Who would you hire? Via Shutterstock
I want your opinion! We published seven audition posts to become the next staff writer on BargainBabe.com. Which one did you like the best? Here are excerpts of each post to jog your memory.
Who would you hire as the next writer for BargainBabe.com?
Nancy wrote Taking Food Inventory Saves Money. “I have a job to do tonight that really doesn’t bother me. I need to organize and inventory my freezer. There’s been too much good stuff on sale recently and I’ve been buying all of it. A full freezer is a blessing, of course. And there’s good reason to keep it that way.” Read the full post.
Megan wrote Negotiating Secret Saved me $1,000 Off a New Car. “One of the more stressful buying experiences can be purchasing a new car. If you are anything like me, you have little time (or patience) to drive from dealer to dealer, haggling for the best price and deal. The process can be frustrating, confusing and rarely do you feel like you walked away with exactly what you want for the price you feel good about. That’s why when I bought my Kia Soul in 2010, I did things differently. I made the dealers do the haggling and the searching around for the exact car – and I got a great deal! Here’s how I did it.” Read the full post.
Heather wrote Should my Daughter Pay Her Own Medical Bills? “My husband and I have been tap dancing around a touchy subject this week, ‘Should we make our 11 year old daughter pay for her own medical bills?’ My youngest daughter has battled swimmer’s ear for years. Every time she hits the water she ends up with an ear infection. She knows it is an issue and we’ve spent almost a decade of summers, reminding her to wear earplugs while she’s in the water and to put in drops after swimming.” Read the full post.
Christine wrote 4 Clever Budget Savvy Gift Ideas. “So I’m currently trying to think of creative gifts for the holiday season. I just recently completed my first quilt–and first sewing endeavor–in which I recycled a bunch of old college T-shirts. So I’m thinking I could put my new (but limited) sewing skills to use. I recently discovered something called a “mug rug.” Read the full post.
Rachelle wrote Celebrity Garage Sales: How I Make Money Off Junk. “Do celebs have yard sales? You bet! They have stuff to get rid of, too. Over the years, living in Los Angeles, I have happened upon yard sales held by none other than the Kardashian family (the girls were teens – I bought a ton of NWT dresses for $1 each and sold them on eBay for 25-35x that amount), Renee’ Zellwegger (lots of used running sneakers, not my size), Carnie Wilson (bought clothes and toys for my daughter, she is one super-nice celeb !) and Seth Green (saved the Buffy martini glass for me since I was a big fan). I have been able to turn yard sale finds into great deals for my family, and I’ve sold many items for a good profit.” Read the full post.
Linda wrote Do Subscription Boxes by Mail Save Money? “Subscription boxes seem to be all the rage right now. Have you heard of them? The premise is simple: you pay a (usually) monthly subscription fee, and a box of goodies shows up at your doorstep once a month (or however frequent your subscription). Depending on the genre of your box, you may or may not have to fill out a survey at the time of subscription to help customize your size, tastes, preferences, habits, skin type, etc. Obviously the boxes differ in their price range and content. But overall, are they a good idea?” Read the full post.
Ruser wrote Money Lessons From TV Shows. “Money problems are common for most American families – even fictional ones on television. While their financial struggles are as fictional as the family themselves, viewers can still learn a lot from them. Here are a few financial lessons that I’ve learned from three different TV families.” Read the full post.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
I really had a difficult time deciding on who to hire. I would hire Nancy, her tips on food freezing were great, and she really sounded like she practiced what she preached. I liked her. But – I also liked Rachelle’s post. You really can make a bunch of money searching garage sales and the like…..Each one of us can do that to make money. OK, I would hire Nancy!
@MIchelle Ventresca Thanks so much for weighing in! You are a long time BB reader, and your opinion matters!
I’m in on the garage sale piece, and I live in Los Angeles!
However, garage sales wherever are also both saving and selling keys: my brother made over $7,000 selling his finds on Amazon.com.
(And made even more on ebay!)
I would hire Megan! Buying a car is a very stressful and exciting time and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of it all. Megan’s post reminds us to do your research and take a more methodical approach to big buying decisions. This strategy can be applied to more than just car buying!
Thanks @Jenny! I’d hire you for something, too! Like giving hiring advice 🙂
@Jenny Thanks for your thoughts. You are right, whenever I’m making a BIG purchase I get excited, but it’s important to play it cool and use techniques like what Megan suggested to focus on getting the best deal.
I would hire Megan. Her advice is practical because everyone can use this information. Even if you’re not in the market for something as big as a car, the same principles can be applied in other purchases.
So true, Kerry – it CAN be applied elsewhere! Thanks for the feedback!
@Kerry Thanks for your opinion!
I really enjoyed reading and learning from everyone that tried out. I remember how nervous (but REALLY excited) I was when I sent in my audition post (http://bargainbabe.com/diy-manicure-and-pedicure/). I have to say the ones that stand out in my mind are Megan and Heather’s posts. Loved their fresh post topics. Plus their writing style seems to naturally fit the Bargain Babe brand. These gals also kept the conversation going by replying to comments — love that! Good luck to everyone who gave it a shot. It’s super fun being a member of the BB team!
@Yasmin, that means a lot coming from you! I have so enjoyed reading your posts since you joined the BB team. You are a wonderful addition!
@Yazmin I’m so touched and happy to hear that you love being part of the BB team. I love having you ON the team. You are a hard worker, you learn quickly, and you’re always up for a challenge.
Your points about Megan and Heather’s posts are well taken. Curious to see what everyone else thinks!
@Yazmin! I appreciate your vote! It was fun submitting a post into the auditions. I enjoyed getting to know the BargainBabe audience through the comments and really appreciate all the great feedback they shared. Keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂
I have to vote for Megan. I actually cringe at the thought of car shopping but her practical approach was even fun to read. And as a reader of her blog, I think her sense of humor will be very welcome in BB posts too.
@Molly Thanks for sharing your two cents. A sense of humor is very welcome on BB!
Thanks, @Molly – for giving your opinion and reading! And laughing at my bad jokes! 🙂
Hiring by committee? Ugh!
@Angela Actually, I’ll make the final decision, but I am weighing everyone’s opinion carefully, especially the thoughts of my longtime readers!
Megan’s article is great and is exactly how I will be buying a car next time! I love that she made the dealers do all the work!
@Lisa Thanks for weighing in! I agree, Megan saved herself some time by emailing all the dealers and letting them bid for her business.
I vote for Megan. She has a great sense of humor and I love how she tackled a tough subject and on top of it put the salespeople in their place! I’ve read other articles by her before and always enjoy the humor, wit and passion she puts into every article!
@Michelle Owells Thanks for your thoughts!
Megan was my favorite.
@Sara Thanks for letting me know.
I would hire Megan. Her article is precise, practical and easy to read. She made her savings tips sound like anyone could do it and it wasn’t a piece of far off advice. I have taken the time to read her fiterature blog and she is always helpful and resourceful. The truth be told, she is one funny lady as well. Hire Megan please!!
@Laura That’s quite a recommendation!
Wow – thanks, @Laura! It’s great to see a Fiterature reader on BB!!
Rachelle gets my vote. I got a real lesson not only in finding bargains–part of my birthright since my father was a salesman–but also in the possibilities of selling on ebay. Her suggestions made the process seem easy. And what fun ebay can be. I’m looking for more ideas on bargain mania from Rachelle!
@Susan Casey Thanks for your opinion! I liked Rachelle’s article, too.
I would hire Megan. Big purchases (like a car) give me anxiety. I always feel like I am going to be taken advantage of because I am a woman. (It could also be because I will fall “in love” with the one I want and forget all about trying to bargain.) Her article made me see that I it possible to to outmaneuver the car salesman…and I don’t even have to do it face-to-face.
@Amber Thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed most of the auditions. It’s hard to choose: Nancy and Megan’s posts seemed to have the broadest appeal. If I have to choose one, I’ll go for Nancy 🙂
Very good choice!
@Sarah Waters Thanks for your opinion!
I would hire Nancy. Her article was clear and easy to read, and gave me some new ideas. Her tips will help grocery shoppers save both time and money. Looking forward to hearing more from Nancy! In fact, I’m going to forward her article to my newly married sister!
@Sue thanks for weighing in!
I would hire Nancy. While I liked Megan’s article, I buy a car maybe every 15 years or so. Tips on how to get the most and best out of the food available , is of daily interest and with prices rising rapidly it will become even more important.
@Naruib Kaeners You make a good point.
I would hire Ruser!
I’ll now look at media and the way it represents finances.
@Brenda Thanks for your thoughts!
Megan. Great job making somethimg hard….buying a car….not so unpleasant
My vote is for Megan
@Kathy You’re right, Megan made it seem like buying a new car was a breeze. I suspect she did a lot of online research before she visited the dealers to check out the cars in person, and then spent more time crafting her email to the dealers. But it was nice to get an overview of her entire process.
All were good, but the standout has to be Rachelle’s article. I was hooked from the very beginning and all the way
through. I learned a lot while being thoroughly entertained. Looking forward
to reading more of her stories on your site.
@Jojo Thanks for your opinion. I was hooked by Rachelle’s article, too.
I thought Megan’s post was really useful because buying a car can be stressful; under stress, buyers tend to make poor decisions and just get plain worn out. Her advice was spot-on. I enjoyed her writing style, as well.
On the other hand, I think it would be interesting to add a male writer to your team. I was entertained by Ruser’s observations about finance from televisions shows. Since so many folks watch tons of tv (including me), drawing lessons from shows is a fascinating way to get more out of watching.
Wishing you wisdom as you make this choice. Happy Independence Day, Julia!
@Wendy Thanks for weighing in. I really liked all the submission posts and it’s going to be a hard decision to decide which writer to hire. Hope you had a great holiday.
I have to say I liked the fresh (no pun intended) take on Nancy’s freezer article. Usually I find grocery articles to be rehash ( hmm I seem to be on a roll today with the bad food jokes) of the sme old clip coupon type advice. Unlike the other articles featured here this is something people can integrate into their existing lives on a daily basis.
Too often money related articles focus on either big ticket, blue moon type events or things that don’t apply to the masses and fail to recognize the latte factor changes that can be done out of habit.
@Bargain Betty Thanks for your thoughts. I agree, Nancy’s subject (food) is one that we all constantly battle to save money.
I enjoyed reading all the different stories but I have to say that Megan would get my vote. Buying a car is such a big decision and I appreciated how she stuck to her guns and was able to get exactly what she wanted at a great price. Way to make the dealers do the work for you to ensure you got a great deal. Awesome idea and I love it!
@Kathi Thanks for sharing your opinion!
I’d hire Nancy. Always full of good ideas – especially food-related.
@D Gardiner THanks for your thoughts!
I found Nancy’s post very useful and inspiring.
@Janet Thanks much!
I would vote for Megan. Great advice!
@Cheryl Birkey Thanks so much!
I would vote for Nancy.
Articulate, concise and enjoyable too!
I really enjoyed reading Megan’s article. Her writing style was approachable and her tips for a new car purchase were insightful. Even if it isn’t a new vehicle you’re buying, Megan’s research-based method can help bring focus for any of those big-ticket items!
My choice would be Nancy. Megan’s offering was also very good. I just liked the way Nancy approached her subject, and I really enjoy her writing style.