2009 ReMake of HCW

[meems]

YAY, mamas back!

[hotcouponmama]

Okay I appreciate that this website is here. Before HCW I had no idea I could get household goods for free. I have seen ads here and I really don't believe the creators of HCW are doing this as a public service. If they are not getting paid then I think they should think about the fact that with all of the hits they could make money for their respective households.

The ads do cover our operational costs which include things like our server (which is astronomical) and tech help that we'd hired out to do the database. They also let us do the HHH forum.

But in real life, I have a day job at an ad agency, and Heidi's a stay at home mom.

Making money online is harder than you think - just ask the folks at Twitter and Facebook and Myspace, which are all still figuring out how they are going to monetize their sites, and they get tons of hits. What they have going for them to pay the bills is venture capital. Our venture capital was called Julie's Checkbook - lol!

I've been very poor before and homeless and hungry - like hungry where you're mixing cereal with water hungry because you have no milk. At 19, I lived in a tent in a public campground before choosing to get my life together, kick my family and all their insanity to the curb, and go to school. I have $70K in student loans to show for it, but it was totally worth it. I have two degrees under my belt and hope to go for my PhD in the next year or so.

So for me, HCW is very much public service. When I read how it helps people, it's pretty motivating. There's been a few times I'd like to have just pulled the plug and walked away from it. But when all's said and done, if there was no HCW, where would I have to trade coupons and hang out online? No where really. So it's a bit selfish too cause I do get some pretty rockin' trades out of the deal.

I'm blessed with the fact that DH and I make enough that we could start and fund the site and write the checks to get it up off the ground. The ads keep the lights on, but for a long time, it was just me writing the checks each month.

[couponsmakecents]

The ads do cover our operational costs which include things like our server (which is astronomical) and tech help that we'd hired out to do the database. They also let us do the HHH forum.

But in real life, I have a day job at an ad agency, and Heidi's a stay at home mom.

Making money online is harder than you think - just ask the folks at Twitter and Facebook and Myspace, which are all still figuring out how they are going to monetize their sites, and they get tons of hits. What they have going for them to pay the bills is venture capital. Our venture capital was called Julie's Checkbook - lol!

I've been very poor before and homeless and hungry - like hungry where you're mixing cereal with water hungry because you have no milk. At 19, I lived in a tent in a public campground before choosing to get my life together, kick my family and all their insanity to the curb, and go to school. I have $70K in student loans to show for it, but it was totally worth it. I have two degrees under my belt and hope to go for my PhD in the next year or so.

So for me, HCW is very much public service. When I read how it helps people, it's pretty motivating. There's been a few times I'd like to have just pulled the plug and walked away from it. But when all's said and done, if there was no HCW, where would I have to trade coupons and hang out online? No where really. So it's a bit selfish too cause I do get some pretty rockin' trades out of the deal.

I'm blessed with the fact that DH and I make enough that we could start and fund the site and write the checks to get it up off the ground. The ads keep the lights on, but for a long time, it was just me writing the checks each month.

I believe this sums it up...two women who had a desire to help others, came together, created this board, and puts up with 107,203 members crap.

[newatthis]

The ads do cover our operational costs which include things like our server (which is astronomical) and tech help that we'd hired out to do the database. They also let us do the HHH forum.

But in real life, I have a day job at an ad agency, and Heidi's a stay at home mom.

Making money online is harder than you think - just ask the folks at Twitter and Facebook and Myspace, which are all still figuring out how they are going to monetize their sites, and they get tons of hits. What they have going for them to pay the bills is venture capital. Our venture capital was called Julie's Checkbook - lol!

I've been very poor before and homeless and hungry - like hungry where you're mixing cereal with water hungry because you have no milk. At 19, I lived in a tent in a public campground before choosing to get my life together, kick my family and all their insanity to the curb, and go to school. I have $70K in student loans to show for it, but it was totally worth it. I have two degrees under my belt and hope to go for my PhD in the next year or so.

So for me, HCW is very much public service. When I read how it helps people, it's pretty motivating. There's been a few times I'd like to have just pulled the plug and walked away from it. But when all's said and done, if there was no HCW, where would I have to trade coupons and hang out online? No where really. So it's a bit selfish too cause I do get some pretty rockin' trades out of the deal.

I'm blessed with the fact that DH and I make enough that we could start and fund the site and write the checks to get it up off the ground. The ads keep the lights on, but for a long time, it was just me writing the checks each month.

I think that you have made a wonderful sacrifice that has helped so many people, including me. You have a great story too! You really turned your life around and by having this website you are helping other people to do the same. HCW has some really great people and I am so thankful for this site. I know what it is like to feel like you have committed a huge portion of your time and life to something that half of the people gripe about. If they don't like the site, they can go somewhere else, really! There is a big difference btwn griping and constructive criticism.
Thanks so much for this great public service that is helping tons of us live better and more frugal lives. :thanku6: You guys have an awesome team of mods that make this a better place too!

[hotcouponmama]

There's lots more good on the site than "crap" Lisa - :-) 99.99999% of the members here are beyond wonderful, so I really can't complain too much. I have a wicked head cold this week, so if I come off as grouchy, I'm going to chalk it up to being sick since the 22nd.

HCW really is a constant work in progress and Asweetheart is right - member feedback is a good thing. I just appreciate it more when it comes in the form of feedback rather than a "you should do" thread.

[newatthis]

Water off a duck's back, you know.

I think it's cool to provide a place for people to vent so they don't have to do it in real life. Imagine if our DH's or SO's or whatever had to listen to all that's posted in HUTC!

I sure couldn't read everything in this thread. My dh is a 'go with the flow' person and I, well, I say that I'm "more like a sponge than a duck- I just soak it all in and keep it. I couldn't be more unlike a duck."

If that doesn't make sense, it just means that I have a hard time letting go. I tend to get fired up quickly and sit around and think about things rather than letting them go. I'm trying to change, I really am. It's just my personality. I really hope dd grows up to be more like her dad when it comes to this kind of thing!

[sati769leigh]

op, what's the address of the website you run?



and , julie- you dissed cvs! my favorite forum. oh, i am undone. alas, she dissed cvs. oh, my poor heart.

*pats you on the back* there there honey she didnt mean anything by it.

[sati769leigh]

Modding HUTC has given me a new appreciation for the fact that there are ALL kinds of people in this world. Thank you for ever so nicely reminding me of that fact, OP.


Thanks to all the HUTC regs who chimed in here. I've been out of town and didn't see this until now. I'm so blessed with wonderful posters who manage to have a really good time and still behave (ahem) themselves.

Y'all are great and I am blessed to be your mod!

we behaved!?! we BEHAVED!?!? wow i need to get back to work pot stirring!!

[sati769leigh]

The ads do cover our operational costs which include things like our server (which is astronomical) and tech help that we'd hired out to do the database. They also let us do the HHH forum.

But in real life, I have a day job at an ad agency, and Heidi's a stay at home mom.

Making money online is harder than you think - just ask the folks at Twitter and Facebook and Myspace, which are all still figuring out how they are going to monetize their sites, and they get tons of hits. What they have going for them to pay the bills is venture capital. Our venture capital was called Julie's Checkbook - lol!

I've been very poor before and homeless and hungry - like hungry where you're mixing cereal with water hungry because you have no milk. At 19, I lived in a tent in a public campground before choosing to get my life together, kick my family and all their insanity to the curb, and go to school. I have $70K in student loans to show for it, but it was totally worth it. I have two degrees under my belt and hope to go for my PhD in the next year or so.

So for me, HCW is very much public service. When I read how it helps people, it's pretty motivating. There's been a few times I'd like to have just pulled the plug and walked away from it. But when all's said and done, if there was no HCW, where would I have to trade coupons and hang out online? No where really. So it's a bit selfish too cause I do get some pretty rockin' trades out of the deal.

I'm blessed with the fact that DH and I make enough that we could start and fund the site and write the checks to get it up off the ground. The ads keep the lights on, but for a long time, it was just me writing the checks each month.

i feel blessed that you ladies created this lovely site!! thank you so very very much! we were REALLY struggling till i came here and learned soooo much in a short time it made my head spin! but now i can donate to help other people while helping my own family and still SAVE!! wow

[couponsmakecents]

There's lots more good on the site than "crap" Lisa - :-) 99.99999% of the members here are beyond wonderful, so I really can't complain too much. I have a wicked head cold this week, so if I come off as grouchy, I'm going to chalk it up to being sick since the 22nd.

HCW really is a constant work in progress and Asweetheart is right - member feedback is a good thing. I just appreciate it more when it comes in the form of feedback rather than a "you should do" thread.

I was not speaking of the whole site just HUTC