you’ll stick around and join us!
As you can see I already blew up the old design here and completely refreshed it without all the sidebars and ads and junk cluttering everything up, so check it out if you’re reading this via email or elsewhere!
I felt like needing a long hot shower after refreshing everything up, haha… And hopefully the redesign makes it easier and cleaner to read and find things over time too :) All the text is larger, the menu and categories more organized, and over time I’ll be tightening it up even more as I catch things or y’all shoot over bugs/recommendations… Which I hope you do! Lemme know if there’s anything I cut you wish stayed or can’t find something anymore! The blog is just as much yours as it is mine!
A lot I wanna say here as so much has changed over the years, for the better and worse!, (I’ve taken up skateboarding/whiskey, but also a rare auto-immune disease! lol) but I think I’ll leave the “what I’ve been up to lately” and “more about me” posts for the future so we can get this puppy kicked off and rollin’…
But before we go, I really have to thank The Motley Fool for not only giving me the opportunity to come back to this blog which is crazy in itself!, but really for the past 3+ years of believing in me and helping me achieve my own personal and financial goals of getting acquired.
They not only involved me throughout the entire process of transitioning out of the blog and protecting my heart (and brand), but even let me tap a successor I admired and trusted for years (5AM Joel) to make sure Budgets had the best chance of survival. Then on top of all that they hired me to build out a new project for them (All-Star Money, R.I.P.) allowing me to still remain in the game and get a stable paycheck throughout 😂
And while Budgets didn’t break any world records when I was away, it was 100% due to the stewardship of both The Fool and Joel for letting it live on respectfully in the community, giving me no hesitation whatsoever in coming back to it here years later. I probably wouldn’t be typing these words out in all honesty if it weren’t for them.
So huge thanks to the whole Fool crew – Roger, Laura, Dana, Tracy, Bledsoe, and 5AM Joel. Y’all rock. 💙
And got nothing but love for any of YOU still here reading this right now too! I don’t know how much of our community is still left as it’s been awhile (and the traffic/readership have dropped precipitously!) but I appreciate you and hope you’ll help me get things thriving again :) Special shout to all the new readers here who don’t even know who this J$ character is, haha… I’ll brain dump on you in the next post so we can get caught up 👍
In the meantime, leave a comment to say hi or what you hope to see here going forward, and I’ll be back in a couple of days to continue the party.
I love you, I’ve missed you, and we’ll see you back here shortly!
Yours in finance,
PS: If you want to get signed up to our newsletter again so you automatically get emailed new posts I publish, click here and we’ll hook you up: budgetsaresexy.com/subscribe
PPS: For a snapshot of what I’ve been up to project-wise, check out jmoney.biz (my personal blog/resume), or you can also sign up to my weekly newsletter there where I get into more personal and behind-the-scene business stuff: jmoney.biz/newsletter (I also share a roundup of my favorite reads and tools I find in the community each week too – it goes out once a week on Fridays)
PPPS: You can also find me on Twitter (@BudgetsAreSexy), Instagram (@jmoneyyyyyy) and even Facebook (/BudgetsAreSexy). People tell me I need to get on TikTok next, but not sure I’m millennial enough?! 😂
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Big news!! Glad to see you back. Sorry to read out that crazy disease but glad you’re able to get some treatment for it.
Thank you sir!! It all builds character, eh? :)
H I! Welcome back! I’m impressed and glad that you chose “stewardship ” I’m praying you, your boys, and your team(s) are abundantly blessed with health, happiness, prosperity and success.
Peace & hugs,
Appreciate that, Lee! Def. feeling blessed indeed! Hope you and your fam are equally as well!
Glad to add you back to the reading list. After a few yrs of not reading it. Hope you where able to buy back the blog for cheap. Sell high buy low ❤️ Welcome back.
You know it ;)
Great to see you back. I am looking forward to more inspiration.
Hi J,
Glad you are back! I’m looking forward to your posts.
Mark
This is awesome! Super excited I’ll take authentic over SEO
** Fist bump **
Glad your back!
I am so stoked that Budgets are back! This was one of the emails that I looked forward to everyday, and you are pretty much single-handedly responsible for introducing me to the world of personal finance and FI. Love the redesign and looking forward to more awesome content!
Ahhhh what kind words, Camilla!! I’m so glad FIRE has stuck with you – let’s add more fuel to it!! :)
Welcome back! Excited to hear your digital voice again!
Digital voice – hah! Love that!
What exciting news!
Welcome Back! Looking forward to some awesome reading and in site that only you can give!!
Hooray!! Welcome back to you too, Lisa!! :)
Welcome back J$$$$! Alot has changed in the past 3 years so really looking forward to some great reads & you sharing your insights in today’s world.
Oh man yeah, you’re not kidding!!
How crazy that so much can change in the world and in our own lives in such a short amount of time, eh?! I feel like adulthood moves rather slow usually but not lately, haha… I’m glad we’re still here to tell the tale :)
Welcome Back J$!! With the way things are shaking out in the world of money right now, you’ve picked a great time to fire this site back up!
Hah! TRUTH!
Interestingly this blog was first launched during the crash of 2008 too! I wish I could say I plan it that way, but I’m def. not smart enough :)
So glad to see you back! I went hardcore into finance blogs back in the day but as my goals were met and my plans changed, this was one of the few I kept an eye on. You still pop up in my inbox so I probably won’t comment often but YAY J$ is back in the house!!!
That’s the best reason not to stay on money blogs – I approve ;)
I like it – brand new look and true to its strapline (minimalism). Glad you are back, friend.
Thank you, Maria!!
So glad you’re still around in the space too – you must be coming up on 10 years sometime soon?!
Welcome back!
Looking forward to that old “budgets are sexy” feeling! Hope all is well with you and your family!
Yes!!! One of my favorite voices is back! Can’t wait to see what the next chapter unfolds for you. Blessings on it! Welcome back’
Thanks Sheila! :)
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha….
Hey J, that’s great news. Total nerds like me need someone cool like you to inspire us! And I am pretty sure there are a few more nerdish types hanging around here besides just me.
i think you are right ;)
Yay!!! This totally made my day! I always loved your personality and the tone of your writing, so glad to hear that you’re back!
Thanks Megan :)
outstanding!
Congrats on the re-acquisition! Looking forward to new content only you can provide :)
Welcome back!
Thanks friend!!! Your turn!!!!!! :) :) :)
Woohoo! Welcome back!
The new design looks great! Excited to see new posts in the inbox!
Thanks, brother.
Welcome back my friend!
Welcome back J$. This is definitely the best part of my Monday morning!
:)
Welcome back to blog land! It’s just like 2007, but with 98% less traffic, comments, and revenue :)
Also – something up with the comment form. I had to submit without name and email to get an error message before it would let me enter a name and email. And I can’t enter a website at all. Macbook Pro with Firefox.
D’oh – will look into, thanks..
We’ve been messing with the comment section all morning trying to tweak something else, so hoping it was due to that that’s making things wonky… (and reminds me of all the parts I hated about blogging, haha… always something breaking!)
It’s so awesome to have you back J$! Thanks for all of your work and vision throughout the years. I’m so glad you brought on 5am Joel and he’s a big part of my internet life these days! Looking forward to you continuing your passion!
Welcome back, brother!! Excited to have you back and that you’re taking it old school – have some fun and enjoy it!!
Welcome back!!! I love it when bloggers reappear in my feed, it feels like running into an old friend.
Yay!!!
Welcome back to the addiction, J$!
Thanks for getting my Tech back with everything here!! Makes my life 10x easier as a blogger again!
Great to see you back J!!! Hope you’re feeling better!
Thanks ol’ friend! I am feeling much better! :)
So glad you’re back! And thank you for introducing me to 5AM Joel. Can we get a budget update or will Mrs. J$ still not allow (not that I blame her)
Haha thanks! Joel will be back here again soon at some point :) Mrs. Budgets won’t allow a net worth update, but she didn’t say anything about a budget??! If only I still had one though (*gasp!). I think it’s been 5-6 years since I last filled one out… The Net Worth tracking has taken its place and accomplished 80% of what budgets did for me, though I certainly spend more than when I did budget! :)
Glad to have you back :)
Hot damn, brother.
Good to see you back in biz.
Welcome back to the blogging past. It’s poor and lonely here, but hey, aren’t all passion projects?
What’s funny is that so many of us start out blogging just for fun before the $$$/business parts start tempting us!! I had no intention whatsoever of making anything and especially not a job out of it when starting blogging haha… How lucky that it all came accidentally for us all? :)
Normally I don’t expect good things on the 13th, but this turns it around, welcome back! The site redesign looks beautifully minimalist. And taking it back to blog-2008, couldn’t be better.
Thanks dude!!! glad to see you’re still at it too!
Missed you, buddy.
So glad I had my chance to get the All-Star Money bobblehead, though. My partner thinks I’m even MORE awesome because of that li’l plastic doppelganger.
(For the uninitiated, photo and explanation is at https://donnafreedman.com/bobblehead-me/.)
haha indeed!! at least something will live on forever! :)
Yes! Yay!! Hurray!!! The Best News!
THANK YOU – I’m looking forward to the return of mail from YOU . . . very happy making.
Gadzooks . . . I’m grinning – this is super happy-making.
(and – in response to that one tidbit . . . Be Well, please )
love & love,
-g-
Thanks Georgy – you are a riot :)
(And haven’t heard “Gadzooks” since my college days of actually working at a store in the mall under the same name! you remember those??)
Welcome Back! Super stoked. I have to admit I drifted away over the past 3 years. Your humorous touch made the whole difference.
I have been stashing away a lot of dad jokes that need to be let out ;)
Welcome back! The site looks great. Hope you’re feeling better, and I’m looking forward to your posts.
Thanks Gary!
Zomg! So happy to have you back! While 5am Joel was great, you have been the bestest in my mind.
Ask the air hugs! I may email from my new email address to wave hi, which isn’t this one.
Haha holler anytime – always enjoy hearing from you :)
Welcome back! Sorry to hear about your health troubles, glad that you figured out what it is and that there is treatment for it.
Thanks… was rough there for a bit, but hopefully we’re over the hardest part now! Never know what life will throw you – the good and bad :)
Yes! Very happy!
It’s like having your favorite warm blanket back. Looking forward to finance book reviews again. Missed you Dude!
HAH! Can’t say I’ve ever been referred to by as a blanket! Though I’m glad it’s a warm one and not WET one!!! lol
Hey J! So glad to have you back! Does this mean Rockstar Finance might re-emerge again too? I loved browsing that list for fun content.
So happy to hear you’re back and wishing you the best in getting your health back. Nothing is more important. I’m actually Re-focusing on health as my new FI savings account.
Love and Skateboards
Another J
Oh man, we got *this close* to re-acquiring Rockstar a few years ago but unfortunately it fell through at the last minute and haven’t heard a peep from the owner since :( I’ll never say it’s completely out of the question forever since I’m sitting here typing this on Budgets right now, haha, but as it currently stands I wouldn’t hold your breath :)
Are you signed up to my J$ newsletter? If not, that will at least get you my favorite reads once a *week* from around the community:
https://jmoney.biz/newsletter/
PS: killer last name!
So great that you’re back, J. Money :) :)
I’ve been reading since 2012. Found the site by Googling “How much do babies cost?” when I was unexpectedly pregnant.
Answer- A lot. But three kids later, I can say that I’m rich in children :) Thanks to everything I learned from this site and others, the bank accounts are doing fine too.
Also love the design. The modern minimalist aesthetic is great!
HAH!!! You must have come across my Baby $$$ Tracker back then!! Which of course I scrapped not too long after the birth of our first because WHO HAS TIME WHEN THEY HAVE KIDS???!
https://budgetsaresexy.com/how-much-babies-cost/
Cool we both have 3 now – though something tells me you’ve figured out how to make girls when I’m stuck only being able to produce boys :)
Thrilled to see you are back!
Wow. That is awesome and great news to hear.
In these crazy times you are now more needed than ever. Great to have one of the OGs back where he belongs.
Someone has to step now that you’re gone!! :)
Welcome back! Had no idea! I’ve been so focused on promoting my upcoming book that I haven’t been paying attention to anything else.
Being able to sell your site for a good amount of money and then buying it back years later is a dream come true. I would think at least 60% of owners would do that if they knew they could buy it back, hopefully at a discount!
You and JD hit the jackpot!
Best,
Sam
Haha yup…
Someone told me it’s like getting paid to take a break for a few years and then coming back to your baby :) Which is somewhat true – we did get paid and took a break!, but the traffic/income/community/site is def. not the same… But not like any of us planned for this – so it all adds to the adventure!
Woo Hoo! So glad you are back. I just happily re-subscribed to the blog!
Welcome Back!!
The Crusher!
Welcome back to you too, my ol’ friend!
Welcome back! I’m very much looking forward to what you having coming up next – whatever it is!
Hey dude – thx!! And for always linking back in your roundups too – which I see is still going strong for over 10 years now! :)
I’ve never commented before, but this feels like a reason to celebrate! I’ve been following this blog since at least 2016 (I just scrolled back through my net worth tracking tabs to check). I can’t even remember how I found my way to this corner of the internet, but you were the blogger who introduced me to the FIRE movement and made me into a person finance junkie. I had a one-sided competition with you to see which of us would get our net worth to 1M first (I think you won, but our net worth has doubled since then so I’m thankful for the motivation!). I was bummed but proud for you when the blog got acquired, but I’ll admit I’ve missed your writing! It was a happy surprise to come back from vacation with several J$ posts in my feed reader. Welcome back and long live Budgets are Sexy!
Ahhhhh A hearty welcome back to you too Yvonne! What a whopper of a first comment! :) Glad your net worth has skyrocketed over the years – amazing how easy it gets once you get going and let time work its magic, eh?! Here’s to many more magical years (and blog posts) ahead!
Glad to have you back! I’ve missed your “voice” in this part of the blogosphere. Sorry to hear about the diagnosis. Thankfully, it sounds like you’ve got a good medical team helping you to deal with it.
Thank you Lobster!
He is back! :)
Can’t believe I didn’t catch this article beforehand ^^
It’s quite a timely thing, as I was thinking about our discussion of 2y ago about going part time at work… it’s happening these days, and it’s crazy fantastic! Thx for your hint back then :D
Talk soon!
heyyy rock on!!! so glad to hear that man, you’ll have to tell me later how you were able to pull it off :)