I am apparently behind in the times. Some of you may be too, so I thought I would explain and share. There is a new page on this blog, Disclosure. Apparently the FTC requires that bloggers disclose whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases when a blogger writes about a particular subject. The article says some bloggers were upset about the change, but it’s fine with me. This blog is not primarily financially driven at all, mostly just a place to share my thoughts and adventures. But……if I could make a few bucks here or there, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings any. As of today, April 30 2011, I have not made anything with any links enclosed in any of my posts. I enjoy sharing about the stuff I like. So, as Ricky use to ask Lucy I will now ‘splain some of this stuff.
Affiliate links: If it isn’t something I like or use myself I won’t be recommending it. If I do recommend something and there is an affiliate program we can use, I think it would be kinda dumb for me not to use, especially since I spend so much money at the current site I have an affiliate link with: Amazon. Does that mean I am going to link up to hundreds of things in my blog? No. But if I am linked to something and if you decide to use that link to purchase it, then yes, I will make a few cents off of it. If it isn’t something I am using or enjoying, I won’t be recommending it just to make a few bucks. You can also see in a few of my posts things I don’t like and therefore wouldn’t recommend you buy. 
Advertisers/Sponsors: I don’t have any on the blog right now. The sites I recommend in my sidebar are simply blogs I like, some by friends and some from folks I have never met in person but really enjoy the content of. But, if I am ever approached by someone wanting to advertise/sponsor, I would update this disclosure to explain it. I would probably be very happy about it too. More than likely I will have a post about my new sponsor because I think it would be worth writing about.
Gifts: If I am ever blessed with a gift from someone due to this blog, I will write a post about it and let you know they gave it to me, and whether or not I like it. I’m pretty open about the things I like and don’t like here, so that isn’t gonna change.
The truth is, in today’s economy it would be nice for any of us to figure out a way to help supplement our income. But this blog is not driven by that. If I come up for an idea that I think might do that, I would probably develop a new blog devoted to that idea.
To summarize, I have not been trying to pull one over on you my reader or on the FTC. I wasn’t aware of the need to disclose some of this, and will in the future update this notice as needed. At the moment I am not writing this blog for profit, I am writing it because I enjoy it and enjoy sharing my ideas and activities. I also write it to hopefully bring you, my reader, a few smiles as well. Not planning on changing any of that either.
I would love to hear from some of you on this subject as well. Do you use affiliate links? Do you have any sponsors or advertisers? How do you disclose your information? Looking forward to hearing from you, thanks for reading! Angela
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