Fifteen Years of Making Sense of Cents
This month marks 15 years since Michelle Schroeder‑Gardner launched Making Sense of Cents in August 2011. At the time she was in her early 20s, carrying roughly $40,000 in student‑loan debt and searching for direction in her life and finances.
The Beginnings
Michelle started the blog as a personal hobby, with no intention of turning it into a business. She enjoyed reading personal‑finance blogs and wanted a place to track her own progress, talk about money, and connect with others who shared similar goals. The first post went live on August 10, 2011.
Paying Off Debt
One of the early motivations was eliminating her student loans. Through the blog she learned about side hustles, frugal living, and accelerated debt‑repayment strategies. By applying those lessons she paid off the full $40,000 balance in just seven months, a milestone that gave her newfound financial freedom.
From Side Income to Full‑Time Career
Initially Michelle assumed she would work a traditional job for her entire career. Earning her first $100 from the blog after about six months showed her that online income was possible. Over time her blog revenue surpassed her salary as a financial analyst, prompting her to quit her day job in 2013 and pursue blogging full time.
Lifestyle Shifts Enabled by the Blog
The online nature of the business allowed Michelle to work from virtually anywhere. She and her family have spent years traveling full time—living in an RV, cruising on a sailboat, staying in Airbnb homes, and exploring destinations across the U.S., Canada, the Bahamas, and beyond. This flexibility also gave her control over her schedule, making it easy to spend time with her daughter, take vacations without asking for permission, and adjust workloads as life circumstances change.
Lessons Learned Over 15 Years
Michelle shares a series of insights that emerged from her blogging journey:
• You do not need to feel completely ready before starting; action creates learning.
• Income does not have to come from a conventional job—multiple online streams can support a livelihood.
• Leaving a stable career can be scary, but trusting a growing side project can lead to greater fulfillment.
• A small decision, like launching a blog, can redirect the entire trajectory of one’s life.
• Travel and time freedom became realistic possibilities once the business was location‑independent.
• A flexible schedule offers the ability to prioritize family, health, and personal interests.
• Earning more is not always the goal; balancing work, stress, and personal enjoyment matters.
• The blog allowed her to enjoy life now, not only after retirement.
• Connecting with readers, fellow creators, and interview guests has been one of the most rewarding aspects.
• Simple, honest, and useful content often resonates more than overly complex articles.
• The online landscape evolves constantly—staying adaptable is essential, but it’s okay to ignore trends that don’t fit your vision.
• As the blog grew, protecting personal privacy became important; sharing less detail helps maintain safety and boundaries.
• The business has provided choices—how much to work, what projects to pursue, and when to take time off.
• After reaching financial independence, Michelle is now considering what the next stage of Making Sense of Cents looks like, possibly scaling back, focusing on passion projects, and allowing the business to support her life rather than dominate it.
Looking Ahead
Fifteen years in, Michelle does not have a fixed plan for the future. She continues to enjoy writing, testing side hustles, and helping readers improve their finances, while also evaluating how to align her work with her evolving personal goals. The core mission remains the same: sharing honest stories, learning new things, and empowering others to make better financial decisions.
