The Year in Review

(Photo by Warren Talbot)

Only a few more days left in 2009, and I’m excited to turn the page to a new decade.  But before we do that, let’s take a look back at 2009 and what was most popular on the blog.

I may be compiling this list, but YOU made them popular by clicking through, commenting, tweeting, and sharing with your friends.

So what’s popular? Saving money, getting rid of junk, and living a life true to yourself.  I’d say this was a pretty good year.

Top 10 Blog Posts in 2009

1. How much money do you need? Part of our series on how we saved enough money to change our lives.  What a powerful exercise to actually map what it would take to live your dream.  I’m betting it is less than you think.
2. How we saved enough money to change our lives (and how you can, too!) is our 55-page ebook which is currently free to download.  I’m repackaging it with some video and audio and will be putting it together in a package that we will sell in 2010, so get it now while it is still free!
3. The no ‘poo method is one of the most popular money-saving posts I’ve ever written.  It sounds gross, but it is actually a method of washing your hair that doesn’t involve shampoo or harsh chemicals.  People with thicker hair seem to have much better success with this method.  I have gone back to using shampoo, but much less often, and I have a healthier scalp and shinier hair because of it.  Try it!
4. Necessary and unnecessary expenses isn’t a judgement about what you buy.  Instead, it introduces the concept of *everything* as an unnecessary expense until you say it is.  When you make the decision on what to add into your empty budget instead of what to take away from a full one, you’ll feel better about saving money.
5. Your financial future, no obsessing necessary is a guest post from Erica Adams of Smarty Pig.  Readers were asked to leave a comment about what they were saving for to get a chance for a $50 Smarty Pig savings card.  Unfortunately those comments did not make it over when we migrated the blog to a new platform earlier this year, but you can read about online savings programs and how they can help you save for small and large goals.
6. Is it selfish to not have kids? This post grew out of an interview I did with Delicious Day on the choice to not have children. I heard back from people with and without kids, and the overriding theme seems to be there is no right or wrong answer to this question. The important thing is to live a life that is true to you. I loved doing this interview.
7. To sell or not to sell is a post written by Warren about our house.  In a down market, and with an expected 3-year trip around the world, does it makes sense to sell or rent?
8. Gear Review: REI Grand Tour Women’s Backpack is the story of my future “home.”  Almost everything I own will reside in this orange (my favorite color) wonder, and buying it was one of the first signs that this trip is going to be real.
9. April theme: Decluttering was the kickoff of a month-long cleaning spree. Links for all the posts in the series are on this page.
10. How to create a budget for big savings or debt reduction was one of my favorite posts to write, mainly because I’m not by nature a budgeter or very organized.  If I can do this, anyone can!

What would you like to see in 2010? Let me know in the comments or send me an email.

We’re planning to be even more transparent with the new year (don’t worry – no nudity!), and you’ll see a little bit more opinion and personality in our posts instead of “just the facts, ma’am.”