Getting to Know the Person Behind the Personal Finance Blog

So recently a few awesome PF bloggers (Budget & the Beach, Debt Perception, Give Me Back My Five Bucks, Making Sense of Cents, Plunged in Debt, Tales from the Trenches) have participated in this getting to know the blogger behind the blog survey, and I thought I would join in the fun too.

This is sort of the only time I’ve really delved into why I started up this personal finance blog, but if you also want to find out some random things about me, I’ve got a whole post about that too right here. Ok, let’s begin, shall we?

1. How did you come up with your original blog name Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses?

My last name is Moorhouse and my old roommate and I had a thing for 90’s rap (Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems). Hence, Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses was born.

2. Which bloggers inspired you when you first started writing?

When I started out, my go-to blogs were Give Me Back My Five Bucks, Young & Thrifty, Squawkfox, and Gail Vaz-Oxlade. Since then my tastes have changed and expanded tremendously. I mean, I’ve got at least 100 PF blogs on my Google Reader right now by people all over the world!

3. Why write about finance?

I’ve always been interested in money, even as a young kid. That being said, it wasn’t until I finished university that I realized that I didn’t want to be a starving filmmaker but instead wanted to be a financially stable adult with health benefits and a retirement plan. That major epiphany not only changed the direction of my career but also motivated me to start writing about my personal finance journey.

4a. What do you enjoy most about blogging?

I’d say the community. When I started blogging I just thought it would be me writing and my family and friends reading. But after a few months, I realized that there was this huge PF community out there who are all about supporting and inspiring one another. I can tell you this right now, if it weren’t for such an awesome community like this one, I don’t think I’d still be blogging today.

4b. What do you enjoy least about blogging?

The major time suck that it is. I’ve definitely gotten better at time management after a year of blogging, but it seriously is like having a part-time job.

5. What’s the most helpful piece of advice you have learned from reading other PF blogs?

No matter how dire your current financial situation is, you can turn it around for the better if you really want to. It may take a lot of hard work, sacrifice, time and patience, but if you really want to change things all you’ve got to do is your research then make a plan and stick to it.

6. In terms of finance, what is your main focus at the moment?

I think my focus has always been on finding balance. The main goal (at least to me) of personal finance is to become the best saver, earner, and investor that you can be. But with that, you also need to find a good balance between all of those things and your daily life. It isn’t hard to save every dollar you earn, but what’s the point if you have to stay home every night eating ramen to do it? I want to experience life to the fullest, without having to sacrifice my finances or future to do it.

7. If you could give your younger self financial advice, what would it be?

I was always relatively good with my money when I was younger but did I keep track of my saving and spending? Nope! Somehow I paid for my university tuition, but every semester I worried that I wouldn’t be able to afford the next one. If I could go back I would’ve made myself a budget and actively tracked where all my money went, because to this day I have no idea how much I earned or what I spent it on.

8. Who in your real life knows about your blog?

Everybody. I’m telling you if I didn’t tell my family and friends about this blog when I first launched it nobody would have found it.

9. Does your real job have anything to do with finance or money?

Somewhat yes. I work in sales, but I swear if you had told me in high school that I would need to use math in my future career and handle money on a weekly basis, I would have told you to f*** off. Life sure is funny sometimes, isn’t it?

10. What’s the first thing you would do if you won a million dollars?

Buy a big-ass boat. Ha! Just kidding. There’s no way I’d waste money on all those moorage fees. If I won a million dollars I’d make sure all my debts were paid off if I had any, then invest in property. I know, how boring, but I live in Vancouver where a million bucks won’t get you far so I’m just being realistic.