Hello, and welcome to Making Sense of Cents!

My name is Michelle Schroeder-Gardner and I am the founder of Making Sense of Cents. 

Since I started this website in 2011, Making Sense of Cents has reached more than 20 million readers. I have also been featured in major publications such as Forbes, CNBC, Time, Reader’s Digest, Oprah, and Business Insider. You can see everywhere I have been featured and quoted on my press page.

I started Making Sense of Cents to document my own journey towards financial freedom (one example – due to this, I was able to pay off $38,000 in student loans in 7 months) and to share my insights and tips on personal finance, budgeting, and making money. 

I also have my Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance, which has helped me better understand personal finance and side hustles.

I am passionate about empowering people to take control of their finances and live the life they want.

How It All Started

My student loan debt was a big reason why I started this blog. I was trying a bunch of different ways to make extra money, and I started highlighting them here on Making Sense of Cents.

I still continue to review new ways to side hustle to this day, as there are so many different options to try!

I used to live in an RV and tour the United States. Now, I am living on a sailboat, SV Paradise. We sold our house several years ago, and have been traveling full-time ever since!

I used to work in the financial services industry as a financial analyst, but now I am fully self-employed and running this website. I have published monthly income updates where I discuss how I have earned over $5,000,000 blogging online, which you can find here.

Quick note: If you’re wanting to start a blog, I recommend taking my FREE How To Start a Blog Course. If you’re looking to check out my affiliate marketing course, please head to Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

Improve Your Financial Situation

People read Making Sense of Cents for a variety of reasons, and I hope to provide practical, actionable advice for improving one’s financial situation.

Some of the reasons why you may want to read Making Sense of Cents include:

1. To learn about personal finance. Making Sense of Cents provides a wealth of information on personal finance topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, and making money. Readers can learn about different strategies and techniques from real life experiences.
2. To get inspiration and motivation. I share many personal stories here on Making Sense of Cents, so that you can see what real people are doing to make money, reach financial independence, and more.
3. To get specific advice. Making Sense of Cents offers practical and actionable advice on a wide range of financial topics. You can use this advice to make real changes in your life.
4. To connect with a community. Making Sense of Cents has a large and active community of readers who share tips and advice with each other in the comments section and on social media. You can also send me an email any time, as I am here to help.

I recognize that personal finance is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and I encourage readers to find the strategies and approaches that work best for them.

Whether that means pursuing a traditional career path, starting a side hustle, or living a non-traditional lifestyle, Making Sense of Cents emphasizes the importance of finding a path that aligns with your personal values and goals.

Thank you for reading!

– Michelle