Buy Me a Beer?

Total Black: $310.07
Total Red: $228,363.23

So . . . you wanna buy me a beer?  How about it?  You choose: domestic or import, tap or bottle.  I’ll be sure to toast your good health as I drink it down. Go ahead.  Click on the glass.  You know you want to.

Actually, one of the commenters asked if I had made any money from this blog.  I can’t, in all honesty, say that it hasn’t crossed my mind. The inspiration for this blog came from Julie & Julia—as I noted in my first blog entry.  I think I recall a character in the film suggesting that Julie add a “donate” button to her blog so her readers could help her reach her goal: contributions to off-set the cost of groceries, supplies, etc.   I don’t recall if she did.  If so, it wasn’t prominent in the film.  Instead it was her blog, and her entire project, that later earned her money when newspaper reporters and publishers picked up her story.  That potential crossed my mind when I set-up this blog, but not that I could “make money” from it.

Then I started exploring the world of the blogger a bit more.  Some bloggers set-up subscription fees.  WordPress.com has a tutorial on how to add a PayPal donation button.  So, when the commenter asked, it got me to thinking.  And I figured . . . what the hell.  Why not?  Maybe nothing comes of it.  Maybe something.  It’ll be one of the multiple methods I’m using to eliminate my debt by 8/9/10. So, if you’re feeling generous, give to my cause. It’s unclear whether contributions to bloggers are taxable as income or exempt as gifts.  Depends on intent. But just so you know, the IRS caps gifts at $13,000.  So, please don’t give me more than that.  😉

Got mail today.  Saturday mail will soon be a thing of the past.  I can’t say I’ll miss it.  Today’s mail was a letter from the credit card company informing me that my APR is going up to 27.24%.  It’s really mind-boggling what credit card companies can do. The standard response to bad service in a market economy is to take your business elsewhere.  But if you’re like me, your credit isn’t the greatest, so you’re stuck being robbed along the highway by them.  Only option would be to close the cards and go without.  Difficult given that so many establishments today require a credit card.  I can’t wait until the tables are turned and I’m turning them away.  351 days to go.

Today’s good news: I sold my laptop on eBay for about $145.  Next week, I’ll be participating in a Wall Street Journal marketing discussion group.  I’ll get $200 from that.  And of course there’s the $252 million dollar Mega Millions jackpot I’m going to win this Tuesday.  But don’t worry.  I promise to still keep blogging until I reach 8/9/10.