Woohoo! Happy New Year!
As one year ends, a new one begins! I have high hopes that 2013 will be even bigger and better for all of us here at Careful Cents, both personally and professionally.
I’ve grown a lot as a freelancer this year, and can’t wait to see what we all learn over the next few months. I also had some fantastic opportunities to travel and meet new people, do my first speaking gig and found part-time work with a start-up company.
Best Accomplishment of 2012
Of all the awesome and fun things I did this year, I’m most proud of becoming completely debt-free! I’ve been in debt ever since I graduated high school and bought my first car.
It feels incredible to finally be on the other end of the debt spectrum, and hopefully through my story, I can help others do the same thing!
Top 6 Favorite Posts
Top 10 Strategies for Making Your New Year’s Resolution Stick - Lifehacker. Just in time for making New Year’s resolutions, this post has some awesome tips for making your goals a success. From focusing on one resolution to practical ways to stay on track.
Tips and Resources for Launching Your Freelance Writing Career - The Work at Home Woman. If you’ve been wanting to launch a freelance writing career but didn’t know where to start, this article is just what you’re looking for.
How to Keep Your Freelance Business Organized –Nuts and Bolts Media. The start of a New Year is the perfect time to get your business organized. This post from Andrea has advice for accounting, scheduling, taxes and more.
How Much is Your Time Worth? – ReadyForZero. When you run your own business, your time is very valuable. Don’t sell yourself short or underestimate how much your time is worth. It might be time to establish a few priorities.
How to Hustle Yourself to Freelance Success – Men With Pens. Don’t let your insecurity about your business hold you back. Use these ideas and tips to really wow your clients and you’ll reach freelance success in no time.
Is it Even Possible to Find Work You Love? - UnLost. Yes, you can find work you love and still make a good living. Stop trying to find the “one perfect” career choice and just enjoy life. Sometimes the wrong decision will lead you in the right direction.
Guest Posts for 2012
At the beginning of this year I made a New Year’s resolution to publish at least one guest post per month. I actually surprised myself, because I didn’t think I would get as many guest posts accepted and published as I did.
In total I published 20 guest posts. Check out my portfolio for a complete list! I was even featured on a few major media sites:
- Get Every Last Drop from Your Spray Cleaners without the Annoyance – Lifehacker
- Get Creative and Learn How to Negotiate For Lower Rent - Business Insider
- How I Paid Off $14,000 and Became Debt Free – The Huffington Post
- Wealth Building Tips from our Favorite Financially Fit Women - H&R Block
- Careful Cents Blogger Tells us How She Got Out of Debt – CreditLand
Popular Posts I’ve Written
6 Steps to Stop the Cycle of Debt – PT Money. Do you know the why behind your cycle of debt? To successfully stop the cycle of debt you have to ask yourself a few important questions.
How to Get Into the Work Groove After Time Off- Careful Cents. Anytime you take time off work for the holidays, it can be tough to get back in the work groove. Use these tips to successfully get back into your routine.
Books I Read in 2012
In school I used to read books all the time, and I actually enjoyed getting assignments to do book reports. But as I got older – and busier, I stopped reading and started watching a lot more TV.
After I started feeling very unproductive, I picked up a business book from the bookstore and was hooked. It was my goal to read at least 1 book per month. Now 25 books later, I think I met my goal – and I even joined a Book Club on Facebook.
What’s your favorite business book?
And this isn’t even all the books I read this year, since I couldn’t find all of them and plenty others were ebooks too. Some of my absolute favs are: The Behavior Gap, The Work Revolution, The Start-Up of You and The E-Myth.
Freelance Business and Blog News
Here’s the latest and greatest news for December, plus updates for 2012.
1. New blog design
In case you haven’t noticed, I ended the year with a bang and overhauled my blog with a fresh new design. The main reason I did it was to fix a lot of the problems the old theme was producing. But as an additional benefit, the site is cleaner, more user-friendly and much faster loading.
2. I started the Freelancers Club
A few months ago, I decided to create a more exclusive community. One that encouraged a two-way conversation, different from the blog format I have here. So I created the Careful Cents Freelancers Club (feel free to join)!
It’s a place where other freelancers and entrepreneurs share info about the latest projects, exclusive webinars and freelance jobs. The Club has already grown to over 80 members and has become an awesome, supportive community.
Books I’m Reading Now
To continue making progress on my New Year’s resolution to read more, here are some of the books/ebooks I’m currently reading.
Getting Rid of It: Elminate the Clutter in Your Life – Betsy & Warren Talbot
Start with Why - Simon Sinek
What’s one thing you’re proud you accomplished in 2012? What are you looking forward to most in 2013?
- Get access to exclusive content, not published anywhere else.
- Tips on getting organized and being more efficient.
- Advice on building a business around your life.
- A personal invite to the Freelancers Club!
I'm an ex-small business accountant who aims to help freelancers get out of debt and organize their life. And through the recently launched 
