Which blogs do you read?

Published on May 14th, 2009

If you're new here, this blog will give you the tools to become financially independent in 5 years. Here is how I did it and here is how I currently do it. The method is robust and replicable (no need to win the lottery, start a blogging business, or win at real estate), but not easy; much in the same way that a diet results in weight loss but is hard to follow persistently unless you set your mind to it. The key is to save 75%+ of your net income and invest it in income producing assets (bonds and dividend stocks). There is a "21 day" step-by-step plan for how to get to 75% in the left side bar. I try not to be too trite, so if I cover a topic, you will probably not see it again for a very long time, thus you may want to read the older posts here and here. Also, check out my answers to frequently asked questions and while you're at it, don't forget to subscribe to the blog via google or RSS.

I’m curios, which 5 blogs do you read the most. Let me know in the comment section. Also, if you don’t mind, let me know why.

Coincidentally:

previous post: Incomplete list of hobbies that could earn money
next post: The three things I did right (and so can you)

47 users responded in " Which blogs do you read? "

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Septimus39 said,

I read http://failblog.org, http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/, http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/, http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/, and http://spogg.org/. I also read a lot of blogs my friends write and whatnot. I even write a few. I’m new to this one, though. Enjoying it very much so far.

davecam_99 said,

Jacob,

Some of them are:

Copyblogger
Freelance Switch
Frugal Dad
Get Rich Slowly
Home Ec 101
Lifehacker
The Simple Dollar

Dave

Kelly said,

Just FYI it says top “then” above not top “ten”.

Top 5 blogs:
Consumerist
Lifehacker
The Brazen Careerist
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Get Rich Slowly/Bargaineering (tie)

Brandon said,

I mostly only read pfblogs regularly. It is hard to define “read the most” out of those as I pull in a good smathering into my Google Reader and then self filter on whether the post looks interesting or if it is garbage I have read before on 1000 pfblogs. As a result, here are the ones that most likely will have a post that I will read roughly in descending order.

Bad Money Advice http://badmoneyadvice.com
Frugal Bachelor http://frugalbachelor.blogspot.com
Get Rich Slowly http://www.getrichslowly.org
Early Retirement Extreme
FiveCentNickel http://www.fivecentnickel.com

BMA and FB tend to have consistently good and thought provoking stories with some new insight even if it is covering old ground. GRS and FCN are good, but have a lot of stories I am not interested in because they cover the same old ground or cover something I do not care about. I think you have a nice site Jacob but I skip most of your posts that opine about the weaknesses of modern man in a technological ‘comfort’ society (they just do not interest me) and just read your tips on extreme ways of saving money. I am unlikely to implement many of them, but they do interest me at least.

I also subscribe to Bargaineering (too many boring posts), Get Rich Slick (I go through phases where I read it more than others, he has too much of a doom and gloom philosophy for me), Paid Twice (a lot of repetitive posts and light posting lately, but very interesting personal touches), The Simple Dollar (lots of boring posts that cover the same ground as always), Poorer Than You (does not resonate with me much now that I am out of college), Consumerism Commentary (generic), and The Family Wallet (also generic).

Brandon said,

Incidentally, Free Money Finance and Lazy Man and Money are two blogs I stopped reading because I thought the posts were on average of low quality.

Aaron deOliveira said,

Techdirt

Silicon Alley Insider

Photography is Not A Crime

FireWire

IttyBiz

Baker @ ManVsDebt said,

http://zenhabits.net
http://illuminatedmind.net
http://bargaineering.com
http://marcandangel.com
http://problogger.com

By the way, although we haven’t met I’ve been turned onto this blog recently. I must say I am very impressed. Keep up the great work and don’t be a stranger.

http://manvsdebt.com

Steven Austin said,

ERE – for the minimalist lifestyle philosophy

Wired: Danger Room – for the war events and industry news/opinion

Wired: Threat Level – for the privacy rights and issues news/opinion

KurzweilAI.net – aggregator of news items from science periodicals

Complexity digest – aggregator of news items specific to nonlinearity/complexity/etc.

if anyone has other suggestions on war, privacy, AI, and complexity related sources, please advise.

Online Dividends said,

I read 5 blogs:

http://www.earlyretirementextre.com – It shows me you could live well on $6000/year

http://www.dividendgrowthinvestor.com – It shows me how to invest my money so that I could earn $6000/year (or more) from my investments

http://www.getrichslowly.org/http://thesimpledollar.com (it’s a tie)- The author get great ideas on personal finance

http://www.bloggingbanks.com – The site shows me how to make an extra buck by opening bank accounts and collecting $100-$200 bonuses in each occasion

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/ – This is the first PF blog I ver read. Everything I learned about Personal Finance and Blogging started from there.

Corporate Barbarian said,

My favorites seem to change over time, but these are my current favorites:

My Two Dollars
Passive Family Income
Bargaineering
Five Cent Nickel
Smart Passive Income

They all provide solid financial advice that anyone can understand.

Stephen said,

Early Retirement Extreme – Radical, believable ideas. I liked “Your Money or Your Life,” and this is similar.

Strobist – To take better photos; I have the equipment already.

Tiny House Blog – Ideas for living small. I want to see if I can do something like this, sometime.

Bad Money Advice – The guy is an expert, and I learn more from his critiques than I ever did from lay financial bloggers.

Blogs I used to read, and why I unsubscribed:

Lifehacker – Not interested in little tips and tricks anymore.

Apartment Therapy – Useful when refreshing decor, but otherwise just pretty apartments.

Get Rich Slowly, The Simple Dollar – I think I’ve learned what I need to learn. ERE is more motivating.

pete said,

i like reading my friends’ blogs, local weatherman’s blog, and a number of nonsensical and comic feeds (urbandictionary, xkcd, graphjam, etc).

my top 5 “global” blogs, like ERE are:
dilbert.com blog
douglas rushkoff
tim feriss
biking bis
bike commuters

George said,

There are only 3 that I spend time reading:
– ERE (duh)
– The Simple Dollar (cross section of society in the comments)
– my wife’s journal (how else would i know what she’s up to?)

Seth Miller said,

ERE, GRS, TSD are the personal finance blogs I read.
I just bookmarked Malcolm Gladwell’s blog and I read Bill Simmons religiously on ESPN.com

CF said,

Simple Dollar
Freakonomics
Lifehacker
Nithyanada Newsletter
Wisebread

Kevin M said,

My top 5 not necessarily in any order:

1) Early Retirement Extreme – for the challenging ideas and blend of eco-friendly personal finance
2) Hockeybuzz.com – specifically the STL Blues blogger Andy Strickland
3) The Big Picture (on boston.com) – my son loves to look at the pictures with me
4) Simple Dollar/Get Rich Slowly – although both are becoming repetitive after reading for awhile so my frequency is decreasing
5) STLtoday.com blog for my local city/neighborhood

I also find Frugal Bachelor and Frugal Dad somewhat entertaining. I agree with whoever above said Free Money Finance was average…there’s very rarely any original content there, just a rehash of other mainstream PF sites.

Tea said,

Changes frequently, but current blogs are:

I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Seth Godin’s Blog
Escape From Cubicle Nation
Early Retirement Extreme
Bad Money Advice

I also read a lot of webcomics and the blogs of those authors.

I used to read TSD and GRS but those blogs just annoy me lately.

Mo said,

ERE– the means
Conchscooter– the ends (a 10 minute vacation in every day– great for anyone who has spent a lot of time in the keys, reminds me of home)

Retired Syd said,

The ones I read the most (very close to when they are posted, as opposed to letting a whole lot of them build up in my reader):

Yours
Brip Blap
Margaret and Helen
Writers Coin
Robert Reich

Patrick said,

I think the best blog hands-down is Michael James on Money. This is an intelligent, analytical individual with an uncanny ability to see through bullshit and to make complex ideas understandable.

Oz said,

outside of ERE:

http://initforthegold.blogspot.com/ – articles about climate science from an actual climate scientist, with an emphasis on re-framing public debates.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/ – great economic analysis and links. My daily morning dose of doom and gloom.

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/ – same as above.

http://dharmafolk.wordpress.com/ – musings on Dharma practice. Also a small plug.

Alex said,

earlyretirementextreme.com
thesimpledollar.com
getrichslowly.com
sniggle.net/expirement/index.php
absolutepunk.net
petewentz.com

money & music.

fandd said,

Top 5 Blogs -
ERE – For inspiration

Diary of a Sewing Fanatic – Detailed sewing blog. Lots of good information.

Athena Diaries – Tales from the back of the pack. Blog of an ironman, plus-size, endurance athlete. How cool is that?

AfricanKelli – Urban hippie in Phoenix. Love the crafts, recipes and pictures. It’s a happy blog.

Pleasant View Schoolhouse – Another happy blog.

Debbie M said,

Currently, not counting friends’ blogs:

1) 20 Year Challenge – refuses to use credit or compromise on social or ecological ethics no matter how low their incomes get (working to increase incomes, too)

2) Simple Dollar – lots of good ideas

3) Get Rich Slowly – some other good ideas

4) Wise Bread – multiple authors and viewpoints

5) Queercents – multiple authors from gay/lesbian viewpoint

Honorable Mention, since most of the above are popular and they all reflect my current obsession with wishing I could retire right now:

1) Like Merchant Ships – serious frugality does not preclude elegance

2) Wardrobe Refashion – people challenge themselves to acquire new clothes only by sewing them themselves either from plain fabric or from other clothes that aren’t working for them

3) Merle Wayne Sneed – semiretired guy likes golfing, gardening, and fancying up the truth a bit.

4) The Happiness Project – how to make yourself happy

5) Unclutterer

6) You Look Fab – practical fashion with pictures

wonderlake653 said,

frugal bachelor
ima saver
ambellamy
frugal zeitgeist
jane4girls (my newest)
seattle bon vivant (my oldest)
and yours! THANKS!

Carolyn said,

Pioneer Woman Cooking

Consumerist

The Simple Dollar

Clark Howard’s Show Notes

Money Rules, Debt Stinks

K said,

Yours!
Frugal Babe
Simple Dollar/ Get Rich Slowly: I agree with Stephen and Kevin
Zen Habits
Death to the mortgage

I already added Freakonomics to my favorites, I’ll check them out later, but I liked the book.

These answers are a very nice way to learn about blogs I don’t know yet.

Rhea said,

Free Money Finance: lots of posts, very practical, easy on the eyes
Hattie’s Web: opinionated baby boomer who lives in Hawaii
Option Armageddon: good financial news about the meltdown
I Can Has Cheezeburger: LOL cats are hilarious
The Consumerist: great news and lots of it on bad stores, products, etc.

Jan said,

Blogs:

Dilbert blog
ERE
Crawlingroad
GRS & TSD
Cool tools

Not blogs, but their rss-feeds eat much of my time: Bogleheads forum & Reddit

Chad @ Sentient Money said,

Blogs I read the most (not in any order):

1) Yours – Why? You always have a different angle on everything, think logically (rare), and use real facts in your posts (again, rare).

2) The Big Picture (Barry Ritholtz) – Why? It is the BEST economic/financial/investing blog on the web for an overall view of the economy, bar none. Plus, he writes what he really thinks and is about as non-partisan as you can get.

3) Brip Blap – Why? He doesn’t stick to the boring old PF topics. Nor does he treat the boring old PF topics the same way.

4) Whatever – Why? Great writer who hits a lot of topics. Plus, there is usually a good discussion in the comments section for interesting posts.

5) Naked Capitalism – Why? In depth analysis of current economic events. Seems to be as unbiased as a human can be.

6) The Cunning Realist (I know you only asked for 5) – Why? Amusing, and usually depressing, comments about current events (mostly economic).

I know you asked for what we read, but I wanted to include one I don’t read because so many commenters said they read it:

The Simple Dollar – Why not? Same old boring PF advice that will make you a wage slave all your life. Plus, I have seen far too many inaccurate posts on finance, including ones with bad math. I pointed out the bad math once and all I got was argument about his belief…never changed the math.

Chad @ Sentient Money said,

Whoops…forgot one I read all time:

Tim Ferris – Why? Makes you wonder why you are wasting your life…in a positive way. Variety and depth of coverage on the topics.

erinstratton78 said,

Cheap Healthy Good – Why? She is great about trying new things and also introducing new things. I am always trying to eat better and she is darn entertaining. She has a sense of humor similar to my own.

Funny About Money – Why? She is hilarious in a blunt grandma way and has lots of good ideas.

Shopaholly – Why? She channels my need for a Bridget Jonesesque sort of silliness and dialogue and she seems to have alot of adventures.

Brunette on a Budget – Why? I am a brunette to and also on a budget and I like her takes on fashion and she is usually very informative in a non boring sort of way.

Dual Income No Kids – Why? These guys update their reader alot and I seriously love the educated spin they put on everything and in our own home we also have dual income with no kids.

I subscribe to several others but honestly the above I get excited to read each time they are posted. Honorable mentions inlude Budgets are Sexy, The Simple Dollar, Frugal Dad, and Get Rich Slowly….however these are HEAVILY skewed toward the male viewpoint, rightly so since they are written by men. The Simple Dollar tends to get a little preachy and repetitive in nature, and sometimes in Budgets are Sexy he is funny and sometimes bordering on juvenile, that is the beauty of a reader…skip it if he gets annoying.

B_Deviled said,

I follow two financial blogs authored by the same guy:
http://mutualfunds-explained.blogspot.com/
http://retiringwithaplan.blogspot.com/

Robyn said,

ERE of course
http://nomadneedles.wordpress.com
Seth Godin

http://halshop.wordpress.com – for great reviews on novels and teaching

GRS (someone rec’d your blog in the comments section, which is how I found ERE)

Robyn said,

I read several of those mentioned here. Also check out http://halshop.wordpress.com for great reviews of novels and thoughts on teaching. Doesn’t post a lot but they’re good when he does.

I’d like a rec for a blog on diy bike repair/mechanics.

Bruno said,

ERE, Crossfit.com, and Miami Bike Scene are my Top 3. BTW Jacob, blog is running again, with a new focus on a subniche. Check it out sometime.

George said,

Speaking of TSD being repetitive… aaagh! How to make your own laundry detergent again!

Well, just because he publishes frequently probably means there’s a higher chance of repetitiveness.

cat said,

Hi Jacob
ERE
Stacking pennies
Retirement: A Fulltime job
Simple Dollar
Working for Rachel (no posts for a while)

ERE is the best though – gives me hope that I will get there!

Matt Jabs said,

Considering I’m on a HUGE financial mission to become debt free as soon as possible, I have been reading mostly personal finance blogs for the last 6 months.

The 5 that stick out to me the most are:

1. FreeMoneyFinance – I read this blog because it is such a well rounded finance blog, and is written from a Christian perspective.
2. GetRichSlowly – I read this site because JD Roth has such a large amount of resources available to him because of his popularity, yet still manages to keep his focus on helping people financially. “Don’t be fooled by the rock that he got!”
3. FiveCentNickel – I read Nickel’s blog because he has such a vast amount of experience. I am a strong believer in following mentors that have already achieved what I am setting out to achieve, and Nickel has done that. Not to mention the fact that he publishes an article by yours truly every Thursday morning!
4. EarlyRetirementExtreme – The newest addition to my frequent reads is your blog. The reason I read it now is because you think outside the box greater than 95% of any other personal finance blogger I have read to date, and I appreciate that SO MUCH! I am also a nontraditional thinker and am moving toward a highly sacrificial lifestyle to pay down my debt as soon as possible. Just the other day my wife agreed to put the house up for sale & move into a $500/month condo, saving us $900/month!
5. ChristianPersonalFinance – Bob’s writing is very thorough and from the heart, not to mention useful. The combination keeps bringing me back.

Looking back over the list now, I see the common thread in all these blogs is the fact that each of the writers have already achieved something I am currently working to accomplish, and I want to surround myself with their success.

Thanks for making me go through this exercise, I believe I’m not going to publish this to my blog to inspire others to do the same.

Matt Jabs said,

At the end there I meant to say:

…I believe I’m NOW going to publish this to my blog to inspire others to do the exercise.

brauhster said,

I read Dr Eades’ blog on diet, health, good books, life, and other important issues in living. This guy is real and very helpful in helping the general public understand health issues. His blog is; http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/

I also read the CRON Diary. A very good look at health and nutrition. Her blog is; http://crdiary.blogspot.com/

PS I check Early Retirement Extreme every time I am on line. I find the view exciting and challenging.

frugalscholar said,

I like Funny About Money and Roomfarm. Also Philip Brewer, who is a contributor to Wisebread. These are quirky blogs, and EXTREMELY well-written.

Kate said,

Lifehacker
Zen Habits
Write to Done

My Year Without Spending http://myyearwithoutspending.blogspot.com/

Non-Consumer Advocate
http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com/

Lords and Ladies of Leisure
http://lordsandladiesofleisure.wordpress.com/

Jan said,

ERE
GRS
TSD
MMND

Eden said,

I subscribe to hundreds of blogs, which I scan from time to time for interesting headlines. There are only a few blogs that I take the time to read nearly every post, almost all of the time.

Lifehacker – It’s not all useful, but there are so many gems I can’t miss it
Early Retirement Extreme – unique content that I can’t get anywhere else
Get Rich Slowly – covers everything that needs to be covered in the PF world and JD is a really nice guy
Seth’s Blog – smart guy, shares useful business wisdom

mb said,

http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/

http://www.behaviorgap.com/

http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/

http://www.koit.com/pages/4111178.php

andix said,

I read a ton of blogs, but the ones I faithfully follow and why are below:

1. Eric Cressey – extrememly intelligent trainer, can fix your bum shoulder and add 200 lbs to your deadlift
2. Mike Robertson – very similar to Eric except with knees
3. Simple Dollar – most things he says make sense, I tend to think I’m a simple person
4. Whole Health Source – research based nutrition info, flies in the face a lot of mainstream stuff
5. Get Rich Slowly – good advice and I love the links to other blogs, opens doors to sites & information (just like this blog)

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