All about… From Pennies To Pounds
Francesca Mason is the blogger behind the perennially popular From Pennies To Pounds. She’s always willing to help her readers as well as her fellow bloggers, and is known for being generous with her advice. We were pleased to find out more about From Pennies To Pounds.
Tell us about your blog.
My blog is all about paying off debt and achieving your financial goals through cutting expenses and earning extra cash from home. I try to aim everything at parents who have limited spare time but work really hard and want the best for their family.
It’s hard when you have little ones to feel like you are doing the best for them, so I want to show how you can get into a positive financial situation – anyone can be successful with the right amount of hard work and support!
Why do you write about money?
I write about money because after my daughter was born I took a big pay cut and the lack of money affected me quite badly. When I ended up getting into debt I knew that I had to find ways of earning extra money that I could do from home and around my daughter.
When I found methods that helped me, I wanted to share them with others in a similar situation. When you are in a bad place financially, you can feel very lonely and lost – so I wanted others to know that they are not alone and they can have support.
How did you start blogging?
I just jumped straight in! I’m a planner by nature, but I can also be quite impulsive. I knew I wanted to do it but I had a lot of excuses why I shouldn’t start – but I decided to just go for it. I absolutely love it and wish that I had started sooner.
What’s your most popular post and why?
My most popular post, according to Google Analytics, is one where I share 100 side hustle money making ideas.
As mentioned, I really wanted to find side earners that would work for me, and most of the ones that I do, anyone could do. However, I thought that by compiling a huge list I could hopefully cover something for everyone.
What’s your favourite post you’ve written, and why?
My favourite post is probably my post where I wrote a letter to my debt.
It is definitely my most personal article, where I share lots of things that I haven’t previously. Being in debt was horrible, but paying it off was the best feeling ever.
What’s your number one money tip?
Create a budget. It doesn’t matter how much money you earn if you spend it all, and a lot of people can find themselves spending money on things that aren’t actually that important to them. Having it all down in black and white makes it harder to argue with yourself.
What’s your top blogging tip?
Have a schedule. There are so many different parts to blogging and they can all take up a lot of time – if you start off blogging as a side earner, it can be hard to feel like you are on top of everything. If you are organised, you can stay on track with your posts and marketing.
Why are you part of UK Money Bloggers?
To network and have a support system of money bloggers.
It’s nice to be able to chat to other bloggers in the same niche and support each other. I love being a part of the group, and I do believe that supporting each other is important for success.
Who are your three favourite UK Money Bloggers?
Hollie – Thrifty Mum
Nicola – The Frugal Cottage
Aaah, I can’t pick another one. Can I have the rest of the money bloggers as joint? 🙂