My Secret to Saving Contest

Hey super savers!

As many of you know, I will be having a new baby at the end of August/beginning of September!  That means I’ll be stepping away from the blog for a couple of weeks for a little maternity leave as we adjust to our new normal.

While I’m gone, I would love to keep sharing great new ideas here on Six Figures Under.

That is where you come in!

On my last maternity leave, I shared guest posts from some of my blogging buddies.  This time, I want to share great posts from my readers who aren’t (necessarily) bloggers.

I know you have fabulous ideas and awesome experience to share too!  There are lots of ways to save money that I won’t ever come across because my experience is different than yours, or my interests naturally lie in a different direction.  I know there are great ideas for living frugally that my readers will never hear about if you don’t share your experience and wisdom!

In addition to being published on Six Figures Under, I’ll have prizes for the winners!

1^st Place– $100 Amazon gift card

2^nd Place– $75 Amazon gift card

3^rd Place– $50 Amazon gift card

All prizes will be provided by me.  Amazon is not affiliated with this contest.

Keep reading for the details on how to enter!

Theme: My Secret to Saving

Think about your money-saving skill-set.  What’s your secret saving superpower?  Do you have a frugal ninja move that always has others asking, “How do you do that?!”

THAT is what I want you to write about!

Maybe you save hundreds of dollars each year by making a common ingredient from scratch.  Maybe every other week is a no-spend week.  Maybe you only use your car on Sundays.  Maybe you’ve successfully taught your kids frugal fashion.  Maybe you have a secret hack for finding the best price on [insert  frequently purchased item here].  Or maybe you have an awesome routine that has you rolling in a collection of shiny saved-up coins.

Whatever your secret to saving is, share it with us in detail so that we can be super savers like you!

Some times just explaining isn’t enough to get the point across.  If your idea lends itself to a tutorial with photos and step-by-step instructions, that’s great, too.  If your secret to saving is making your own cream of mushroom soup for your homemade stroganoff, please show us how you do it!

Get creative!  The sky’s the limit!

The Rules

Posts should be at least 500 words long, but be long enough to adequately cover the topic and satisfy the reader.  For reference, this post is about 1,000 words.  Most word processing programs (i.e. MS Word) will have a word counter or you can easily find one online.

Post should be your original work and not published elsewhere.  If your post is not chosen as a winner (and thus published on SixFiguresUnder.com) you are welcome to submit it elsewhere for publication.

Post should be well-written and not need excessive editing.  I don’t mind doing a little touching up here and there (I don’t expect you to be an English major), but be sure to proofread or have someone look over your post to ensure it’s clear and understandable.

Posts should focus on and give details about how to save money in one specific area (not a list of 27 ways to save money on groceries, that’s too broad).  If you’re doing a tutorial, focus on one specific project.

Post must be in good taste (family friendly, clean, and appropriate) and share an honest money saving idea (as opposed to a dishonest one).

Self-promotional posts or posts containing affiliate/referral links will not be considered.  My inbox is already clogged with companies and individuals wanting to submit promotional “guest” posts, which I always ignore (just responding to all the inquiries would be a full time job!).  If you have a blog or website, you are welcome to mention it in your bio at the end of your post.

If your post needs photos (think tutorials, etc), please include the necessary images.  Submitting photos implies permission to publish them (including your watermark is fine).  I am happy to give you the photo credit.  Of course, you must own the rights to the photos you submit.

Posts must be submitted by 11:59 PM Pacific time on September 15, 2017.

Include a short bio of yourself (about 50 words) that will appear at the bottom of your post if published.  Including a photo is optional.

Some Tips

Choose a topic that I haven’t written about (use the search feature in the sidebar to search what I’ve written about) or choose a different angle on a topic I’ve covered.

Start out by telling the readers why your secret to savings is relevant and important to get them excited to learn your skill.

Share your secret to saving clearly from start to finish.  Anticipate questions newbies would have and be sure they are answered in the meat of your post.

Writing in short paragraphs of 1 to 3 sentences makes reading much easier.  Long paragraphs are overwhleming and hard on the eyes, especially when reading on mobile.

If you include photos with your post (i.e. for a tutorial), be sure they are well-lit and have an uncluttered background.  You don’t need any fancy equipment, just be sure the reader/viewer can easily see and understand what’s happening in the photo.

Don’t hesitate to add some human touch and make it personal!  Share some background or specific ways your savings tip affects your family and how you came to have this secret of saving.

Submitting Your Entry:

Submit entries via email to [email protected] with the subject line “My Secret to Saving Contest.”  You may include your post in the text of the email or as an attachment.  Either is fine.

Be sure to attach any photos that should accompany your post.

Any questions?

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments!  I’ll be sure to get back to you!

I’m excited to see what you come up with!!