Proud to add John from Frugal Rules as our newest blog spotlight contributor. I have been a fan of Frugal Rules for 6 months now and find his posts smart, informative, and entertaining. Go check out his terrific blog!

10 Questions With John of Frugal Rules.com

Q: Describe your blog in 5 sentences or less?
John: Frugal Rules is a starting place for people looking to connect with others who care about paying down debt, becoming enlightened investors and forward-focused individuals actively engaged in saving for the future. I’ve always intended my blog to be a source of real, useful, practical and timely information. But unlike a big corporate website with an impersonal feel, I work hard to create a community where bloggers and non-bloggers alike can make real connections and swap experiences, tips and stories.

Q: What makes your blog different from all the rest?
John: We’re all unique. However, I think being a little older and being at the stage in life where I have a family of my own and career experience spanning more than two decades gives me a unique starting point and bank of life experiences to draw on. Throw my past dance with credit card debt, interest in investing and focus on saving for the future into the mix, and I think my blog offers an eclectic, yet helpful conglomeration of content.

Q: What would I be surprised to find in your refrigerator right now?
John: An unopened beer making kit that my wife bought me for my birthday in JANUARY. That’s how busy I am. I just haven’t found the time to brew it yet!

Q: If you were deserted on a desert island and could pick one music CD to bring, what would it be? (assuming you had a CD player and electricity )
John: I’ve always enjoyed a wide range of music from country to classic rock to reggae to heavy metal so this is a tough one to answer. My music choices usually vary with my mood 🙂 But, if I had to pick just one it would be the Central Park Concert by the Dave Matthews Band. Maybe it’s because it’s spring but it is quintessential DMB and I love it! If I’ll be writing on said deserted island however, I will be listening to Metallica’s Black album as it solves writers block of any kind, any time of day or night, without fail.

Q: When and why did you first start blogging?
John: My first thoughts of running a PF blog started about a year ago. I was looking for a way to put my MBA in Finance to work helping others understand finance, budgeting, saving and investing. We also wanted to add a financial writing element to our marketing and copywriting business and thought managing a blog would give us a body of work to showcase. Thankfully, we’ve been able to see that desire come to fruition. Finally, I really was looking for a way to connect with others who care about finance and are interested in sharing real stories to help other people achieve worthy goals like getting out of debt and saving for the future.

Q: What post on your blog best depicts the essence of you?
John: At first thought, I’m tempted to say one of my posts about my dance with credit card debt or how to invest in the stock market, but really, I think it’s my “things that make me scratch my head” post. I am a dry-witted realist (read sarcastic) who thinks you just have to look for the humor in life, no matter how dry or ironic it may be.

Q: What blog or website influenced you the most when you started?
John: This is a difficult question as well. A few blogs stand out in my mind. But, the one that probably helped me the most when I started was Jason over at Work Save Live. I connected with the genuineness of his posts and have tried to convey that same realness in all of my stories.

Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life, and why?
John: Matt Damon. He’s my favorite actor (who doesn’t love the Bourne trilogy), seems to have a good head on his shoulders and has said in a few interviews that having a family has affected his career; he chooses roles that he feels he can be proud of years down the road when his kids are old enough to enjoy them. Family is at the core of all I do and I hope when my kids are grown they’ll be able to look at what I’ve done with admiration.

Q: When it comes to blogging, what is your biggest pet peeve?
John: This is a tricky one to answer, as it’s never a good idea to get on anyone’s bad side in the blogosphere. I think the most annoying thing is getting pitch emails from strangers wanting me to promote their snake oil on my website. I’m busy enough as it is, running a blog and our business, without having to deal with emails daily wanting me to pitch their piece of junk.

Q: What is your favorite breakfast cereal and why?
John: Cheerios. Boring I know, but straight and to the point just like me. When I want to liven things up, I throw a piece of fruit into the mix.

Thanks John! Make sure you subscribe to his RSS feed and follow him on Facebook.