Contest over!
Hard to believe we started this site 365 days ago. We still can’t believe the growth our site has experienced and we have you, our readers, to thank.
To celebrate we are holding a month long contest giving away an iPad 2 with some cool eco-friendly accessories, some really cool green technology gadgets and even some cold hard cash. Over $1200 in prizes! Well get to the contest soon enough but I also want to share a few things, including revealing who we are!
Do you remember what our site looked like back when we were getting less than 50 visitors daily?
Quite the difference huh? And this is a shot from February of this year. So the site had been improved at this point! Things sure do change. By the end of December 2010 we had 28 RSS subscribers and 148 Twitter followers. Today we are closing in on 500 RSS subscribers and 700 followers on Twitter!
We have been highlighted by publications like Time.com, the Globe and Mail, The Consumerist, MoneySense, a few U.S. newspapers and most recently we were voted the best Sustainable/Green Personal Finance Blog which won us a Plutus Award!
THE Reveal
In our October blog update I mentioned that Mrs. SPF and I had decided to discontinue our anonymity. We will continue to write under the pen names Mrs. SPF and Sustainable PF but we will now share with you, our readers, who we are.
On our About page we state:
We are a married couple living in a smaller city who strive to balance our financial goals with our sustainable lifestyle. Achieving this balance takes a lot of compromise, detailed discussions and careful evaluation of how we handle our personal finances while doing what we can to protect the earth and act socially responsible.
We hope to convey our message without sounding preachy and from the feedback we’ve received, so far so good. We will endeavour to show how living a sustainable lifestyle can be financially sustainable.
Not too much detail. I’ll update this page at a later date, but to those of you reading this post you will also get to know that we live in Eastern Ontario, Canada. We are both public servants by trade. And, drumroll please, our names are Simon (SPF) & Marielle Boyce (Mrs. SPF). Here is a picture of the two of us at a fantastic music festival (Blue Skies) we help run every summer. And no, those aren’t tea cozies on our heads.
Now that we have passed on the information we wanted to share, it is time to discuss our 1st anniversary giveaway contest!
MAJOR props to our pals from the Yakezie Network – your generosity is truly selflessly helping others. I must note that anyone Marielle or I are related to, are not eligible for this contest. Canadian rules …
Grand Prize!
Our great blogging pal Miss T owner of the great site Prairie Eco Thrifter has graciously offered to co-sponsor giving away an iPad 2 as part of our grand prize. In addition, Mrs. SPF and I are adding a bamboo iPad holder and an iPad sleeve made of recycled leather. Approximate value $700.
Other Prizes
How to Save Money, another fellow Canuck is contributing a Smart Strip LCG3 Energy Saving Surge Protector (power down your devices to kill phantom power drain) and a set of Fashionations Universal Eco Speakers (collapsale cardboard speakers). Approximate value $75.
My Journey to Millions, Wealth Informatics and Bucksome Boomer are teaming up to give away a really cool portable solar charger – the Solio Classic Solar Battery Charger. This cool green tech gadget lets you recharge most any device, on the go. Approximate value $100.
Invest it Wisely is contributing a really cool set of Thinksound Wooden Headphones. Approximate value $50.
Retire by 40 and Moms Plans are teaming up to give away a different type of recharger, the Portable Dual-Panel Solar Power Battery Pack for Cell Phones and USB Gadgets. Approximate value $50.
My Personal Finance Journey and My Broken Coin are sponsoring a pretty cool Tango Group H2O Water Powered Multifunction Clock II. 2 prizes available. Approximate value $25 each.
Frugal Toad, Fat Guy Skinny Wallet and 101 Centavos are sponsoring two four packs of USBCELL set of rechargeable batteries. Yes, batteries you plug into a USB port to recharge! 2 lucky winners will each receive one of the 4 packs. Approximate value $40 each.
Maximizing Money is donating $25 cash via Paypal.
*** All prizes (aside from Grand Prize) can be exchanged for cash equivalent via Paypal ***
So there you have it folks, $1200 in prizes! Fill out the following for many chances to win! (and if you already follow us in the various ways available, fill out those entries as well!)
Please read the instructions (especially Twitter and Comment – but really, all of them). There are specific instructions (to assist my ability to track the contest, and, to find our what our readers are thinking) for the different entry types.
Also, to qualify you must fill out the skill testing question AND enter in at minimum one other entry method offered.
Wow very generous giveaway! Love the blog.
Marielle, Freya gave it away for me some time ago! :)
I concur! Very generous. Good luck to everyone!
I am following the RSS feed. Congrats on such success over the past year. Here is to a second year of phenomenal growth.
Great giveaway and congratulations on your 1 year of blogging.
Awesome Giveaway. Even though we know your real names, it is going to be hard for me not to call you SPF and Mrs. SPF in my head. (haha). I don’t know if this my favorite (I have a difficulty with absolutes), but I really enjoy Latisha’s dividend series. I also really love that the ‘green’ theme is well integrated in your site, especially when you changed your follow us symbols to leaves. Good luck on the giveaway. Here’s to another great year!
Congrats on coming out to the world! She is way too good looking for you buddy hahaha jk
Tweeting now.
You don’t have to tell me that! M is 9 yrs my junior too!
congrats on coming out to the world, and great giveaway!
Congrats on your 1 year anniversary guys! BTW, what if one doesn’t have FAcebook? lol
I had thought of that. We figured more folks would have FB than Twitter. We might remove the mandatory nature of this one – checking in with Miss T.
Gotta say, really nifty and easy to use action steps! What system is it? Everybody should do the same!
Not sure what you mean FS. The contest is held via rafflecopter which is free to use!
Changed it up – no more mandatory FB like!
Congratulations on your anniversary.
Happy anniversary and joyful blogging in the future.
Looks like you have had a great year. Congrats on the success!
Congrats guys on 1 year! You’ve had a ton of success! Love the picture!
Great giveaway! I’m sharing it on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter. :)
You and Mrs. SPF are cute, too. Are you going to share Baby SPF’s name?
And my favorite is one of your old ones, the imported Subaru. It was my introduction to SPF and still impressive!
Congrats on the anniversary guys.
Congrats and have a great year 2! You 2 look cool :)
Congratulations,
Inspiration for some of us Personal Finance bloggers to stick to our niche – impressive numbers.
Steve
I subscribed! :)
I subscribed to your e-mail :)
My favourite part of the blog is Frugality. Great tips, great ideas for saving money! One of my fave blog posts is 4 tips for cheap dating. I think these are great money saving tips for date nights for all couples!
Congrats on the 1 year, guys!
So cool to see some real pics!! You two look even awesomer than I imagined. Congrats on the 1 year. I sure value how great of friends we have become.
Nice to meet you both!
Good luck with your giveaway, and congratulations on your first year!
Congratulations & keep up the good work. All the best.
Have subscribed to RSS feed. thanks
Favorite article “Want to Start a Green Business?” http://sustainablepersonalfinance.com/want-to-start-a-green-business/
I like the well written articles on the site that give me an insight into stuff I might learn something from. Thanks for that.
I’ve Google +1 thanks.
Congrats on a great year… and looking forward to developing more in the years to come!
You guys look great together. For some reason I imagined you to be older. Don’t ask me why! lol Great giveaway! Can sponsors participate as well?
This pic was a few years ago. I’m 36, Mrs SPF is 26.
I don’t see any reason why sponsors can’t participate – you just can’t be eligible for the prize you contributed!
I subscribed via email!
I subscribed to the RSS!
I Google +1’d all over the place – hope I found the right spot to do it!
Congrats on the anniversary and success! You guys look great together. Was there a catalyst that sparked the reveal? Good luck with your giveaway and here’s to an even better year two!
Congrats on one year!
I subscribed to the newsletter and to the RSS feed!
So excited to see how far you guys have come over the past year and it’s great that everybody gets to see the faces behind the blog too!
I know you’re going to have even more success in year 2 because you’re one of the hardest working blogging couples I’ve encountered. Keep up the great writing and fantastic work!
Subscribed by email and have a comment.
a) http://sustainablepersonalfinance.com/why-you-should-consider-buying-a-tiny-home/ turned me on to the B-53 from Tumbleweed Tiny Homes. With the add-on bedroom, it’s perfect for my family!
b)I really like the guest posts by Nelson. Extra humor is always good.
A VERY happy anniversary guys!
Wow, that is a big reveal – you really “came out”! Great stuff.
So, I definitely follow you:
http://twitter.com/#!/myownadvisor/status/138377799005253634
I also subscribe (have for some time) to your feed.
Great Year 1 and I look forward to chatting with you more and more in Year 2 :)
Mark
I subscribed to your RSS feed, and 1+’d you.
Wish you all the success, entering now
Subscribed to SPF.
Hello, congratulations on your anniversary! Just wondering if this is open to US? sure hope so. Thanks for your reply.
Of course – open to anyone world wide! We had to put the skill testing question in due to Canadian regulations.
Thanks for your prompt reply, I gladly subscribed via email. Thanks! trishden948(at)yahoo(dot)com
Subscribed too in my Google Reader. Thanks!
My favorite article is your “How to Stop Smoking Cigarettes” article because boy can I relate and what I like best about your site is the fact that you, Mr & Mrs SPF seem like down to earth people just trying to keep your heads above the frey (or is it fray) and not falling for the instant gratification trap, something we’ve been proud to say we’ve been living by. Yeah Netfix sucks too in the US and would love to read your gardening tips. Thanks!
Wow, I did not realize you had only been around for one year. Congrats! You have a great giveaway :)
It seems longer huh?
subscribed via email https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/133c44ad8562b824
Congrats on your 1 Year Anniversary Simon and Marielle!
Best article? hmmmm let me see ;) I’m biased but I’m gonna say it anyway – Ultimate Guide!
What I like about your site Simon is the depth in which you cover a sustainable lifestyle. You’ve got a great site with excellent information!
Thanks Paul!
Nice hat by the way!
Google +
Also subscribed via RSS!
Linked to the giveaway! Best of luck with it Simon!
http://www.thefrugaltoad.com/personalfinance/week-review/
Hi! I just linked to your contest on my blog at:
http://www.shoppingdetox.com/2011/11/day-327-hibernation-link-luuurve.html
Awe you guys are such a cute couple!! I like the toques! (Are those considered toques or beanies?)
Congrats on the continued success!!!
I am an RSS subscriber. Love reading your articles!
Thanks!
Congratulation!!! You guys must have had the best 1st year ever! SPF is a great site, keep it up!
google +1
already subscribed via RSS
I subscribed to your emails. Thanks for the giveaway!
I subscribed via RSS.
I like the beginning gardener tips.
I like the eco friendly focus of your blog and the realistic tips and advice.
My favourite post was Cross Border Shopping & I love your common sense directness of all your posts. Great giveaway and congrats on your anniversary! Hope I can be as helpful to others when I finally get my blog going.
Congratulations on “sustaining” your website. Happy Anniversary!
You guys look so nice! Just as I pictured you :) thanks for the giveaway!
Awesome giveaway! Congratulations on your 1st year!!!
Congratulations on a year!
I’m not good at choosing favourites, but one article I really like is the Save Gas article. I like how you give concrete steps rather than just abstract concepts for so many things.
Awesome giveaway! Congratulations on your anniversary :)
Congrats on the one year!
I liked the posts on dividends.
I subscribed! :)
Great giveaway, SPF Family! And happy blogoversary :)
Fav article: http://sustainablepersonalfinance.com/can-we-stop-subsidizing-millionaires/
Fav thing: this giveaway! :)
My favorite blog post was on giving to charity. The thing I like most about the sight are all the great real world hints to help keep a balanced life.
Linked in my last post to both blogs (here: http://www.nickelbynickel.com/?p=3037) subscribed via email and rss :)
happy one year!
My favorite article is 5 Tips to Help you Downsize Your Lifestyle. I am preparing to retire in the decade, so I am downsizing and eliminating debt!! Great blog!
I subscribe to SPF emails
I read your post via RSS google Reader!!
I did the Google +1, I think! I don’t really understand Google+1
Awesome idea to celebrate your anniversary with a give-away! You have made great progress in your first year.
My favorite article, I suppose was “New Car Import DIY – Save Thousands”. I ended up buying a used car from a local dealer, but had explored this idea and it was quite helpful.
What I like best about your site is that it s down to earth and practical, bringing concepts to a level that just about anyone can work with in real life
Glad to be a part of the giveaway. I wasn’t sure if I could enter, so I did anyway ;-)
I linked to it on my Black Friday/Cyber Monday page in the “giveaways” section: http://knsfinancial.com/black-friday/
My favorte article(s) were you series of tips. Trying to reduce home energy usage was the most useful one to me – especially because you answered my questions in the comments as well.
I like the fact that I am constantly surprised by your content. I don’t know that much about eco-friendly living, so I never realized there was so much to write about and implement.
I just recently started my blog and there is still a lot of work to do on it. I hope to build a successful blog like the two of you soon.
Drop me a line if I can provide you with any advice!
I like your article on how to downsize your lifestyle since I’ve pretty much tried to live that way for 20 years. It’s good to have a wealth of knowledge here on conscientious and frugal living.
new email and google reader subscriber
pedidentalasst at yahoo dot com
the crossing boder shopping was pretty interesting and I thought here in California we get screwed! I like that your blogs are personal, we get a chance to know you better
pedidentalasst at yahoo dot com
Thank You
My favorite aricle in your blogs has to be 10 great reads! What I like best about your site is that your CANADIAN :) and you speak to canadian issues and life.
25. Congrats on making it a year. Keep going.
Congrats on the 1st Anniversary!
I subscribed via email and Google RSS feed.
a) My favourite articles posted on our site has been “The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Transportation Options” and “Want to Start a Green Business?”.
b) What I like best about this site is the “Green-Eco” section.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Hi! I am new to your site (found it through this giveaway), but I’ll definitely be checking back. You have a lot of different & helpful content. Short, sweet, to the point. I first noticed your article on bringing lunches from home to work rather than eating out. Our biggest financial struggle is keeping our food budget under control. Bringing food from home is something I try to do as often as I can. http://sustainablepersonalfinance.com/healthy-lunches-home/
As another entry, I linked to both of your websites on my site. If you go to http://www.thesixfigurediplomapayoff.com/ scroll down the right hand panel, you are now listed in my “Hotlist” of blogs.
Thanks!
Thomas
I follow via email and RSS. I’m pretty new here, but I like the baby articles. I like this site because it focuses on saving money and the environment, both things that everyone should learn.
I added this to Google +1!
Congrats on your 1st Anniversary! Always a great milestone. Looking forward to the second anniversary. Great contest. Would love to win your giveaway to handle my finances. Currently running Windows 2000 and am seriously in need of an update. Will keep my fingers crossed! Again congrats on your anniversary!!
I really like the SPF banner and the whole eco-friendly lifestyle maintained throughout the content and site. :)
I already subscribe via RSS. :)
My favorite post(s) were the ones about staging your home with renovations. They were way back when I first started blogging, and I was still trying to finish some projects around my house. Lots of helpful tips and I learned to prioritize the things I had left to do.
Overall, I enjoy reading here because you both teach me ways to live a greener lifestyle without being preachy about it. I always learn something new when I read your posts.
Congrats on the year!! Hope I make it as long!
Congratulations on revealing yourself and the way the site has grown. Awesome comp too and I have done most of the steps.
Thanks for a great giveaway. I’m following via email with this email address (next comment for RSS Feed and different email address)
following via RSS
My favorite article was “How to Stop Smoking Cigarettes”. I love your site because everything you write about I can relate to:)
I google +1 your site:)
I subscribed via RSS!
Tell us: a) what your favourite article posted on our site has been. b) what you like best about our site.
a) Like the Latte Factor, only better — that’s long been a point I’ve been making, it was good to see Nelson also bring it to light on a site that gets a lot more eyeballs than mine.
b) It’s small, but I like the cutsey leaf RSS logo.
Speaking of which, I also subscribed to the RSS.
Thanks for the feedback Potato!
WOW massive give away guys. Absolutely fantastic first year! Congratulations on all your success. I can’t wait to see what year two brings for you guys!
a) The credit card jargon post- reminded me of somethings I had forgotten! b) I like all the tabs/links at the top (personal finance/sustainability/Green-eco…etc.)
I subscribed to email.
I subscribed to the RSS feed an I am commenting on the blog post now! Congrats on a year. Thanks for an awesome giveaway!
I subscribed.
Congrats on your anniversary! I subscribed via RSS
My favorite post on the site has been A Green Cycle: Alternative Feminine Hygiene Products.
I like most that you all blog together!
Subscribed to email ? *Thanks* for the giveaway!
Subscribed to RSS.
My favorite article is How to Stop Smoking Cigarettes.
Google +1’ed.
I am a subscriber via email
I am a subscriber via Google
I google +1 you
Finally entered! Thanks for hosting such a great contest, guys! I subscribe, too, obviously! :)
One of my favorite articles was Is Reinvesting Dividends the Right Choice? It made a confusing topic easy to understand. My favorite thing about your blog is how you bring sound economic choices and green living together. Oftentimes it feels like the two can’t mix, but you make it easy.
Oh right, mention the contest post in the comments:
http://www.holypotato.net/?p=1063
I liked “A $12.43 Electric Bill for a 2600 Square Foot Home??” but it left me wanting to know more. Details? In general, you site is friendly and open, a pleasant place to visit rather than the flamefest some other sites have become.
My favorite article is cross border shopping because it strikes on one of the more ridiculous economic topics that always comes up with I chat with visiting Canadian friends and shows that you really do strive for balance in your considerations.
Ooops, I didn’t really finish that thought. The idea of balance is a consistent and compelling theme of the site.
(And I accidentally posted this one the Cross Border article!)
Subscribed to email to follow SPF
On the link to your website I clicked done, but I did not mean to. I was meaning to skip that one since I do not have a website or blog set up yet! Please delete! I do not want you to think I am trying to cheat!
Thanks for the heads up Mary.
I plan to verify all of the entries where people stated they linked to our site. If they don’t include the URL in comments, or I don’t get a trackback, I will have to disqualify those entries.
I have completed all I can for a total of +17! Thanks for the opportunity to win, and i can’t wait to see where you are next year! Happy Anniversary!
I missed the questions about what I liked the most. I really liked the article on building homes out of shipping containers, but that was on your Facebook page, so I don’t know if that counts. I also learned I want to move to your area! I live in Florida and my electric bill is $230 month and I only have 700 sq feet, and only cool less than 200 sq feet! Also It says I have to enter another contest to qualify to win, but I can’t find another! Also, do I have to list each item individually? I see some do that, but rafflecopter lists them, so I can’t see why they need to be listed again.
I don’t know where you’re seeing enter another contest Mary. You don’t have to for this one …
As for the electric bill article – that was Texas, but there might be some gaps in the report of that bill (not the article, but how the bill was put together).
In Ontario CANADA, our bills usually average $250/month for heat, hydro, water, sewage
I see what I read. You have to enter at least one other entry METHOD. I just read it too quick . I have been wandering around looking at everything forever trying to find another contest! DUH!
I really liked your Netflix sucks in Canada article :) that’s one of my favorites….and I love how practical this blog is–this blog is one of my favorites (and I love that it’s Canadian!)
Great Giveaway hope to win!!! Congrats on the anniversary!
I just added you on Google+!
I subscribed via email: gkaufmanss at yahoo dot com
I subscribed to your RSS feed via google reader.
i sub email debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
Great work guys. Love your stuff! I +1’ed you, subscribed to emails and the RSS feed. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2012!
Wow, congratulations guys for the one year anniversary :D I’ve subscribed to your channel.
I liked the post where you guys talked about how to make deodorant. It was really interesting for me because i have a skin condition and your idea actually allowed me to make the perfect deodorant for my condition. I like your blog because im a person who likes to know a little bit of everything, and i enjoy coming back and reading everything you guys have to say even though i never subscribed. (i always kept coming back)
I Google +1 too :D
Awesome blog! I loved the one on starting a green business….which is what I hope to do! Thanks for all the tips. Congrats on the 1 yr!
Congrats on your anniversary.
Fav blog post is this one…now off to read some articles! thx.
Great giveaway
I love the massive amount of tips on how to be frugal….I love saving $$$
Just subscribed to SPF via email using winner@pfisterfarm.com
Just subscribed to the rss feed using winner@pfisterfarm.com
Thanks for the great contest! xo
Oh boy, I JUST realized that while I tweeted this several times, I didn’t remember to actually enter them! I just submitted them but I really hope I didn’t lose track and accidentally submit one twice, apologies if I did!!
I would have to say my favorite post was when you did a big thing on making your own cleaners, and pretty much every crafty post ever haha :)
I love the wide variety of topics as well, and the mix of frugality with minimalism (which I know definitely aren’t necessarily synonymous).
Happy anniversary!!!
Congrats! My favorite article is 16 Driving Tips to Improve Gas Mileage.
Congratulations and thanks! I subscribed to your feed with yahoo.
i like the giveaway
subscribed to yahoo rss feed
email subscriber
google +’d you as heidi ho
I like the article Sustainable Index Investing Is A Joke. I love all the great tips I have learned on your site.
thanks
my email is traceyj40@sbcglobal.net
I +1 the page under Cassandra Marquez.
Thanks for the great contest!
bahjeep@aol.com