Live Debt Free

Pay off debt. Save. Give. Live your mission.

An Elevator Pitch for DebtFreeAdventure.com – Day 1 of 31DBBB

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What is “Day 1 of 31DBBB”?

The Problogger “31 Days to Build a Better Blog” challenge!

Over the course of the next 31 days I will be participating in this challenge in an effort to make DFA a better place for you to visit.  The concept is simple…to have a group of bloggers set aside a month of their time to work at improving their blogs.  I have chosen to be one of those bloggers, am using Debt Free Adventure as my guinea pig, and urge you to do the same if you have a blog.

How it Works

Every day for 31 straight days, we will receive a post that will contain:

  1. A daily task/homework assignment
  2. A brief lesson on the topic to help implement the task

My goals for DFA in this challenge are:

  • To offer readers the most comprehensive & enjoyable experience possible
  • To make the site a useful & living resource that motivates & aids everyone toward biblical debt free living

Enough about the challenge, let’s get to the implementation!

Task For Today – Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog

What is an Elevator Pitch?

“An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product, service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds and 100-150 words).” – Wikipedia

How to Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog

I’m sure there has been much written on the topic online but here’s some starting points that I use when doing this type of thing.

  • Solve a Problem or Need
  • Define Your Audience
  • Keep it Short
  • Stand Out
  • Be Intriguing
  • Be Energetic but not Hyped
  • Consider Using a Question
  • Be Ready to Expand Upon Your Pitch

-ProBlogger

What is My Elevator Pitch for Debt Free Adventure?

I actually have several.  Although currently DFA is primarily a site about my individual adventure to become debt free,  I have a vision for it to become a place where everyone can create their own Debt Free Adventure.  On that wise, my pitches and descriptions are geared toward the ministry of helping myself and others.  I imagine the vision will grow & evolve over time.

Here are the pitches that currently describe my goals for the DebtFreeAdventure.com:

Elevator Pitch

  • Do you feel like a slave to debt?  DFA is dedicated to passionately helping others break the bondage of debt using biblical principles.

Short Elevator Pitch

  • A Bible Based – Bondage Breaking – Debt Free Adventure

Twitter Pitch

  • @MattJabs – Dedicated to Passionately Helping Others Break the Bondage of Debt Biblically – https://debtfreeadventure.com

What do you think of the pitches?  Let us know in your comments…

Check out & join Problogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Series

Homemade Cleaning Products – DFA Tip of the Week – 2/16/2009

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There are many ways to reduce costs in our every day lives, so to help do just that each Monday I will post a money saving “Tip of the Week”.

This weeks tip involves…making your own homemade cleaning products!

If you ask my wife, I have been going on and on about making my own homemade cleaning products for about a year now.  She just gives me that “yeah sounds like a great idea, why don’t you run with that” look and goes about her business.  What I really desire is for HER to become interested in the several benefits of such an endeavor and make it her own…but I won’t hold my breath!  🙂

Reasons for Making Your Own:

  • You wallet will be fatter! A lot of homemade cleaners are made from cheap ingredients like white vinegar & ammonia, which are both much less expensive in volume than a bottle of Windex.
  • Although I do not endorse the way the world has erroneously rallied behind “environmentalism”.  Making your own household cleaning products is a solid way to make a positive impact on the world around you. In doing so you are sending a message to cleaning products manufacturers that you want a better, more sustainable, less expensive product.
  • Improved self-reliance. What if Walmart stores were not open any longer?  How would you clean your living quarters?  If you have experience making your own products you won’t have to worry about it!  Also,  your knowledge & experience will be a blessing to your friends, family, & neighbors.
  • The snowball effect. Starting down a road of frugality and self-reliance will ultimately bring you more of the same.  This endeavor will more than likely kick-start other similar money saving ventures.
  • I have listed just a few of benefits to making your own homemade cleaning products, there are many more…share more reasons by leaving your comment below.

Sounds Great…Let’s Get Started!

To commence your homemade cleaning products adventure go to Sam’s Club or COSTCO and pick up some empty commercial spray bottles.  After looking around the web a little I noticed that Sam’s Club has the same product as Amazon but for about half the price!  Want to start cheaper still?  Simply save the empty bottles from your current cleaning products and use them.

And now for the big secret…THE RECIPES!!  Well, it’s not that big of a secret…here is an indispensable article for homemade cleaning products recipes from TipNut.com.

This information should help give you a strong start.  Make sure to come back to DebtFreeAdventure.com and let us share in your progress!  I too intend to post articles referencing the way my wife & I are implementing the tips given here at DFA.  Until next time…

Click here to see all past DFA Tips of the Week.

DebtFreeAdventure::Category List

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I’d like to take this time to address and expound upon my newly formed category list for this website.

The categories I chose for DebtFreeAdventure are based upon the principles used in the book “Your Money Counts – The biblical guide to earning, spending, saving, investing, giving, and getting out of debt.” by Howard Dayton.

This website is in no way infringing upon the copyright of the book mentioned, instead it is a journal of one man’s chronicles to become debt free using the principles from said book.

Here is the category list I will be using along my description of each:

  • Bible – Biblical references regarding the handling of finances, Jesus Christ, or salvation.
  • Budget – Information on budgeting and how it is a must regarding your finances.
  • Children – Training children to understand that all things are from God, that money is only being entrusted to us by Him temporarily, and that we needs be faithful stewards of that money.
  • Counsel – Any form of outside help we can get to aid us in the proper handling of our finances.
  • Debt – How to get out of it as quickly and as biblically as possible.
  • Giving – All things are from God and we cannot properly manage money unless we are giving according to His Word.
  • Honesty – “Ill gotten gain shall not prosper!”
  • Investing – The proper saving and investing of our money according to God’s Word.
  • Spending – How to spend our money wisely.
  • Work – Work hard, as unto the Lord.

Let it be noted that my wife & I do not currently have any children, but of course we need to prepare ourselves to properly train our future children in the way of finances according to God’s Word.

I do not forsee any categories being added or taken away from this list, however I will do as the Lord leads me in this endeavor.  My prayer for this website is that the Lord will lead me in my efforts, will work through me to help my family and my readers, and will bless my efforts abundantly; for without his blessing all is vain.